Compact and complete video manufacturing

The Rodecaster sequence of podcast mixers have develop into a mainstay amongst audio creatives. Final yr, 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, individuals with deeper pockets. In the present day, 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).

Should you presently use Ecamm Reside, OBS, a Stream Deck, a Rodecaster Pro/Duo, a video capture card or Blackmagic Atem sort switcher, then there’s an excellent probability the RCV-S does one thing, or many issues, helpful to you. Possibly it could actually exchange all these merchandise, a few of them or improve your workflow. It’s a bit of 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 target 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 common 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 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 may document exhibits straight onto USB hard-drives or stream natively to Twitch, YouTube and different platforms through RTMP/S. There’s loads happening, and the way you need to use all of it is essentially as much as you. Whereas the RCV-S leans extra towards “dwell” productions comparable to streaming or podcasts, you need to use it for typical YouTube-style video manufacturing, relying in your workflow or video preferences.

Rodecaster Video versus Rodecaster Video S

The massive worth distinction between the unique Rodecaster Video and the brand new S mannequin would possibly lead you to count on some critical characteristic trimming this time round, however Rode’s backyard shears have been pretty variety. Most notably, the variety of sources you may join has been lowered 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. Briefly, 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 elementary, 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 bounce between them in actual time with a selection of transitions. For a extra polished manufacturing you may create “scenes” through the menu with a collection 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 high of your gameplay or a top-down digital camera combined with a unique perspective for cooking tutorials or displays.

You possibly can create scenes straight on the system upfront or dwell through templates, however issues get loads 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 principle 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 are accessible to change between, simply faucet the Media/Overlay button to quickly change the performance of the pads. You too can arrange chromakey/inexperienced screening straight on the system or through the Rodecaster App, too.

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

Rode not too long ago up to date the Rodecaster Video firmware so as to add assist for as much as 4 “NDI” wi-fi cameras as extra sources. Sometimes these are distant or security-style cameras, however Rode’s Seize cellular app additionally helps NDI streaming, which means you need to use your cellphone wirelessly as one other digital camera which you could swap to, which is especially helpful. Although do be aware, the Rodecaster Video will must 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, you must entry totally different channels through the menu on a small show and a dial — It’s a whole lot of looking and pecking. Should you’re linked 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, comparable to Depth, Sparkle and Punch have been carried over from the Rodecaster Professional/Duo, supplying you with a bit of extra fine-grained management over the way you or your friends sound.

There’s a slight downside when utilizing the RCV-S as a standalone unit, in that you might want to bodily push the buttons to alter the scene, which could not be excellent if you happen to’re attempting to make a cultured recording or can’t at all times 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 may be whoever is speaking in a podcast, but it surely may be in-game sound or if you swap to taking part in a musical instrument.

Auto switching works nicely, but it surely’s not fairly reliable sufficient to depend on for full autonomy in an expert atmosphere — say whereas recording a panel at a convention — but it surely solves an issue if you happen to’re by yourself, and it might at the least save a while in an off-the-cuff podcast scenario.

Issues to think about

It’s clear that the RCV-S, regardless of having fewer inputs than the unique Rodecaster Video, remains 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 enchantment of the RCV-S can be down as to if it could actually do what you want extra effectively. For dwell video manufacturing, it’s a neater promote, as there aren’t many all-in-one gadgets to compete with it that can be utilized standalone.

For instance, Blackmagic’s Atem sequence is extremely common, 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 worth 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 basic content material creators it’s a bit of trickier. As somebody that makes YouTube movies, the enchantment to me is the possibility to consolidate a number of gadgets 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 foremost digital camera and I swap out that digital camera for a smaller one if I’m taking pictures top-down footage or want a second angle. Which means I’ve a number of totally different gadgets 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 pieces able to edit.

With the RCV-S I can ditch my standalone seize card and completely go away a number of cameras linked 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 rapid management over a number of sources of audio (which is usually, however not usually). The enchantment in my case is fewer gadgets 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 really get extra work executed.

There are, in fact, 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 pieces 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 can little doubt develop into the central hub for a lot of creators.

The true kicker right here is the worth. Let’s be clear, $500 remains to be vital cash. However at lower than half the worth of the unique Rodecaster with first rate connectivity and principally the identical performance, it is a straightforward suggestion 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 want one thing with strong video credentials and audio chops, Rode makes an excellent case for itself with the Rodecaster Video S.