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FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

1How can I buy one of your products?

The most comfortable way to order is in our online shop.
Of course, an order by e-mail is possible.

Merki.Net is the official distributor for the 3DS Capture Card! Therefore, we are happy to deliver our products to all regions of the world!

The shipping costs to your location are indicated here or at the shop next to the products.

To get your own console installed by us, you have to send in your console to our company, which is located in Germany.

As payment methods, we offer you ~~PayPal~~, Wise or SEPA bank transfer.

For European region customers, please use the SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) bank transfer from your bank account - most banks transfer the money immediate, but at latest we should receive the payment within 24 hours and it is free of charge.
For other regions customers, please use for your International payments, the safe and trusted service from Wise.com.

We are located in Germany, therefore you will have to pay for your order amount in Euro (EUR) currency - but this is not a problem.
As all banking systems are doing the currency exchange for you automatically.

All three banking systems are safe! The only difference is the amount of fees you get charged with for the currency exchange and the actual transfer - this applies for you AND for us:

~~◾ PayPal will ask from you an own exchange rate, normally someting aournd 2.5% of the real exchange rate~~
◾ Your regular bankaccount will ask for international wiretransfer fixed costs like 40 USD and a own exchange rate normally something around 0.2-0.5% on top
◾ Wise.com charges 0.5%, but no fees on the exchange rate, as they use the real exchange rate.

In our opinion Wise has the best service for money transfer, as there are no hidden fees.

~~We get charged by PayPal for receiving your Payment! Incredible - 5% of your purchase goes to them!~~
The reason we stopped offering PayPal is their huge amount of fees we get charged with it was over 4.000 Euro every year!

For SEPA bank transfer and Wise it is free of charge for us.

We do not offer payment by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express, etc.) directly!
But via Wise.com., there you can deposit your credit card as a counter account, then immediately the amount will be charged to the credit account.

Installment payments are not possible with us!

2Why is it cheaper for me to buy here and not in the US or Japan?

This information is meant for European region customers!

There are many good reasons for this:

To understand why is this, you should first know how purchases work outside Europe, to be able to compare!
1. Almost everywhere in the World, except in Europe, the prices displayed at shops do not contain the VAT or Consumption Tax.
2. So, let's assume that you have bought the product and at checkout you paid also the VAT or consumption tax what was asked by the dealer on behalf of his country.
Unforunately, this will not be the final price! Because of the import customs and duties which you will have to pay once your package is actual arriving to your home country.

1. Our price is transparent and complete:

◾ In our shop, the shipping costs are calculated automatically after entering your address.

◾ Within the European Union (excluding Switzerland and Norway) - there are no additional VAT or import duty in your country!
This means that the displayed price at the shopping cart is the final price - no further costs!

◾ For countries outside the European Union (EU) we generally do not charge VAT on the entire delivery!
The prices without tax are automatically displayed when the system recognizes your country of origin. If not, you will at latest see the tax-free prices after enterin your address at the checkout.
As you do not pay any taxes to us, you will have to on arrival of the package to your NON European country

◾ For payments via SEPA bank transfer within Europe (all states) the transfer is free of charge!

◾ To your purchase price you should also add your shipping costs, if you send your console for modding to a dealer in the US or Japan:
- For a insured and tracked package to US, you would have to pay 345 € shipping at least
- to Japan even more 42 € is the lowest rate

2. Install and delivery time:

◾ In our forum portal, the current process time is always specified.
If you have ordered the installation and have sent the console to us, the modding takes place in 1-3 days, depending on when we got your package.
As a rule, it takes usually only 24 hours!
◾ Transportation back to your location mostly takes one day within Germany and 2-4 days within Europe.
Thus, most of the time the install process will not take more than a week - from your sending until receiving it back!

3. Warranty and liability:

◾ With us, ALL customers have a claim to a 2-year legal warranty!
Please note that there is only a 6-month legal warranty for wear & tear parts, including batteries and the USB port.
Since the handling of things is crucial to their lifetime.

◾ Of course, the warranty includes the conversion (work) and the capture card (goods) as required by law.
The liability for damage to your DS / 3DS, if we should damage something during modding the console, we take over, of course.

◾ Here for comparison the legal regulations in the USA and Japan:
- In USA there are 0-30 days (the dealer decides if there is a voluntary or paid guarantee / insurance)
- In Japan, there are even only 30 days of voluntary warranty.

