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Guides Tandem About
Video Switch Guide · v1

How to wire up the box that wires up your studio.

Plain-English setup guides for the ATEM Mini family and the RØDECaster Video, Video S, and Core. Written so an 81-year-old can follow along — because one is. Cables, ports, scenes, and what plugs into what, without the broadcast-engineer jargon.

The Guides.

04 devices · 01 tandem · updated apr 2026
01 / RØDE
RØDECaster Video S

The compact one. Three HDMI in, one USB-C webcam in, and a touchscreen the size of a deck of cards.

HDMI IN 3
USB-C 1 (UVC)
XLR 2 combo
OUT HDMI / UVC / NDI
Read the guide →
02 / RØDE
RØDECaster Video

The original. Six video sources, nine audio channels, real faders, and a touchscreen you'll actually use.

HDMI IN 4
USB-C 2
AUDIO up to 9 sources
REC USB · ISO · EDL
Read the guide →
03 / RØDE
RØDECaster Video Core

The smallest of the three. Auto-switching, no faders, designed for solo creators who just want it to work.

HDMI IN 3
USB-4 1
XLR 2 combo
SYNC RØDECaster Pro II / Duo
Read the guide →
04 / Blackmagic
ATEM Mini Pro

The streaming workhorse. Four HDMI in, hardware streaming, USB recording, $325. Hard to beat.

HDMI IN 4
STREAM RTMP / SRT
REC USB H.264
PRICE $325 USD
Read the guide →
05 / Blackmagic
ATEM Mini Extreme

The big one. Eight HDMI in, four chroma keyers, multiview, and the new G2 model adds Thunderbolt and CFexpress.

HDMI IN 8
KEYERS 4 chroma
MULTI 16-way
PRICE $1,095 / $2,195
Read the guide →
06 / Pick
Which one do I need?

A side-by-side. Different jobs, different boxes. Skip the marketing copy and find the one that fits.

ROOM SIZE solo → team
BUDGET $325 → $2,195
FADERS? yes / no / maybe
STREAMING? built-in / app
Compare them →
07 / soon
More guides on the way

PTZ cameras over NDI, the RØDECaster Sync chain, the iPhone-as-camera trick, and a few more.

STATUS writing
ETA rolling
Coming soon ·
08 / index
All cameras & webcams

A growing list of what plugs into what — every confirmed-working camera and webcam, by device and by port.

STATUS compiling
Coming soon ·
Featured workflow

ATEM Mini Pro & RØDECaster Video S, in tandem.

You don't have to pick one box. The ATEM does the video switching it was born for; the RØDECaster handles the audio it was born for. Wired together correctly, you get the best parts of both, no compromises, and one less reason to swear at your studio at 11 PM.

Read the tandem guide →
About this site
Video Switch Guide is a plain-English reference for the small handful of devices that have quietly taken over modern video production — the ones that sit between your cameras and your stream and decide what the audience actually sees. It's written by someone who uses these things daily, edited for humans, and updated as RØDE and Blackmagic ship new firmware.