The opposite side houses a number of ports: audio line in, USB-C, HDMI out, HDMI in and external power.
One end of the unit is home to the power button, indicator lights, and SD card slot for recording. The optional battery pack enables the unit to run wire-free for a few hours depending on usage. The SlingStudio unit ( Figure 1, below) is about the size of a standard hardcover book, housed in durable white plastic. With that in mind, I began exploring the gear and building my kit to test everything beforehand. Shortly after I received the gear, I was given the opportunity to shoot and stream an outdoor concert with performers Kelle Jolly and Will Boyd.
#SLINGSTUDIO VS SWITCHER STUDIO 1080P#
In addition to this, I received two Canon Vixia HF G20 1080p cameras. I was given a chance to review one of the first units available from Sling. At $999, it competes with a number of existing pro-grade products from the likes of Teradek, LiveU and Matrox. At the 2017 NAB show in Las Vegas, DISH Network-owned Sling Media introduced the SlingStudio, a professional multi-camera streaming/switching appliance. Until recently, going from a single-smartphone stream to a multi-camera broadcast was a huge leap in cost and complexity. While smartphones are very capable for most wannabe streamers, they don’t quite cut the mustard for pros. Most of these streamers are all using the same general device to stream: a smartphone. There’s Twitch for gamers, Twitter and Facebook for social connections, and YouTube for everyone else. Live streaming apps abound for seemingly every possible niche. With the explosion that mobile live broadcasting has seen in the consumer and professional space within recent years, it’s getting harder for companies to distinguish themselves from everyone else.