4. Console region:

◾ We offer you European or PAL set offers (a brand new console with pre-installed 3DS Capture Card).
This are sets build of the currently available consoles on the market.
Especially the set offer has a great advantage over a simple install - we do take over the warranty from Nintendo for the console as well so it covers the complete set!
So within the 2-year warranty period, it does not matter if the console or the capture card has a defect - we repair or replace it.

Of course our set consoles are new and unused!

Excrept the Classic DS that we offer, these consoles are only available in used condition, but we are not buying them from eBay or such, therefore they are in a great condition. Check out the pictures at our shop, we add them always form our last delivery that we received.

3How long does a modding take and when do I get my console?

It's depends on what you ordered, because we are offering you three different types of services.

On the one hand, we offer you set offers (a brand new console with pre-installed 3DS Capture Card).
These will normally be sent on the same or next day, depending on the time of day as you ordered it.

For the modding in our shop you can make an appointment 24 hours before and bring in your console.
The processing is done immediately and depending on the model, you can take your console with you, after 1-3 hours.

If you have ordered the installation and have sent the console to us, the modding takes place in 1-3 days.
It depends on when we got your package.
As a rule, it takes usually only 24 hours!
Transportation back to your location mostly takes one day within Germany and 2-4 days within Europe.
Thus, most of the time the install process will not take more than a week - from your sending until receiving it back!

4What should I send and what should I keep when I send my console to Merki.Net?

Please include a small piece of paper with your address, so we can better identify your order.
This note should be in the package or stuck to your console.
This ensures we can get your system back to the right address, even if your address on the outside of the package is damaged from shipping or covered by paperwork taped to the outside by the shipping companies.

Do not send along your games, power supply, pen, original packaging and instructions.
These things take up more space and increase weight, thus unnecessarily increasing shipping costs…

The internal SD memory card can also be removed. Of course, it can also remain in the device, if you like.
It is only necessary with hardware mods for the NAND Mod and RCM Mod.

The console should be packed safely against falls and bruises.
Therefore, we recommend wrapping the console with bubble wrap or foam and filling the package with crumpled newspaper - so that a buffer is created.

For the return we provide the necessary packaging!

See further details about shipping a console to us at our shipping advices page.

5What is the address I should ship it to?

Merki.net
Stefan Merki
Robert-Koch-Str. 5

52511 Geilenkirchen
Germany

E-Mail: Info@Merki.net
Telephone: +49 (0) 2451 71031

6What about the warranty and liability?

With us, ALL customers have a claim to a 2-year legal warranty!
Please note that there is only a 6-month legal warranty for wear & tear parts, including batteries and the USB port.
Since the handling of things is crucial to their lifetime.

Here for comparison the legal regulations in the USA and Japan:
- In USA there are 0-30 days (the dealer decides if there is a voluntary or paid guarantee / insurance)
- In Japan, there are even only 30 days of voluntary warranty.

Of course, the warranty includes the conversion (work) and the capture card (goods) as required by law.
The liability for damage to your DS / 3DS, if we should damage something during modding the console, we take over, of course.

7Do I incur further costs when placing an order?

It basically depends on whether you buy a product that is pre-modded and just shipped out, or your console that you first have to ship to us for modding.

With the modding, there are additional costs for you:

◾ Shipping and packaging costs from your location to our company in Germany.
You must pack your DS / 3DS / Switch securely and send it to our address.
You have to bear the costs and organization of the transport yourself.

◾ Of course, also for repairs, which we should carry out at your request. Often we find a piece of paper where the customer has some things listed about defects that he is aware of.

◾ We test every console as we start working on it for obvious defects.
If we notice them, we will contact you first to clarify on how to proceed.
You always decide if a repair should be done or not!

8Do I have to send in my 3DS console or can I buy a pre-installed system?

With us you have the choice:

◾ You are welcome to send us your (used) consoles for the modding.
These are treated with the utmost care! The warranty also covers the installation work.
Of course, should we damage something while modding your DS / 3DS, we will cover the repair costs.

◾ In addition, we also offer you set offers (a brand new console with pre-installed 3DS Capture Card).
This are sets build of the currently available consoles on the market.
Especially the set offer has a great advantage over a simple install - we do take over the warranty from Nintendo for the console as well so it covers the complete set!
So within the 2-year warranty period, it does not matter if the console or the capture card has a defect - we repair or replace it.

Of course our set consoles are new and unused!

Except the Classic DS that we offer, these consoles are only available in used condition, but we are not buying them from eBay or such, therefore they are in a great condition.
Check out our shop pics, these are from our last delivery that we received.

