Live casting doesn't seem to require any special equipment. In many ways, that's the point. Setting up a live stream studio can take a lot of time and be hard. But Roland has made it easy to use by putting almost everything you need in one box. You only need a phone and an app. We don't need better microphones. If you don't already have a way to live stream, the thought can be scary. Most streamers use high-end PCs, headphones, expensive microphones, and various mixers and sound effect boards. Even if you don't care about how much it costs, it's hard to make all of that work together. And that's before turning on any software. Here we will do a complete Roland Go:LiveCast review: App/hardware combo for iPhone improves any Livestream.
Advantages
- Livestreams have volume knobs and buttons that could be set up
- The jack for the external mic is both an XLR jack and a 48V phantom power jack
- There are buttons to turn off the microphone, switch to the second camera, and add reverb
Disadvantages
- A Lightning cable can't be changed or made longer
- Clunky mobile app
- On Facebook Live, you can't make your audience
- We need more hardware to help
Sound Improvements
Roland Go:LiveCast is a small piece of hardware that works with a mobile app to make broadcasts sound and look more professional. It is called a "live streaming studio." Go:LiveCast has a combo jack on the side that lets streamers upgrade to a better-quality external mic having 1/4-inch connectors or XLR. This is better than iPad or iPhone hardware, which is not as good.
A switch gives professional condenser mics, such as the famous Sennheiser MKH 416-P48 shotgun mic and DC 48V phantom power. Even though most people who live stream won't spend more than $999 on this kind of gear, almost any external mic will work better than the hardware that comes with a smartphone.
Body
The Go:Livecast contains four volume knobs and 10 circular buttons for functions like turning off the microphone and displaying basic text on the screen. You may also pre-record video and audio snippets to use with the buttons. You'll see two USB Micro-B ports on the sides, which you can use to charge your phone or connect to a computer. There are two conventional stereo jacks on the left side for headphones and instruments. Once everything is in place, you can connect it to Roland's app, choose your preferred streaming provider, and go. The software allows you to switch between your front and rear cameras, as well as link other phones or tablets through Wi-Fi to serve as a second camera.
You may add as much or as little as you wish to reduce the expense of operating your live streaming studio. Vloggers are the intended audience since they need more power than their phones can provide. We granted Roland one of our Best in CES awards for its ease of use.
Improving Things
Audio quality is not the only reason to buy Go:LiveCast. The hardware and app can make a better Livestream in many ways. The free app has a "beauty" filter that makes your skin look better in real-time, but I didn't like how it changed how my skin looked. Some buttons let you turn off the external mic and give your voice a little reverb to make it sound more real. Also, broadcasters can start background music and dual sound effects by pressing the top three numbered pads. Audience applause and drumroll are on by default, but you can only add songs from your device's library by pressing the music button.
Now Streaming
You can also connect a microphone, headphones, and an audio source from the outside to Roland Go. LiveCast needs 5V from a USB Micro-B to Type A cable and a Lightning to USB Micro-B cable to connect to an iPhone or iPad running the free app that controls the broadcast. The box has both cables, but they aren't very long. This could be a problem for some setups, especially if one of the cables is made by the manufacturer and can't be easily replaced or made longer.
Roland did a good job with the rest of the hardware, but the price of the Go:LiveCast is a little high for what it is. We wish the unit had enough power to charge an iPhone simultaneously, and it would have been nice if all of the cable connections were on the back.
Bottom line
The Roland Go:LiveCast achieves what it claims it will do, which is to enhance your Livestream, even though the mobile app isn't very excellent and the retail price is greater than what many people can pay.