Compact and complete video manufacturing

The Rodecaster sequence of podcast mixers have turn out to be a mainstay amongst audio creatives. Final 12 months, the corporate expanded the road with its first multimedia mannequin — the Rodecaster Video. It was a extra area of interest proposition, aimed toward streamers, video podcasters and dwell producers, and, at $1,200, folks with deeper pockets. Right now, Rode returns with the Rodecaster Video S (RCV-S), a streamlined model that provides a lot of the identical performance for lower than half the price of the unique ($499).

In the event you at present use Ecamm Reside, OBS, a Stream Deck, a Rodecaster Pro/Duo, a video capture card or Blackmagic Atem kind switcher, then there’s a very good probability the RCV-S does one thing, or many issues, helpful to you. Perhaps it may substitute all these merchandise, a few of them or improve your workflow. It’s slightly sophisticated, however inside that complication is a whole lot of versatility.

With three HDMI inputs, one USB webcam/mic enter and as much as 4 NDI/wi-fi digital camera inputs, video is clearly the main focus right here. However there are additionally two XLR/Combo ports for studio microphones and devices and the choice to attach as much as two of Rode’s wi-fi lav mics (such because the Wireless Go) immediately with out the necessity for a receiver. The RCV-S, like Blackmagic’s fashionable Atem Mini, outputs over HDMI at 1080p/60 (no 4K) or can be utilized over USB as a digital digital camera identical to you’d discover in Zoom or Groups.

Not like the Rodecaster Professional or Duo, there are not any faders; as an alternative, there are two rows of pads for switching between video sources and scenes. There’s 20GB of onboard storage for media — akin to overlays, graphics and audio/video clips — and you may document exhibits immediately onto USB hard-drives or stream natively to Twitch, YouTube and different platforms by way of RTMP/S. There’s quite a bit occurring, and the way you wish to use all of it is basically as much as you. Whereas the RCV-S leans extra towards “dwell” productions akin to streaming or podcasts, you should use it for standard YouTube-style video manufacturing, relying in your workflow or video preferences.

Rodecaster Video versus Rodecaster Video S

The large worth distinction between the unique Rodecaster Video and the brand new S mannequin would possibly lead you to anticipate some critical function trimming this time round, however Rode’s backyard shears have been pretty sort. Most notably, the variety of sources you may join has been decreased from six to 4. In the meantime, the variety of “scenes” you may create is now 5, down from seven. As talked about above, there are three HDMI inputs, not 4, and just one USB webcam/mic enter, down from two on the unique. There are nonetheless 9 channels of audio with two headphone outputs, however the line outputs on the unique are not right here. The SD card slot for media has additionally been eliminated in favor of inside storage. In brief, there’s slightly bit much less connectivity, however not sufficient for it to really feel hobbled, particularly for the extra informal customers that is clearly aimed toward.

In-use

At its most simple, the RCV-S is an all-in-one video switcher. You don’t want to attach it to a PC, simply plug in your video and audio sources and you may leap between them in actual time with a selection of transitions. For a extra polished manufacturing you may create “scenes” by way of the menu with a choice of layouts for a number of cameras, picture-in-picture and so forth. That could possibly be two speaking heads for a podcast, overlaying your internet digital camera on prime of your gameplay or a top-down digital camera blended with a distinct perspective for cooking tutorials or displays.

You possibly can create scenes immediately on the machine prematurely or dwell by way of templates, however issues get quite a bit simpler and extra inventive if you use Rode’s companion Rodecaster app. Right here, you’ll discover a “scene creator” software that’s each visible and intuitive, plus it has the choice to make customized layouts the place you may freely resize and place all of your totally different media wherever you need, add borders or rounded corners and so forth.

Whereas the primary pads are primarily for switching between sources and scenes, they’ll additionally set off media — pre-made video clips, overlays and graphics, for instance. You possibly can assign media to them with out decreasing the variety of sources/scenes which can be obtainable to modify between, simply faucet the Media/Overlay button to briefly change the performance of the pads. It’s also possible to arrange chromakey/inexperienced screening immediately on the machine or by way of the Rodecaster App, too.

After getting all the things arrange, you may immediately document output onto a USB SSD, once more, with out the necessity for a PC. There’s even the choice to document solely the primary output (“program”) or a multi-track model which can export a recording of each enter as a separate file that you may edit as you see match. That is useful if you happen to’re utilizing apps like Adobe Premier or Davinci Resolve. In the event you shoot multi-camera dance tutorials, for instance, you may leap between your primary and huge digital camera after which to an in depth up with out having to hunt-down the precise half from every file you recorded on totally different reminiscence playing cards.

