Compact and complete video manufacturing

The Rodecaster collection of podcast mixers have turn into 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, geared toward streamers, video podcasters and reside producers, and, at $1,200, folks with deeper pockets. Right now, Rode returns with the Rodecaster Video S (RCV-S), a streamlined model that gives a lot of the identical performance for lower than half the price of the unique ($499).

In the event you at the moment use Ecamm Stay, OBS, a Stream Deck, a Rodecaster Pro/Duo, a video capture card or Blackmagic Atem sort switcher, then there’s an excellent likelihood the RCV-S does one thing, or many issues, helpful to you. Perhaps it will probably exchange all these merchandise, a few of them or improve your workflow. It’s a bit of sophisticated, however inside that complication is loads of 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 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) instantly 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 similar to you’d discover in Zoom or Groups.

In contrast to the Rodecaster Professional or Duo, there aren’t 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 — reminiscent of overlays, graphics and audio/video clips — and you may document reveals instantly onto USB hard-drives or stream natively to Twitch, YouTube and different platforms through RTMP/S. There’s loads occurring, and the way you need to use all of it is essentially as much as you. Whereas the RCV-S leans extra towards “reside” productions reminiscent of 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 large worth distinction between the unique Rodecaster Video and the brand new S mannequin may lead you to anticipate some critical characteristic 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 lowered 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 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 geared 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 alternative of transitions. For a extra polished manufacturing you’ll be able to create “scenes” through the menu with a collection 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 net digicam on high of your gameplay or a top-down digicam blended with a distinct perspective for cooking tutorials or shows.

You possibly can create scenes instantly on the gadget upfront or reside through templates, however issues get loads simpler and extra inventive whenever 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’ll additionally set off media — pre-made video clips, overlays and graphics, for instance. You possibly can assign media to them with out lowering the variety of sources/scenes which can be obtainable to change between, simply faucet the Media/Overlay button to quickly change the performance of the pads. You may also arrange chromakey/inexperienced screening instantly on the gadget or through the Rodecaster App, too.

After you have all the things arrange, you’ll be able to instantly 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 you can edit as you see match. That is useful in the event you’re utilizing apps like Adobe Premier or Davinci Resolve. In the event you shoot multi-camera dance tutorials, for instance, you’ll be able to leap between your foremost and extensive digicam after which to a detailed up with out having to hunt-down the precise 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 assist for as much as 4 “NDI” wi-fi cameras as extra sources. Usually these are distant or security-style cameras, however Rode’s Seize cellular app additionally helps NDI streaming, which means you need to use your telephone wirelessly as one other digicam you can change to, which is especially helpful. Although do observe, the Rodecaster Video will have to be hard-wired to your router on the identical community as your telephone for this to work.

Audio

Whereas the RCV-S gives 9 audio tracks, it’s truthful to say it isn’t actually designed for reside audio mixing within the pure sense since there aren’t any faders. As an alternative, it’s important to entry completely different channels through the menu on a small show and a dial — It’s loads 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, reminiscent of 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 company sound.

There’s a slight disadvantage when utilizing the RCV-S as a standalone unit, in that you have to bodily push the buttons to alter the scene, which could not be best in the event you’re attempting to make a elegant 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. Usually, that may be whoever is speaking in a podcast, however it is also in-game sound or whenever you change to taking part in a musical instrument.

Auto switching works properly, however it’s not fairly reliable sufficient to depend on for full autonomy in knowledgeable setting — say whereas recording a panel at a convention — however it solves an issue in the event you’re by yourself, and it might at the very least 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, remains 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 shall be down as to whether it will probably do what you want extra effectively. For reside 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 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 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 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 foremost 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 consistently doing a dance of unplugging issues and juggling media or completely 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 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 would like extra quick management over a number of sources of audio (which is typically, 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 executed.

There are, in fact, some limitations. Not least of all is the shortage of 4K. I’m nonetheless inclined to document 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 all the things else, however as a small creator, comfort and adaptability may be very interesting. For streamers and reside video manufacturing, the Rodecaster Video S is a really succesful software that gives a variety of performance for an accessible worth that can little doubt turn into the central hub for a lot of creators.

The actual 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 respectable connectivity and mainly the identical performance, it is a simple suggestion 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 wish one thing with strong video credentials and audio chops, Rode makes an excellent case for itself with the Rodecaster Video S.