To connect a DVD player to a computer with HDMI, you cannot simply plug an HDMI cable from the player directly into your computer because computer HDMI ports are outputs, not inputs. You must use a USB HDMI video capture card to bridge the connection, allowing your computer to receive the DVD player's video and audio signal.
Why you can't connect a DVD player to a computer with HDMI directly
The critical hardware limitation is that computers are designed to send video signals out through their HDMI ports to displays like monitors or TVs. They lack the internal hardware to receive a video signal through that same port. To overcome this, you need a device that converts the incoming HDMI signal into a format your computer can read through a USB port, which is exactly what a capture card does.
What you'll need
To complete this setup, you will need a DVD player with an HDMI output, a USB HDMI video capture card, and a computer with an available USB port. The capture card acts as the bridge, taking the HDMI signal from your DVD player and sending it to your computer as a USB video feed. You will also need a standard HDMI cable to connect the DVD player to the capture card. If your goal is simply to watch on a big screen, you can connect a computer to a TV HDMI directly without any capture hardware, but if you want to use your laptop as a display for another device, you can connect PS4 to laptop with HDMI using a similar capture card method.
Step 1: Connect the DVD player to the capture card
Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI output port on your DVD player. Plug the other end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI input port on the USB HDMI video capture card. This establishes the video and audio signal path from the player to the capture device.
Step 2: Connect the capture card to your computer
Plug the capture card's USB cable into an available USB port on your computer. Your computer should recognize the capture card as a new device. If you need to switch from HDMI 1 to HDMI 2 on a connected monitor later, you would use the monitor's input selection button, but this is not part of the capture card setup.
Step 3: Install the capture card software
Many capture cards require specific drivers or viewing software to function. Download and install the software recommended by the capture card's manufacturer. A common and free option is OBS Studio, which can recognize the capture card feed and display it on your computer screen.
Step 4: Configure the software to see your DVD player
Open the installed software and add a new video capture source. Select your USB HDMI capture card from the list of available devices. The software will then display the live feed from your DVD player.
Step 5: Test the connection and play a DVD
Insert a DVD into your player and press play. You should see the DVD's video and hear its audio through your computer. If you see a black screen, check that the capture card is selected as the video source and that the DVD player is powered on. If there is no audio, ensure the capture card is also selected as the audio source in your software settings.