Rode just lately up to date the Rodecaster Video firmware so as to add assist for as much as 4 “NDI” wi-fi cameras as further sources. Sometimes these are distant or security-style cameras, however Rode’s Seize cell app additionally helps NDI streaming, that means you should use your cellphone wirelessly as one other digital camera that you may swap to, which is especially helpful. Although do word, the Rodecaster Video will should be hard-wired to your router on the identical community as your cellphone for this to work.

Audio

Whereas the RCV-S gives 9 audio tracks, it’s honest to say it isn’t actually designed for dwell audio mixing within the pure sense since there are not any faders. As an alternative, it’s a must to entry totally different channels by way of the menu on a small show and a dial — It’s a whole lot of searching and pecking. In the event you’re related to a PC, the Rodecaster app does provide a software program mixer with faders although, which makes adjusting ranges on the fly a lot simpler.

The excellent news is that some voice enhancement instruments, akin to Depth, Sparkle and Punch have been carried over from the Rodecaster Professional/Duo, providing you with slightly extra fine-grained management over the way you or your company sound.

There’s a slight disadvantage when utilizing the RCV-S as a standalone unit, in that it is advisable to bodily push the buttons to vary the scene, which could not be excellent if you happen to’re attempting to make a sophisticated recording or can’t all the time be close to the console. Fortunately, Rode has an answer in “auto switching.” I’m mentioning it right here, within the audio part, because the RCV-S can swap cameras primarily based on which one has the strongest audio or primarily based on user-defined precedence. Sometimes, that might be whoever is speaking in a podcast, but it surely may be in-game sound or if you swap to enjoying a musical instrument.

Auto switching works nicely, but it surely’s not fairly reliable sufficient to depend on for full autonomy in an expert surroundings — say whereas recording a panel at a convention — but it surely solves an issue if you happen to’re by yourself, and it may not less than save a while in an informal podcast scenario.

Issues to think about

It’s clear that the RCV-S, regardless of having fewer inputs than the unique Rodecaster Video, continues to be fairly a fancy, open-ended software. If you have already got a streaming setup you want and the software program and interfaces you want, then the attraction of the RCV-S shall be down as to if it may do what you want extra effectively. For dwell video manufacturing, it’s a neater promote, as there aren’t many all-in-one units to compete with it that can be utilized standalone.

For instance, Blackmagic’s Atem sequence is extremely fashionable, and till now, had the benefit on worth with the Mini Professional costing simply $330. Even the Mini Professional ISO ($550) that exports multi-track video was half the value of the unique Rodecaster Video. The RCV-S now gives comparable connectivity, onboard recording, extra expansive audio options and multi-track export for $50 much less.

For normal content material creators it’s slightly trickier. As somebody that makes YouTube movies, the attraction to me is the prospect to consolidate a couple of units into one and take away some friction in my recordings. Proper now, I’ve a Rodecaster Duo dealing with my audio, a seize card for my primary digital camera and I swap out that digital camera for a smaller one if I’m capturing top-down footage or want a second angle. Which means I’ve a number of totally different units on my desk, and I’m consistently doing a dance of unplugging issues and juggling media or totally different recordings earlier than I get all the things able to edit.

With the RCV-S I can ditch my standalone seize card and completely go away a number of cameras related to the Rodecaster in order that they’re able to go at any time. I may even take away the Rodecaster Duo and produce it again out once more on the events I would like extra speedy management over a number of sources of audio (which is usually, however not typically). The attraction in my case is fewer units on my desk, and the power to document multi-camera video with out having to arrange each shot, each single time, which saves vital time that I can then use to truly get extra work achieved.

There are, after all, some limitations. Not least of all is the dearth of 4K. I’m nonetheless inclined to document on digital camera for my major shot to make sure I nonetheless have a 4K copy for YouTube after which use the Rodecaster Video S for all the things else, however as a small creator, comfort and suppleness may be very interesting. For streamers and dwell video manufacturing, the Rodecaster Video S is a really succesful software that provides a variety of performance for an accessible worth that may little question turn out to be the central hub for a lot of creators.

The true kicker right here is the value. Let’s be clear, $500 continues to be vital cash. However at lower than half the value of the unique Rodecaster with respectable connectivity and principally the identical performance, it is a simple advice to those that have been holding off primarily based on worth alone. Likewise, if you happen to’re simply beginning out with content material creation and wish one thing with stable video credentials and audio chops, Rode makes a very good case for itself with the Rodecaster Video S.