Check out some highlights from Roland’s article below.

If you need to communicate online with real-time video—whether it’s a presentation to a private group or a broadcast to the entire world—Roland provides a range of streaming products to help you connect. Simply choose the Roland switcher that fits your application and budget, and then add cameras and microphones and select the right online broadcast platform. After that, you’ll be ready to engage your audience wherever they are—from wherever you are.

To get started with live streaming, there’s some basic info you need to know. Our guide puts it all together for you, taking the guesswork out of choosing the right solution for your needs.

Essential Hardware

These are the basic hardware components that you’ll need to deliver video and audio to your streaming audience:

  •  One or more cameras
  •  One or more microphones
  •  A computer or smartphone
  •  A game console (if streaming gaming content)

A/V Switching and Encoding Devices

An A/V switcher provides a single hub that allows you to connect multiple devices together and easily control your streaming presentations in real time:

  •  Roland VR-series A/V switchers
  •  Roland GO:LIVECAST Livestreaming Studio for Smartphones

Streaming Platform

This is a computer-based service that allows you to connect and livestream. The type of platform you choose will be based on your streaming needs:

  •  Secure
  •  Public
  •  Monetized

Check out this chart of relevant Roland Switchers.

Check out the full article from Roland for more information

Learn more about Roland HERE.

The Pearl Family includes three separate encoders, the Pearl Mini, Pearl-2 and the new Pearl Nano.

Check out this article comparing the three models from Epiphan.

Epiphan Pearl-2

• 4K video switcher, recorder, streamer, splitter, and scaler
• Six video inputs + networked inputs
• 4-inch touch screen for confidence monitoring and control
• Four XLR line-level audio inputs
• 500 GB internal hard drive
• NDI support
• Chroma keying

Epiphan Pearl Mini

• Full HD video switcher, recorder, streamer, splitter, and scaler
• Three video inputs + networked inputs
• 7-inch touch screen for confidence monitoring and control
• Two XLR/TRS mic level audio inputs with phantom power
• SD card slot for storage

Epiphan Pearl Nano

• Full HD video recorder, streamer, splitter, and scaler
• Two video inputs + networked inputs
• 2-inch front screen for confidence monitoring with buttons for control
• Two XLR line-level audio inputs
• SD card slot or SSD slot for storage
• HDMI pass-through for zero-latency content display
• PoE+ and DC power

Check out this chart comparing the three devices.

Check out the full article HERE

Learn more about Epiphan HERE

Check out some highlights from a case study from Roland on this workflow, below.

Live interactive video platform Brandlive is a vehicle for brands and retailers to interact with their audiences for training, marketing and e-commerce use cases, with a software platform that clients can use to execute live video events and pre-recorded video-based training events. Recently, Brandlive added a key element to its digital production workflow with the Roland VR-4HD All-in-One AV Switcher.

Ethan Burke, Director of Production, Brandlive, notes, “We’re using the Roland VR-4HD for our live productions. This product has been great for us. One of the features that I love is just being able to bring all of our camera sources into this unit via HDMI, monitor our shots on the multi-viewer, and be able to live-switch between them, and then being able to send out the live switched feed via USB3 directly into a laptop for encoding and broadcast. Having the integrated audio mixer with the Roland just simplifies our workflow overall. At Brandlive, our customers expect a seamless and professional experience, and the Roland VR-4HD is a production tool that helps us deliver on that promise.”

Brandlive recently streamed and produced a live, interactive product training for Danner boots who recently shipped new platforms into Cabela’s stores. The VR-4HD AV Switcher was used to mix audio sources, video cameras and then sent that AV signal through the USB3 port to a computer for encoding and streaming to Brandlive’s video platform.

Check out the full case study from Roland, HERE.

Learn more about Roland HERE.

Check out today’s webinar below!

Demo Videos

We also recorded several live demos with the SimplyLive Varsity bundles, including the RefBox, SloMo and All-In-One Bundles.

RefBox Varsity Bundle Demo:

The RefBox Varsity Bundle is a high quality, compact 8-camera review solution for referee review, sports teams and coach analysis.

SloMo Varsity Bundle

Look like the pros wtih the SloMo Varsity Bundle and boost your program’s production value by adding extensive replay and highlights to your show including super slow motion effects.

