What visual radio is
The same show as always, with cameras in the studio, sent as a video signal next to the audio stream. Listeners keep listening; those who want to watch the hosts and guests do it on the website, in the app or on YouTube.
What you need
- Cameras: two or three are enough (one per host plus a wide shot). PTZ cameras can be moved from the computer.
- A switcher: software such as vMix or OBS Studio, or a hardware switcher. Automatic switching by microphone, which some switchers offer, saves an operator.
- Audio from the desk: the video must carry the processed program audio, not the camera microphones.
- Upload: about 1.5 times the video bitrate, on top of the audio stream: 3 Mbps stable for 720p at 2 Mbps.
Which quality is enough
A studio with fixed shots and little movement looks good at 720p at 2 Mbps. 1080p is only worth it for outside broadcasts or live music. Lower resolution also means more viewers for the same plan and less data for viewers on their phones. The guide has the full table of resolutions and bitrates.
Where it airs
- Your website, with your own player next to the audio player.
- Your app, where the station and the channel can live together.
- YouTube and Facebook via simulcast from the server, without extra upload from the studio: a shop window that brings new listeners.
When the cameras are off
Few stations film around the clock. Outside the visual shows, viewers see the automatic slate (an image of the station) or, with video AutoDJ, recorded programs and clips. What they should never see is a black screen.
What it costs
With INOVANEX, a video plan for 250 concurrent viewers at 720p costs US$ 18.48 a month (US$ 0.62 a day), with unlimited transfer, and simulcast to 2 destinations is US$ 4.00 more. The audio stream is a separate plan; the radio side is covered by radiohostingguide.com. Prices as of October 29, 2026, in US dollars, no VAT added (export of services).
Questions about visual radio
Does the video replace the audio stream?
No. Much of the audience only listens: in the car, at work, with the phone in a pocket. The audio stream stays as it is and the video is added next to it.
Why is the video behind the audio?
Because they are two different streams: an audio stream runs a few seconds behind live, and video over HLS 10 to 30 seconds. Each one is in sync with itself; it only shows if someone has both open at once.
Can one person run it?
Yes. With fixed or PTZ cameras and a switcher that changes shot by microphone, the host runs the show as always and the cameras follow who is talking.
Do I need a separate app for the video?
Not with INOVANEX: one app carries the station and the channel. See the channel app page.