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Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket vs Roland VR-1HD: Comparison
What is the difference between Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket and Roland VR-1HD?
Latency is where these two genuinely part company, Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket 32 ms against Roland VR-1HD 20 ms, a 60% lead for Roland VR-1HD. Connection type is not the same on both, USB-C / Thunderbolt on the Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket versus USB 3.0 on the Roland VR-1HD. Passthrough resolution is not the same on both, 4K60 on the Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket versus 1080p60 on the Roland VR-1HD.
Which should you buy, Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket or Roland VR-1HD?
Buy the Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket for buyers who value Hauppauge's long track record in capture hardware, though it is the wrong buy for HDR capture or passthrough, not supported on this device and PC-free standalone recording, that's the AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt's job. It is equally the pick for console streamers wanting quick capture through a mobile or PC companion app. It is the wrong buy for anyone wanting the most polished streaming-focused software suite, Elgato and AVerMedia lead there. The Roland VR-1HD suits house-of-worship or small studio setups needing built-in audio mixing, though it is not the pick for 4K or HDR workflows of any kind. The same goes for solo streamers running multiple cameras who need live switching without a PC-based switcher. It is not the one for simple single-source game capture, where a plain capture card is cheaper. Our rating of the Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket (6/10): solid hardware from a genuinely experienced capture brand, let down slightly by software polish next to Elgato and AVerMedia. Our rating of the Roland VR-1HD (7/10): A genuinely useful hardware switcher/mixer for solo multi-cam streamers. Skip it if you just need a single-source capture card, since it's overbuilt and pricier for that job.
What Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket and Roland VR-1HD have in common
Everything else lines up. Form factor, max recording resolution and hdr support read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing.
Specs and benchmarks
Form Factor
- Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket
- External USB
- Roland VR-1HD
- External USB
Brand
- Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket
- Hauppauge
- Roland VR-1HD
- Roland
Model Number
- Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket
- HD PVR Rocket
- Roland VR-1HD
- VR-1HD
Connection Type
- Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket
- USB-C / Thunderbolt
- Roland VR-1HD
- USB 3.0
Max Recording Resolution
- Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket
- 1080p60
- Roland VR-1HD
- 1080p60
Passthrough Resolution
- Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket
- 4K60
- Roland VR-1HD
- 1080p60
HDR Support
- Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket
- No
- Roland VR-1HD
- No
Latency
- Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket
- 32 ms-60%
- Roland VR-1HD
- 20 msBest
Which one should you pick?
Choose Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose Roland VR-1HD if you want the lower latency (20 ms vs 32 ms).
Price comparison
| Retailer | Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket | Roland VR-1HD |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket
6 / 10 Expert Rating
Solid hardware from a genuinely experienced capture brand, let down slightly by software polish next to Elgato and AVerMedia.
Roland VR-1HD
7 / 10 Expert Rating
A genuinely useful hardware switcher/mixer for solo multi-cam streamers.