To clarify about the consoles, that we offer for other regions like US, Japan and Australia:
We use brand new consoles and new replacement mainboards to be able to deliver you a console that is suitable for your region.
Unfortunately we are not able to deliver with the set an appropriate power supply that is for the regions.

9How long do repairs take?

A repair is treated preferentially by us!
It is very annoying that such a circumstance arrives.
Regardsless where you bought it, or whatever has led to it - we want our customers to be happy again as soon as possible!

10What should be considered if additional repairs are to be carried out?

Lately we receive many orders, with broken consoles and requests for repair.
Basically we do repairs - so that's OK!
However, it would be much better if you would contact us beforehand and describe the defect.
With this information, we can then often make you an offer directly.
And if we do not have the replacement parts in stock, we can order them in time.
In this way, you can avoid delays that occur because the component would have to be ordered and delivered to us.

3DS Capture Card

1What is a Capture Card and how does it work?

With a Capture Card for a Nintendo handheld-console you can display the video and audio content of your console on your PC-Desktop.
If you want to record or stream this content to the Internet, you can use desktop recording/streaming software that is for free!
The image and sound information is transmitted digitally, so the quality is 1: 1 what the console itself produces!

On our presentation page about the 3DS Capture Card you will learn more...

2How much does the Capture Card cost and for which consoles is it available?

This varies depending on the model, the respective prices depend on the console generation.
The older Capture Cards are a bit cheaper as the amount of work to do the modding on the console is less.
Depending on the type of console, there are other options in addition to the Capture Card.
They are explained at the Hardware Mods page.
For all Capture Cards and modifications the installation is always included.

All models for which we have offered a capture card in the past are listed here. In our shop you can see which models are currently available:

There will not be any for the DS Lite or DSi or DSi XL.

On our presentation page about the 3DS Capture Card you will learn more...

3What is the delivery?

With the installed 3DS Capture Card a 2 m long micro-USB cable is included.
For the old 2DS and 3DS it is a mini-USB cable.
We provide the drivers and the Viewer-Client software for download on our website (Info/Downloads).
Additonally the Keity products have a license key, that is printed on our invoice!

4Can I make a firmware upgrade or does a capture card stop working after that?

Of course you can always do a firmware update!
The Capture Card is connected to your console only with the hardware.
The 3DS Capture Card is invisible to the firmware of the console and the Viewer-Client software on the PC is completely independent of it, too.

5Why are you no longer providing audio filters with the Capture Card?

The initial offerings with an audio filter (Basic / Extended / Value) were intended for Loopys 3DS Capture Cards before the firmware v3.0.
AFTER the update of the Capture Software in 2014, the sound is also transmitted via the USB cable.Thus, this audio filter is no longer necessary!
If you still want to record via the line-in port from the console, you can also order the audio filter from us.

6Will the 3DS Capture Card be offered for self installation?

No, we solely offer the 3DS Capture Card including installation.
The installation is already included in the price, our offer pays off for us due to the high import and transport costs only in this combination.

Another reason is that the most customers were not able to finish the installation of the 3DS Capture Card and ended up with a broken system.
To successfully complete the installation on the one hand requires a very good soldering station (we use the NASE-2B high quality nano soldering and desoldering station from JBC) and have a lot of experience with soldering on flex films. On the other hand, the disassembly and assembly of the console is not without risk, it can very easily damage components that are then no longer repairable.

In general, the manufacturers Neal Tew (Loopy) & Keity Ltd. (Katsukitty) do not offer the 3DS Capture Card installation.

7Do I have to use a specific software for the PC?

That's right, 3DS Capture Cards are produced by two different manufacturers, depending on the generation of the console.
Thus, the drivers and the viewer (display) software for each generation are different.
The basic function is always the same:
Each software can simultaneously display the screens and transmit audio, including the ability to scale, dock or release the screens.
In addition, Neal Tew (Loopy) has added a feature for recording, Keity Ltd. did not implement this feature.
So always make sure to install the right software otherwise the hardware will not work!

8Can I have my Capture Card moved to another console?

This is called transplantation...
Basically, a movement works to a console of the same type and generation.
For example, you can transplant from old 3DS to old 3DS.It is not possible to transplant from old 3DS to NEW 3DS or from old 3DS XL to NEW 3DS XL.
Also, always a new flex cable must be installed, because the old usually gets damaged by removing from the old console and does not work properly anymore.

9I used to buy a capture card from you. Would you buy them back?

