Roland AeroCaster VC-01 Wireless Video Mixer
Roland has been infiltrating the Pro AV space for a while. The AeroCaster VRC-01 is the company’s latest hardware in the field, with a focus on streamers and creators. The mini video converter console works almost completely wirelessly and allows for multi-source video setups using only phones and laptops over WiFi or cellular.
You’ll need to connect the AeroCaster to your iPad to run the main mixing software, but all other video inputs are wireless through Roland’s AeroCaster Camera mobile app or laptop users can share the screen from far via Chrome. In short, if you’ve ever wanted to create multi-camera podcasts or music videos, but didn’t want to deal with the headache of multiple dedicated cameras, AeroCaster will let you do it with phones you probably already have.
Roland has some pretty strong credentials in this area thanks to its V-series Professional AV video converter and mixer. The VRC-01 seems to be a more consumer-friendly option, focused on Twitchers and YouTubers (though you can also stream to Facebook Live or any RTMP channel). From the control panel, you can switch cameras and mix audio in real time. There are two combo XLR inputs for professional-grade microphones or TRS/phone inputs along with some simple audio effects like reverb delay and lip sync.
A lot of the above functionality is already possible through some of Roland’s higher-end devices and its AeroCaster Switcher app, but the VRC-01 and the new companion iPad app appear streamlined and more accessible. In many ways, it’s like a video-friendly brother to GO: Mixer Pro X with both offering “prosumer” features in a smaller, more affordable package.
The VRC-O1 will be on the market in March and cost $295.
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