NewTek Rolls Out Next-Gen TriCasters

NewTek today unveiled the next generation of its industry-standard, professional TriCaster multi-camera production systems, introducing three new models—TriCaster 860, TriCaster 460, and TriCaster 410—and major enhancements to the company’s flagship system, TriCaster 8000. The newly expanded product family offers a number of innovative industry firsts that represent a quantum leap forward in integrated live video production and enable video producers to deliver programs with a level of quality and visual impact that has never before been possible with single, turnkey multi-camera production systems. All products in the new line will begin shipping on September 12, 2013, just prior to the IBC 2013 convention in Amsterdam. 

“When we talk to video producers, the most common challenge we hear is how to deliver a greater amount of content in a shorter amount of time, but with the level of quality and visual impact that their viewers demand,” said Dr. Andrew Cross, CTO of NewTek. “Years ago, TriCaster emerged as the gold standard in live video production, helping people to work faster and significantly reduce production costs. Today, our TriCaster family crosses a new frontier by placing an unprecedented level of creative tools, system performance, and operational control in the hands of every operator. The degree of visual sophistication and operational ease that anyone can achieve during a live show with these new TriCaster models opens up new creation, delivery, and revenue possibilities that have quite simply never been available before.”

The Next-Generation of Professional TriCaster Systems

The entire professional TriCaster product line incorporates across-the-board breakthroughs in integrated multi-camera live production. All systems now offer 4 or 8 full mix/effects (M/E) channels, greatly expanding the system’s switching performance. Producers can use these M/Es to generate layered and composited real-time video, produce sub-mixes in the main video program, and output content as a secondary program—all with complete switcher behaviors, transitions, overlays, multi-source layering and virtual sets.

Additional enhancements that are now standard across the entire product line include vastly advanced virtual sets with new camera motion controls; new “holographic” virtual sets that blend panoramic images with layered and composited video; broad media publishing functions for simultaneous multi-channel content delivery; expanded buffers for creating hundreds of custom motion and animated graphics; new, unique remote robotic camera controls; and extensive macro and automation functions that greatly simplify the execution of system commands during a live program and integrate with venues that already use comprehensive MIDI automation.

Professional TriCaster Models

The new family of professional TriCaster systems includes four models, each designed to address a wide range of multi-camera video production needs. The specific models are:

·       TriCaster 410—a streamlined, compact system with a full 4 M/E production switcher, HD-SDI connectivity, and tools for live-only delivery, ideal for anyone producing small to medium-sized live shows or webcasts with powerful media sharing and disk recording capabilities.

·       TriCaster 460—a compact system with a full 4 M/E production switcher with greater connectivity and broader creative flexibility for any small or medium-sized production, particularly where live video content is touched up, re-packaged or re-purposed for postproduction or supplemental programming. 

·       TriCaster 860—a system designed for full-sized live action with an abundance of angles, visuals, coverage and postproduction tools, offering a full 8 M/E production switcher, plus more channels, sources, I/O, graphics and effects, and greater capacity for media storage.

·       TriCaster 8000—the flagship content publishing hub for all the media in a live program, with a premium 8 M/E production switcher, built-in failsafe and redundancy capabilities, and extensive router support for enhanced broadcast integration, massive multi-camera coverage, and mission critical high-end productions of any size

All TriCaster models include comprehensive feature enhancements that enable producers to create bigger and better shows, and reach larger audiences with network TV-style video content—while also significantly lowering production costs. With any TriCaster system, users can reduce the many racks of equipment and crew often required to produce a multi-camera show. Some of the top new features include:

·       Enhanced virtual sets—adding many new sets to the existing library of templates, all of which have been updated for more lifelike appearances, with the ability to live pan and zoom virtual cameras and up to 8 preset frame positions;

·       “Holographic” live virtual sets—allowing users to create panoramic, photorealistic sets from smartphone or DSLR camera images, with layered and composited video sequences for customized environments for any genre of programming;

·       Expanded media publishing—providing the ability to instantly and simultaneously publish or stream content to multiple destinations, including YouTube and other Websites, dedicated FTP servers, second and third screen platforms, and popular social media sites like Facebook and Twitter for greater visibility and increased monetization opportunities;

·       Animation, title and still image buffers—delivering a bank of up to 15 additional media sources that act as virtual DDRs, including 4:4:4:4 motion interpolated video with automatic triggering for nearly limitless playback of animated motion graphics, titles and images (animation buffers not included in TriCaster 410);

·       Expanded outputs and monitoring—including secondary output selection sources that include M/Es, dual configurable multi-view, buffers, enhanced network outputs and more, providing new opportunities for simulcast programming and parallel content creation, and greater flexibility for repurposing existing content;

·       Robotic camera control—allowing users to add innovative and unique camera coverage with input and comprehensive multi-angle preview control of pan-tilt-zoom cameras—from the most-affordable off-the-shelf security cams all the way to professional models, without requiring a dedicated camera operator for the specific angle; and,

·       Extensive control and automation functions—helping operators to minimize on-air mistakes by customizing memory presets for recalling only desired program configurations; automating show commands with single keystrokes; defining custom control surface keys or MIDI control with external devices used in lighting and audio installations; and using Hot Spots to trigger automated sequences with on-camera talent gestures.

Pricing and Availability

Starting prices for the next-generation TriCaster family are TriCaster 410 for $9,995 USMRP; TriCaster 460 for $14,995 USMSRP; and TriCaster 860 for $24,995 USMSRP, with optional control surfaces for these systems sold separately. Pricing for TriCaster 8000 with the included control surface is $39,995 USMSRP. Customers who own TriCaster systems and are interested in upgrading can choose from a range of upgrade options. Specific pricing for countries outside the US and for multi-standard units will vary. All of the new TriCaster systems will begin shipping on September 12, 2013. For full details on all next generation of professional TriCaster systems, please visit www.newtek.com.