With the RØDECaster Pro, connecting callers and online guests is just as easy as connecting physical guests. Dedicated USB, smartphone and Bluetooth channels allow for both phone calls and online guests to be integrated into a podcast with crystal-clear audio. Each of these channels even has their own mix-minus* feed to ensure no echo is heard by any of the remote callers.

These channels can be recorded seamlessly alongside the four microphone channels. With this kind of flexibility, you could simultaneously connect a phone call on the smartphone channel, a Skype caller on the Bluetooth channel and a Zoom meeting on the USB channel with yourself and three other podcasters in the room.

RØDECaster Pro flat lay with Apple Macbook, iPhone 12 and iPad Pro connected to USB, Bluetooth and Smartphone channels
Signal flow diagram showing tablet, smartphone and computer connected to RØDECaster Pro via USB, Bluetooth and Smartphone channels

*What Is Mix-Minus? Mix-minus is a specialised mixer configuration commonly used in radio. The audio signal is routed so that phone callers hear everything but their own voices when they’re speaking with a host and/or other guests. This prevents feedback or echo, which can be particularly annoying when recording a phone call. This is usually quite complicated to set up, but the RØDECaster Pro automatically applies this to the smartphone and Bluetooth communications channels (mix-minus for USB must be turned on manually).


Pro Tip

For best results, turn up the volume on the connected device to its max limit before plugging into the RODECaster Pro and only use the fader to control the input volume

If you’re using a smartphone with a Lightning or USB-C connector, you will need to use a certified adaptor. Plug the adaptor into your device, plug either end of the TRRS cable into the adaptor, then plug the TRRS cable into the input of the RØDECaster Pro.

Bonus Tip

If you're looking for a high-quality TRRS cable, the SC9 cable was designed specifically for connecting smartphones to the RØDECaster Pro.

SC9

Pro Tip

When connecting computers and laptops to the Bluetooth channel. Make sure that the input and output device is set to ‘RØDECaster Pro’ in your audio settings. This will allow for two-way audio communication.


Next, turn up your computer’s audio volume, then slide up the USB channel fader on the RØDECaster Pro. Now any audio played from your computer will be heard on the USB channel. This might include music beds, sound bites, or pre-recorded interviews.

MacOS audio output with RØDECaster Pro Stereo selected

Pro Tip

If your computer or laptop only has USB-C inputs, use the SC17 cable to connect the RØDECaster Pro.



Preset: Each channel has presets for either ‘Speech’ or ‘Music’, plus a ‘Phone Call’ preset on the smartphone and Bluetooth channels. These subtly tweak the RØDECaster Pro’s internal processing for the perfect sound. You can also tailor these presets further by tapping the ‘Advanced’ button. Here you can toggle certain processors on and off.


RØDECaster Pro Phone Call preset

Level: Like the microphone channels, you can increase the overall output level of each of the communications channels to achieve the optimum volume. This is particularly handy when integrating phone or online guests where the connection may be too quiet and needs to be boosted.


RØDECaster Pro Level menu screen for Smartphone channel

Bonus Tip

Some communications apps add their own digital boost to the input signal, and as a result, require very low-level audio from the RØDECaster Pro. If you experience distortion in the audio received by your remote caller, you can engage a -6dB pad on the audio return sent to the smartphone TRRS interface. This is accessible via ‘Settings’ > ‘Advanced’ > ‘Audio’ > ‘Processing’.


The RØDECaster Pro comes equipped with complete talkback capability, like you’d find on a professional broadcast mixer. This feature is called ‘Producer Mode’ and it allows the host to speak to guests ‘off-air’ before bringing them into the podcast. This feature works on any of the communications channels.

To activate ‘Producer Mode’, press both the solo and mute buttons on the host channel (Channel 1) and the channel(s) that you want to communicate with. The icon on both the host channel and comms channel will turn orange on the touchscreen. Then pull up the faders for each of the channels. Now you can chat to the other channels without the conversation being recorded to the main output of the podcast.

This is extremely useful for prepping guests live before introducing them into the podcast or chatting to your guests while waiting for a jingle, music bed, or pre-recorded interview to end.

RØDECaster Pro microphone channel 1 and smartphone channel turned up

Now that you know how to connect online callers and guests, learn how to utilise the sound pads on the RØDECaster Pro.