Intensity Shuttle for Thunderbolt + Mac Minis + iMac

Wanted to ask the experts in this forum if my proposed setup would work using Wirecast...

I do a weekly audio podcast that Id like to take to video. We have 4 hosts, and usually 1 or 2 guests. Currently we use gotomeeting, but I would probably use Skype for the following:

5 x Intensity Shuttle for Thunderbolt
5 x Mac Mini (to feed each Intensity Shuttle for Thunderbolt
1 x 27" previous model iMac.

Would the Intensity Shuttle for Thunderbolt chain together? Could I then mix them all together with Wirecast on the iMac (the imac isnt particularily beefy...)

Just want some advice, I am willing to spend the money to get the setup right, just want to know it will work before I even think about getting the money together to get all the necessary hardware...

This would also mean 4-5 skype accounts.. and making 4-5 skype calls each episode.

Would something like this work? And how far can I take it? Could I add another Intensity Shuttle for Thunderbolt and Mac Mini to be a web surfing PC (so we could mix in the web site surfing we do during the show, etc)

Or am I way off, is the iMac just not powerful enough to run Wirecast taking feeds from four or five or six Intensity Shuttle for Thunderbolt with Mac Minis connected also via thunderbolt???

PS: Id like to stay Mac, so I can use remote desktop on my main Mac to control the other four, five, six Mac Minis without having to have a monitor / keyboard / mouse plugged in. Mac's remote desktop feature is excellent. and I could easily switch between Mac Minis for purposes of making the skype calls.

HELP!!!

Hi Paul,

Unfortunately I do not believe this set up will work.

The shuttles cannot chain together.

However there is possibly another solution:
As mac minis have HDMI out, you could plug them into ATEM Television studio (TVS). It only has 4 HDMI ins but you could use a DVI extender for the other machine (3.5mm audio and DVI in or HDMI in with an adaptor on the extender) You would need an SDI lead from the extender to the TVS

You would then use the free ATEM software to switch and you can have an HDMI screen where you can see all the screens at the same time (out of the TVS into an HDMI monitor)

If all you need is a capture for the podcast, the TVS has h264 out via usb, so the imac is purely capturing

If you want to stream live that's when you'll need wirecast, which you may for the other hosts/guests, need to check with Telestream whether you can use the usb from the TVS, otherwise can use one of the TVS SDI outs and then a Mini Recorder into your mac which with the wirecast should be able to pick up (again check with Telestream)

For the web surfing PC, another DVI extender should do the trick, and that maxs out the TVS' inputs.

If you do use wirecast, you could use it's built in desktop presenter and as long as the machines are on the same network...

Cost should be about the same either way!

This is just off the top of my head and haven't "nutted" it out completely. You should definitely do more investigation and make sure all the "bits" fit together. I believe what I suggested should get you your desired outcome.

With your imac, possibly look at increasing your RAM to make sure it can cope.

Hope this has helped!

Daniel