How to Intensify Your On-Location Video Production: SlingStudio and LaCie Rugged

LaCie Rugged is the “Ideal Companion” for SlingStudio portable video-production device

Seagate is the external storage supplier of choice for a new wireless, portable video-production system.

SlingStudio in Brief The new SlingStudio comes from Sling Media LLC, a subsidiary of direct-broadcast satellite service provider DISH Network. SlingStudio is a multi-camera production system that makes it easy to wirelessly connect multiple cameras to record, edit and broadcast HD video in real time. Since 2004, Sling Media has been a leading provider of multiscreen smart TV solutions for both consumers and TV service providers.The new SlingStudio is a compact, battery-operated device that can fit easily in a backpack. The device can connect up to 10 professional cameras, camcorders or smartphones — no wires required. It can transmit 1080p HD video to streaming services like Facebook Live and YouTube, and simultaneously record to a USB hard drive.

Seagate is SlingStudio’s preferred storage supplier. At Seagate’s booth at NAB, Sling Media displayed the device in Seagate’s booth at this year’s NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) show, along with a LaCie Rugged USB-C portable drive — an “ideal companion,” says Paddy Roa, head of product development for Sling Media.

Perfect Partner

“The LaCie Rugged storage products can be taken anywhere with SlingStudio to create the best video productions you want to create,” Roa says. “SlingStudio requires storage of high-speed video data, and we found the ideal partner in Seagate.”

The Rugged USB-C drive combines extra durability with a USB-C port for compatibility with the latest Apple MacBooks. The drive offers up to 4TB of capacity and delivers speeds of up to 130MB per second, enabling quick transfer of video files. The drive also is backward-compatible with USB 3.0 computers, thanks to an included adapter.

Seagate’s Charles Ribaudo, director of strategic partnerships and products for the consumer solutions group, says the company is “very excited” to partner with SlingStudio.

Sling Media's new SlingStudio, the portable studio paired here with creatives' favorite portable storage, the LaCie Rugged

Sling Media’s new SlingStudio, the portable studio paired here with creatives’ favorite portable storage, the LaCie Rugged

Designed for Field Use

“SlingStudio allows you to wirelessly capture multiple video streams from different sources,” he says. “You can have several video cameras or smartphones set up on a soccer or baseball field, for instance, to get different angles of the game, and it’s saving all of that data to the hard drive you have attached to it. The LaCie Rugged is designed for frequent field use, and that makes it a very good fit for SlingStudio.”

SlingStudio is available starting in Spring 2017 for $999. A number of technology reviewers like what they’ve seen so far.

“SlingStudio makes multi-camera video production a reality for all,” wrote Davindra Hardawar in Engadget. “It lets you make pro-looking videos with a few smartphones and DSLRs. Its big appeal is flexibility. You don’t need a ton of pro-grade equipment to get multi-camera video anymore, just a DSLR or two, along with a few smartphones.”

And CNET said: “Sling Media’s first foray into its video-production business, the SlingStudio, is really cool. It’s a reasonably low-cost and portable ecosystem for livestreaming multicam video wirelessly, complete with live switching and simultaneous recording for editing later. In other words, you can combine and livestream 10 phone videos in real time to make it look like you’ve got better gear.”

2017-12-06T18:05:57+00:00

About the Author:

Steve Pipe