Dell Latitude 7230 Rugged Extreme Tablet 💻

Limitations

Unfortunately, this device struggled to perform in a variety of ways while attempting to live stream Tidal Cycles compositions from Blue Ridge Parkway. Aside from frequent disconnects from the AT&T LTE network, the device was unable to run both SuperCollider and OBS at the same time, resulting in both audio and video distortions.

One possible solution would be to use an external video encoding device, such as the Ultra Encode HDMI Plus by Magewell; however, this would require its own power supply and networking to function properly. The WiFi card on the Latitude 7230 can easily be set to access point mode, bridging with the 4G LTE modem - a viable solution for external encoders with wireless connectivity.

Less expensive options are available from URayTech:

I am currently connecting the EOS R6 Mark II to the Latitude 7230 via an Elgato 4KX video capture card, so while switching to an external encoder adds the aforementioned complexities for networking and power supply, its physical footprint on the overall rig would be limited. Even so, it already lacks ergonomics, and I find myself wondering what could be done with a few Raspberry Pis and an IPx rated container. I experimented with a Pi 4 and found it woefully incapable of encoding 1080p@60fps, so the external encoder would be needed either way. Given the price of Pi at the moment, I will probably stick with the Latitude plus an external encoder for the time being.