We are glad that you considering us!
However, we basically have a problem with used things:
- We have to give a warrenty of 2 years on every sale, your console and Capture Card is now used goods
- It is very difficult to estimate the resale price and to offer you a fair price as well
Therefore we can not buy your used Capture Card.
But if you intend to buy from us again, let us know before your order and we will put something nice in your package :)

10I have limited space on my internal HDD, should I use an external USB HDD / SSD?

This is generally a very bad idea!
External USB devices are using the USB bus (chipset) and put a high load on the system.
The biggest disadvantage is that the data transfer from your CaptureCard will be slowed down by the additional data transfer!
All of this leads to lower frame rates (FPS) and dropouts in video and audio. Das ist generell eine sehr schlechte Idee! Externe USB-Speicher belasten den USB-Bus (Chipsatz) extrem. Der Nachteil liegt darin, dass durch den zusätzlichen Datentransfer die Datenübertragung von deiner CaptureCard ausgebremst wird! Das führt zu niedrigeren Frameraten (FPS) und aussetzern in Video und Audio.

TV-Kit

1What is a TV-Kit?

With this TV-Kit, you can connect your NEW 2DS XL, NEW 3DS or NEW 3DS XL Capture Card directly to a TV via an HDMI cable.
A PC is not required!

The TV-Kit works ONLY for the latest (2nd generation) of Keity's Capture Card.

It does not work with the Classic DS and (Old) 2DS, (Old) 3DS and (Old) 3DS XL!

The TV-Kit is designed to connect directly to a TV or projector - not to another Capture device such as Elgato or Avermedia.
This function already has the 3DS Capture Card itself, that could be connected to a PC.

The TV-Kit is pre-programmed and very easy to use, it's just plug and play!

Here a quick guide:

◾ Waiting for Connection - The TV kit is waiting to be connected to a NEW 2DS XL / NEW 3DS / NEW 3DS XL console.
◾ NO SIGNAL -> The console is connected but not turned on or the screen display is closed

◾ Buttons description:

P- Power -> press it short to turn on the TV-Kit, hold down for 4 seconds to turn off the TV-KIT safely...
M- Menu -> setup menu - short press -> display settings, additonal press accept settings and go to next Line
S- Select ->
- inside the menu - press it short -> toggles the settings

- during display mode -> toggles through screen modes:
• fullscreen 50:50 for both screens,
• fullscreen top 75:25 bottom screen,
• windowed mode 66:33 both screens,
• fullscreen 100:0 for top scren only,

E- Enter -> rotate display in 90 degrees clockwise

◾ Important note:

Please always shut down the TV-Kit with the P button (Power).

It is a mini PC and has an operating system on the SD card like your Desktop PC has.
If you ignore this, the result would be a damaged or corrupted SD-Card!
Also, the TV kit would take longer for the next boot because it would first have to fix the file system of the SD-Card.
This could even lead to a start is no longer possible.

2What is the delivery?

The TV kit comes with a 32GB SD card and a universal power adapter.
We deliberately do not include an HDMI cable, because each user will certainly need a different length. Therefore it would be an absolute waste of our planet resources!

3Can I use the TV-Kit with an EXTERNAL capture card?

Basically, there is hardly any need for a recording with an external capture card, because the 3DS Capture Card can be connected directly to the PC, so it does everything itself! Nevertheless, someone could come up with the idea of watching at the TV and wanting to record at the same time.

To say it directly, this TV-Kit is not intended for that use!

The recording should be possible in principle.
However, there are restrictions , which is why we can not guarantee it!

The following things should be considered:
• Input lag (delay) - when connecting one MORE Capture Card (it is now the No. 3) you have to assume a lag. Whether this lag was noticeable ultimately depends on the performance of your external capture card.
• Audio synchronization (distortion) - It can become an increasing come displacement of the audio signal. The reason is the game console itself, since Nintendo uses on all DS and 3DS consoles here 32.700 kHz (32700 Hz). This audio frequency is quite unusual and not the usual 44,100 kHz that the rest of the world in general uses. If your external capture card can not record that frequency directly, it will have to convert that, which will cause the dropouts or even become asynchronous.

If you want to use and record it for other viewers to present it on a TV or beamer AFTER your external capture card (Avermedia, Elgato etc ...), we can advise you as a player only to look at the screen of your console and possibly to use headphones for yourself to work around these problems.

1Basic knowledge - Preparing the Windows platform:

Basically one should know that with a installation of Windows first all device drivers come from Microsoft.