All-In-One Varsity Bundle

The All-In-One Varsity Bundle is a portable and compact 6-camera video mixing – with audio mixing, NDI graphics overlay, replays & highlights with super slow-motion recording/playback

Learn more about SimplyLive HERE

Special thanks to LiveU for providing these great and helpful graphics.

Learn more about LiveU here!

This isn’t a fantasy dreamed up by a stressed-out event planner or conference organizer working with a modest budget and a mile-long wish list. Virtual conferences have been a thing for years, and the concept has inspired more than a few forward-thinking businesses.

Video technology company Kaltura saw the potential way back in 2012, when it hosted the first Kaltura Education Video Summit. Thousands virtually attended or downloaded a recording of the event, which included speeches by leaders in the education, learning, and training sectors. More recently, in April 2018, Drip hosted its second Au+oma+ed virtual conference, which featured a slate of 14 ecommerce experts and attracted more than 20,000 registrants. That same year in August, Wistia hosted CouchCon, a virtual event made up of a live keynote and pre-recorded speeches by marketing experts from LinkedIn, TechSmith, Buffer, and others. Nearly 1,700 attendees from around the world virtually sat in on CouchCon 2018.

Those are some impressive numbers – and none of the organizers had to lock down a venue big enough for all those people. Not one of the attendees had to travel anywhere, or even change out of their pajamas.

Why you should host a virtual conference

Should your company think about launching a virtual conference of its own? We think so. Here are five reasons why:

1. Cut costs

Virtual conferences tend to cost much less than in-person ones. That’s because going virtual does away with a lot of the expenses associated with traditional conferences. Venue rental fees alone run anywhere from $500 to $20,000. Add in fees for permits and licenses, catered meals, Wi-Fi access, travel and accommodations, signage and other physical collateral, and you’re looking at an enormous spend – and high ticket prices to make up for it.

None of that’s to say hosting a successful virtual conference is without expenses. Up front, your company will probably have to invest in (or rent) new technology, tools, and services to make it possible. But all that would still likely cost less than bringing everyone together under one roof. You’re also then set up to host more virtual conferences later. Plus, any gear you buy might come in handy for webinars and other live video work.

2. Reach way more people

When your conference is virtual, attendance isn’t limited by the size of a venue or who can afford to make it out. That’s partly what’s behind the big numbers that Kaltura, Wistia, and Drip pulled with their events. People can tune in from anywhere in the world – at home, in the office, or on the go – and at any time, if the event is recorded and made available on demand.

You can charge people to download the video-on-demand (VOD) version or make it free to watch. Both options have their advantages. The free route can get even more eyes on your content because then viewers can spread it around online.

It’s also worth noting that going virtual won’t rule out one of the biggest selling points for a lot of conference attendees: networking. Platforms like ON24 and Zoom make it possible to set up virtual networking and breakout rooms for participants to use throughout the event. Some solutions even support virtual exhibit halls, where attendees can learn about products and services and chat with vendors.

3. Bring in experts from anywhere

It’s much easier to pitch your conference to potential guest speakers when they can contribute content conveniently from their home or office. Otherwise, speaking at a conference can be a tall order since it means making time to get there and be there.

There are a couple of ways you can treat the speeches at your virtual conference. You can live stream them like Drip did with its keynote. This may make sense for speakers who are part of your company or live nearby. But what a lot of companies do is have each speaker pre-record their talk with a tool like Windows Camera or QuickTime. Then it’s just a matter of reviewing and editing the content and casting it during the conference.

While speakers who can’t attend your virtual conference won’t be able to answer any questions after their presentations, your event still benefits from their perspective and expertise. Had they needed to physically be there, that same expertise might have been unavailable.

4. Make money

Virtual conferences offer many of the same opportunities to earn revenue as in-person ones – attendance fees, sponsorships, and so on. When it comes to a virtual conference, you can charge people to access the live stream, or to download the VOD version afterward. Alternatively, you can make it free to potentially draw a bigger crowd for upselling and lead generation.

During an event put on by the Genius Network in 2017, CEG Worldwide founder and CEO John Bowen shared just how profitable virtual conferences can be based on his experience throwing three separate ones. With very little marketing, 10% of the 2,600 who showed up bought packages worth $100. The events collectively brought in $500,000 for Bowen’s firm, and helped sell coaching programs and attract investors. Results like these are enough to make any business take note.

