Streaming with Roland VR-4HD is a cost-effective way to attract a larger audience. It is also valuable in gaining the trust and maintaining the loyalty of your viewers. The key to successful streaming (and presenting!) is to ensure that your subject matter is interesting. Try and make your content both visual and informative.
There are many social as well as business applications for streaming. These include:
- Businesses – Corporate training, product releases, and shareholder meetings
- Conferences and trade shows – Keynote speakers and product presentations to remote attendees
- Schools/Universities – Drama, music, sport, online courses, news & event programming
- Houses of Worship – Services and events to remote locations
- Musicians/Performers – Online shows and performances to attract ‘social’ audiences
- Sporting Events – Live action to expand the teams fan base.
The VR-4HD, like all of Roland’s AV switchers, takes streaming to the next level! It’s like having a portable TV studio to produce quality multi-source content.
Choose a Streaming Provider
There are both free and paid streaming services to choose from. Some considerations are as follows:
Free providers are suitable when:
- Streaming shorter events
- Leveraging your social audience (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
- Minimal security and corporate branding is required
Paid providers are suitable when:
- Security and user segmentation is important
- Streaming longer presentations and events
- Technical support required
- Corporate branding is important
Popular providers include Facebook Live, YouTube Live and Livestream and Ustream. Each of these providers has their advantages/disadvantages so it is recommended that you shop around to find the best service for your needs. It is also possible to stream through applications like GoToMeeting and through video conferencing applications like Skype, Facetime, Google+ Hangouts etc.
Streaming from the Roland VR-4HD
To stream from the VR-4HD, take the USB 3.0 signal directly from the VR-4HD (see below) and connect it into the USB input on your computer or laptop.
The converted signal from the VR-4HD will be seen as a ‘webcam’ by your streaming or conferencing provider. There are many great articles online that explain in detail the process of setting up your chosen platform.
Recording from the Roland VR-4HD
To record from the VR-4HD, download/install Roland’s free digital recording software onto your computer or laptop. Then, take the USB 3.0 signal directly from the VR-4HD (see above) and connect it into the USB input on your computer or laptop.
Open Roland’s VRCapture software and under ‘input type’ you will see your feed. Select this and adjust your recording settings and you are ready to go!
Note: You can record your presentation at full HD and edit it in a video editing application (i.e. Adobe Premier) after the event.
