Tag Archives: livestream

Roland AeroCaster: The live streamer’s new best friend @ CES 2023



Roland AeroCasterLive streaming has become a big business. Between gaming platforms like Twitch and standard platforms like YouTuve and Rumble, it’s never been easier to stream video. Even podcasters have gotten into the video game in larger numbers than those of us who have done it for over a decade. But proper production setups can be incredibly expensive and require a lot of specific hardware. The Roland AeroCaster is the company’s answer to cumbersome production systems.

What is the Roland AeroCaster?

The Roland AeroCaster is a live and recorded video switching system for small and medium sized setups. The system integrates nearly everything that a broadcast might need and does it in an incredibly small format piece of hardware. The core device is a small switching board with a few core inputs. On the back is a pair of combo jacks, so you can plug in XLR microphones, instruments, or even a soundboard. There are also RCA jacks for a line level connection.

On the front are a series of controls. For audio controls, there are sliders for mic 1, mic 2, line-in, and main. This gives you the ability to control the individual volumes for each direct audio input on the back of the board. There are also audio quality controls, such as de-esser and low cut filters. There is also control for an on-board microphone, sync delays, and more.

For video, it is a pretty standard basic video switcher. You’ve got buttons for your four video inputs, as well as the ability to create split-screen variants between any pair of inputs. However, the controls on the board are just the beginning of the story. The real magic comes from the connected software.

Roland AeroCaster LIVE app

The Roland AeroCaster LIVE app is really what separates the system from its competitors, some of which we have tried out. The software is well thought out and gives a lot of capabilities that we have complained about with other devices. First and foremost, the system allows you to import photos, audio, and video from your iPad for broadcast. This means that you have the ability to run bumpers, advertisements, and more. This is a huge benefit and something that makes the system really attractive.

In addition, the software integrates with streaming destinations to create a single point of connection. For those who are looking for a simple setup, you can connect to Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, and more. You can also monitor chats and comments on these platforms all within the software. For those looking to broadcast on a bigger stage, you can use RTMP directly to a service like Restream or Wowza to stream to multiple platforms.

Mobile cameras

One thing that really makes the Roland AeroCaster unique is its use of mobile phones as cameras. Rather than having to purchase special hardware, you can use your existing phone or tablet as a camera. This makes sense, especially for startup broadcasters, as we all have our current phone and many of us also have our last generation phone. This gives older phones a new life while producing a video quality that is equal to most professional streaming webcams.

Summary

The Roland AeroCaster is available now with a retail price of $295. You can get it right now at Amazon, B&H Photo, and more. To learn more about it, check out the product page.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.

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Roland BRIDGE CAST makes game streaming a lot easier @ CES 2023



Roland BRIDGE CASTVideogame streaming has become a major part of the entertainment industry. In our offices, you can almost always find at least one Twitch stream running with one of the popular streamers. As the industry grows, new issues are introduced. For example, the RIAA has recently discovered what’s going on with Twitch and started handing out DMCA strikes for music usage. Gamers have been looking for a middle ground on this issue, and the Roland BRIDGE CAST might just be the solution they’ve been looking for.

What is the Roland BRIDGE CAST?

The Roland BRIDGE CAST is a new audio interface designed specifically for online broadcasters. This can be gamers, podcasters, and more. The device is a broadcaster’s dream with all of the inputs you can need. Across the back, it features an auxiliary input and a line out, both of which are 1/8″ jacks, as well as a 1/8″ headphone jack.

The interface has also got dual USB-C ports. One is a dedicated power port, which is a nice choice for those who aren’t going to have the device in a highly trafficked area. The other is for connecting the mixer to a computer for input and output of sound.

Most importantly, the Roland BRIDGE CAST features an XLR jack for a microphone. This allows you to use any type of professional microphone you might want to use. To make the offering better, the XLR jack has 48 V Phantom power to support the more powerful professional microphones like the ones we use in our studios.

What sets the Roland BRIDGE CAST apart?

One of the features that really sets the Roland BRIDGE CAST apart from the other competing options is its dual mix option. This means that you can have two separate and unique outputs coming from the same set of devices. The most common usage today would be for different music options for the streamer and their audience.

