Review: RØDECaster Video
Røde applies its all-in-one RØDECaster Pro philosophy to a video switching and live streaming appliance.
By Preshan John
25 September 2024
There are two types of company: ones that ‘stay in their lane’ and ones that push the envelope. Røde is certainly the latter. Today, Røde’s product portfolio is much deeper and wider than when it first started out manufacturing studio microphones. Having made a successful foray into the world of content creation with products like the VideoMic line, RødeCaster Pro, Wireless Go, and a range of podcasting mics, the live streaming and video production market was a natural next step.
RødeCaster Video is the embodiment of this evolution. Essentially, Røde has taken the all-in-one RødeCaster Pro philosophy to a video switching and live streaming context.
RØDE SURFACE LEVEL
The back panel tells you a lot of what you need to know. RødeCaster Video accepts up to four video sources via HDMI and an extra two via USB-C (webcams, capture cards, etc). All six of these video inputs include audio feeds as well. The other three USB-C connectors allow for connection to a computer for control and passing audio and video feeds into software like OBS. The two HDMI outputs can show you either a multiview display, program, or preview feeds. RødeCaster Video deals with full HD video (1920×1080) and frame rates from 23.98fps up to 60fps. The Inspect button calls up a quick overview of any input or media source you select.
On the audio side, you’ll find two combo connectors which can take XLR/line/instrument level signals (and the soundies breathe a sigh of relief). RødeCaster Video also has dual wireless receivers built in for use with Wireless Go products. Audio can enter the unit via Bluetooth as well.
The main surface is comprised of two rows of sturdy black pads labelled A-G and 1-6 plus a blackout button. The top row is for scenes, media files and overlays. The bottom row is for video input sources. Alongside these are four smaller buttons. Media and Overlay toggle the function of the top row of pads to play video and sound files or add graphic overlays. Multisource lets you create different layouts of inputs and save those configurations as scenes. Lastly, a dedicated Key button allows chroma keying of blue or green screened video to make the background transparent or a selected media file. The ability to key different colours (other than blue and green) would be useful here and is the kind of feature we could expect in a firmware update.
ØVER ENGINEERED
I was fortunate to get a private tour of the RødeCaster Video at Røde HQ in Silverwater, Sydney. Tristan Salter is a Senior Product Manager at Røde who’s journeyed through the development of RødeCaster Video for four years. Speaking with Tristan, it’s clear that this new product is birthed from the merging of a deep understanding of content creation trends, and an ardent insistence on predicting and meeting the market’s needs without cutting corners.
One such example of this insistence is that a team of Røde software engineers in the UK has spent four years writing their very own CPU-based software architecture for RødeCaster Video. RødeCaster Video is powered by a CPU and GPU (as opposed to FPGA chips which, while capable, are restrictive in functional breadth), meaning its capabilities are more like a computer. Think OBS, but in a piece of hardware. That means way more flexibility for a user.
Take a typical picture-in-picture operation as an example. Most rival products will include this ability, ie. to place one video source within another in, say, the bottom right corner of the screen. Because the RødeCaster Video’s operation is CPU-based, you can not only select a preset PiP scene, but you can grab the frame of the superimposed video and move it to any spot in the frame, resize and crop it however you like, add borders and change their colour and width, etc. – something that’s extremely difficult or impossible to pull off with a macros-based system. Scale this level of flexibility across all the other video-based features and you end up with a device that’s much more powerful than it lets on at first glance. And that’s because Røde has obviously worked hard to ensure RødeCaster Video doesn’t appear intimidating. In fact, I was surprised at how minimal the hardware design is but I think Røde’s product designers made the right call. Given the more technical aspects of the product are accessed through software, the physical surface is best left uncluttered.
NEED TO KNOW
RødeCaster Video
Video Production & Streaming Device
FIRING UP
Setting up the RødeCaster Video is surprisingly simple. Before the first power up I connected three cameras via HDMI and a TV screen to the first HDMI output. Turning the unit on resulted in the cameras instantly showing up as a multiview display on the TV and each source was assigned and switchable on the bottom three source pads. I particularly appreciate the clean layout of the multiview screen which shows the six camera inputs, seven scenes, eight audio tracks with levels, and preview and program video sources. All of these are shown in real time, giving you an idea of how much processing power lives under the bonnet of the RødeCaster video. Even the Scenes, each of which is highly configurable and may feature multiple stacked video sources, are all previewable live on the multiview display making you instantly feel like you’re in a TV broadcast station running the news.
Sources can be switched either in Instant or Studio mode. The latter lets you preview a source on the left hand side of the multiview screen before taking it live with the Cut (for instant cut) or Auto (with transition) buttons. Fade, Dip and a range of Wipe transitions are built in and the transition length can be dialled in from 0-10s.
