Software Based Video Switchers
Don’t pay thousands of dollars for a production switcher when it’s all going to go into your computer anyway. Sure, you could get one, Cut the show on the mixer and run it a digital converter and into the computer, but why? When you can do it for under $100 with video switching software. There are tons of them out there.
There are advanced live webcasting products available for your Mac or PC that enables you to stream multiple live video cameras, while dynamically mixing in other media (movies, images etc). Some even include features such as Chroma Key (blue/green screen) and built-in titles allowing you to create beautiful, professional webcasts.
Here are the ones we recommend:
Vidblaster (PC ONLY)
The easy to use video production tool to create anything from a simple holiday video to a live television broadcast. Easily create and record videos for sites like YouTube, or holiday videos for personal use, or create video podcasts and publish them with one click to any WordPress site or to Mevio. Use VidBlaster Pro to create television-like recordings using multiple cameras, or stream it live to the internet!
VidBlaster Studio gives you an entire control room, with multiple monitors and a professional video switcher.
Wirecast PC or MAC
Controlling your broadcast in real-time is easy. With Wirecast’s multiple layer support, it’s simple to place a background music track or a company logo over your webcast, while changing between the cameras you want your viewers to see.
Easy to use live video mixing software to mix up to four DV camcorder inputs with digital firewire connection. Preview for all video input channels without external video monitors. Images and titles over video with alpha channel support. Professional digital DV video quality without analog video cables.
Live Channel Pro (Mac- defunct)
Live Channel Pro is a software-only solution designed to create a virtual live television studio on any Macintosh computer without any additional hardware, performing real-time video production and streaming in a single software application.
Offers the simplest-to-use broadcast experience, with a “one-click, go-live” interface. In addition to high-quality video, producers are able to broadcast whatever is on their computer screens live, including presentations, images, and even video and graphics-intensive video games.
While other real-time streaming services are mostly bound by web browser limitations for encoding and streaming video, PROCASTER breaks those barriers with its proprietary, robust encoder and compositing engine, opening the door to untapped production value for the Mogulus community of creative professionals.
A tool which allows to mix, synchronize, split and share any media or screen content. It allows to render unlimited video & image files and live video sources (including VHScrCap) at the same time, sync media streams with each other, control positions and z-order. Finally it allows to split video mixer result between several applications (using VHMultiCam video source), so it can replace tools which allow to split video devices to some applications. It is possible to create two and more VHMultiCam tool instances, but video source will connect only to selected as “default”.
Free and Cheap
Platform Specific
- Ustream producer
- Procaster - for livestream.com
Other software with multi-camera support
- Capture Magic SD
- Multi-cam
- BoinxTV has just been added to the lineup. Click here for a video
- WebCam Max
Dead link for the video blaster
I’ve been using the Studio version in Trial mode and it’s an outstanding basic solution to multi cam productions however it still takes up quite a few system resources. The latest studio version really fixed this a lot but I would like to see that fixed even more so I can run VB on one machine and stream on that same machine without lag or a super powerful desktop.
I have a question, can you record what you are streaming using vid blaster? like if you are streaming your video online can it be recorded at the same time as well?
It’s not smart to buy from a reseller. Prices will be higher and you wont be talking to the developer(s) themselves.
Yes, VidBlaster has a Recorder module that allows you to record your production directly to your hard drive.
How do I find that option?
Processing/editing video is one of the most demanding tasks you can perform on a personal computer. While VidBlaster is an amazing broadcast and webcasting software, to get the most out of the program it is recommended that you have a fast computer with multi-core processors. If you consider what traditional switching hardware costs, it is quite a bargain.
VidBlaster is priced the same no matter where you purchase it. Only VidBlasterUS offers free video tutorials and other resources to help our customers get up to speed quickly. We also offer turnkey computer systems powered by VidBlaster. Needless to say, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Finally, programmers program, resellers offer customer support, provide feedback to the developers to help improve the software as well as sales. It’s a proven system that works well for everyone.
Under Modules on the top menu, select Add, then Recorder. Right clicking on the Recorder brings up the module’s options. When you are ready to webcast, click on the record button and you are good to go.
CutFour looks nice but its limit of 4 inputs is pretty week for its price. Vidblaster is the powerful option here with lots of nice features for simplicity however its effects are limited and its on the fly editing of certain elements isn’t brilliant, though the developers are always looking for helpful advice, features and upgrades. One that was missed from the list was the GlobeCaster, as similar tool thats making its way up the ranks. I’m curious to see how it compares to the others mentioned.
Cool list! I knew most of them, but a few I hadn’t seen.
Only problem is, most of these still don’t work or only partially work with HD solutions like Blackmagic’s Intensity Pro coupled with an HDMI-out HD camera, or Microsoft’s Lifecam Cinema HD.
I need da softwere can work like VidBlaster. But the software I need can make a variety Video format, DV, AVI. In and out.
Husain Kagolo
From HK MOVIE INDUSTRY
KAMPALA UGANDA
Hkmovieindustry1@yahoo.co.uk
I own Wirecast and while the software features are nice, it continues to max out my CPU on my $5k Alienware gaming laptop with multiple processors. Too bad, I had high hopes…ended up having to buy a Tricaster.
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