For the past few weeks, I’ve been keeping a secret and it’s not been easy. I’ve been working with the latest product from Røde, the Australian brand of microphones and audio interfaces. I had to sign an NDA before I could spend time with the new product before its launch.
The RødeCaster Video is the latest product from Røde and it has the potential to change how video content is produced for YouTube, livestreaming on OBS or podcasting. The RødeCaster Video has been developed in Sydney, Australia by the company that’s revolutionized how content creators capture sound for videos and record podcasts with innovative products like RødeCaster Pro and RødeCaster Duo.
Now Røde has leveraged its experience in developing software and firmware systems to create a compact video production console that looks set to streamline and simplify the video production process in the future. In essence, the RødeCaster Video is a portable mixing desk that you might find in the gallery of a professional TV studio.
With its interface of intuitive controls, flexible functions and large buttons for switching between video sources and scenes, the RødeCaster Video makes video production so much easier and more efficient. It could be a massive game-changer that will put the creation of polished video content within almost anyone’s reach.
The RødeCaster Video has a two-inch color touchscreen and encoder dials that make navigating around the RødeCaster Video’s settings, transition effects and timing. The screen also shows essential information about the show being recorded. The Inspect button enables users to preview and configure inputs offline so scenes can be cued up or stored media loaded in advance. The Inspect function takes all the guesswork out of video switching and the application of effects and transitions.
Most of the RødeCaster Video’s features and functions are accessible directly using buttons and menus. Advanced features can be accessed using the Røde Central software which can remotely control the RødeCaster Video via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. This lets a director switch scenes and apply transitions from outside the studio using a Mac or PC, just as you would in a professional TV studio.
Not everyone has the training or experience to direct a video stream and for those novices, Røde has developed something called intelligent auto-switching technology that can automatically switch between cameras or other video input devices based on which host, guest or subject is speaking.
The intelligent auto-switching technology is fully configurable and works using priority settings and screen-time calculations so the vision switching looks and feels natural and creative, giving the impression the video is being produced by an experienced director.
However, before we go any further into the advanced features and functions of this groundbreaking new tool, I just want to list the main features on offer and give you an overview of just what the RødeCaster Video is capable of.
At the heart of the RødeCaster Video, there is a high-performance octa-core CPU that has a next-generation video engine. The engine has been developed from the ground up to provide an innovative scene-based architecture that makes creating, configuring and switching between multi-source layouts easy.
There are four HDMI inputs for cameras or other video sources such as a gaming console. Definition goes up to 1,920 x 1080p but there’s no support for 4K. Two flexible USB-C inputs can be used for connecting and switching between six auxiliary video sources simultaneously, including USB webcams.
When it comes to audio inputs, the RødeCaster Video includes two studio-grade Neutrik combo jacks with low-noise and high-gain Revolution Preamps that capture clean audio from XLR microphones, instruments or other audio inputs, including a master feed from a separate audio mixer.
For recording interviews or action videos, the RødeCaster Video also has two wireless receivers that work with Røde’s Series IV wireless microphones like the Wireless PRO, Wireless ME and Wireless GO II. For processing the audio, Ride also has APHEX audio processing which includes an EQ, compressor, noise gate, high-pass filter, de-esser and the iconic Aural Exciter, Big Bottom and Compellor effects.
Another handy feature is an automatic green screen or blue screen for instantly replacing backgrounds or injecting video sources from another source like a remote camera or a prerecorded loop of video. The Inspect feature makes it easy to quickly preview and check how any effect will look onscreen before you commit to making it live.
To check the effects, two HDMI outputs can display previews and programming and they can also be used for setting up multi-view feeds for external monitoring. It’s possible to use any combination of the device’s six USB or HDMI video sources at the same time as well as mixing up to nine channels of stereo audio from a wide selection of potential sources.
The intelligent audio-based auto-switching built into the RødeCaster Video provides a seamless and hands-free way of switching between video sources and scenes, making it ideal for podcasters who can’t direct the video because they are on-screen interviewing with a guest. This feature is ideal for solo content creators who need to produce shows single-handedly without a director or vision switcher to help.
