ISO Recording
ISO recording (isolated recording) means capturing each camera feed independently during a live production, in addition to the switched program output. If your event has four cameras, ISO recording gives you five recordings: one from each camera plus the program mix that went to air.
The purpose is post-production flexibility. During a live event, the vision mixer makes real-time decisions about which camera to show. Those decisions are usually good, but they are final—once the moment passes, the switched output is locked. ISO recordings preserve every angle, so editors can make different choices in post.
If the director missed a reaction shot during a keynote, the editor can cut to that camera's ISO. If a speaker's microphone had interference on the program audio, the editor can patch it from the ISO audio tracks. If a client wants a highlight reel focused on a different speaker than the one featured in the live switch, the ISOs make that possible.
At Creative Broadcast Agency, we record ISOs on every production. Our multicam workflows typically capture between 4 and 12 isolated feeds depending on the event. Each ISO records at the same codec and resolution as the program output—usually ProRes 422 HQ or DNxHR for broadcast, or H.265 for lighter workflows.
ISO recording happens at multiple points in the signal chain. At the vision mixer, most broadcast-grade switchers have built-in recording to SSD. At the replay server, systems like the Evertz DreamCatcher record all inputs continuously as part of their core function—if your production includes a replay server, ISOs are automatic. On standalone recorders, dedicated devices like Atomos Shogun or Blackmagic HyperDeck capture individual SDI feeds.
Storage requirements are significant. At 1080p50 in ProRes 422 HQ, each camera ISO generates approximately 100 GB per hour. A 4-camera production with ISOs and program recording produces roughly 500 GB per hour. This is why we plan storage capacity during the site survey—running out of disk space mid-event is not recoverable.
For the Esports World Cup, ISO recording across five arenas with 10–15 feeds per arena generated terabytes of content daily. The DreamCatcher replay servers handled both live replay and ISO archival from a single platform, with content flowing to enterprise storage for long-term retention. For a deeper dive into recording workflows, see our guide on how to record a live stream professionally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need ISO recording for a simple corporate event?
Yes, if you want post-event content (highlight reels, speaker clips, social media cuts). Without ISOs, your editor is limited to the single switched program output. With ISOs, they have full flexibility. We include ISO recording as standard on every live event production.
How much storage do ISO recordings need?
At 1080p in ProRes 422 HQ, approximately 100 GB per camera per hour. A 2-hour event with 4 cameras plus program = 1 TB. In H.265, this drops to around 10–15 GB per camera per hour. We size storage during pre-production based on camera count and event duration.
Can we record ISOs and stream at the same time?
Yes. Professional setups record ISOs locally at high quality while simultaneously encoding a lower-bitrate stream for delivery. The two processes run on separate hardware—recording on the vision mixer or replay server, streaming via a dedicated encoder.
What is the difference between ISO recording and program recording?
Program recording captures the switched output—the final broadcast as viewers saw it. ISO recording captures each individual camera feed. Program is what aired; ISOs are the raw angles that give editors flexibility in post-production.
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We capture every angle on every production — giving your editors full flexibility for highlight reels, speaker clips, and social media content.