VR-3EX: Roland's all-in-one mixer with an innovative design

It incorporates a video switcher, an audio mixer, touch screen preamps and a USB port ready for streaming or recording in a single unit.

Roland Systems Group has announced the Roland VR-3EX, its latest all-in-one audio/video mixer that strengthens and expands the growing line of mixers for live production and recording solutions. Includes an audio mixer, a video mixer, touch screen, and USB port for recording and streaming. The unit updates the most basic model, the Roland VR-3, adding HDMI inputs/outputs, which includes a scaler to deliver signals up to 1080p and WUXGA, with HDCP support and more than 200 transitions and effects. Includes an 18-channel digital audio mixer with effects.

The Roland VR-3EX expands the possibilities at a very affordable price making it ideal for a variety of markets including education, corporate events, live productions and sports. The elegant and compact design of the VR-3EX also makes it very useful in portable applications as well as permanent installations especially when size and space are considered.

Its innovative design incorporates a video switcher, an audio mixer, touch screen preamps and a USB port ready for streaming or recording in a single unit. Video inputs 1 to 3 accept Composite (RCA) or HDMI (SD only) while input 4 accepts HDMI, RGB/Component or Composite video. The output has the ability to scale up to resolutions of 1080p via HDMI or Component, 1920x1200 (WUXGA) via RGB or SD (NTSC/PAL) via Composite. An additional HDMI output is included for an external preamp monitor.

Designed to be combined as a live switcher and webstreaming device, the Roland VR-3EX incorporates audio embedding and an audio mixer with delay controls on each input and on the USB to facilitate audio and video synchronization. Supports HDCP content, allowing the handling of copyrighted signals such as game consoles and Blu-ray in live production. Composition effects such as Chroma key or Luma key, as well as Picture in Picture, allow the overlay of titles/logos or the use of virtual backgrounds. HDMI inputs 1 to 3 accept resolutions up to 480p/576p and input 4 accepts HDMI resolutions up to 1080p and RGB up to WUXGA (1920x1200). Although the internal processing is SD-based, the output can be upscaled up to 1080p or 1920x1200.

Audio

The 18-channel audio mixer consists of 4 XLR/TRS inputs with phantom power, stereo RCA, stereo minijack as well as embedded audio from the four HDMI inputs. The mixer offers for each channel, delay, EQ, Gate, and Compressor, which can be applied to each channel, improving the audio and ultimately the quality of the production. The internal microphone built into the top allows the operator to narrate or add ambience to the mix being output. It also includes an auxiliary bus to separate the audio mix for the broadcast from that in the PA system.

As a USB Video/Audio class device, webstreaming is extremely simple since by simply connecting the unit to a computer, it is recognized without the need for any driver. You can also record on your computer using the free Roland VR Capture software for Windows or Mac or using native OS applications such as QuickTIme on a Mac.

The VR-3EX is being presented at NAMM 2014 (booth #302A) and will be available starting in March.