The output from the RødeCaster Video can be streamed directly to all major platforms via Wi-Fi, Ethernet or USB. Alternatively, all the input sources can be recorded directly to an external USB storage device as multitrack and isolated recordings so they can be edited in post-production to create an even more polished production with embellishments.
Using Røde Central as a remote control, user-assignable graphics and media, custom scene building, audio mixing and other effects, including advanced configurations, can be injected into a video stream or production. That could be something as simple as a scrolling ticker tape or playing prerecorded video packages.
In essence, the RødeCaster Video is unique because it brings together video production, professional audio mixing and video processing in a single portable and affordable device. In addition to its advanced video engine for flexible video options, switching workflow and advanced production features, it makes producing videos so much easier, even for solo creators who are creating content for TikTok or Instagram.
The RødeCaster Video’s core architecture is designed to be flexible and offers a choice between “instant” and “studio” switching modes. This feature alters the fundamental switching and previewing behavior of the unit, enabling creators to choose a quick, on-the-fly workflow that is ideal for producing solo content like podcasts. Alternatively, Studio switching mode can be used to create a more hands-on and traditional broadcast production where more people are involved in switching and applying effects.
The custom video engine that Røde has developed is incredibly flexible thanks to its unique scene-based operation. Each of the RødeCaster Video’s seven scene buttons can be loaded with customized layouts using multiple sources like video, images, and even keyed inputs. Scenes make it easy to set up and store complex configurations, including green screens, logos, graphics and more, ahead of going live. Whether you’re streaming live or recording a show that will be edited in post-production, slick scenes are now so much easier to imagine, create and apply.
Connecting external USB storage like an SSD or a thumb drive or using the built-in microSD card slot lets content creators record a show in its entirety by capturing each video source as a discreet ISO recording to edit later. All the sources will be recorded as multitrack with separate files for editing later.
The same post-production flexibility is also available for audio with multitrack recording capturing each sound source separately. There’s even an option to create custom routing for each of the audio outputs for separate mixes that can be sent to the live stream, a recording, the presenter’s headphones or almost anything.
And speaking of streaming, the RødeCaster Video can create custom streaming profiles for Twitch, YouTube Live and other platforms with direct streaming from the RødeCaster Video via Wi-Fi, Ethernet or USB. There are five USB inputs and output ports, dual headphone and monitoring jacks, four HDMI inputs and two HDMI outputs. There’s plenty to pay with and enough flexibility to configure the RødeCaster Video so it works just the way you like it.
Verdict: That’s a brief overview of what the RødeCaster Video does and can achieve. It’s such an extensive tool that I doubt whether all the things it can do have even been imagined yet. The RødeCaster Video has the potential to completely change the way video and audio content is produced, especially by solo creators thanks to the automatic and intelligent switching. It offers a relatively affordable way for podcasters to switch over from audio to video content or for gaming enthusiasts to set up highly customized streams. This is a tool that’s only limited by the user’s imagination. The automatic switching and easy creation of scenes make it possible to produce highly polished content without years of training. Solo creators can now produce high-quality live streams or edit polished content offline in post-production. I think the RødeCaster Video is a game-changer and I can’t wait to see what content creators do with it. Røde says it will be producing videos showcasing the capabilities of this powerful device. I’ll add links as soon as they do.
Pricing & Availability: The RødeCaster Video is available from Røde or via retailers and costs $1,199.
Tech Specs:
Video
- Video input feeds: 6 simultaneous.
- HDMI inputs: 4 type-A (HDMI 1.4b).
- USB (UVC) inputs: 2 multi-function USB-C for UVC video.
- HDMI outputs: 2 configurable – preview, program, Multiview
- Video input frame rates: 1,920 x 1,080p: 23.97, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60 (HDMI only) 1,920 x 1,080i: 25, 29.97, 30.
