Why Does My NIX Capture Card Show a Black Screen in OBS After Switching HDMI Sources?
Applicable To
- Plugable NIX Capture Card
- OBS Studio on Windows (see the note for macOS below)
After you unplug one HDMI source from the capture card and connect another, OBS may not pick up the new signal and shows a black preview. This is usually resolved by resetting the capture source in OBS using the steps below.
Troubleshooting Steps
- In OBS, right-click the Video Capture Device source (or the custom name you gave it) and select Properties.
- Click the Deactivate button just below the Device drop-down.
- Disconnect the HDMI cable from the IN port on the capture card.
- Wait 5 seconds.
- Connect the HDMI cable from the new source device to the IN port on the capture card.
- Click the Activate button in the same Properties window.
- Click OK.
Note for macOS: OBS on macOS does not have a Deactivate/Activate button. Instead, unplug the capture card's USB cable from your computer for a few seconds, then plug it back in.
Expected Result
Within a few seconds, the OBS preview shows video from the new HDMI source.
If the Issue Persists
- In the source's Properties, set Resolution/FPS Type to Device Default. This matters if the new device outputs a different resolution.
- Close and reopen OBS.
- Confirm the source isn't sending HDCP-protected content, which the capture card can't record.
- If none of these work, contact Plugable Support.
