RØDE Announced My RØDE Cast has Returned!

RØDE announced that My RØDE Cast has returned! Podcasters who wish to enter this contest should submit a 1-2 minute podcast for a chance to win a share of $150,000 in podcasting prizes. Entries close 12PM (EST) Tuesday, June 16, 2020.

For this year’s My RØDE Cast we’re giving away a massive $150,000 worth of RØDE podcasting gear, including the RØDECaster Pro Podcast Production Studio, PodMics, and more. There is also Adobe Creative Cloud subscriptions, sound effect packs from soundeffects.com and acoustic kits from Prismacoustic to be won!

There are three packs up for grabs: the Major Prize, Runner up, and People’s Choice.

How to Enter:

  •  Register to receive a starter pack.
  •  Record a 1-2 minute podcast on any topic and in any style.
  •  Upload it to RØDE’s free hosting platform Anchor. You can create an Anchor account for free.
  •  Copy the link to your podcast from Anchor, log-in to My RØDE Cast and copy the link to your page.
  •  Once your podcast is approved, you will receive a confirmation email.
  •  Share your podcast and encourage fans to vote for it! The podcast with the most votes wins the People’s Choice Prize!

Personally, I think RØDE is a good company with quality products that any podcaster would want to use. There are three judges that RØDE selected to help choose the winners, and I think that it is smarter to have a panel of judges rather than handing that responsibility to one person.

The only part of this that worries me is the way RØDE is determining who wins the People’s Choice Prize. There have been podcasting contests/awards in the past where that type of system was manipulated by people in order to artificially inflate the votes of their favorite podcaster. Hopefully, RØDE is aware of that possibility and has something in place to counter it.

RØDE Microphones Contributes $2 Million of Podcasting Equipment to Schools

Australian pro audio powerhouse RØDE Microphones has announced that it will be donating $2 million worth of podcasting equipment to help New South Wales (NSW) schools impacted by COVID-19.

As teachers face the difficult task of overcoming disruptions to classes in the coming months, RØDE Founder and Chairman Peter Freedman AM has established a program that will give schools access to audio equipment they can use to deliver classes remotely via universally accepted podcast platforms.

From March 13, any NSW public high schools who want to take part and who have the capability to benefit from this initiative will be able to access an online portal on the RØDE website where they can order a complete podcasting kit, which includes RØDECaster Pro Podcast Production Studio, microphones and accessories. This will give them the opportunity to record course material remotely, in the event that their school is closed, and students are quarantined for an extended period of time.

“At the moment, Australia is scrambling to cope with the impact of COVID-19 across every aspect of day-to-day life,” says Peter Freedman AM. “We know that schools are already feeling that impact. These closures could be devastating for students, particularly those in Year 12 taking their HSC exams later in the year, and we are offering a practical solution to help teachers minimize disruptions to classes.”

He continues: “Podcasting is the number one media format being consumed by school students right now. It’s also an incredibly powerful teaching tool, and amidst the current crisis it’s really an ideal platform to give students easy access to class material that they can engage with, in a way that is simple for teachers to create, even if they aren’t audio experts.”

Schools that take advantage of the program will be able to keep their equipment, providing them with a valuable educational tool they can continue to use in the classroom once the COVID-19 threat has passed.

Enter the My RØDE Cast Competition

The inaugural My RØDE Cast competition has begun! Podcasters are invited to create and submit a 1-2 minute podcast to go in the running to win a share in $150,000 of amazing prizes. You must enter before March 12, 2019.

RØDE put together information about how to enter:

One: Download the starter pack. It has the full details of the competition, as well as a bunch of things to inspire you and help you create an awesome entry.

Two: Create your podcast. It must be 1-2 minutes long. It can be any style – documentary, narrative, chat, etc. – and on any topic you choose. It needs to be recorded as a single stereo audio file, either MP3 or WAV format.

Three: Upload your podcast on the upload page. RØDE will check to see if it meets the terms and conditions and then publish it to their podcast channel. It will then be available for everyone to listen to.

Four: Tell your friends, and get them to vote for your podcast. There’s a People’s Choice prize up for grabs.

The judges include:

  • Mike Dawson – voice, engineer and co-producer of The Adam Corolla Show. He is also a Guinness World Record holder for Most Downloaded Podcast.
  • Jacob Salamon – Co-founder and CEO of WISECRACK, which reaches over 50 million people a month
  • Jordon Lott – Content coordinator at Acast and producer of The Thinkergirls podcast

There are three Prize Packs:

Major Winner’s Prize Pack:

  • RØDE RØDECaster Pro Podcast Production Studio
  • RØDE PodMic x 4
  • RØDE PSAI Studio Boom Arm x 4
  • RØDE XLR Cable x 4
  • RØDE SC6-L Mobile Interview Kit
  • RØDE Podcast Cover Art Design
  • Urbanears Zinken Headphones x 4
  • Blastwave FX Podcaster Sound Effects and Music Library
  • Adobe CC 1 Year Subscription
  • School of Podcasting.com 1 Year Subscription
  • Angelbird SSD2GO PKT 1TB
  • Primacoustic London 8 Acoustic Room Kit
  • 16GB microSD card