Why might a streamer want to hear something different from their audience? Because of copyright concerns. Many gamers like to listen to certain music to help get them in the zone to play better. But, to include that audio as part of a public broadcast, the streamer can be hit with DMCA strikes for using copyrighted music without permission. By using dual outputs, the gamer can listen to the copyrighted music that they want to listen to while playing something else, such as royalty-free music publicly.

On that topic, the Roland BRIDGE CAST system actually includes a large collection of royalty-free music that can be used safely on streams. So, those who are looking to keep their streams both entertaining and legal can use this collection as part of their public feed.

Summary

If you are a streamer or podcaster and are looking for a serious audio interface, the Roland BRIDGE CAST is a solid choice to consider. It is not yet available but is expected to launch in Quarter 2 of 2023. To learn more about the Roland BRIDGE CAST, head over to the product page.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.

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Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra adds high quality video live streams @ CES 2023



Razer Kiyo Pro UltraThe world lives on the internet today, even more so than even just a few years ago. Many types of work have moved from living in an office to working from home or on a hybrid schedule. Gamers spend their time playing games and sharing that gameplay with friends, family, and subscribers on services like Twitch. Even teachers have begun creating content for platforms like YouTube and Rumble showing off their skills. All of this requires a couple of things, but most importantly a solid-quality camera, and the new Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is designed to improve all of these environments.

What is the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra?

The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is the latest entry in Razer’s line of high-end webcams. Don’t think of these as a standard webcam, however, as they are designed not just for use on Teams and Slack calls (though they certainly can be) but are also high enough quality to be used by content creators. This is because the whole line places a focus on video quality.

The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra offers an adjustable resolution of up to 4K Ultra HD. While this is not the first 4K webcam, it separates itself from the crowd in several important ways. Most importantly, the camera is capable of producing not just a 4K video resolution, but it’s able to produce full uncompressed 4K video at 24 FPS. The uncompressed video is a benefit because it gives your streaming system the ability to process the video in the way that it needs without having a quality drop ahead of your software.

A virtual director included

If you’re looking for your camera to do a lot of the camera work for you, then the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra offers a collection of features to make your recording and streaming process easier. You can use the camera as a virtual director, with automated zoom, pan, tilt, shutter speed, ISO settings, and a whole lot more. These settings come to light using the company’s Razer Synapse software, which gives you fine-grained control over your camera or allows you to allow the camera to do the work for you.

Imagine if you will that you’re a solo content producer. You’ve got a big product that you want to stream a live unboxing for, but you’ve only got a single camera. Your choices are either to have a single shot that’s too wide to get good detail of the product during the unboxing, or you can crop yourself out to get detail of the product. With the settings within Synapse, you can have it both ways, and more. You can have the camera’s focus and viewport shift to keep you properly centered in the frame, and the system will recognize when you place the product in the foreground that it should become the focus instead of you. This makes it possible to stream the event live without having a production team to oversee your broadcast.

Summary

The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is available for pre-order now for $299. To learn more about the product or to pre-order one for yourself, head over to the company’s website.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.

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Skyted is a noise isolation mask for calls and streaming @ CES 2023



Skyted Noise Isolation MaskToo often these days, we are forced into places that are not conducive to conversation. This is exacerbated when you’re on the phone or computer. This happens because microphones, in general, do not discriminate between sounds. These microphones pick up whatever sound they hear and push it to the other side of the call. In a loud area, this means it’s nearly impossible for the person on the other side of the call to hear anything you say. This is the problem that Skyted is hoping to solve.

What is Skyted?

Skyted is a headset, of sorts, intended to improve sound quality while in a loud environment. At first sight, it might appear to be a little odd. However, the design is well-tested for years. That’s because the device is modeled after the systems used on fighter jets. The device fits over the mouth as a full mask, allowing for sound to be isolated and directed toward the microphone.

Skyted is different than other headsets because it is designed to block out background noise. This means that when you are in a loud environment, such as a game center, or simply talking on the phone in public, your sound will be isolated and clear for the people you’re speaking with.