Wireless network connectivity makes RødeCaster Video even more versatile. I was able to browse available Wi-Fi networks on the touchscreen and join my home network to then perform a firmware update without any connection to a computer. Røde includes two antennae for better Wi-Fi strength and stability but there’s an Ethernet port if you want to connect directly to a router.
SCENES: GETTING WILD
So far, so good: getting a number of video and audio sources connected is extremely straightforward and intuitive if you have even a basic understanding of signal flow.
But if you want to access the full breadth of capability, you’ll need to control RødeCaster Video via the Røde Central application. With RødeCaster Video connected to the same Wi-Fi network as my computer, the device showed up immediately in Røde Central.
Building Scenes in Røde Central is where things can get wild. When you click on a new Scene, you’ll be asked if you’d like to use a Template or Custom configuration. Template layouts are varied – side by side, one above the other, one big/one small, you get the idea. Chances are the majority of users will find their needs met in the several templates Røde has included here. But if you want a very specific layout, clicking Custom lets you add up to five sources to a single scene (made up of inputs or media), and resize/reposition/add borders to each one. What would be fairly complex layered video scenes in a live production context suddenly become a cinch to design. I could quickly put two camera angles side by side over a looping video background with a scrolling info bar underneath and a small animated logo on the top right. All those video streams didn’t appear to overly stress the processing unit and it’s impressive that the multiview churns out a live preview thumbnail for every scene including complex ones such as this.
AUTO SWITCHING
Auto switching of camera angles based on audio isn’t groundbreaking new tech but it’s a fitting addition to a product like RødeCaster Video which is designed with podcasters in mind. Setting up auto switching in the back end of Røde Central is intuitive and flexible. First you pick a source or scene, then you assign which audio channel (or channels) will trigger the selection of that source or scene. The Priority setting (Low, Medium or High) influences how quickly a video source is selected and how long the live output dwells on it. Auto switching is initiated by pressing and holding the Auto button. It deactivates the moment you manually choose a source or scene.
In practise, the feature works well – not impeccably, but well. With a two camera/two mic podcast-style setup, I assigned each camera to each speaker with High priority. I then created a scene with both shots cropped to squares and placed side by side, set both audio inputs to trigger this scene, and made it Medium priority. The end result felt natural and watchable, and the dual-shot scene added visual variety during longer passages of speech by either presenter. Carefully matching audio levels helps the algorithm select sources more predictably. Even still I did find that occasionally when a presenter begins speaking the previous shot doesn’t switch quickly enough.
All in all, however, auto-switching is a user-friendly and powerful addition that requires a little tweaking to get just right but has the potential to vastly reduce the workload of actually ‘running’ a live stream, especially if the tech op is one of the presenters.
AUDIO CREDENTIALS
Røde’s audio credentials are well-established, and with the RødeCaster Pro the company demonstrated its ability to pack in-depth sound processing into a non-intimidating package. As a results it’s reassuring to know RødeCaster Video doesn’t skimp on the audio aspects, especially when you’d often be lucky to get more than a 3.5mm audio input on a competing live streaming/video switching product.
For starters, the two combo inputs mean you can dust off your favourite studio mics and put them on camera. Both Revolution preamps offer 48V phantom power and a crazy-generous 76dB of gain, albeit with a decent amount of noise at the upper end of the gain range. The two channels can be linked for stereo sources. Built-in processing comes courtesy of the same Aphex tools found in RødeCaster Pro. The basic option is to use the three Depth, Sparkle and Punch knobs to control Big Bottom, Aural Exciter and Compellor modules respectively. Or you can select Advanced for finer manipulation of a HPF, noise gate, three-band EQ, compressor, exciter and panner. What’s nice is you also get Aphex processing on the Bluetooth, USB, HDMI and Wireless audio inputs, and on the master output. I can’t think of anything else that comes close to this amount of per-channel processing on a device like this. Audio is anything but an afterthought.
The Mixer is well implemented and opens as a separate window on Røde Central. The main Live Mix can be duplicated to any or all of the other audio outputs, or you can opt to create custom mixes. A small feature I really appreciate is how the Live Mix levels are always displayed as a small blue pointer on each fader, even when you’re creating a custom mix, allowing you to keep a constant ‘eye’ on the audio levels going to your audience. Note, while RødeCaster Video offers 16 audio sources all up, the mixer maxes out at eight.
Being a frequent user of Røde Wireless Go microphones, I was eager to test how they fared with RødeCaster Video. Click the Plus button on the audio mixer to add either one or two Wireless audio channels from which you can open the Pairing screen. Simply power up one or two Wireless Go transmitters and press the power button to pair with RødeCaster Video. Now you have an extra two channels of wireless audio to use on your live stream. For interviews and presentations I would lean towards using Wireless Go for audio purely for convenience – no cable runs, no mic stands, no external receiver units even. If you already own a set of Wireless Go mics, this is basically the definition of a value add!
