NewTek Set to Announce New TriCasters and Liveset Technology

April 14, 2012 - Posted by csandy

Update: The Phonebooks are here!  Okay, not quite, but the new TriCaster 455, 855, and 8000 have been announced at $19,995, $29,995 and $39,995, respectively.  Prices include their respective control surfaces.  The 8000 has a lot of social media integration that will be a godsend to many institutions looking for an integrated solution.

Saturday Night and the most beautiful women in Las Vegas are partying downstairs at the nightclub.  Lucky for you I’m happily married so I have all this free time to give you my scoop on what’s coming next on the NewTek TriCaster front.  I’ve been told what will be revealed on Monday will “blow my socks off.”  In anticipation, I’ve decided not to wear socks on Monday.  I should be pretty easy to find on the show floor.  Anywho, NewTek staff tells me I’m about 70% right in my predictions, so take this article with a grain of salt.  For more predictions and baseless speculation from NAB and beyond, follow me on Twitter @DCTriCaster. [twitter_follow username=”@DCTriCaster” language=”en”]

After you read it, we can all compare it to what’s actually announced on Monday. [prediections here]  My prior wishes/predictions have been right on the money, such as a series of professional rackable TriCasters (at least half a year before the first rack mounted TriCaster was sold, “NewTek could make a bundle selling truly professional [rack mounted] TriCasters…”), built in audio compressor, and the progression of the PCI Express XD engine in the 3play being rolled out into successively more capable TriCaster products.

The show stopper will likely by a new Liveset product.  Rumors abound about its capabilities, but it will definitely incorporate some of NewTek’s Lightwave technology.  Instead of just being able to digitally zoom in an out of a static shot per the current TriCaster Livesets, some manipulation along 3 dimensional axis will be introduced with the new TriCasters.  There will likely be an update for current TriCaster models that have the horsepower to handle the additional math as well.  While this is bound to wow, it is not a surprise and has been hinted at for years that such capability would evolve out of current Liveset technology in the fullness of time.

I expect to see more use of Lightwave technology as it would only make sense for NewTek to cross pollinate expertise on their revenue leading products.  So I expect more customization in transitions including 3D warp type effects across the TriCaster product line.  I also expect some improvements in the animation store transitions available on the TriCaster Extreme models to be enhanced.

I expect some type of uncompressed recording capability, at least from digital sources, to match such products as the Atomos Samurai and Blackmagic Design Hyperdeck recorder.

New TriCasters should also have some expanded network capability.  I expect either an integrated switch or router to allow for multiple ethernet connections to the machine.  NewTek’s network display software iVGA is also due for a major overhaul.  To compete with Telestream’s Desktop Presenter, iVGA will have to support sound and better resolutions and frame rates.

Audio is new for a slew of improvements as well.  I expect to see some of the features that died with the VT[5] to make it’s way back into the TriCaster product line such as groupable and routable audio audio and audio macro functions.  I’m also convinced my prediction of an audio control surface from NewTek was off the mark, but I am looking forward to a remote iPad app out of Spain that shows promise, especially when NewTek fixes the bugs in its SDK.  Sandy Audio Visual considered developing a similar application, but wireless-only connectivity is a little scary in a production environment.  Anyone who has seen anyone from SAV live on on video, or you are a client, you know how we feel about using unlicensed spectrum (WiFi) for any job for which you expect to be paid.  Master Control, from Young Monkey Software out of Canada is a more production-ready solution, but at $4000, it’s more of an investment than the $99 TCXD Remote app.  Even including the price of the most expensive iPad, the app comes out ahead price wise (at least until you lost a paycheck or client because you relied on WiFi).

Timecode improves are due.  Reports from the field have been mixed on the compatibility of Extreme model timecode.  I expect improvements in this area.  Some have asked for VITC in addition to LITC time code.  Not sure how popular that feature request is.

And finally, James Cameron is in town, so let’s add 3D switching and streaming capability as one of the new feature updates.  We’ve already played with this in WireCast with the BMD Ultrastudio 3D.  It works well, but I’m not exactly sure why people want a 3D stream.  Maybe I’ll bump into Mr. Cameron here at NAB and he’ll grace me with his time and an answer.

I think one of my “30% incorrect” predictions is a build-to-order option.  Several years ago, I outlined the following reasons why people want a Video Toaster (VT)-like solution that could be, say built off of server motherboards and with xeon multi-core processors:

1) HD pushes the limits of current personal computing hardware.2) End users and some dealers want a product with

a) configurability
i) some want DIY
ii) others want dealer “build-to-order” systems
A) R&D is expensive, and a Media100-like configurability database takes a lot of testing
B) Probably one of the reasons why Media100 went out of business (the DataTranslation folks, not the Artel folks)
C) NewTek needs all the hands they have to test their current offerings and likely does not have the resources to test a myriad of consumer set-ups

b) scalability
i) the wise know that HD today will not be HD tomorrow
ii) must balance against a reasonable product lifetime
iii) may not be practical to go from current HD to a, say 4K system using the same hardware.
iv) must be juxtaposed with “upgradeability” and a business-savvy path that identifies sub-markets correctly and incents consumers to purchase systems that meet their needs.

c) affordability
i) you can purchase an HD switcher for around $10,000
ii) manufacturers and consumers must weigh how much value is added in all of the other features
A) are livesets highly utilized?
B) can HD titles be done better or cheaper as a stand-alone application?
C) are there the same number of Aura users as there are Calibar users?
D) do you roll with a stand-alone compresser/limiter/expander; mic mixer/pre-amp; effects rack anyway?
E) do you need external storage? More flexible CODECs? Do you need to provide back-up recording like a DVD Recorder?
F) would you rely on a better/faster/cheaper stand-alone editor based on other vendor’s proprietary, yet host flexible units (i.e. Black Magic, Kona, Pinnacle) instead of the bundled offering?

d) compatibility
i) some users would like to leverage current investment by using add-on hardware on new equipment
ii) SX-n products are not signal compatible with future products
iii) will controllers like the LC-11 be used on future machines?

e) capacity (to switch more than three cameras)

3) There will likely be a >3 input high definition offering from NewTek in the future.
a) will it be in time to capture current users transitioning to HD?
b) will it attract new customers?
c) are there any competitors in the all-in-one video box niche?
i) is the niche still a viable sub-market?
ii) is it a growing or declining market if it still exists?

4) NewTek has made no announcements or promises with regard to future products.

So we’ll see what’s in store for us at NAB and how many of these predictions actually make it into new product!

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