vMix

The simple truth of the matter is that you do not need an expensive hardware mixer to be able to perform live HD video mixing. The only thing you need is the right piece of software – and in this situation, the right piece of software is the StudioCoast-developed vMix. Use this application on your Windows-powered machine to switch and mix videos.

The vMix installation file is 41MB in size. It won’t take long for the download to complete, if you’re on a high-speed internet connection. When you run the aforementioned file, a setup wizard shows up and takes you through the process of installing the application. A few clicks later, vMix will be up and ready for use. The minimum system requirements for running this video mixer are: Windows operating system (XP, Vista, or 7), 2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM memory, Direct3D 10 compatible video card, 1GB of free disk space.

By default, the vMix interface goes full screen when you run the application. You can choose one of two layouts for this interface, a Basic or an Advanced layout, and you can change the interface’s feel by changing the theme. Overall, the interface is not difficult to figure out and you should not have any problems with it.

When you run vMix for the first time, you will be asked to register the application. The three options presented to you are: enter a registration key, register for the Free Basic Edition, and register for a fully functional 60-day trial. Next up you will be invited to configure vMix’s basic settings. These settings can be changed later on from the Settings menu. After that you can use the aforementioned interface to access the functionality vMix has to offer. Speaking about that, the application’s main features are: support for many input formats (videos, DVDs, audio files, audio devices, playlists, photos, and more), 10 transition effects, simultaneous recording, streaming, and output, professional HD production, HD virtual sets, title templates, video delay and instant replay, audio mizer, live video effects, 4 overlay channels, and multi view.

vMix has a lot to offer to anyone who wants to mix videos.