Don’t forget, you can pull audio from any HDMI or USB stream too. This is great if you have mics plugged directly into your camera(s) – I often use a camera-top wireless system and using this audio from the HDMI source saves any hassle with lip sync. The built-in audio delay can be applied in ms or frames and applies to the master output only.
MEDIA: MICROSD CONVENIENCE
Media files – such as overlays, watermarks, animated lower thirds, stingers, video intros, music beds, etc. – can be imported into RødeCaster Video from the microSD card slot. Files can be copied onto the SD card right from Røde Central, saving the tedium of shifting the card back and forth between your computer and the device.
RødeCaster Video is slightly picky about what media formats it’ll work with. Videos must be MP4, audio must be MP3 or WAV, and images must be JPEGs or PNGs, the latter of which supports transparent graphics. Filtering the Media Library by Videos, Graphics and Sounds makes it easy to find what you’re after and a search bar would be the only improvement I wish I saw here, especially when your SD card is starting to clutter up.
To assign a media file to its own button, you simply drag the file from the Media Library onto any pad on the top row. The Media button switches the top row of pads to the media files and a button lights up when a file is assigned to it. Videos can be set to play once or loop.
The Overlay section works in much the same way but with JPEGs and PNGs only. What’s really handy is the ability to resize and reposition overlay graphics. This makes it straightforward to ensure a title or lower third appears in just the right spot on your program feed.
STREAMING OUT OF THE BOX
I have to emphasise how pleased I am that you can live stream straight from RødeCaster Video – no computer required. Once set up and configured, it can act as a true standalone live streaming unit. This is ideal for houses of worship, conference centres, funeral homes and the like, where operators may change from day to day, making simplicity and stability crucial.
Multiple ‘Stream Profiles’ can be set up in Røde Central where you enter a server and stream key for your live streaming destination such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, etc. These are saved onto the RødeCaster Video. Select a profile on the touchscreen, tap ‘Go Live’, and you’re off.
The stream quality settings of Low, Medium or High may feel ‘dumbed down’ for a discerning user who may prefer to select their own bit rates and other options. However, for the majority of use cases these will be sufficient. And it goes without saying, for best results, use a fast and stable Internet connection.
Live streaming is one thing. Recording is another. RødeCaster Video can do both. You have two record options: the Program output, or the Isolated feeds for multi-cam editing at a later stage. Audio can be recorded as a stereo downmix or isolated tracks too. Recordings need to be made to an external exFAT-formatted hard drive, ideally a high-speed SSD connected to the third USB port. I was glad to find you don’t need to swipe an SSD to use it with RødeCaster Video – it’ll create a RODECaster_Video folder on any semi-populated drive you have lying around and neatly arrange each recording into folders named by date.
Witnessing the ease of recording multiple streams of video with RødeCaster Video set my mind abuzz with possibilities. For example, if you’re doing a multi-cam shoot of any sort, recording isolated feeds straight onto your editing drive means, at the very least, you remove multiple SD card dumps and audio synchronisation from your workflow. This could be invaluable for live events where you’re bringing in multiple video and audio feeds.
Once you have RødeCaster Video configured for a particular live stream, you can export the ‘Show’ and it saves all your settings – scene layouts, media files, audio mixes and delays, overlays, watermarks – for easy recall.
CASTER: WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS
RødeCaster Video presents as a sleek and deceptively simple unit. But my time with the device was spent mostly discovering more and more of its capabilities. As a decisive leap into the world of live streaming and video production, Røde has left little to chance and covered more bases with this product than a ‘first attempt’ often might.
RødeCaster Video effortlessly caters to all manner of users. For basic plug ’n’ play operation, you can easily be running a polished live stream after a five-minute skim read of the manual. But there’s enough power under the bonnet to handle much more complicated, creative and nuanced setups. For example, Røde has stopped short of including any animated supers templates (lower thirds, countdowns, etc). But if a particular show demanded live graphics overlays then you could run a graphics generator out of a laptop into one of the video inputs, key out the background, and create a custom scene where it overlays the footage. Essentially, because of its versatile software architecture, RødeCaster Pro won’t box you in – rather, it’ll encourage and enable creative use cases.
Two particular aspects stood out to me from the time I spent with the unit. Firstly, is how shallow the learning curve is. Most aspects of the user experience require very little technical knowledge to achieve impressive results. Secondly, I am impressed with the attention to audio. Being Røde this is no surprise, of course, but the level of professional polish that tastefully EQ’d, compressed, enhanced and mixed audio adds to a live stream can’t be understated. RødeCaster Video has all the audio tools built-in and your audience will love you for it.
The bottom line is simple. We have all witnessed live streams that missed the mark and suffered from dodgy audio with wildly varying levels, awkward cuts to the wrong camera, and generally a raw and unpolished feel. The basic need for any live stream – be it a podcast, a church service, a gig, a wedding, a corporate conference – is that it looks and sounds good. The RødeCaster Video makes professional-looking and -sounding live streams more accessible than ever.
RESPONSES