5. Gather data and leads

Virtual conference platforms can often tell you a lot about conference-goers: which sessions they attended and for how long, which booths they interacted with in the virtual exhibition hall, and more. This kind of insight is invaluable for developing targeted content and for making your next virtual conference even more successful. Asking registrants to opt-in to email blasts or requiring an email to access the VOD version can also be effective for lead generation.

What you’ll need to do it

Say you’re sold on the concept of virtual conferences. What would your business need to pull one off?

An attractive agenda

Decide on an overall theme for your conference that will resonate with your audience. If you don’t know enough about your audience to come up with one, launching a conference might be premature. Once you’ve landed on a compelling theme, start hunting for guest speakers who are authorities on some aspect of it. Your business networks and social platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn are good places to start.

Above all, you want your conference content to be dynamic and engaging enough to grab your audience and hold their interest. The same principles for planning a webinar apply here.

The right marketing tools

You could have the most captivating conference agenda on the planet, but no one will show if you don’t get the word out. Use what tools you do have to your advantage – the company website, mailing lists, social media pages, etc. – and consider adding new ones to your arsenal. Craft targeted ads for Facebook or Google. Build a website or microsite that presents the theme, conference agenda, speaker bios, and other information to generate interest. Shoot and share a short video that gives people an idea of what they’re in for if they attend.

A capable streaming platform

There are a lot of different tools that can support a virtual conference – whether it’s a webinar application like ON24, a purpose-built solution like vConferenceOnline, video conferencing software like Zoom, or a private content delivery network (CDN) such as Livestream. Take your pick based on what will support your overall conference plan. For example, if you’d like to charge a fee for access, make sure whatever platform you use includes a paywall or monetization system.

Robust email automation

Event registrants often like to be reminded that the date is coming up. It’s also a good marketing move to communicate with registrants afterward – to share a link to the VOD version (free or otherwise), to remind of a product or service showcased during the conference, etc. You’ll want a service like ActiveCampaign, ConverKit, or Campaign Monitor to automate these communications.

Quality gear

A virtual conference with high production value will reflect well on your company and keep people engaged. Viewers aren’t likely to stick around if your video and audio quality are poor. Ensure you have the right tech to give your conference a professional feel. That means a high-quality camera, a good microphone, proper lighting, and a great looking set. You can buy or rent this gear and set it up yourself, or call in an AV production company to do it all for you.

If you really want to wow virtual conference-goers, you can take it even further with a multi-camera shoot along with custom, picture-in-picture layouts, and other advanced features. This kind of setup would require additional gear such as a video switcher, streamer, and scaler. Our Pearl video encoders, the Pearl Mini and Pearl-2, include all of these in a single appliance along with multiple video and professional audio inputs. Pearls also feature a unique, built-in touchscreen for live switching, confidence monitoring, custom layout selection, and more.

Make your virtual conference something to behold

Check out the full article HERE

Learn more about Epiphan HERE

Press Release

Roland Professional A/V is now shipping the V-60HD, a compact, integrated video switcher and audio mixer. Its sophisticated feature set is perfectly suited for live event production as well as broadcast, recording and streaming. The V-60HD supports SDI camera inputs plus scaled HDMI inputs for data, computer, tablet and other video sources via a variety of video connections, plus a Program and independent AUX bus for confidence, downstage monitor or side screens. The V-60HD also offers advanced audio functionality including multi-channel embedded audio, XLR/TRS and RCA analog inputs, and multichannel embedded audio to two SDI outputs, plus comprehensive dynamics and auto-mixing.

Compact, portable and easy to operate, the V-60HD supports six video channels from a variety of inputs, including 3G-SDI, HDMI and RGB sources with scaling on HDMI and RGB inputs to support both video and VESA resolutions from 480i up to WUXGA. A de-interlacer enables 1080i and 1080p SDI video sources from multiple fixed-lens, PTZ or ENG-style cameras to be used simultaneously without the need for an external signal converter.

