Nvidia Broadcast's cicada filter arrives just in time for Hot Bug Summer

Brood X is finally upon us this season, and it’s going to be a real pain in the ass. For those of you who are somehow still blissfully unaware: The ominously named designation refers to the once-in-a-generation massive spawn of cicadas that occurs every 17 years across wide swaths of the continent, during which time the insects molt, have a bunch of bug-sex, and make a huge racket in the process.

Yes, it is undoubtedly one of Mother Earth’s many miracles, and should serve as a reminder of our complicated, endangered ecosystem’s simultaneously awe-inspiring and delicate balance... but a lot of us also have a bunch of Zoom calls scheduled for later today, and for many, it’s starting to sound like there’s a terrifying chorus of rusty chainsaws outside their bedroom windows.

Luckily, Nvidia’s Broadcast conveniently anticipated Brood X’s arrival and is promising a new audio filter for the amplified Auchenorrhyncha with its latest available update. Combined with its preexisting noise minimizing options for more generalized background interruptions like pets, vacuums, and other household goings-on, it should at least alleviate some of Brood X’s intrusions into your life for the next few months. If only it could do something about all those creepy molted bug husks we’re seeing everywhere now.

Ending the echo — Another addition within the Broadcast Version 1.2 update is its new Room Echo Removal feature to help eliminate talkback that is often a problem for anyone trying to use their system’s microphone in a larger space.

As for visual improvements, the new changes also include a helpful beta Video Noise Removal for users with lower-quality cameras producing video “static,” particularly in low-light environments. Auto Frame now also employs a “buffer zone” allowing someone to move within a frame without camera updates. “Now, it’ll move only when the talent leaves the middle-third of the screen,” reads Nvidia’s update post.

Good luck getting a new GPU, though — Of course, you’ll need an actual Nvidia GPU to take advantage of Broadcast’s newest add-ons... something much easier said than done these days. Last month, the company confessed that those who don’t already own a newer GeForce, Titan, or Quadro GPU will have difficulty doing so through at least the end of this year due to unprecedented shortages. So, while there’s still the potential to snag older, re-released products from the company, it’s gonna be a long, loud, bug-filled summer for most of us.