Matrox Monarch LCS Review: Nifty Lecture Capture Appliance

Recently Education Technology unboxed the Matrox Monarch LCS and had some in- depth insight to this lecture capture appliance from Matrox. Monarch LCS lets you easily define profiles for live streamed and recorded lectures by mixing camera and presentation material from SDI and HDMI sources. Once configured, this versatile H.264 encoding appliance can be operated by anyone at the push of a button. 

With the hybrid approach to teaching, the Monarch LCS can make a huge difference for classrooms. Check out some highlights from Education Technology's review here.

"The first question they’ll ask, “What platform is Monarch LCS compatible with?” The good news: the device is compatible with most Video Management Systems (VMSs) – including Kaltura, Presentations2Go, Streamitup and Ubicast, as well as Learning Management Systems (LMSs)/Virtual Learning environments (VLEs), including Moodle, Blackboard, Brightspace and Canvas. What does this mean? Monarch LCS is ready to integrate seamlessly into almost any existing infrastructure. Furthermore, with its compact size, the encoder makes it an ideal fit for any storage rack that can be installed discreetly within the classroom. Its metal frame also makes it extremely hard-wearing."

"One key feature that your viewers will hugely appreciate is the Monarch LCS’ built-in frame synchronisation. Too often, when streaming or recording audio and video contents, presenters will find that, while a camera and computer’s output resolutions can easily be managed, if the frame rates are not matched, this will result in a distracting lag between video and audio."

"The Monarch LCS brings complete peace of mind to the table. The lecture capture appliance provides a simple-to-integrate and simple-to-operate platform for both IT administrators and lecturers alike. What’s more is that the Monarch LCS is built on a one-time purchase model, with no annual subscriptions or contract renewals, for a state-of-the-art kit with budget-friendly pricing.

Final verdict: the Monarch LCS lecture capture appliance will comfortably cover all your bases when it comes to recording and streaming content anywhere, anytime — and with exemplary sound and picture quality."

Check out the full review here!

Learn more about Matrox here!