What is IzzyCast?
IzzyCast is a new feature that allows you to share high-definition video, audio, and data between computers running Isadora located anywhere in the world.
Can I See IzzyCast in Action?
Yes. Please watch our demonstration of the alpha version of IzzyCast recorded during the International Broadcast Conference (IBC) in September 2022.
When Will IzzyCast Be Released?
We are currently offering a private beta to select users, and will make a public offering soon. (This schedule is subject to change, so please check back here for the latest information.)
How Will I Pay For IzzyCast?
IzzyCast uses a prepay/"pay as you go" plan, similar to cell phone plans you may know. When you are ready for a production or event, if you don't already have an IzzyCast Account Key you will purchase one as well as bandwidth in the form of "IzzyCast Credits". If you already have an IzzyCast Account Key, you only need to purchase additional IzzyCast Credits. (IzzyCast Credits are defined in the next section.)
Once you have an IzzyCast Account Key with enough IzzyCast Credits on it, you'll then be able to create IzzyCast Sessions.
What is an "IzzyCast Credit"?
An IzzyCast Credit represents one minute of bandwidth for one participant in an IzzyCast Session. That means the maximum IzzyCast Session duration is the number of IzzyCast Credits you've purchased divided by the number of participants connected to your IzzyCast Session.
For example, if you purchase 500 IzzyCast Credits, the maximum IzzyCast Session duration for a host and nine participants (ten connections total) would be 500 IzzyCast Credits ÷ 10 connections = 50 minutes; for a host and nineteen participants (twenty connections total), it would be 500 IzzyCast Credits ÷ 20 connections = 25 minutes, etc.
How Much Will IzzyCast Credits Cost?
We have not yet set the IzzyCast Credit price yet, but rest assured our pricing will be competitive.
How Reliable Is IzzyCast? Does it Require Complex Network Setup?
IzzyCast is built on the Zoom VideoSDK, which uses the same infrastructure as the Zoom application we all know. This means IzzyCast requires zero network configuration and offers the reliability/uptime we associate with Zoom.
Does IzzyCast Require Purchasing an Isadora License?
No. IzzyCast requires only that you pay for the IzzyCast Credits. It will be possible for participants to use IzzyCast by downloading Isadora and using it without a license (for free) in “demo mode” (the only limitation of which is that it cannot save). The IzzyCast actors (i.e. plugins) will be included in the main Isadora program, so participants need only download and install Isadora, double-click the Isadora "patch" (.izz file) you supply to them, give themselves a user name, and connect to your IzzyCast Session.
You will, however, need a licensed copy of Isadora to create and save the custom patch you'll be distributing to your participants.
Has Isadora Itself Changed to Be Able To Support IzzyCast?
No. The IzzyCast feature will consist of five new actors (i.e., plugins) that will be included inside Isadora. Depending on the popularity of this new feature, we may integrate IzzyCast into Isadora more deeply sometime in the future.
Why Is This Feature Not Free?
IzzyCast is built on the Zoom VideoSDK. For IzzyCast to work, we need to purchase bandwidth from Zoom and must therefore pass this cost on to you.
Still Want to Know More?
For even more detail, you can hear Isadora's creator Mark Coniglio and TroikaTronix team member L Wilson-Spiro answer questions about IzzyCast during their appearance on Office Hours or read some of our articles about IzzyCast.