RødeCaster Video
The RødeCaster Video is our central audio/video controller for the seminar room, enabling us to record the screen and cast the projection to Mac.
RødeCentral
RødeCentral is a controlling software for all Røde devices. There, you can adjust the devices' settings, remotely control what is shown on the screen, and adjust the volume levels. This works wirelessly in the i10 network or when connecting MacBook and RødeCaster via USB-C. For this, use USB-C Port 2 on the Caster.
You can download the software from the Røde website
Setup for the Seminar Room
Wiring
The most important USB-C, Huge-Jack, XLR, and HDMI ports and cables are color-coded in the seminar room. Just plug the cable with, for example, a red label into the red-labeled port in the wall. To plug everything correctly into the RødeCaster, please refer to the image below. You can also find the image on the table in the seminar room.
Audio Levels
In general, we adjust the audio only on the "Live Mix" view. To do so, go to "Audio Mixer" in RødeCentral and make sure that "Live Mix" is selected in the top left.
The first image below shows a good configuration if the presenters' voices are not sent to the speakers:
As mentioned before, we prefer a setup where the presenters' voices are not sent to the speakers. To achieve this, change the selection on the top left to "Monitor". Next to this control, you have to select "Custom," which means that you want to adjust the values only for this output. Then, you can disable the microphones by clicking the buttons that appear above the names after hovering with the mouse cursor. The view should look approximately as follows:
Setup for Recordings Outside the Chair
We also use the RødeCaster Video and the Røde Wireless Pro for recordings outside our seminar room. For transportation, we filled the original packaging of the Caster with foam. Remove the antennas before transportation. The microphones can be transported in their charging case.
You can connect our speakers for extern events using the Huge-Jack to XLR cables, which you can find in the speakers' bag.
Connecting to RødeCentral
To connect to RødeCentral without an internet connection, you can connect the Caster to a MacBook using USB-C. For this, use USB-C Port 2 on the Caster.
RødeCentral should be installed on the Lecture MacBook.
Audio Level Configuration
In RødeCentral go to Audio Mixer, then to Monitor. Put it to Custom and adjust the levels as follows: HDMI1 to -22dB linked to live mix, Mic1 to -1.5dB linked to live mix.
Connecting the Røde Microphones
Connect with RødeCaster
It is worth connecting the Røde Wireless Pro directly with the Caster instead of using the original receiver of the microphones. This way, we get isolated audio files for each microphone instead of a merged file.
If you don't get any audio, check the control monitor and whether the microphones are muted. If there is no audio rash, the microphones might need to be reconnected. For this, follow the steps in the figure below. For the second microphone, you have to select Mic 2 instead of Mic 1 in Step 2.
If the microphones do not reconnect automatically, press the "Mute" button on the microphone.
Hybrid Presentations
To establish a hybrid setup, you need on additional USB-C for streaming the video and audio from the seminar room to the virtual audience and one additional HDMI Cable to make them hearable in the seminar room.
Stream to Zoom
Use the Lecture notebook on the recording table. Connect it to power and use the USB-C cable to connect the computer to USB-C 1. On your computer you can select the Røde device as camera and microphone. You have to pass this on to Zoom.
Show the presenters in the Seminar room and make them hearable
For this, additionally, connect the Lecture notebook via HDMI to the HDMI 3 port of the RødeCaster. That's it. You can now use a multi-view scene to show them and if HDMI-3 is not disabled in the "Live Mix" and "Monitor Mix" you should also be able to hear the virtual audience.