RØDE is giving its RØDECaster Video lineup a substantial upgrade with firmware version 1.4, adding 4K multi-camera capture, expanded RØDECaster Sync support and new tools aimed at making post-production considerably easier.
The headline addition is a new 4K Capture Mode, which changes how the RØDECaster Video, Video S and Video Core can be used. Instead of focusing on live switching and production effects, the consoles can operate as dedicated UHD capture hubs, taking multiple 3840×2160 camera feeds over HDMI and distributing them individually over NDI at 30fps.
The full-size RØDECaster Video supports four UHD30 HDMI feeds in this mode, while the Video S and Video Core handle three. More importantly for anyone planning to edit afterwards, every source can also be recorded independently in 4K to an external SSD using H.264 or H.265. That effectively turns the hardware into a compact multi-camera ingest system rather than simply a live production switcher.
There is a compromise. Enabling 4K Capture Mode reduces or simplifies several of the RØDECaster Video’s usual switching, scene, keying and media capabilities. Those tools haven’t disappeared, though; they’re still available when using the regular Full HD Switching Mode. RØDE has also added a separate Full HD Capture Mode for productions where maintaining 1080p at 60fps is more useful than pushing resolution to 4K30.
Firmware 1.4 also expands RØDECaster Sync beyond the Video Core. The RØDECaster Video and Video S can now connect directly to a RØDECaster Pro II or Duo over USB-C, effectively combining the audio and video hardware into one production setup. Controls including faders, SMART pads and the touchscreen can then interact with both sides of the system, while inputs are brought together through a shared nine-channel mixer.
Post-production gets some attention too. RØDECaster Video can now export OTIO timeline information for Adobe Premiere Pro, making it easier to reconstruct multi-camera productions for further editing. That’s in addition to the DaVinci Resolve EDL export introduced with firmware 1.3. USB webcam audio support and keyboard shortcuts for Scene Builder in the RØDECaster App are also included.
For existing owners, the interesting part is that none of this requires new hardware. RØDECaster Video 1.4 is available now as a free firmware update across the RØDECaster Video, Video S and Video Core, significantly expanding what the same production hardware can handle.
