simple, but if that option has been forgone, then
of course the broadcaster could pull the stream
down from their streaming site of choice and
repurpose it - which, in my opinion is a fantastic
option. Realistically, one never knows what they
might need their content for, so recording while
streaming is always a smart move.
All that being said, there's nothing wrong with
streaming in less than 4K. The VS-R264 isn't
capable of that high of quality, but it's virtually
the same exact unit sans that one quality
option. If there isn't a sufficient budget to
upgrade and go with the 265, then the 264 will
still give absolutely stellar results!
[WM] Thanks for making the time to share
your thoughts Sean!
[Sean] My pleasure!
A number of the most influential YouTubers
would advise against streaming in 4K, but the
reality is that many of them don’t attend, view,
or stream worship services. As Sean pointed
out, there are a lot of people watching YouTube
on their smart TV, and that’s definitely the case
at my house. So, keep that in mind as you read
the review…
The TASCAM VS-R264 and VS-R265 enable
you to simultaneously encode, stream,
record, and playback decoded streams at
resolutions up to 1080P/60 FPS and 4K/60
FPS respectively. We reviewed the VS-R265,
the only other differences between the two
units are price point, and the VS-R265’s ability
to stream using the H.265 codec. Although the
3840x2160 resolution of 4K video is actually four
times the size of 1080P, the H.265 codec does
a great job of reducing the required bandwidth
to stream at 4K. With that and future proofing
in mind, we opted to review the VS-R265, and
suggest you keep those considerations in mind
as well.
brands on Amazon, TASCAM (an anacronym
for Teac Audio Systems Corporation America)
has deep roots in the recording and production
world. With the release of the PortaStudio
in 1979, TASCAM literally created the home
recording market. Bruce Springsteen recorded
the Grammy-winning Nebraska album on a
PortaStudio, and actually cut the original demo
for “Born in the USA” during those sessions.
I still own my Model 38 reel to reel, and like
innumerable content creators around the
globe, TASCAM is a brand I’ve come to count
on and trust. Although TASCAM’s roots may
have started in the audio world, the VS-R264
and VS-R265 are logical additions to the suite
of products TASCAM offers per today’s varied
production needs.
OVERVIEW
While it’s easy to think of streaming as a standalone
process, it is important to keep in mind
that it is part of a larger production ecosystem.
For churches this ecosystem includes the
gear and engineering skills that enable us to
capture and stream our services. The VS-R265
was designed to encode, stream, decode,
and record a range of production ecosystems
that include corporate presentations, lectures,
conferences, classrooms, and live events like
church services. Through that lens one can
truly appreciate the ingenuity that went into
crafting the VS-265.
If you’ve ever had your streaming computer
crash mid-service (spinning beach ball of
death included), you’ll appreciate the benefits
a hardware encoder has to offer. Even if these
crashes were caused by volunteers keeping too
many applications or browser windows open,
the VS-265 does a great job of shouldering the
real-time encoding workload and much more.
Because of the range of ecosystems it’s
designed to work within, the VS-265 offers
benefits not found in traditional software
encoders. While it requires an ethernet switch
with PoE+ and a bit more know-how to set
up, network integration enables you to use a
single ethernet cable to power the unit and
connect it to the internet. Since my NETGEAR
fast ethernet switch does not support PoE+,
I had to power the unit with the optional PS-
P1220E power supply. I’ve had great luck with
NETGEAR hardware, so something like the
NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged
PoE Switch (GS108PP) would be a good
candidate for both powering and connecting
the VS-265 to your network.
NETGEAR GS108PP Ethernet Switch with PoE+
If you’ve spent time monitoring a stream in real
time, you’ll appreciate the VS-265’s ability to
decode and play back your stream through the
HDMI output on the back of the unit. While the
VS-265 does not allow you to use this output
as a traditional monitor (which frankly I wish they
gave you the option to do), this functionality
helps you to pinpoint where a stream has
potentially encountered a bottleneck. Please
note that in my tests, reconfiguring the
encoder settings on the fly caused the stream
to drop, so be sure to fine tune before your
service starts!
AUDIO I/O
Given TASCAM’s audio-centric roots, it’s not
surprising that this unit delivers a range of
intelligent audio options. HDMI, Eurojacks, and
unbalanced 3.5 mm (1/8") stereo mini-jacks
HISTORY
If you’re new to streaming or audio, it’s important
to point out that unlike the plethora of ‘no-name’
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August 2020
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