Rodecaster Pro review: a podcast studio you can carry on your back via The Verge

Rode is one of those brands that I can’t seem to get away from at trade shows like CES and MWC. The company makes some extremely popular directional microphones, which I see mounted atop video producers’ cameras with big and bold RØDE lettering adorning their sides. As a result, I had grown to associate Rode with pro audio recording even before I’d tried any of its gear for myself, trusting the collective wisdom of the professional content creator crowd. Having spent the past few weeks reviewing the Rodecaster Pro, I’d say that wisdom is spot on.
Read Rodecaster Pro review: a podcast studio you can carry on your back via The Verge



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The best microphones to start podcasting with via The Verge

A decent microphone is one of the first — and most critical — pieces of equipment you need. Sounding good, though, is relatively easy and cheap with a wide variety of mics on the market. Here are 6 to choose from. — Douglas
 
As the resident audio engineer at The Verge, I am occasionally asked what microphone one should get if they wanted to start a podcast. For professional use, the answer is complicated. You can’t just plug any microphone into your computer and start recording. But for a hobbyist or someone starting out in the field, there are now more options than ever to get your show up and running for a fairly low price.
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Roland introduces $1,500 camera-mixing deck for pro livestreamers via The Verge

As your Twitch career starts to take off, you’re likely to find yourself with increasing amounts of disposable income and the desire to elevate the quality of your broadcasts. That’s where Roland, the company best known for crafting highly renowned electronic music equipment, has a new product to help you out. The VR-1HD is a mixing deck with a difference: it does a few familiar audio modulation bits, like adding reverb or music jingles, but its claim to fame is the ability to also manage up to three cameras on the fly, allowing you to put out professional-looking, multicamera live broadcasts.

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Blue’s new XLR mic will help podcasters and YouTubers step up their set-up via The Next Web

Blue’s new XLR mic will help podcasters and YouTubers step up their set-up via The Next Web
 

If you’ve ever created a podcast – or looked into doing so – I bet you’ll know Blue. Whether it’s the Yeti or its Nano counterpart, the company is famous for building USB microphones that make recording audio easy.

Well, Blue is expanding its ambitions. Today at CES, it announced the launch of a new XLR condenser microphone: the Ember.



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New Media Gear: HyperX QuadCast – USB Condenser Gaming Microphone, for PC, PS4 and Mac

I was introduced to the HyperX Quadcast by my college-aged son (Overwatching the Competition) who also happens to be a big gamer. He regularly reviews HyperX products and, while he hadn’t laid hands upon the mic, he thought it looked like a good product. While I am posting this as simply a way of introducing you to the mic, I am hoping to get one in for review and give you some more information

HyperX QuadCast – USB Condenser Gaming Microphone, for PC, PS4 and Mac, Anti-Vibration Shock Mount, Four Polar Patterns, Pop Filter, Gain Control, Podcasts, Twitch, YouTube, Discord, Red LED – Black

New Media Gear: HyperX QuadCast - USB Condenser Gaming Microphone, for PC, PS4 and Mac

Firstly, it is nice to see that they include a shock mount for the mic. Too many companies make this an optional add-on even though using a mic without one is going to lead to sub-par results and lots of noise. Also included is a mount for a standard mic stand if you want to attach to a boom arm or other stand. Including a matching pop filter would have been nice too, but they are available for $10. The specs say it includes a built-in pop filter, but I wonder how much that can suppress the hard plosives (t’s, p’s, b’s) that so often show up on podcast and game play recordings.

New Media Gear: HyperX QuadCast - USB Condenser Gaming Microphone, for PC, PS4 and Mac

The has 4 selectable pickup patterns so it can be used for a wide variety of recording situations and a integrated headphone jack so you can have lag-free monitoring when you are recording.

While less important than the technical specs, I do like the overall design. I am also a lover of red and black contrast on devices. Perhaps that goes back to my school colors being the same. You never know how your childhood memories are going to manifest themselves.

Overall, this looks like a mic worth investigating further if you are looking for a starter mic for podcasting, streaming and gaming videos.

Check out the HyperX QuadCast – USB Condenser Gaming Microphone, for PC, PS4 and Mac on HyperX Gaming.

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New Media Gear: Parrot Teleprompter

A teleprompter can greatly increase the quality of your videos by giving you a professional look and tone when presenting. Past teleprompter devices have been quite expense, while this one is more in line with the prices YouTubers and other video makers can afford. — Douglas

Parrot Teleprompter

Telepromter 2

Teleprompter

 

  • Professional quality 30r/70t teleprompter glass
  • Sets up faster than any other teleprompter in less than a minute
  • Compact so you can take it anywhere your videos take you
  • Works with the most common camcorders and slr cameras
  • Easy to use free parrot teleprompter app works with all major smartphones.Compatible with Camcorders and DSLR cameras with standard lens sizes.

Similar Gear

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Samson Go Mic Mobile Review: Wireless Microphones for All! via SomeGadgetGuy

What wireless microphones do you use for your podcasting and video production? Share your gear in the comments!

Oddly enough, I was struggling with some older wireless mics today as I was recording a presentation by my wife. Sometimes this hand-me-down set works well and at other times the audio fades in and out as the presenter moves about the room. It is long beyond time to get a “real” set of wireless mics so I will take a look at this Samson unit as one possibility for replacement? — Douglas

New grant will support up-and-coming female streamers on Twitch via Polygon

A charity organization is partnering with Twitch to promote promising female streamers on the platform, offering them a series of financial grants to help sustain their channels.

