Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

Hi Josh

If you need to see how a computer or laptop will perform as a vision switcher you can open a free Livestream account (the public cannot watch it unless they are also account holders and the Studio software also has a free version for download (it does have limitations but you have full streaming facilities plus it's limited in the number of cameras) That way it's something to play with and see what your current gear can do without costing you anything. I used both the free account and free switcher options to test a bunch of laptops and desktop to see which would cope with an HD video stream ....one can even use a web cam as a temporary video source and even my action cams plug into the software via USB ..Definitely worth a play!!!

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

Hi Chris. Yeah I Livestreamed something for a client last week using my GH4 and the Black Magic Mini-Recorder. My laptop did fine, the stream said "Perfect Streaming" but it was still a little glitchy an skipped quite often. I tested the ethernet connection before and after and it was screaming fast so not sure what it was. I'm going to ping Livestream and ask them. I do like the idea of renting a Broadcaster or two though and using them to push multiple HD streams and then see if/how bad my computer chokes. Luckily I'm not asked to livestream often, but I really like that the Broadcaster can basically be used as a less expensive TeraDek. While it's may only be with Livestream servers, that's historically been the only livestream company as client as asked me to use (if they were specific at all).

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

Oren: Couple quick question.

1. If AV at the conference isn't using HDMI to connect from computer to projector (before we put this box in between the two to capture the video contents) and using something else like Thunderboldt or something older, will the box still capture if it has it's HDMI in but doesn't have an HDMI out to pass through?

2. If the laptop doesn't have an HDMI port will using a USB to HDMI convertor and then feeding that into the recording box work?

Have you tried either? I'm obviously going to test the box extensively when I get it, but trying to determine it's possible capabilities before doing so. Especially because for the gig I'll be doing if one works, we'll be buying 4 more.

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

I saw mentioned a few times earlier in the thread that the cameras would be shooting 1080p. Wanted to point out that many camcorders default to putting out 1080i over the HDMI port even if the camera is set internally to record 24p or 30p. Possibly 60p as well, haven't worked with many late-model camcorders. Point being that cameras do this because most/all displays are built to accept 1080i, but not all accept 1080p sources. So just wanted to bring it up that the assumption that the cameras will be outputting 1080p may not be completely correct and that needs to be considered as part of the workflow.

Thanks

Jeff

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

hey Jeff, thanks for making that clarification, I appreciate it!

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

Hey Oren, I purchased one of those cheap gaming boxes to test it out today (along with a slew of other stuff for a whopping 4 big conferences coming up in the next month). Anyway, right when I opened it I could hear something rattling inside so I assumed it was potentially damaged. Tested it anyways and couldn't get that model to work. I set up everything correctly so it's most likely the box. The only potential fail point is that since my laptop is older and doesn't have HDMI out, and I don't have any Thunderboldt to HDMI convertors on hand, I just used my GH4 instead as the outgoing HDMI signal instead. So if for some reason that doesn't work for the capture box, then maybe it wasn't broken.

Unrelated I did notice when I plugged in an external USB powered drive the gaming box would flutter as the power waxed and waned. When I plugged in an external that was DC powered it didn't. But either way it didn't work. I did read that apparently because it records to H.264 and not something like Apple ProRes 422, most people use flash drives of all things to store the captured video. In theory a 32 GB flash drive (according to one of the productions) would be 7-8 hours, so for test 2 I'll try that as well.

Also for laptops that don't have HDMI out but have Thunderboldt, do you purchase a convertor to go that route? I'm assuming with the multiple different kinds of presentation machines they can't all have HDMI out.

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

Looks like of these boxes the 3 most popular on Amazon are the following.
*Other than the Elgato systems the other 2 have microphone jacks to record somekind of ambient audio for sync sound.

Elgato Systems
https://www.amazon.com/Elgato-System...apture+devices
-doesn't do 1080 24P though. It's 1080 30P.
*I'm guessing that's going to be the case for everyone probably. Which means I need to run a conversion for 30P down to 24P or else I'll have slipping in the edit when I'm Multi Cam editing it.


Haupauge HDPVR Rocket
https://www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-Gam...2Bdevices&th=1
-also doesn't do 24P.
-powered solely by the laptop. Standalone

AVer Media Game Capture HD2 (points for being the coolest looking)
https://www.amazon.com/AVerMedia-Def...apture+devices
-AC powered
-records Fat32

For the purposes of time for an upcoming conference, I'm going to go ahead and purchase 2 of the AVers, and 1 of the Pocket Rocket and see if either work. before next week. If not, there's no pressure from client, but hopefully they work!

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

The audio is for voice over when playing games. If you need more than one converter I would buy different makes as I could not get my two Elgatos to play nice. Bought an Aver and now I can get two streams working.

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

Hi Donald. My plan was just to plug a mic in and all it has to pick up is the ambient room sounds so I can match that the XLR feed from the av crew I get at each conference. General setup for me is every camera records onboard audio but a portable audio recorder gets the XLR "drop" from AV with the good audio. I then syne them all together. I'm hoping plugging in an existing mic i own at the podium will pick up the speakers and stuff enough to be like another onboard camera level mic recording. Do you think that works or am I missing something?

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

For audio I intend to try this battery powered mixer with a USB adapter. https://reverb-res.cloudinary.com/im...jzx0gkklof.jpg

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

yeah for the conferences I work on, it's a favor for AV to even consider letting me plug one of these boxes into their chain of equipment and record the slides (especially since that's a service they supply) so adding a mixer or something like that is totally out of the question.a small mic on the podium though, isn't.

Re: Is there a new cheap updated switcher like the Atem Television Studio?
 

Hi folks. Thought it would interesting to check back in on this. Not sure much the end of the thread's conversation about game capture devices but about the original question about a "budget" switcher in the 1K or less range. Anything developed folks know about with a scaler?