mevo Multicam Review: Livestreaming Studio in a Box

A New Perspective on Multi-Camera Streaming with Mevo Start

The Mevo Start 3-pack, coupled with the Mevo Multicam App, presents a three-camera kit priced at $999. Supplementing this with quality lighting and a suitable microphone allows for a complete multi-camera streaming setup attainable for under $2,000. This capability, virtually unimaginable just a short time ago, highlights the remarkable advancements in streaming technology.

Professional Capabilities, Reimagined

While a professional broadcast news team wouldn’t rely on a Mevo Start kit – requiring greater reliability and redundancy for live news reporting – a different approach reveals its potential. Consider a YouTube streamer aiming to enhance their broadcasts, seeking a more easily portable setup than a collection of webcams and OBS. Or a musician on Twitch desiring multi-camera livestreaming for their band. Perhaps the goal is to livestream events across diverse locations. In these scenarios, the Mevo Start 3-pack becomes a remarkably affordable solution.

Ease of Setup and Re-Assembly

The system’s appeal lies not only in its cost but also in its convenience. Once initially configured, subsequent setup and disassembly are notably swift. However, the question remains: does this translate to seamless performance in real-world applications?

A Unique Review Challenge

Tech reviewers often face the challenge of evaluating products not specifically designed for their expertise. Assessing a product’s suitability for its intended audience requires a nuanced perspective. The Mevo Start 3-pack with the Mevo Multicam App from Logitech for Creators falls into this category. Although I don’t regularly stream on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, or Facebook, my background in broadcast journalism – including training as a news anchor and experience with live television reporting – provides valuable insight.

Expectations Shaped by Professional Experience

Extensive experience in a field inevitably influences product evaluation. In professional broadcasting, even a momentary signal interruption triggers significant concern. However, this kit isn’t intended to replace the extensive equipment used for broadcasting breaking news to a vast audience; it’s designed to simplify livestreaming for content creators.

The Mevo multi-camera app serves as the central control hub for multi-camera livestreaming, offering an excellent and intuitive user experience. Photo: Haje Kamps for TechCrunch

Design Considerations and Practicality

The product’s concept is strong, but perfection remains elusive. The design, while thoughtful, appears to have been developed without extensive real-world testing in challenging environments. The product team seemingly lacked experience with frequent setup and dismantling, leading to design choices that impact usability.

The Power Button Dilemma

A particularly frustrating design flaw is the camera’s power button. Completely flush with the body and lacking tactile feedback, it’s difficult to locate by touch. Compounding the issue, the matte black button blends seamlessly with the matte black camera housing. Locating it in low-light conditions, such as during a live music setup, proves exceptionally challenging. This design appears to prioritize aesthetics in a lab setting over practical usability.

The camera’s rear panel features a USB-C port for power, a MicroSD card slot for local recording, a microphone input, and the notoriously difficult-to-find power button. Photo: Haje Kamps for TechCrunch

The button’s resistance to accidental presses is a positive attribute, preventing unintended activation during a livestream. However, the need to operate the camera one-handed while managing other equipment necessitates a firm grip, often leading to inadvertent contact with the lens. This creates the undesirable consequence of smudging the lens, requiring cleaning before recording.

The only way to activate or deactivate the camera with one hand involves a grip that inevitably results in fingerprints on the lens. Why this design choice? Photo: Haje Kamps for TechCrunch

Smart Design Features

Despite the power button issue, the cameras incorporate several well-considered design elements. A small light hood minimizes lens flare, while a removable tripod thread allows compatibility with microphone and light stands. LED indicators clearly display camera status – green for ready, red for live. Built-in batteries simplify setup, eliminating the need for external power sources, ideal for mobile broadcasts.

Firmware and Initial Setup Challenges

The initial setup process proved unexpectedly frustrating. All three cameras required firmware updates upon unboxing. This experience may be specific to Android users, with the iOS app potentially offering a smoother process. However, the process consumed several hours, marked by cryptic error messages and multiple phone restarts – six in total, to establish initial connections and recover from failed updates.

Seeking Support and Maintaining Objectivity

Contacting Mevo’s press team for assistance, I was offered access to the development team. While valuable for a reviewer, this level of support isn’t typically available to consumers. As a hardware reviewer, I aim to provide an unbiased assessment reflecting the typical user experience.

Had I purchased these cameras, I would have likely returned them. In my experience, no product should require six phone restarts before even beginning the review process. Subsequent firmware updates, while smoother, did little to alleviate concerns about long-term reliability.

The Importance of Trust in Livestreaming

Livestreaming demands unwavering trust in equipment. Unlike adjusting a thermostat, where minor glitches are tolerable, technical issues during a live broadcast can cause significant stress. My experience with live satellite links and television news broadcasts underscores this point. Other livestreamers may possess a more relaxed approach to technical challenges.

The removable inserts offer versatility, accommodating both microphone stands and tripods. The cameras are also prone to fingerprints, a minor inconvenience. Photo: Haje Kamps for TechCrunch

Performance and Potential

Once fully configured, the Mevo cameras performed admirably. The accompanying apps are outstanding, enabling seamless camera switching, zooming, overlays, and digital panning. Despite its simplicity, the system delivers powerful results.

Despite the frustrating setup, the cameras consistently delivered reliable performance – no hiccups, buffering, or disconnections. However, the initial experience eroded my confidence, making me hesitant to rely on them for critical livestreams.

Multi-camera streaming unlocks creative possibilities for live music, events, and more. Mevo offers exceptional value in a compact package. Photo: Haje Kamps for TechCrunch

A Conundrum of Trust and Potential

Livestreaming’s high-stakes nature necessitates absolute trust in equipment. The initial user experience significantly impacts this trust, and Mevo’s cameras faltered in this regard. However, it’s important to acknowledge that reviewers often evaluate early firmware versions and pre-release software. It’s plausible that Mevo will address these issues, transforming the cameras into a truly exceptional product.

In theory, at least, they represent a cost-effective and near-perfect solution for livestreamers venturing into the world of multi-camera setups. A revisit in a few months is necessary to determine whether a recommendation is warranted.

Ultimately, the Mevo Start 3-pack holds significant promise, but its initial setup hurdles require resolution to fully unlock its potential for livestreaming enthusiasts.