WHAT IS THE YOLOBOX ULTRA?
The YoloBox Ultra is an all-in-one video production and web streaming device. It is a great for anyone wishing to produce professional-quality livestreams and broadcasts using multiple cameras, video sources, and audio sources, with an interface that is simple and effective, as well as portable and affordable.
It can bring in video sources in up to 4K and stream to up to three different destinations simultaneously.
Not only is it effective as a livestreaming solution, but it is also very effective as a video switcher and video production system.
Some core features include:
- Live replay
- Titling, scoreboards, and graphic overlays
- Dynamic titling, scoreboards, or graphics brought in through the web
- Picture-in-picture capability, with the ability to display multiple video feeds simultaneously and layered and arranged to your liking
- An audio mixer, with the ability to independently adjust audio levels from all of your different sources.
- Playback of stored video and audio from external drives, flashdrives, or SD cards
- Network connection through ethernet, WiFi, or cellular bonding.
Very importantly, the YoloBox Ultra is capable of ISO recording, with the ability to record your Program Out, as well as up to four (!) additional video sources, each with their own audio, in 1080p30, as well as in higher resolutions (up to 4K) or framerates (up to 60 fps), with fewer total ISO recordings for higher resolutions or framerates. This means you can record all of your video and audio and have it later on to edit and compile into polished videos.
The YoloBox Ultra is perfect for internet personalities or podcasters wishing to produce polished and professional livestreams for audiences online, schools that wish to teach media production or broadcast sports and social events, Churches wishing to broadcast their Services, music venues and comedy clubs wishing to record and stream performances, city councils and government services wishing to livestream and document public meetings, academics and professors wishing to produce and record lectures and presentations for students or peers through online resources, filmmakers and videographers wanting a powerful and portable system for recording high definition video and audio in the field, and many more.
SPECS AND SPECIFICS
The YoloBox Ultra can bring in multiple video and audio sources through physical inputs, as well as bring in video and audio sources for playback from storage on an SD card, flash drive, or external drive. It can also bring in multiple network sources, with support for NDI HX3. It is very flexible and capable and allows for a variety of different setups and abilities. You can think of it as being like an Android tablet built with powerful hardware, video and audio inputs, and a long-lasting battery to be a portable all-in-one-video production box.
The inputs and outputs are as follows:
- 4 HDMI Inputs - for bringing in video and audio in up to 4k resolution.
- 1 HDMI Out - for sending out video, either the Program Out, or the Monitor Display, through
HDMI.
- 2 USB-A Ports - for bringing in video and/or audio. These ports may also be used to connect
hard drives or flash drives for storage.
- 1 USB-C Port - for bringing in video and audio, or bringing in a flash drive or hard drive for
storage. This port may also be used to send out video output from the YoloBox via
USB-C with the switch of a setting.
- 2 3.5mm Audio Inputs - for bringing in a Line In or Microphone for audio.
- 1 SD-Card Slot - for recording and storage onto an SD-Card.
- 1 SIM-Card Slot - for cellular bonding, if you wish to have internet through your cell network.
- 1 Ethernet Connector - for bringing internet and/or a network connection through ethernet.
The YoloBox Ultra also includes an internal wireless adaptor allowing for the use of
WiFi.
- 1 USB-C Port - There is one additional USB-C port on the YoloBox Ultra that is strictly for
providing power and charging the battery.
- Network Connectivity - The YoloBox Ultra can bring in one SRT video source, one RTMP
source, or up to three NDI sources (note: Use of NDI requires a one-time activation fee
of $99.) Network sources can be switched out for others without interrupting your
production or livestream.
- Local Media - Using an SD Card, a flashdrive, or an external drive, you can bring in up to five
videos for playback as sources in your production. You can also bring in up to five sets of
pictures, with up to 10 images in each set, for a total of 50 images. Stored videos and pictures can be removed and
swapped out with others without interrupting your livestream or production. You may also bring in one PDF file to use as
a source.
- NDI Out - The YoloBox Ultra can send an output through NDI to your network. The output can
be either the program out, or any individual video/audio source.
The YoloBox Ultra uses a 75.48Wh battery that is advertised as providing a battery life of six hours. In our personal assessment, this is an honest representation. The battery is very long-lasting - I have personally used the YoloBox on more than one occasion to record multiple live video sources and audio of live music for around one-and-a-half to two hours at a time and have been pleasantly surprised to find the battery had only dropped by roughly 20-25%. It is very impressive as a video switcher and video recorder, and I was very pleasantly surprised by just how much you can do with it, and all in a portable package. For more on the possibilities of the YoloBox as a video switcher, click here.
If you take the YoloBox Ultra out into the field with a full 100% battery, or even 60 or 70% battery, you can rest assured it will last you long enough to record plenty. Of course, you can always use the YoloBox Ultra with its power cord plugged in. In my experience, it charges relatively quickly, as well.
The YoloBox Ultra uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 CPU, a very powerful CPU for mobile platforms. It has 8GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. However, any video or audio recorded by the YoloBox Ultra while streaming or in monitor mode cannot be saved to the device's internal storage, and must be saved to an SD card, a flashdrive, or external harddrive. Internal Storage can be used to store files if you would like, by using any third-party file manager app to copy or move files from an SD card, flashdrive, or external drive to internal storage. You can also download and install third party apps onto the device's internal storage.
The YoloBox Ultra comes with Instagram, Facebook, Zoom, TikTok, and Google Chrome preinstalled and ready to be used. You can open apps like Instagram or TikTok and log in to stream directly to them from the YoloBox's Vertical Streaming mode. In this mode, you can log into two different social media apps at once and stream to both simultaneously if you would like. Of course, from the YoloBox's normal Live Streaming mode, you can stream to multiple platforms at once using RTMP(S), SRT, HLS, or by entering login credentials for streaming services like Facebook, YouTube, or Twitch. For more details and information on how Streaming from the YoloBox Ultra works, click here.
It also comes with APKPure, one of the largest and most secure third-party app stores for Android, and you can download and install any apps you wish. APKPure has a very large selection of apps, with just about any significant social media platform being available to download onto the YoloBox, and there are a large variety of third-party apps that can significantly boost the YoloBox's capabilities. For more on the possibilities with third-party apps on the YoloBox, click here.