Of course, these were not developed by Microsoft itself, but the various manufacturers have submitted these so-called "fail-safe" or base drivers at Microsoft.

These standard drivers were signed by Microsoft - because they meet the quality requirements of Microsoft WHQL - Windows Hardware Quality Labs.
This means that the hardware can be started with this drivers without causing damage to other components in the Windows system.

This certification is very expensive. As a result, the manufacturers usually only certify their drivers for the new release of a product, and the drivers are designed just for maximum compatibility and are therefore very slow. In addition, most of them have only the basic functions built in. For example, e.g. support for sound cards for stereo mix mostly not available.

Anyone who assembles and installs his own system will already know the procedure. After completing the Windows installation, use the driver CD included with the hardware or download the latest drivers from the manufacturer's website.

For complete systems, a well-configured and up-to-date system should already be in place. From my long professional experience in the IT industry, unfortunately this is often not the case!

For the performance of your system to be sufficient for capturing / grabbing, all relevant drivers must be up to date.

◾ Windows platform:

• Mainboard Chipset (Intel or AMD)
• USB Chipset (sometimes already integrated in the upper one)
• Graphic card (VGA)
• Sound card for Audio (StereoMix)
• Direct X Version 9 (Multimedia interface from Microsoft)
• Capture Card driver (see next section)

2Basic Knowledge - Which driver is for which Capture Card:

The hardware of the 3DS Capture Card only works with the driver of the respective manufacturer.

Depending on generation and model you need the "right" driver:

The 3DS Capture Cards are very easy to recognize:

Products from Loopy (Neal Tew):

• Classic DS – only Loopy
• (old) 3DS – uses a micro USB plug - these were only sold until the end of 2016!
• NEW 3DS XL – uses a USB C plug

Products from Keity Co. Ltd. - Katsuki Toru (Katsukity):

• (old) 2DS – 1st generation – (old device driver)
• (old) 3DS – 1st generation– (old device driver)
• (old) 3DS XL – 1st generation – (old device driver)
• NEW 3DS – 2nd generation – (NEW device driver)
• NEW 3DS XL – 2nd generation – (NEW device driver)
• NEW 2DS XL – 2nd generation – (NEW device driver)

3Setting up Capture Cards made by Keity:

Capture Card drivers:

• Keity's Capture Cards hardware is based on a new generation of the Cypress USB controller and a Xilinx FPGA chip.
That's why Windows does NOT recognize it! Instead of the Capture Card, an Unknown Device appears in the Device Manager.

• After you have installed the driver (here on this page under Downloads), the new device appears for the respective generation:

• After rebooting your system, it's time to start the nView software (included in the driver and software package) for the first time.

• Once Keity's n3DS_View software is started and the Capture Card is connected to your PC, the second part of the microcode is automatically loaded into the Capture Card's PRAM memory. The Capture Card immediately performs an internal reboot for itself.
That's why you hear the sound, that Windows makes, when a new USB device is connected.
This actually happened because the Capture Card in the Device Manager is now under a different name:

• This completes the driver installation and the capture card is ready for use!

Because this microcode is not permanently stored in an EEPROM, the information in RAM automatically erases - every time the capture card is disconnected from the PC.
The next time you connect, by uploading the code this simply turns a generic USB device in a Capture Card again.

Incidentally, this is also the reason why only one KEITY 3DS Capture Card can be connected simultaneously from the 1st or 2nd generation at the same time!

Capture Software - (streaming) client software for your desktop:

• The Capture Card is not a video, scanner or webcam device, so there is no universal interface for grabbing or transferring video & audio content.
• In order for the two screen contents of your console to be visible (streamed) on the PC, you will need the streaming client software n3DS_View from Keity!
This software is included in the driver and software package - in a 32 & 64 bit version.
The versions for the "old devices" and "new devices" are not compatible with each other! So make sure to use the right driver and software for your console!

• The Capture Card software transmits 1: 1 the original resolution of the console - 400 × 240px (top) and 320 × 240px (bottom) to your PC desktop.
• This screen information is displayed in one or two scalable windows, and the in-game sound is played through your sound card using a stereo mix.

Attention on all old models:

The image quality of the lower screen may be incorrect. The reason is that the program does not automatically find the correct values for the VSYNC of your graphics card.
To adjust this value, please go to the menu Config> Calibration> Lower screen CLOCK and set the value between 1 and 12 so that the colors are right for you.