Runner’s Up Prize Pack:

  • RØDE RØDECaster Pro Podcast Production Studio
  • RØDE PodMic x 2
  • RØDE PSAI Studio Boom Arm x 2
  • RØDE XLR Cable x 2
  • RØDE SC6-L Mobile Interview Kit
  • Urbanears Zinken Headphones x 2
  • Blastwave FX Podcaster Sound Effects and Music Library
  • Adobe CC 1 Year Subscription
  • SchoolOfPodcasting.com 1 Year Subscription
  • Angelbird SSD2GO PKT 1TB
  • 16GB microSD card

People’s Choice Prize Pack:

  • RØDE RØDECaster Pro Podcast Production Studio
  • RØDE PodMic x 2
  • RØDE PSAI Studio Boom Arm x 2
  • RØDE XLR Cable x 2
  • RØDE SC6-L Mobile Interview Kit
  • Urbanears Zinken Headphones x 2
  • Blastwave FX Podcaster Sound Effects and Music Library
  • Adobe CC 1 Year Subscription
  • SchoolOfPodcasting.com 1 Year Subscription
  • Angelbird SSD2GO PKT 1TB
  • 16GB microSD card

RØDECaster Pro Adds Multi-Channel Mode

RØDECaster Pro is the world’s first fully integrated podcast production studio. Whether you are just starting out, or are a seasoned broadcast professional, the RØDECaster Pro Podcast Production Studio is all you will ever need.

The RØDECaster Pro operates as a standalone unit straight out of the box, recording your finished podcast direct to a microSD card. The RØDECaster Pro also connects to your computer as a USB audio interface, so you can record your podcast to your favorite recording software or stream live.

And with the new 1.1.0 software version available in February 2019, you will be able to separately record in multi-channel mode, allowing you to separately record each of the sources to its own track for later post-production.

RØDECaster Pro Specification:

  • Frequency Range:
    Mic Inputs: 20 Hz – 20 kHz, -3dB at 20 Hz (high-pass filter)
    Monitor Outputs: 20 Hz – 20 kHz better than +-0.5dB
  • Input Impedance: 600Ω (Mic Preamplifiers)
  • Equivalent Noise: -125dBA (A-Weighted, measured as per IEC651)
  • Maximum Output Level: +3dBu (Monitor Outputs)
  • Headphone Output Power: Max output power at 1% THD: 32Ω – > 31mW
  • Dynamic Range: 100 dBA (Mic Preamplifiers)
  • Gain Range: 0dB – 55dB (Mic Preamplifiers)
  • Power Requirements: External DC power supply 12 – 15v DC, 1A
  • Output Connection: USB-C, 1/4” Balanced TRS STUDIO (Monitor Outputs)
  • Computer Connectivity: USB
  • Bit Depth: 24-Bit
  • Sample Rates: 48 kHz
  • Storage: microSD card slot, 512MB internal memory for storing sounds for programable pads
  • OS Requirement: macOS 10.11 Windows 10
  • Color: Black
  • Weight (g): 1980
  • Dimensions (L x W x H, mm): 350 x 275 x 82
  • Packed Weight (g): 2850
  • Package Dimensions (L x W x H, mm): 412 x 338 x 127

RØDE Microphones Created PodMic for Podcasting

RØDE Microphones built PodMic for Podcasting. The all-new PodMic is a broadcast-grade dynamic microphone designed for podcast applications.

With a built in pop filter and a rich, even sound it will give your voice a silky, professional quality. The PodMic can be used with any XLR interface, but it is optimized for use with the new RØDECaster Pro.

When we designed the PodMic, we set out to create the ultimate Podcasting microphone. Durable, great-sounding, easy to use and flexible. Whether your podcast features screaming sports commentary or intimate poetry readings, the PodMic will deliver a balanced, easy-to-listen-to vocal tone that your listeners will love.

The end-fire dynamic capsule is protected by a stainless steel mesh grille and an integrated pop shield, allowing you to get up close to the microphone for that intimate “radio” sound.

PodMic Specification:

Acoustic & Electrical Specification:

  • Acoustic Principle: Dynamic
  • Polar Pattern: Cardioid
  • Frequency Range: 50Hz ~13kHz
  • Output Impedance: 320Ω
  • Sensitivity: ~ 57.0dB re 1 Volt/Pascal  (1.60mV @ 94 dB SPL) +/- 2 dB @ 1kHz)
  • Phantom Power: Not required

Mechanical Specification:

  • Color: Black
  • Weight (g): 937
  • Dimensions (L x W x H, mm): 172 x 109 x62
  • Compatible RØDE Accessories: PSA1

At the time I am writing this blog post, RØDE is having a Match & Win contest. Someone will win a complete podcasting setup worth $999. The prize includes the RØDECaster Pro, 2 PodMic, and 2 PSA1 boom arms. Visit the RØDE website for more details and to enter the contest. You must enter before January 31, 2019.