For those unaware, SquadCast is a service to record either high-quality audio-only or audio with video from multiple remote guests. On January 31, 2019, I asked SquadCast (then an independent company) whether it offered 48 kHz recordings. The traumatic official written response the next day was: «Hi Allan! We record in 44.1 kHz.» That was a colossal deception for me. (I am —of course— the founder of the 48 kHz Alliance), and I sadly began ignoring the SquadCast service. However, sometime between that day and the present, SquadCast fortunately decided not only to offer 48 kHz PCM (lossless) local recordings, but to make 48 kHz the only available sampling frequency, which I enthusiastically applaud! I only wish SquadCast had informed me as soon as they made that quantum leap upgrade to 48 kHz for all of the reasons explained at 48kHzAlliance.com. I had to discover it myself, very recently. (On the other hand, RiversideFM offers both sampling frequencies, but sadly defaults to 44.1 kHz, which is subject to human error.) On top of that, due to a recent buyout, SquadCast now comes included at no extra charge for all Descript users. Ahead, I’ll also cover the video resolutions and framerates currently offered by SquadCast and those that are currently missing in action.
Above, the historical record of the sad and traumatic response I received from SquadCast via Twitter direct message on February 1st, 2019. Fortunately, SquadCast has since upgraded to 48 kHz exclusively. Rejoice!
Note regarding SquadCast’s PCM lossless audio recording
During my testing, I observed that when SquadCast refers to lossless PCM recording, they must mean the available local WAV file, not the local .mp4 video file. That is fine, as long as the producers and editors understand that. The .mp4 files currently supplied by SquadCast are standard 8-bit H.264 with embedded compressed AAC-LC audio. I hope that at some point, they will add higher quality video códec types like Apple ProRes 422 and H.265.
Video spatial resolutions offered by SquadCast
In addition to the usual suspects of 720p (1280×720) and 1080p (1920×1080), SquadCast now offers 4K (which they simply state it to be 2160p) in ßeta. Both types of 4K have 2160 progressive vertical lines. It is not yet clear whether SquadCast is referring only to 4K UHD (3840 × 2160 with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 3840 horizontal pixels) or also 4K DCI (4096 × 2160 with a wider aspect of ≈1.90∶1 and 4096 horizontal pixels) since I have not yet personally tested any 4K DCI source with SquadCast so far. If I receive any information confirming this either way, I’ll update this article accordingly.
Video framerate offered by SquadCast
Based upon my observations on the website, within the displays, and in my analysis so far of the local recordings I made (not the cloud recordings), SquadCast currently handles only ≈29.97p (aka ≈30p) even when connected to a webcam which is capable of outputting higher or lower framerates. I do not find any choice in SquadCast regarding framerate.
Missing framerates in SquadCast
The key missing framerates in SquadCast currently include:
25 and 50
The rates 25 and 50 are derived from the analog PAL system. The modern digital television systems used in the PAL or ex-PAL regions still require these 25/50 rates for over-the-air digital television broadcast there. Those regions include Africa, Australia, parts of Asia, parts of South America (i.e. Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay at least*), all of Europe, the Middle East and the United Kingdom.
*I am still awaiting confirmation from colleagues in French Guiana and the Falkland Islands about the current rates in those two places, although I suspect those also likely use 25/50.
59.94
Used in ex-NTSC regions when smooth fast movement is desired.
23.976 and 24
Used for talking heads, in order to conserve bandwidth (or to redistribute existing bandwidth to have less compression on each frame) and/or for aesthetic reasons.
I completely understand that some of these rates may be unavailable and grayed out in the future pulldown menu, depending upon the particular device’s capabilities.
Conclusions
I applaud SquadCast (now part of Descript) for upgrading to our standard 48 kHz sampling rate, although I would have wished to be notified directly about it. I hope SquadCast will soon add the missing video framerates and also begin to offer higher quality video códecs like Apple ProRes 422 and H.265. For more information, click here.
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SquadCast asciende a 48 kHz y es gratuito para los usuarios de Descript
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