The V-60HD also supports still image capture and import with two dedicated cross-points to have images ready to go and easy to switch to. Program, Preview and AUX bus sources enable flexible outputs for multiscreen environments such as churches, conference centers, hotels, and trade show facilities, supporting a confidence monitor, presenter notes, plus a main output for IMAG.

The dedicated AUX bus may be assigned to any of the four discreet SDI or HDMI outputs providing seamless switching from the eight input channels, including four SDI, two HDMI or one RGB and two still images uploaded via the USB port. A front-panel 3-inch LCD display allows quick access menu navigation and access to switcher parameters. A multiviewer supports Program and Preview feeds and up to eight video sources with audio meters and labels.

A free software application, V-60HD RCS (Mac or PC), provides setup and control information for the unit through a network port. For fixed installations, the V-60HD can be remotely controlled through the LAN or RS-232 port using touch panel or other programmable interface devices. The LAN port also supports Roland’s new Smart Tally system for PC, iOS and Android devices, providing wireless tally to mobile devices from a Wi-Fi access point.

In addition to enabling still image uploads, the USB port allows the user to save program files and memory settings plus software updates.

The professional user interface also includes broadcast switcher quality cross-point buttons with PGM/PST LED color indicators, a rugged T-bar and DSK (downstream keyer) quick edit knobs for key level and gain. Two sets of dedicated controls enable center framing of Split and PinP (picture-in-picture) placement. The DSK can be used to apply up to three layers of composition incorporating titles, song lyrics, logos or graphics coming from the video sources.

The DSK supports both luminance (black/white) and chroma (blue/green) keying for compositing two video sources, plus the additional layer of PinP, plus background video. Video processing enables cut, mix with cross-dissolve and NAM/FAM transitions, with up to 30 different wipe patterns. Seamless transitions between six video sources and two still buses are ensured by time-based correction and frame synch.

The V-60HD also features a 18-channel audio mixer with four TRS/XLR combo jacks with 48V phantom power, an RCA stereo pair, plus audio de-embed from the six video inputs. Audio processing capabilities include powerful dynamics and effects, such as a high-pass filter, gate, compressor/limiter, 3-band EQ, delay and the ability to select audio-follows-video channels.

The unit’s innovative discreet multi-channel audio embedding function allows users to select which audio source to embed separately to SDI outputs 1 and 2, for example, to fix audio issues or separate multi-language audio sources post event. An auto-mixing function automatically adjusts the audio level based on weighting, ensuring even levels for the room mix, recording and web streaming. To learn more, click here.

Over the last few years the world of video switchers has been favoring the trend of “less is more.” Small-format switchers are becoming more popular with many manufacturers. This is great for the church market, because most churches don’t have the need for huge video production switchers. When it comes to small-format switchers, Roland has been leading the charge and is continues with their new product the V-60HD.

The I/O of this “small” switcher is actually rather large, it supports six input channels via four SDI and two scaled HDMI inputs and a scaled RGB input. These can all be viewed on and standard TV via the built in multiviewer, on a dedicated HDMI output. The scaler on the HDMI and RGB inputs is an excellent feature because it allows the V-60HD to accept video from pretty much any source. This means that odd computer resolutions will play nicely with standard video resolutions without the need for an external converter. On the audio side, it has an 18-channel audio mixer with four TRS/XLR combo jacks with 48V phantom power, an RCA stereo pair, plus audio de-embed from the six video inputs. Audio processing capabilities include a high-pass filter, gate, compressor/limiter, three-band EQ, delay and the ability to select audio-follows-video….[continue reading]

The Roland V-60HD Switcher

The device has 6 video channels – 2 HDMI channels and 4 SDI channels with broadcast quality scalers on each input. An interesting feature is that the SDI inputs have a de-interlacer built-in, allowing users to mix and match 1080i and 1080p SDI video sources without external converters. It supports up to 1080p/60/50 as input & output formats.

The Roland V-60HD switcher also has 18 audio channels and introduces an interesting “auto-mixing” feature, that will automatically balance audio levels from multiple microphones and video sources. What makes it really special is that it works with smartphones and communicates via a wi-fi access point to replace traditional wired tally solutions. In theory it is possible to connect an unlimited number of smart devices to the switcher, in practice you probably won’t require more than 6, for obvious reasons.

Check out this official product video for a nice visual overview of what the switcher does:

read the full article