Review: BZBGear BG-QuadFusion-JR, Four-Channel 1080p Live Streaming HDMI/DP Switcher Mixer

"I ran the unit through its paces ... using three Canon camcorders and a MacBook Pro M2 Max running ProPresenter 7," shares reviewer Ryan Geesaman.

The BZBGear BG-QuadFusion-JR is a 4-channel 1080p60 HDMI video switcher with integrated audio mixing and streaming capabilities. The switcher is meant to be portable, and the plastic carrying case included with device is a nice addition. The physical layout of the switcher is very intuitive. The layout includes the standard preview and program busses of a typical switcher that is sometimes missing on compact switchers. The most-used buttons are of a respectable size – about ¾” by ½” – including the input buttons and the transition buttons. And the $749 unit comes with a 3-year warranty, which is substantial in this class. I ran the unit through its paces in the Charles Frey Academic Center video studio at Lancaster Bible College | Capital Seminary & Graduate School (Lancaster, PA) using three Canon camcorders and a MacBook Pro M2 Max running ProPresenter 7.

… the $749 unit comes with a 3-year warranty, which is substantial in this class.

Video

The four video inputs are capable of handling various resolutions and frame rates, resyncing them, and outputting multiple frame rates of 1920x1080 over the HDMI program output: 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p, 60i, and 50i. The first video input can either use HDMI or DisplayPort. The other three inputs are HDMI only. The Multiview HDMI output provides previews of all four inputs, a master audio meter, status information, and on-screen display of the unit’s menu. The multiview HDMI output is always 1080p60 no matter what the unit’s program output format is. The unit has a cut button and an auto button that can be set to do a dissolve between inputs (mix), a dip-to-black transition (fade), or one of four wipes all at three different transition rates. There is also a T-bar that allows for custom transition speeds or even pausing a transition mid-way.

In terms of effects, any input can be temporarily frozen with the still button, and a PIP button allows for a customizable picture-in-picture effect. There is also a key function that can be set to do a luma key or a chroma key. I found the luma and chroma keys to be useable but a bit noisier than the keys pulled by a larger, more expensive, dedicated video switcher.

Audio

On the audio side, the unit includes a master audio fader and two additional faders that allow the mixing of two audio inputs that can be chosen from the embedded audio on any of the video inputs, the two 1/8” TRS mic inputs, or the single stereo 1/8” line input. An 1/8” stereo line output is available if you need to route your audio separately from the video, but audio is also embedded in the HDMI output. The movement on the short faders is limited but also smooth with a nice amount of drag. The precise adjustments can be seen on the multiview output.

Recording

The unit provides on-board recording of .mp4 files via a MicroSD slot. There are four quality settings for the recording: Ultra High, High, Medium, and Low. The documentation does not specify the bitrate associated with each level, but my testing shows that the bitrates are approximately 24 Mbps, 18 Mbps, 12 Mbps, and 6 Mbps respectively. When recording, a dedicated button on the unit remains lit. The on-screen display shows the amount of space remaining on the card, but it does not calculate the remaining time, which would be a nice addition.

Streaming

The BG-QuadFusion-JR has a USB 3.0 port that allows the unit to operate as a capture device for a computer. On a PC, I had no issue with any output format. Due to Mac’s limitations with USB video capture, having the output on the unit set to a framerate higher than 30p resulted in glitching, but it was rock solid on my MacBook Pro at 30p, 25p, and 24p.

There is also an ethernet port that allows direct RTMP streaming from the unit. The quality can be set from 1 Mbps to 10 Mbps. I had some issues streaming to Boxcast. When the unit was set to 1080p60, Boxcast reported a 720p60 stream. When I set the unit to 1080i60, Boxcast saw 1080p30. Not a deal-breaker, and possibly just an issue with Boxcast, but I was not able to replicate the issue with another streaming device.

There is also a free PC application that allows remote control of the unit.

Control

Although some settings – like networking and streaming details – cannot be adjusted on the device itself, there is a web interface that allows easy access to these settings. There is also a free PC application that allows remote control of the unit. Many of the unit’s settings can be changed with the application, and all of the unit’s functions can be controlled remotely through the software.

 

 

Bottom Line

The BG-QuadFusion-JR does basic switching well, and the latency was not bad at all, especially for a streaming device. We did find some inconsistencies in the documentation, and in how certain features were labeled in the UI, but the company was very responsive when contacted, and we were assured that these were being addressed in a firmware update in the month of July.

With its HDMI inputs, the BG-QuadFusion-JR will work best in environments with short cable runs. A multi-camera podcast would be an ideal use for this. Beyond 50-foot cable runs, you would need to incorporate some sort of conversion or extender, which could introduce more latency. But if you are looking for a step up from streaming from a phone, a single camera, or from doing everything in something like OBS, this is great next step. If you need something simple and portable with a good set of features that combines switching, streaming, and recording at a competitive price, this is a great option.