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Title: Rodecaster Video S review: Compact and comprehensive video production

Link: https://www.engadget.com/general/rodecaster-v...

The Rodecaster series of podcast mixers have become a mainstay among audio
creatives. Last year, the company expanded the line with its first multimedia
model ΓÇö the Rodecaster Video. It was a more niche proposition, aimed at
streamers, video podcasters and live producers, and, at $1,200, people with
deeper pockets. Today, Rode returns with the Rodecaster Video S (RCV-S), a
streamlined version that offers much of the same functionality for less than
half the cost of the original ($499).

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If you currently use Ecamm Live, OBS, a Stream Deck, a Rodecaster Pro/Duo, a
video capture card or Blackmagic Atem type switcher, then thereΓÇÖs a good
chance the RCV-S does something, or many things, useful to you. Maybe it can
replace all those products, some of them or enhance your workflow. ItΓÇÖs a
little complicated, but within that complication is a lot of versatility.

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With three HDMI inputs, one USB webcam/mic input and up to four NDI/wireless
camera inputs, video is clearly the focus here. But there are also two
XLR/Combo ports for studio microphones and instruments and the option to
connect up to two of RodeΓÇÖs wireless lav mics (such as the Wireless Go)
directly without the need for a receiver. The RCV-S, like BlackmagicΓÇÖs
popular Atem Mini, outputs over HDMI at 1080p/60 (no 4K) or can be used over
USB as a virtual camera just like youΓÇÖd find in Zoom or Teams.

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Unlike the Rodecaster Pro or Duo, there are no faders; instead, there are two
rows of pads for switching between video sources and scenes. ThereΓÇÖs 20GB
of onboard storage for media ΓÇö such as overlays, graphics and audio/video
clips ΓÇö and you can record shows directly onto USB hard-drives or stream
natively to Twitch, YouTube and other platforms via RTMP/S. ThereΓÇÖs a lot
going on, and how you want to use it all is largely up to you. While the RCV-
S leans more toward ΓÇ£liveΓÇ¥ productions such as streaming or podcasts, you
can use it for conventional YouTube-style video production, depending on your
workflow or video preferences.

\nRodecaster Video versus Rodecaster Video S\n

The huge price difference between the original Rodecaster Video and the new S
model might lead you to expect some serious feature trimming this time
around, but RodeΓÇÖs garden shears have been fairly kind. Most notably, the
number of sources you can connect has been reduced from six to four.
Meanwhile, the number of ΓÇ£scenesΓÇ¥ you can create is now five, down from
seven. As mentioned above, there are three HDMI inputs, not four, and only
one USB webcam/mic input, down from two on the original. There are still nine
channels of audio with two headphone outputs, but the line outputs on the
original are no longer here. The SD card slot for media has also been removed
in favor of internal storage. In short, thereΓÇÖs a little bit less
connectivity, but not enough for it to feel hobbled, especially for the more
casual users this is clearly aimed at.

\nIn-use\n\n https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY-4x7dAbdY\n\n

At its most basic, the RCV-S is an all-in-one video switcher. You donΓÇÖt
need to connect it to a PC, just plug in your video and audio sources and you
can jump between them in real time with a choice of transitions. For a more
polished production you can create ΓÇ£scenesΓÇ¥ via the menu with a selection
of layouts for multiple cameras, picture-in-picture and so on. That could be
two talking heads for a podcast, overlaying your web camera on top of your
gameplay or a top-down camera mixed with a different perspective for cooking
tutorials or presentations.

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You can create scenes directly on the device in advance or live via
templates, but things get a lot easier and more creative when you use
RodeΓÇÖs companion Rodecaster app. Here, youΓÇÖll find a ΓÇ£scene creatorΓÇ¥
tool thatΓÇÖs both visual and intuitive, plus it has the option to make
custom layouts where you can freely resize and place all your different media
wherever you want, add borders or rounded corners and so on.

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While the main pads are primarily for switching between sources and scenes,
they can also trigger media ΓÇö pre-made video clips, overlays and graphics,
for example. You can assign media to them without reducing the number of
sources/scenes that are available to switch between, just tap the
Media/Overlay button to temporarily change the functionality of the pads. You
can also set up chromakey/green screening directly on the device or via the
Rodecaster App, too.

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Once you have everything set up, you can directly record output onto a USB
SSD, again, without the need for a PC. ThereΓÇÖs even the option to record
only the main output (ΓÇ£programΓÇ¥) or a multi-track version which will
export a recording of every input as a separate file that you can edit as you
see fit. This is helpful if youΓÇÖre using apps like Adobe Premier or Davinci
Resolve. If you shoot multi-camera dance tutorials, for example, you can jump
between your main and wide camera and then to a close up without having to
hunt-down the right part from each file you recorded on different memory
cards.