Other headsets may attempt to filter out environmental sounds, but they are limited in what they can do. With the Skyted headset, you can be sure that your sound is clear and crisp even in a loud environment.

Who is Skyted for?

One of the great strengths of Skyted is its versatility. Because the mask microphone is designed to work with Bluetooth, it can be used for a variety of purposes. The original purpose is to allow for public phone calls – limiting the background noise, but also preventing people around you from having to listen.

In the past few years, however, other types of public calls have become commonplace. in particular, Teams and Zoom calls have become a regular part of doing business, especially while traveling. But, working in public has become a normal situation, even for those not traveling.

In addition, gaming in public has become more common. Gaming centers, like our friends at STRYKE eSports in Tampa, are popping up in more places. Online gaming is enhanced by live chat, which is equally difficult in public. But, with the Skyted system, you can chat with other players without having to hide in a pod and without disrupting the gamers around you.

Another aspect of public speech where the Skyted can really be a benefit is streaming. Obviously, if you’re streaming a game in a game center, the benefits are clear. However, there’s a lot of In Real Life (IRL) streaming, where people stream their experiences with games outside of a studio. This applies to games like Pokémon GO, where you have to be in the wild to play. Once again, this device will help you isolate yourself from the people around you while streaming.

Summary

Skyted is planning to be made available through pre-orders starting in March 2023. To learn more about Skyted or to pre-order one for yourself, you can go to the company’s website.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central.

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GlobalM is upgrading the way broadcasters transmit video @ CES 2023



GlobalM Television Streaming SystemIf you are trying to broadcast an event around the globe with multiple unrelated endpoints, the infrastructure can be difficult and expensive. Traditionally, this has required satellites and hard links on both the transmitter and receiver’s side. This means that smaller production houses would be unable to take advantage of the ability to transmit to a global audience and also prevent them from being able to receive these feeds, as well. GlobalM has taken this concept and moved it off of satellites and onto the internet.

What is GlobalM?

GlobalM is a point-to-multipoint content distribution platform that removes the need for satellite connections. It does this by utilizing SRT, a low-latency streaming protocol originally developed by Haivision. This makes it easier and more cost-effective to provide live streams to multiple unrelated endpoints around the world, allowing even small production houses to reach their desired global audience.

GlobalM also allows for the scalability of your network, which means that you can use one source pod and scale it up to multiple destination pods. Each stream destination will have its own unique SRT stream URI that you can use to access the broadcasted content. Moreover, GlobalM works with any encoder or decoder that supports SRT, as well as with its own integrated mobile app for iOS and Android.

How does GlobalM work?

GlobalM works by taking a single source stream and encoding it into multiple SRT streams that are sent to each individual receiving device. This means that the broadcaster is only sending out one stream, but it is being received simultaneously by every receiver in the network. The main benefit of this approach is that GlobalM can deliver low-latency live video with an extremely high picture quality even over long distances due to its optimized network topology.

Overall, GlobalM provides a great solution for event broadcasting on a global scale. It allows production houses to easily reach their target audience without having to worry about expensive satellite connections or hard links – all while providing low latency, high-quality streaming at a fraction of the cost. With its scalable network and integrated mobile app, GlobalM makes it easy to broadcast any event around the world.

Who is GlobalM for?

GlobalM is for any organization or individual wanting to broadcast their event to a global audience. It is perfect for live-streaming events such as conferences, sports tournaments, concerts, religious ceremonies, and more. With GlobalM, you can easily reach viewers around the world without having to worry about the cost and complexity of satellite connections. Moreover, it allows your stream to be delivered with low latency and high quality even over long distances due to its optimized network topology. Whether you’re looking to reach a large international audience or just stream a small event locally, GlobalM has you covered.

Summary

In short, GlobalM provides a reliable, cost-effective, and easy-to-use platform for distributing content to multiple unrelated destinations around the globe. With it, you can reach a larger audience with ease. GlobalM is available for broadcasters to use now. To learn more or get a demo of the technology, head over to the company’s website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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