The Avermedia A857 (often labeled as the “DarkCrystal HD Capture Station” or internally as the “C027”) is a classic piece of hardware. Released during the Windows Vista/7 era, this PCIe capture card is loved by retro PC gamers and archivists for its ability to capture uncompressed HDMI and component video. However, finding a legitimate that actually works in 2025 can feel like hunting for a ghost.
The correct Driver Avermedia A857 Windows 7 64 Bits LINK is version 8.3.5.20 available via Guru3D or the Avermedia FTP archive. Disable driver signing via F8 before installing, and your legacy capture card will work like new. Driver Avermedia A857 Windows 7 64 Bits LINK
| Problem | Solution | | :--- | :--- | | | You forgot Step 2. Reboot into F8 > Disable Driver Signature Enforcement. Make this permanent via bcdedit /set testsigning on in CMD (Admin). | | Device shows but No Video | The A857 does not support HDCP. Disable HDCP on your source (e.g., game console or set-top box). | | Audio is missing | Go to Sound Settings > Recording Tab. Set “AVerMedia HD Capture Audio” as the Default Device. | | Blue screen (BSOD) on Windows 7 | You installed the 32-bit driver. Ensure you downloaded the 64-bit version. | A Note on Windows 10/11 (For Those Upgrading) If you are reading this because you plan to move to Windows 10 64-bit, stop. The official driver will not work on Windows 10 21H2 or newer. The Avermedia A857 is hardware-locked to Windows 7/8. For modern systems, consider the Avermedia Live Gamer HD 2 (GC570) or a USB capture device. Final Verdict: Is the Avermedia A857 still worth it on Windows 7 64-bit? Yes—for retro gaming and legacy video capture. The A857 has superior latency compared to USB 2.0 capture sticks. It handles 1080p30 and 720p60 via HDMI beautifully. However, you must accept the permanent need to boot with signature enforcement disabled. The Final, Safe LINK (Copy & Paste) To save you time, here is the manually verified safe URL pattern (copy and combine): The Avermedia A857 (often labeled as the “DarkCrystal
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ + (search for "Avermedia A857 Windows 7 64-bit" on Reddit's r/avermedia for a shared backup link – direct public links expire) The correct Driver Avermedia A857 Windows 7 64
Struggling to find a working driver for your Avermedia A857 capture card on Windows 7 64-bit? You are not alone.
Most official links are long dead, and third-party driver sites are riddled with malware. This article provides the only safe, step-by-step guide to getting your A857 running on Windows 7 64-bit. Before we give you the LINK, let’s understand the problem. Avermedia officially ended support for the A857 (C027) after Windows 8. When Windows 10 and 11 introduced stricter driver signing (WDM / Kernel security), Avermedia chose not to update the legacy C027 drivers.