Audio settings:

• The audio output via the USB cable is not activated by default!
The reason for this is, that the n3DS_View software can not decide for you - which audio device should be paired with stereo mix in Windows.
For Video output is much easier, because it always takes the primary screen.

• Please go in the n3DS_View software to the menu - Config -> Sound settings.
Set the check to: "Use the Digital Sound Output beta", select your soundcard and click on "Initialization" in the lower left corner.
When initializing the hook goes away again!
Make sure you set the check again and click OK to save! The program will now automatically adjust the stereo mix for you.

4Setting up Capture Cards made by Loopy:

Overview

Capture Card drivers:

Loopys Classic DS and (old) 3DS Capture Cards use a generic (universal) USB driver for connecting to Windows.
The newer operating systems like Windows 8.x, 10 and 11 already contain these generic drivers. For these models you don't require additional drivers.

Therefore, the Capture Card is recognized as a generic USB device in Windows Device Manager.
We recommend that you install our drivers, then your Capture Card is also listed correctly as DS Capture or 3DS Capture under USB devices.

Loopys latest Capture Card design for the NEW 3DS XL model has a USB3.0 SuperSpeed FTDI Chip and does need a driver to function.
You can download the driver together with the viewer software at our website under Downloads The driver is located in the subfolder /support-files/FTD3XXDriver_WHQLCertified_v1.3.0.4_Installer.exe
After succesful installation of the driver you will see an addtional USB device in the USB-Controller section:

Capture software - (streaming client-software) for the Desktop:

• The Capture Card is not a video, scanner or webcam device, therefore it is not using a universal interface for (grabbing) programs to transfer the video & audio content.
• In order to see (stream) the content of the two gameconsole screens on the PC, you need our streaming client that is “3ds_capture.exe”.

• The capture software transfers 1:1 the nativ/original resolution of the console - 400×240px (top) and 320×240px (bottom) to your PC.
• This screen content is displayed in one or two scalable windows.
• The in-game sound is transferred via USB (not available for Classic DS) to your soundcard using stereo mix.

• You can download Loopys viewer software (3ds_capture.exe) at our website under Downloads

◾ Optional features of 3DS Capture Software - Capture and Photo:

• Photo function.
• Recording function - the video and audio stream is recorded in one AVI container. You can choose the codecs and the desired quality level yourself.
• For live streaming, the image information is output in the window, but you need additional software such as OBS Studio (free) to stream to the Internet.

Set up audio transmission - “in-game sound”:

◾ Unfortunately, the Classic DS Capture Card does not have the ability to transmit audio!
Therefore the sound must be transmitted from the consoles headphone jack (AUX) with an audio cable. This signal has to be recorded at your PC side via Line-In or Microphone port with a soundcard analogously.

◾ With the 3DS/NEW 3DS XL Capture Card, the “in-game sound” is transferred to the PC via USB.
It is important that the sound card drivers are up to date and DirectX 9 is installed!
Please take a look at the requirements at: Basic knowledge - Preparing the Windows platform.

Here are the most frequently asked questions:

◾ You hear the “in-game sound” on your PC speakers, but it isn’t recorded when you record with the capture software?

• Then Stereo Mix is probably not selected as the recording source.

◾ You don't have a stereo mix to choose from in the capture software?

• Either only Windows' own WDM sound driver is installed on your PC or the stereo mix has not yet been made visible.
• After you have installed the latest driver for your sound card, you still only see the following:

• If you right click, you will get two options:
- View disabled devices
- View disconnected devices
• Tick "Show deactivated devices" now you can see stereo mix in "gray" because it is still deactivated.
• This now needs to be activated. To do this, go to properties and say when using the device: Use device (activate)

• Now go back and click on “Audio Settings” again in the capture software and the Stereo Mix selection will now appear :)

◾ Stereo mix is here and you can now hear and record the “in-game sound”, but your comments via the microphone are not recorded at the same time!?

• In the properties of your microphone, the option must be activated in the “Listening” tab, i.e. check the box: “Use this device as playback source”

• Now the microphone is also played back via your Windows sound and can be recorded as a “stereo mix” via the capture software.

Basic notes on settings in Loopy's software:

-Video-Settings:
Your choice of video codec. This allows you to determine at the same time how good the quality and what file size should be.
The selection of the appropriate codec determines the subsequent use.
A codec that records "lossless" without loss of quality, such as Lagarith, is best for subsequent processing with an editing program.
If the video is to be streamed directly to a internet platform without editing and the associated re-encoding of the video, then a codec that uses a rather high compression itself, e.g. H264 or Divix, would be the better choice.
You can also determine which of the two screens or both should be recorded.