The 1,000 Dreams Fund launched in late 2015, and defines itself as a non-profit organization that supports the “dreams of talented young women in need by providing access to critical funding, resources and meaningful mentor relationships. Now, it’s teamed up with Twitch for the 1,000 Dreams Fund Twitch BroadcastHER Grant.

The organizations will award the grant to at least two high school or college students every semester, with funds ranging from $500 to $2,000. The grants are supposed to be used for conference travel, equipment upgrades, workshops and other tools that align with the 1,000 Dreams Fund’s mission, Twitch said in a press release.

The goal is to help illustrate the gender gap women often face in specific fields, including streaming, which is still predominantly male. A 2016 study reported that women make up 35 percent of Twitch’s streaming landscape, and there aren’t any female streamers in the current top 10 list.

New Media Gear: Beyerdynamic FOX USB Studio Quality Microphone Unveiled At NAMM 2018 via Geeky Gadgets

During the 2018 NAMM Show in Anaheim, USA this week a new studio quality USB microphone has been showcased in the form of the beyerdynamic FOX, which combines a microphone, preamplifier, converter and headphone amplifier in one handy desktop system. The beyerdynamic FOX microphone will be available later this year during April 2018 from specialist stores and the official beyerdynamic online store priced at €179.

Features of the beyerdynamic FOX studio microphone include front controls that provide access to the headphone amplifier, microphone signal to the headphones volumes providing instant control. While a button on the rear of the microphone regulates, the gain enables the use of the FOX for, especially loud sources. The microphone also includes the obligatory mute button, and a range of accessories are also available including a pop shield, mounting base, clamp and more.

New Media Gear: Razer Seiren X Microphone ($100) via Geeky Gadgets

Razer Seiren X Microphone Now Available For $100 via Geeky Gadgets

Razer Seiren X Microphone

As well as launching their new Razer Kiyo streaming camera, Razer has also unveiled a new desktop microphone they have created in the form of the Razer Seiren X which is now available to purchase priced at $99.99

Equipped with supercardioid pick-up pattern to reduce background noise, the new microphone has been designed to complement the new Kiyo web camera which is also now available to purchase priced at $99.99.

Specifications of the Razer Seiren X Microphone :

  • Condenser microphone made for streaming
  • Supercardioid pick-up pattern to reduce background noise
  • Built-in shock mount to dampen vibrations
  • Mute button
  • Zero-latency 3.5 mm headphone monitoring port

 

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Elgato’s Cam Link turns your DSLR into a souped-up webcam via Engadget

I’ve been thinking about getting one of these so I could use my camcorder with a good lens to live stream bird footage from the garden and other sites. — Douglas
 
Most of the time, I buy cameras for specific purposes. My DSLR exists to capture vacation photos and product shots for Engadget reviews. When I go on hikes or long bike rides, I pull out a GoPro Hero4. For some reason, however, I just can’t bring myself to buy a dedicated webcam for Twitch streaming or YouTube vlogs. I already have a handful of great consumer cameras — shouldn’t I be able to use one of those? In reality, that’s easier said than done: Most cameras simply aren’t designed to push a live feed out to a PC. It’s a problem I’ve spent hours trying to solve, but never did. Then, I heard about the Elgato Cam Link, a USB capture device that can turn any camera with HDMI output into a functional webcam.
 

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The Top 10 Best Audio Interfaces for Your Recording Needs via The Wire Realm

Great overview of the wide variety of computer audio interfaces available and their features. Raise your production levels for your music recording and podcasting. — Douglas
 

So you’re looking to solidify your studio with the best audio interface? To us, this is one of the most important parts of making music and we consider it to be the star on top of the Christmas tree. Without an audio interface, you simply can’t record optimally. Your gear is essentially missing half of its power and capabilities without one of these in your studio. The best audio interfaces help us with sound quality, phantom power and amplification, more overall control of our gear, organization of all of our inputs\outputs into one device, and lastly make the pesky concept of latency disappear. Today we highlight our top 10 audio interface picks available in the market and give you some info to help ease your shopping adventures.

Read The Top 10 Best Audio Interfaces for Your Recording Needs via The Wire Realm


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A Device That Turns Almost Any Camera Into A Webcam via Gizmodo

I have been looking for something like this for a long time — since I lost the ability to directly connect my older camcorder to my computer via Firewire. The Cam Link is an HDMI to USB bridge that plugs directly into your computer. The computer then sees it as a standard webcam input.
 
With all the options available for today for live streaming, I want to set up my camera and use its great, optical zoom to stream the animals and birds in my garden. It seems this would work for Twitch, Facebook and other web-based streaming services and allow me share some of my garden with the world. — Douglas
 
Game capture hardware maker Elgato made streaming a little bit fancier this week with the release of Cam Link, a $129 USB device that allows users to use any camera with an HDMI output as a webcam. Plus it also does game capture. It’s pretty nifty.
 
  • Easily connect your DSLR, camcorder, or action cam to your PC or Mac
  • Go live on any platform in No time thanks to ultra-low-latency technology
  • Broadcast in stunning quality up to 1080P at 60 FPS
  • Shoot and produce within your favorite tools
  • Record footage directly to your Hard Drive without time restrictions

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