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Rode recently updated the Rodecaster Video firmware to add support for up to
four ΓÇ£NDIΓÇ¥ wireless cameras as additional sources. Typically these are
remote or security-style cameras, but RodeΓÇÖs Capture mobile app also
supports NDI streaming, meaning you can use your phone wirelessly as another
camera that you can switch to, which is particularly useful. Though do note,
the Rodecaster Video will need to be hard-wired to your router on the same
network as your phone for this to work.

\nAudio \n\n \n \n The Rodecaster Video S handles audio and video with
ease.\n \n \n James Trew for Engadget\n \n\n

While the RCV-S offers nine audio tracks, itΓÇÖs fair to say it isnΓÇÖt
really designed for live audio mixing in the pure sense since there are no
faders. Instead, you have to access different channels via the menu on a
small display and a dial ΓÇö ItΓÇÖs a lot of hunting and pecking. If youΓÇÖre
connected to a PC, the Rodecaster app does offer a software mixer with faders
though, which makes adjusting levels on the fly much easier.

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The good news is that some voice enhancement tools, such as Depth, Sparkle
and Punch have been carried over from the Rodecaster Pro/Duo, giving you a
little more fine-grained control over how you or your guests sound.

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ThereΓÇÖs a slight drawback when using the RCV-S as a standalone unit, in
that you need to physically push the buttons to change the scene, which might
not be ideal if youΓÇÖre trying to make a polished recording or canΓÇÖt
always be near the console. Thankfully, Rode has a solution in ΓÇ£auto
switching.ΓÇ¥ IΓÇÖm mentioning it here, in the audio section, as the RCV-S
can switch cameras based on which one has the strongest audio or based on
user-defined priority. Typically, that would be whoever is talking in a
podcast, but it could also be in-game sound or when you switch to playing a
musical instrument.

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Auto switching works well, but itΓÇÖs not quite dependable enough to rely on
for full autonomy in a professional environment ΓÇö say while recording a
panel at a conference ΓÇö but it solves a problem if youΓÇÖre on your own,
and it could at least save some time in a casual podcast situation.

\nThings to consider\n\n \n \n The Rodecaster Video S (top) vs. The
Rodecaster Video (bottom)\n \n \n James Trew for Engadget\n \n\n

ItΓÇÖs clear that the RCV-S, despite having fewer inputs than the original
Rodecaster Video, is still quite a complex, open-ended tool. If you already
have a streaming setup you like and the software and interfaces you need,
then the appeal of the RCV-S will be down to whether it can do what you need
more efficiently. For live video production, itΓÇÖs an easier sell, as there
arenΓÇÖt many all-in-one devices to compete with it that can be used
standalone.

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For example, BlackmagicΓÇÖs Atem series is incredibly popular, and until now,
had the advantage on price with the Mini Pro costing just $330. Even the Mini
Pro ISO ($550) that exports multi-track video was half the price of the
original Rodecaster Video. The RCV-S now offers comparable connectivity,
onboard recording, more expansive audio features and multi-track export for
$50 less.

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For general content creators itΓÇÖs a little trickier. As someone that makes
YouTube videos, the appeal to me is the chance to consolidate a few devices
into one and remove some friction in my recordings. Right now, I have a
Rodecaster Duo handling my audio, a capture card for my main camera and I
swap out that camera for a smaller one if I am shooting top-down footage or
need a second angle. That means I have several different devices on my desk,
and IΓÇÖm constantly doing a dance of unplugging things and juggling media or
different recordings before I get everything ready to edit.

\n\n \n \n The Rodecaster Video S has a tiny display for menus and settings.
\n \n \n James Trew for Engadget\n \n\n

With the RCV-S I can ditch my standalone capture card and permanently leave
multiple cameras connected to the Rodecaster so that they are ready to go at
any time. I can even remove the Rodecaster Duo and bring it back out again on
the occasions I need more immediate control over multiple sources of audio
(which is sometimes, but not often). The appeal in my case is fewer devices
on my desk, and the ability to record multi-camera video without having to
set up every shot, every single time, which saves significant time that I can
then use to actually get more work done.

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There are, of course, some limitations. Not least of all is the lack of 4K.
IΓÇÖm still inclined to record on camera for my primary shot to ensure I
still have a 4K copy for YouTube and then use the Rodecaster Video S for
everything else, but as a small creator, convenience and flexibility is very
appealing. For streamers and live video production, the Rodecaster Video S is
a very capable tool that offers a wide range of functionality for an
accessible price that will no doubt become the central hub for many creators.


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The real kicker here is the price. LetΓÇÖs be clear, $500 is still
significant money. But at less than half the price of the original Rodecaster
with decent connectivity and basically the same functionality, it's an easy
recommendation to those who were holding off based on price alone. Likewise,
if youΓÇÖre just starting out with content creation and need something with
solid video credentials and audio chops, Rode makes a good case for itself
with the Rodecaster Video S.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/general/rodecaster-v...
comprehensive-video-production-230000221.html?src=rss

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