-Audio-Settings:
The selection of the audio source (microphone, stereo mix, etc.) that will be written to the AVI file along with the video.
If you want, you can record just the stereo sound of the 3DS stream or just your audio commentary or both together = the “in-game sound” and your commentary.
Or no audio by selecting (no sound).

-Volume:
A volume control is integrated into Loopy's capture software, so you can determine the level of volume coming from the 3DS. So the volume level that is passed on to Windows (DirectX sound).

Basically, the volume control on the 3DS/NEW 3DS XL has no influence on the volume of the USB audio transmission!

5Basic knowledge - Record or Stream with your Capture Card:

It is always the respective streaming client of Keity or Loopy needed - ie. their original software (n3DS_View.exe or 3dsCapture.exe) to transfer the screen content and the in-game sound to the PC!

To record or stream you have several options:

With the launch of Keity or Loopy's software (streaming client's) on your PC, their software will display a livestream from your console's screens.
You can choose whether only one or both windows will be displayed. Whether they are docked or stand alone and you can choose between different aspect ratios or just drag the window with the mouse as you like.

a. Desktop-Capturing Software:
One or more open windows will be recorded under Windows or Mac. Some such as e.g. OBS can also stream live to the Internet, others can only record.
The following are often used: OBS, MSI Afterburner, Dxtory, Fraps, Camtasia, XSplit and some others.
This third-party software usually has even more far-reaching functions. For example, then multiple audio tracks (sources) can be recorded and stored.
For further editing, you could then edit the audio tracks and leave the original sound and make adjustments to the audio comment / cut / add, etc.

b. Streaming client from Loopy:
A special feature of the streaming clients of Loopy with the possibility also record.
You get a video and an audio track together in an AVI container (.AVI file).
As of version 3.0, this client has the ability to record audio and video over USB!
The Classic DS variant can not do this! Video can only be played and recorded here because the Capture Card does not process audio in the Classic DS model.

ONLY in this model the analog audio stream via the auxiliary jack has to be taken, all others are not affected.

Basic notes:

-Video quality:
Choosing the video codec determines how good the quality of the recording or stream is, but it also has a big impact on the amount of data that needs to be transferred or stored.

It is also very important to know that the selection of the right codec decisively determines the later use.
A video codec that records "lossless" without loss of quality, such as Lagarith, is best suited for subsequent processing with a video editing program.
If the video is to be uploaded directly without intersection and the associated re-encoding of the video, then a video codec that already compresses very well, e.g. H264 or Divix, is the better choice, because it generates significantly smaller amounts of data.

-Audio synchronization of the Nintendo consoles:
Nintendo uses a frequency of 32,700 kHz (32700 Hz) for handheld game consoles.
This audio frequency is quite unusual and not the usual 44,100 kHz for CD sound and 48,000 kHz for DVD video used by the rest of the world.
This difference causes the sound card to "stumble" because it is not the default frequency in Windows.
In particular, Analog recordings have this problem, which are made via the Aux port on the jack plug at the Classic DS consoles.

The same behavior can also happen with the TV kit, because here the sound with the same frequency of the console is passed on.
That's why there are dropouts or it will be asynchronous partly with a strong scratching.
Unfortunately, some TV sets also have problems with this frequency.

To prevent this from happening, please set the frequency to 32,700 kHz for your analog recordings.

-Volume:
Basically, the volume control on the 3DS has no overall effect on the volume of the USB audio transmission!

6General: How do I connect a capture card?

The Capture Card comes with a USB cable.
We recommend that you use a USB port directly on the motherboard (at the back of the PC, where the graphics card output is).
A USB 2.0 port (black) usually works better than USB 3.0 port (blue), but it could also be used.
If there are still problems, you can also try it with an intermediate USB hub (active).

7General: Why does the recorded video of my screens appear so dark?

Turn off the power save function on the 3DS and set the brightness to the highest level, then you have the best picture quality.

8General: How can I improve the audio quality?

The sound quality will be much better if the stereo sound is selected on the 3DS in the audio options! :)

9General: The frame rates I see are pretty low, what can I do?

This is due to 50% on either did not install drivers for your motherboard for both the chipset and also for the USB controller. Or on another USB device that blocks or extremely slows down the USB bus.

