Twitch streaming gets serious with Roland’s new mixing deck complete with cameras and microphones.

Live streaming is taking over online video bringing it bigger audiences of engaged communities that even the biggest video creators couldn’t replicate with uploaded videos on YouTube. As live streaming gets bigger the techniques get more sophisticated, as evidenced by Roland’s VR-1HD.

The mixing deck represents a new approach for the renowned audio tech manufacturers as it sees them invest in the video market. Their VR-1HD mixing deck offers a dynamic multi-camera broadcast with picture and sound that they promise “easily outshines ‘ standard’ livestreams from a mobile phone or static webcam”.

The deck features three “worry-free” HDMI inputs, each of which accepts a variety of HD and computer video resolutions. This allows users to connect and switch between multiple cameras, different gameplay or other video streams, even smartphones and tablets simply. With the two studio-quality XLR microphone inputs and dedicated line input audio can be blended from multiple sources too.

The deck has been designed with live broadcasting in mind so it’s controls are laid out simply and ergonomically for control on the fly. The VR-1HD has a Scene Switching function that lets you jump between video inputs with preset arrangements for the look of a professionally edited video all streamed live.

It has loads of smart functions that make it a dream for live streamers. For example if you’re streaming a chat with 2 or more people you can set it to switch which camera input it uses based on who’s talking by listening to the audio channels.

It’s capable of much more too, but it will set you back $1,500 if you want to get your hands on one. Find out more about Roland’s VR-1HD and where to buy it from Rolands website: proav.roland.com/global/products/vr-1hd