Is the RCA camcorder output analog?

Question

Bear with me because I am very new to this topic.

I saw a setup where someone was recording using two cameras and sending the output to a laptop. The camera output was sent via a three pin cable which I now know is known as RCA. These outputs were sent to something known as a selector which allows you to select the camera by flipping a switch.

When reading online I see that the RCA cable is used to transport an analog signal. But these camcorders also have HDMI output. Does this mean that the cameras can output either analog or digital signal?

PS. In the above setup, the output of the selector was sent to a device named ADVC-55. Reading online I see that it is used to convert analog signal to digital. The problem is that the video observed on the laptop monitor seems lower quality than what is previewed in the camera. Hence my question to understand if this ADVC-55 device is needed at all for this purpose or if there is a different way to get better quality.

Answer 1

The best way to answer this definitively would be if you know the model of the camera.

RCA cables from video cameras are nearly always analogue signals. It is possible for a camera to have both digital outputs such as HDMI and SDI, and analogue outputs such as component or composite video from RCA sockets. The analogue outputs are almost always standard definition (ie 480 or 576 lines of video).

HDMI outputs are usually high definition 1080 lines (or possibly 720 on older cameras, higher on newer 4K cameras).

If you are asking how to capture video from a camera with HDMI output in high quality into a computer with USB3, I would use an adaptor such as the Elgato HD60 S Capture Card.