- Video output frame rates: 1,920 x 1,080p: 24, 25, 30, 50, 60
- Video streaming standards: 1,920 x 1,080p: 23.97, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60
- Video engine color space / bit depth: 4:4:4 RGB / 8-bit.
- HDMI input color space / bit depth: 4:4:4 RGB, 4:4:4 YUV, 4:2:2 YUV / 8, 10, 12-bit
- USB input color space: 4:2:2 YUV, 4:2:0 YUV (NV12)
- HDMI output color space / bit depth: 4:4:4 RGB, 4:4:4 YUV / 8-bit.
- USB output color space / bit depth: 4:2:2 YUV / 8-bit.
- Format and frame rate converters: On all HDMI and USB inputs.
Switching
- Total number of layers: 9 simultaneous in Preview and Program
- Downstream keyers: 2 (overlays and logo).
- Chroma Keyers (Green and Blue): 2
- Transitions: SMPTE wipes, dip and fade.
- Media payers: 2 simultaneous.
- True preview: Display complete scenes and overlays simultaneously in preview and program.
- Generated borders: All scenes.
- Multiview: Program and preview / Live inputs, scene and media thumbnails / Audio mixer and channel status / Recording, network and storage status / Run time, date and time information.
- Media Player: Expandable microSD card storage / Videos: MP4 / Images: PNG, JPG / Audio: WAV.
- Bluetooth: 5.3 (for stereo audio input or phone calls).
Audio
- Analog audio inputs: 2 combo jacks (microphone, line or instrument) with Revolution Preamps.
- Wireless audio inputs: 2 Series IV wireless receivers.
- Digital audio inputs: USB 1: 2-in/2-out or multichannel (20-in) output.
- USB 1 Chat (uses USB 1 port): 2-in/2-out with mix-minus.
- USB 2: 2-in/2-out with MFi support.
- USB 4 & 5: compatible with RØDE USB microphones and RødeCaster Pro II and Duo.
- Analog audio outputs: 2 headphone outputs (1/4-inch), 2 balanced line outputs (1/4-inch, L/R).
- Audio mixer: 20 possible audio sources (9 stereo channels simultaneously): combo 1 and 2 (can be combined for stereo), wireless 1 and 2, video clips, sounds, HDMI 1,
- 2, 3 and 4 (each can be split for two mono), Bluetooth,3 USB audio interfaces (computers), 2 hosting USB audio devices (microphones)
- 12 outputs with Custom Routing: live mix, headphone 1, headphone 2, recording, monitors, USB Main, USB Chat, USB 1, 2, 4 and 5, Bluetooth.
Audio Processing:
- APHEX VoxLab Processing: per channel.
- Advanced APHEX granular processing on each channel: Compressor, Equaliser (EQ), De-esser, Panning, Noise Gate, High-pass.
- Filter: Aural Exciter, Big Bottom.
Preamps:
- Frequency range: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Input gain: up to 76dB Input
- Equivalent input noise: -131.5dBV (A-weighted).
Streaming, Recording And Software Specifications
- Direct Streaming: Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) over
- Ethernet or Wi-Fi
- Supported Platforms: YouTube Live / Twitch Live / Facebook Live / Twitter/X Live / Custom RTMP server.
- Network: Ethernet (10/100/1000 BaseT) and Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 and 5GHz) for streaming, configuration, remote control with computer and over-the-air updates.
- Storage media: External USB mass storage device (exFAT format) for recordings.
- Video recording: Program feed as H.264/AVC MP4 file with embedded AAC stereo mix
- Isolated (ISO) video recording: 6 video inputs and 1 Program feed as independent H.264/AVC files (up to 1080p30).
- Audio recording: Stereo mix WAV audio file.
- Multitrack audio recording: 9 independent stereo WAV audio files.
- Operating systems: macOS 10.15 or later / Windows 10 Version 1803 or later, Windows 11.
Power and Mechanical
- Power supply: USB-C PD 60W, 20V 3A.
- Weight: 1,257g.
- Dimensions (LxWxD): 132.5 x 305.9 x 61.4mm.
