Last updated: 2026-01-12

For most event planners in the U.S., the most reliable way to record podcasts around your events is to use StreamYard as your live and recording hub, then send clean files to your podcast host. When you specifically need a recording-first workflow with built‑in editing and 4K/48 kHz across the board, tools like Riverside can be a useful complement.

Summary

• StreamYard gives you a browser-based studio that records each participant locally, with automatic backups in the cloud and simple guest links. (StreamYard)
• For live shows, StreamYard automatically records paid-plan streams and supports multistreaming, overlays, and branding without extra software. (StreamYard)
• Riverside provides high-spec 4K/48 kHz local recording and AI editing tools, but multi-track hours are capped per month. (Riverside)
• A practical workflow for most events is: run the show and capture recordings in StreamYard, then polish and publish through your preferred editing and podcast hosting tools.

Why does podcast recording matter so much for event planners?

If you plan conferences, summits, or client events, every panel or fireside chat is potential evergreen content. A good podcast recording setup lets you:

• Turn live sessions into on-demand episodes.
• Capture remote speakers who can’t travel.
• Add sponsor value with branded content after the event.

The catch: you often have tight timelines, non-technical speakers, and a small team. That’s why event-focused podcast recording software has to be:

• Easy to join for busy executives and keynotes.
• Resilient to hotel or venue Wi‑Fi.
• Automatic in its recording behavior so nothing is missed.
• Flexible enough for both live sessions and pre‑recorded interviews.

StreamYard is designed around that “live-first, event-first” reality: guests join through a browser link, recordings start automatically on paid plans, and you get both cloud and local files for safety. (StreamYard)

How does StreamYard fit into an event podcast workflow?

Think of StreamYard as your virtual control room for anything that happens before, during, or after an event.

On paid plans you can:

• Host live or pre‑recorded sessions and have them automatically recorded, up to 10 hours per stream. (StreamYard)
• Record each person locally on their own device, so their final audio/video is not ruined by temporary internet glitches. (StreamYard)
• Capture separate local files per participant for detailed post-production, without worrying about monthly local-recording hour caps on paid tiers. (StreamYard)
• Bring in up to 10 people total on paid plans, which is plenty for panels, moderators, and producers behind the scenes. (StreamYard)

For a typical U.S. conference:

1. Pre‑event – record sponsor interviews and speaker spotlights as remote conversations.
2. During the event – stream select sessions live, use StreamYard to multistream to platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn, and auto-record for later editing. (StreamYard)
3. Post‑event – export the local and cloud recordings, cut them in your preferred editor, and publish via your podcast host.

This division of labor—StreamYard for capture, specialist tools for editing and distribution—keeps your stack clean and dependable.

What recording quality and file types should event planners expect?

For event-driven podcasts, quality is about both specs and reliability.

On StreamYard, you can:

• Capture 4K local recordings as your master files for serious post-production.
• Record uncompressed 48 kHz WAV audio per participant, which matches pro podcast standards and pairs well with downstream audio tools.
• Use color presets and grading controls in the studio to keep your show on-brand even in mixed venue lighting.

Local recordings are saved per participant on their own device and uploaded in the background, which protects your final files from temporary bandwidth drops or frozen video. (StreamYard)

Riverside also focuses on local-first recording and supports audio at up to 48 kHz and video up to 4K per participant, with separate tracks uploaded to the cloud. (Riverside) The big practical difference for event planners is how usage is limited: Riverside’s multi-track hours are capped by plan (2/5/15 hours per month), while StreamYard’s paid local recording does not have a monthly hour cap, so you don’t have to meter local usage across a multi-day event. (Riverside) (StreamYard)

How many guests can you record at once, and what are the limits?

Panels and roundtables are common at events, so headroom on guest counts really matters.

With StreamYard:

• On the free plan, you can record with yourself plus up to 5 other guests, all joining via a browser link. (StreamYard)
• On paid plans, you can record audio and video with up to 10 people total, which easily covers most panels, co-hosts, and producers. (StreamYard)
• Local recording on paid plans does not have a monthly hour cap, so long panels and multiple sessions per day remain practical. (StreamYard)

Riverside supports multiple participants as well and records each one locally, but its documentation focuses more on total participant capacity and monthly multi-track hour caps rather than high headroom panels spread over many hours. (Riverside) For most event planners, knowing that you can comfortably cover a full conference agenda in StreamYard without watching a meter is a meaningful operational advantage.

How do you record hybrid event panels (in‑person + remote guests)?

Hybrid sessions—some speakers on stage, others remote—are now standard. The goal is to keep the workflow simple for your AV team and your remote guests.

With StreamYard, a common hybrid pattern is:

1. Bring the in‑room feed (e.g., from your venue switcher or camera kit) into StreamYard as a source.
2. Invite remote guests via browser links so they appear alongside the in‑room feed.
3. Brand the layout with overlays, logos, and banners so both the livestream and the recording look consistent with the rest of the event. (StreamYard)
4. Rely on automatic recording on paid plans—cloud plus per-participant local files—to capture a master that can be edited into a podcast episode.

Riverside offers specific guidance and tooling for in-person and hybrid multi‑mic setups, with separate tracks and plan-gated workflows for Pro and higher tiers. (Riverside) That can be useful when you’re running a recording-first studio at an event. In contrast, StreamYard tends to favor the live control-room approach—great when your primary need is to manage a show that is both broadcast and repurposed as a podcast.

Where do AI clips and editing fit into an event podcast stack?

Most event teams do not want their recording software to replace a full editing suite; they want it to make repurposing faster.

That is why, at StreamYard, we focus AI on practical leverage:

• AI Clips uses prompts and automation to pull out key moments from your recordings, which makes it easy to generate social posts and highlight reels from panels or keynotes.
• It is especially useful for quick promotional clips, recap reels, and sponsor deliverables right after the event.

Deep structural edits, multi-track mastering, and frame-level tweaks are still better handled in dedicated editors. StreamYard is designed to integrate with those tools rather than compete with them, keeping your recording experience stable and straightforward.

Riverside also provides AI tools such as Magic Clips, transcriptions, and show notes generation tied to its plans, which can be appealing if you want more editing steps in the same interface. (Riverside) Many event teams, however, prefer a modular setup where capture, editing, and hosting each use tools purpose-built for that layer.

How should event planners choose between StreamYard and Riverside?

For event planners, the decision usually comes down to workflow, not just specs.

Use StreamYard as your default when:

• You are running live sessions or virtual events and want automatic recording, branding, and multistreaming from one browser-based studio. (StreamYard)
• You need per-guest local recordings with effectively unlimited hours on paid plans, so you can cover a full event schedule without juggling multi-track quotas. (StreamYard)
• You value simple guest onboarding and clean integration with your existing editing and podcast-hosting tools.

Consider Riverside as an additional option when:

• Your top priority is a recording-only studio with 4K/48 kHz multi-track capture and built-in AI editing and you are comfortable tracking monthly multi-track hour limits. (Riverside)
• You are building a permanent podcast studio at a venue where post-production happens in the same tool and live streaming is secondary.

In practice, many U.S. event teams start with StreamYard as their primary studio, then add specialized tools as their production needs grow.

What we recommend

• Use StreamYard as your central studio for recording event panels, interviews, and keynotes—live or pre‑recorded.
• Turn on local recordings and automatic stream recording on paid plans so every important moment is captured safely.
• Pair StreamYard with your preferred editor and podcast host instead of relying on any single “all‑in‑one” stack.
• Consider a recording-first tool like Riverside only when you have very specific editing or 4K workflow requirements that exceed what your main editor already provides.