Compact and complete video manufacturing

The Rodecaster collection 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 stay producers, and, at $1,200, folks with deeper pockets. At present, 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 case you at the moment use Ecamm Reside, OBS, a Stream Deck, a Rodecaster Pro/Duo, a video capture card or Blackmagic Atem kind switcher, then there’s an excellent likelihood the RCV-S does one thing, or many issues, helpful to you. Possibly it could actually substitute all these merchandise, a few of them or improve your workflow. It’s a bit of difficult, however inside that complication is numerous versatility.

With three HDMI inputs, one USB webcam/mic enter and as much as 4 NDI/wi-fi digicam 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) straight 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 digicam identical to you’d discover in Zoom or Groups.

In contrast to the Rodecaster Professional or Duo, there are not any faders; as a substitute, there are two rows of pads for switching between video sources and scenes. There’s 20GB of onboard storage for media — comparable to overlays, graphics and audio/video clips — and you’ll report reveals straight onto USB hard-drives or stream natively to Twitch, YouTube and different platforms through RTMP/S. There’s loads occurring, and the way you wish to use all of it is basically as much as you. Whereas the RCV-S leans extra towards “stay” productions comparable to streaming or podcasts, you should use it for typical 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 count on some critical function trimming this time round, however Rode’s backyard shears have been pretty sort. Most notably, the variety of sources you’ll be able to join has been diminished from six to 4. In the meantime, the variety of “scenes” you’ll be able to 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 now not right here. The SD card slot for media has additionally been eliminated in favor of inner storage. In brief, there’s a bit of 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’ll soar between them in actual time with a alternative of transitions. For a extra polished manufacturing you’ll be able to create “scenes” through the menu with a choice of layouts for a number of cameras, picture-in-picture and so forth. That may very well be two speaking heads for a podcast, overlaying your internet digicam on high of your gameplay or a top-down digicam blended with a special perspective for cooking tutorials or shows.

You’ll be able to create scenes straight on the gadget prematurely or stay through templates, however issues get loads simpler and extra inventive while 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’ll be able to freely resize and place all of your completely 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 will additionally set off media — pre-made video clips, overlays and graphics, for instance. You’ll be able to assign media to them with out decreasing the variety of sources/scenes which might be out there to change between, simply faucet the Media/Overlay button to quickly change the performance of the pads. You may also arrange chromakey/inexperienced screening straight on the gadget or through the Rodecaster App, too.

After getting every little thing arrange, you’ll be able to straight report output onto a USB SSD, once more, with out the necessity for a PC. There’s even the choice to report solely the primary output (“program”) or a multi-track model which can export a recording of each enter as a separate file which you can edit as you see match. That is useful in the event you’re utilizing apps like Adobe Premier or Davinci Resolve. In case you shoot multi-camera dance tutorials, for instance, you’ll be able to soar between your major and huge digicam after which to an in depth up with out having to hunt-down the appropriate half from every file you recorded on completely different reminiscence playing cards.

Rode lately up to date the Rodecaster Video firmware so as to add help for as much as 4 “NDI” wi-fi cameras as further sources. Sometimes these are distant or security-style cameras, however Rode’s Seize cellular app additionally helps NDI streaming, which means you should use your telephone wirelessly as one other digicam which you can change to, which is especially helpful. Although do observe, the Rodecaster Video will must be hard-wired to your router on the identical community as your telephone for this to work.

Audio

Whereas the RCV-S affords 9 audio tracks, it’s honest to say it isn’t actually designed for stay audio mixing within the pure sense since there are not any faders. As a substitute, you must entry completely different channels through the menu on a small show and a dial — It’s numerous searching and pecking. In case you’re related to a PC, the Rodecaster app does supply 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, comparable to Depth, Sparkle and Punch have been carried over from the Rodecaster Professional/Duo, providing you with a bit of extra fine-grained management over the way you or your visitors sound.

There’s a slight downside when utilizing the RCV-S as a standalone unit, in that you’ll want to bodily push the buttons to vary the scene, which could not be ideally suited in the event you’re making an attempt to make a cultured 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 change cameras primarily based on which one has the strongest audio or primarily based on user-defined precedence. Sometimes, that may be whoever is speaking in a podcast, however it is also in-game sound or while you change to taking part in a musical instrument.

Auto switching works nicely, however it’s not fairly reliable sufficient to depend on for full autonomy in an expert surroundings — say whereas recording a panel at a convention — however it solves an issue in the event you’re by yourself, and it might a minimum of save a while in an informal podcast state of affairs.

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 posh, 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 might be down as to if it could actually do what you want extra effectively. For stay video manufacturing, it’s a better promote, as there aren’t many all-in-one units to compete with it that can be utilized standalone.

For instance, Blackmagic’s Atem collection 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 affords comparable connectivity, onboard recording, extra expansive audio options and multi-track export for $50 much less.

For normal content material creators it’s a bit of 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 major digicam and I swap out that digicam for a smaller one if I’m capturing top-down footage or want a second angle. Which means I’ve a number of completely different units on my desk, and I’m continuously doing a dance of unplugging issues and juggling media or completely different recordings earlier than I get every little thing able to edit.

With the RCV-S I can ditch my standalone seize card and completely depart 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 convey it again out once more on the events I want extra fast management over a number of sources of audio (which is typically, however not usually). The attraction in my case is fewer units on my desk, and the power to report multi-camera video with out having to arrange each shot, each single time, which saves important time that I can then use to truly get extra work accomplished.

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

The actual kicker right here is the value. Let’s be clear, $500 continues to be important cash. However at lower than half the value of the unique Rodecaster with respectable connectivity and principally the identical performance, it is a straightforward advice to those that had been holding off primarily based on worth alone. Likewise, in the event you’re simply beginning out with content material creation and want one thing with strong video credentials and audio chops, Rode makes an excellent case for itself with the Rodecaster Video S.