The consequences are then often a low FPS rate or even that the Capture Card is even not recognized by the system at all.
Most older USB devices are to blame as webcams are often still internally connected with USB 1.1 and require exclusive access to the USB bus.
Therefore, we advise you to troubleshoot, by first unplug all other USB devices and test whether the problem is resolved.

10Loopy: In the Capture software, the volume control can not be moved, what can I do?

If the volume control in Loopy's software does not move, then DirectX Version 9 has not been installed - you might have either a very old or DX12 (incompatible to previous) version running.
Check out the requirements: Basic knowledge - Preparation of the Windows platform:.

DirectX Web Setup (at our downloads) installs the DirectX 9 package from the Microsoft website for you.

11Loopy: My USB microphone does not get recorded using stereo mix, what can I do?

Some USB microphones do not record in-game sound AND the microphone together.
This happens when in Windows the USB microphone is used as default in the settings of the sound card (onboard or internal) of the stereo mix.

To make it work in this setup, please select the speaker of the internal sound card as standard in the Windows audio options. Then both are recorded. :)

Here you can find the current software for displaying your Capture Card, the original manufacturer programs, TV-Kit files and additional support files.

Our recommended standard software is the cc3dsfs Capture Viewer by Lorenzooone. The software bundles the required universal drivers, supports many different Capture-Card models and is designed for Windows, macOS, Linux and Raspberry Pi.

The original programs from Loopy, Keity / Katsukity and Optimize remain available, so existing setups and manufacturer-specific functions can continue to be used.

Driver and Viewer Software

For Capture Cards from Loopy (3dscapture), Keity / Katsukity (Optimize) as well as other supported capture hardware.

The cc3dsfs Capture Viewer by Lorenzooone is the recommended software for daily use with supported Capture-Card setups. The software is cross-platform, open source and actively developed.

Loopy / 3dscapture

• Nintendo DS / Classic DS (FAT)
• Nintendo DSi New
• Nintendo DSi XL New
• Nintendo old 3DS (Original)
• Nintendo NEW 3DS XL

Keity / Katsukity / Optimize

• Nintendo (old) 2DS
• Nintendo (old) 3DS
• Nintendo (old) 3DS XL
• Nintendo NEW 3DS
• Nintendo NEW 3DS XL
• Nintendo NEW 2DS XL
• Optimize V2 New

Other supported capture hardware

• IS Nitro / IS TWL Capture
• Partner CTR Capture
• Nisetro DS(i)

Snapshot Version: Recommended for users with normal requirements. The Snapshot Version contains all essential adjustments and has been tested and approved.

Nightly Build: Recommended for users who want to use the latest improvements and freshly integrated functions. This version can however be unstable.

GitHub Version: Recommended for users who expect a maximum stable version, however without driver adjustments or support for the newest hardware.

Snapshot Version 1.3.0.2 (2026.06.03) Latest Feature / Nightly GitHub Project Page

Driver and viewer (capture) software

For products by Neal Tew (Loopy):

◾ Classic DS & Re-Design 2022
◾ Classic DS2 2024
◾ (old) 3DS - Original & Re-Design 2021
◾ NEW 3DS XL

v6.1 - 06.Sep.2024

Officially not supported!

Driver and viewer (capture) software

For products by Keity Co. Ltd. (Katsukity):

◾ (old) 2DS
◾ (old) 3DS
◾ (old) 3DS XL

v13.20 & legacy

v3.10

◾ NEW 3DS
◾ NEW 3DS XL
◾ NEW 2DS XL

v3.21 & legacy

v2.10 & v3.00

v1.07 & v2.10.1 & v3.02

Important note about Keity / Optimize v3.21 & v13.20:
Version 3.21 & 13.20 works exclusively with Capture Hardware that has been switched to V2. This conversion is not a normal software update, but changes the configuration of the Capture Card itself. During this process, the existing Optimize firmware or EEPROM configuration is removed or disabled.

After the downgrade, Windows detects the hardware as Cypress FX2LP. The original Optimize detection is no longer available as before.

Lorenzooone has integrated a Downgrade to V2 function directly into cc3dsfs for everyone who explicitly wants to use this special path. Instead, for normal use we recommend the cc3dsfs Capture Viewer without this special path.

Note about Windows 11 24H2 and Keity / Optimize:
Windows 11 24H2 can block older Keity / Optimize drivers because of current driver signature requirements. Typical indications are Code 52 in Device Manager or Capture device not found in the old nViewer software. The Capture Hardware itself is not defective. For affected systems we recommend the cc3dsfs Capture Viewer, as the appropriate driver installation is already handled there.