Well, doesn’t this set the cat among the pigeons? I have been road testing a RØDECaster Video console for some weeks now; it has taken a little longer than I expected as it is a very deep beast indeed and while on the surface the operation is quite easy to pick up, underneath the skin are lots of opportunities for tweaking and fine-tuning to get the very best.
It’s very tempting to compare it to a similar model from Blackmagic in the Blackmagic ATEM series but in truth, I am loathe to do so as they approach the same subject in different ways.
Today however, RØDE has announced the coming availability in December of the RØDECaster Video S, and this does change things somewhat by addressing a slightly different market than the bigger original model.
Price Difference
Although a cut down version of the original RØDECaster Video, with only 4 video sources as against the original’s as against 6, and a single USB versus 5, the biggest up-front difference is the price.
The RØDE list price of the RØDECaster Video is $2030 (but if you shop around you’ll get it at $1599 or so) and this does put it out of the reach of the average podcaster I’d suggest. And the actual specifications hardware wide in terms of inputs and outputs are way beyond the average podcaster’s needs.
By comparison, you can get an entry level Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro with 4 inputs for around $500 and if you match it with Blackmagic Design ATEM software, you get a very tidey little unit indeed.
The RØDECaster Video S however is coming in at a launch price of $799, and there are a lot of loyal RØDE microphone customers out there who will take a long hard look as a consequence.
Added sugar is the direct support for RØDE wireless mics, which the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro does not do, and it is easier to create scene environments you can call up at the touch of a button.
Key Features
Until I get to see one, I cannot say to much more, but to quote RØDE, the key features are:
- Switch between up to four video sources and five fully customisable scenes at the press of a button
- High-performance octa-core CPU video and audio processor
- Three full HD (1080p) HDMI inputs with auto frame rate conversion and one configurable HDMI output for viewing program, preview and multi-view
- A flexible USB-C port for connecting webcams and RØDE USB audio devices to use as additional video and audio sources
- Two studio-grade Neutrik® combo jacks with ultra-low-noise, high-gain Revolution Preamps™ for capturing pristine audio from XLR microphones, instruments or any other audio source
- Dual internal wireless receivers for connecting RØDE Series IV wireless microphones
- Powerful APHEX® audio processing, including an EQ, compressor, noise gate, high-pass filter, de-esser and the legendary Aural Exciter™, Big Bottom™ and Compellor™ effects
- Support for network cameras (including PTZ operation) with up to four NDI inputs and one output via Ethernet, plus Dual Cam streaming with the free RØDE Capture app for iOS devices
- 2-inch high-resolution touchscreen and versatile rotary encoder for quick configuration and setting adjustment
- Ability to create five complex scenes with multiple layers of video, media and graphics, which can be saved and triggered at the touch of a button
- Automatic chroma keying for effortlessly replacing backgrounds with media or live video inputs
- Media playback, graphic overlays, keying, transitions and multi-source scene creation all accessible from the front panel
- Innovative “Inspect” feature for quick-and-easy preview and configuration of any input or scene
- Intelligent auto-switching for seamless hands-free switching of video sources and scenes based on audio inputs
- Stream directly to all major platforms via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, or to streaming software via USB
- Record directly to an external USB storage device, including isolated (ISO) recording for post-editing flexibility
- Remote control, user-assignable graphics and media, custom scene building, audio mixing and effects, and other advanced configuration options via the RØDECaster App
- Designed and made in RØDE’s state-of-the-art facilities in Sydney, Australia
You can see more at RØDE’s website page for the RØDECaster S at https://rode.com/en-au/products/rodecaster-video-s