Review: NewTek TriCaster Mini--Small Package, Big Potential

Ethernet and IP Connectivity

I mentioned earlier that we were only going to focus on inputs and outputs, avoiding the connectors on the opposite side of the TriCaster Mini. That’s mostly true, but we need to mention the Ethernet connector, which doubles as both the network connection--for streaming, pulling down updates, and so on--as well as the input for up to two IP-based network video devices. These could be IP cameras, in which case the TriCaster Mini’s integrated pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) control comes into play, or it could be from another NewTek device, such as a 3Play instant replay system or another TriCaster. NewTek outputs MPEG-2 Transport Streams (M2TS) at a rather high bitrate from 3Play and TriCaster systems alike, as a way to allow the output from these to be integrated into any device or player capable of receiving the transport stream. And the TriCaster Mini is no exception.

Ethernet on the TriCaster Mini presents one of two primary workflow shortcomings in our assessment. While the form factor is small, there’s plenty of space for a second Ethernet connector, which would provide two primary features: redundancy in case of failure of one Ethernet port as well as the ability to segment off streaming outputs from IP video cameras and NewTek’s own network video feeds. There are even a few audio input ports covered up on the TriCaster Mini’s motherboard, and logic boards in the mini ITX form factor used by the TriCaster Mini are readily available with dual Ethernet ports.

The second quibble--and this will vary based on your workflow--is the lack of an available bundled solution for a portable external monitor. After the demonstration Philip Nelson provided, I asked whether the external USB-based monitor he was using was sold as an optional accessory. Nelson said it was not, but I think NewTek should consider selling a bundle with this bus-powered external monitor for those who use the device primarily for very portable workflows.

This would include streaming workflows, as a number of our use cases for the TriCaster Mini wouldn’t make use of the HDMI video outputs.

Streaming

Speaking of streaming, the TriCaster Mini holds its own against more expensive TriCasters, offering a variety of pre-set 720p output formats via the single Gigabit Ethernet port.

Like most TriCasters, the TriCaster Mini supports streaming formats, including RTMP streaming and older Microsoft Media profiles. RTMP is still widely used for streaming, even when it comes to pushing the content directly to an in-house or hosted media server solution. In addition, the TriCaster Mini offers Lifestream and Ustream integrated support, plus the ability to access a profile manager via an integrated web browser.

Recording

The HD-4 unit that we tested is actually the lower-end HDMI-equipped version, and one area that it lags behind the more robust HD-4i version is the in the area of recording. While the HD-4i has dual 750GB internal drives, and supports standalone recording of up to 4 IsoCorder channels simultaneously, the TriCaster Mini HD-4 has a single 750GB internal drive.

It’s possible, however, to attach an external USB 3.0 drive, using one of the four USB 3.0 / SuperSpeed connectors on the HD-4, yielding up to four channels of recording, two on the internal drive and two on the external drive. We didn’t test this option, though, because we were focused on very small form factor workflows, and an external drive can add both external power requirements and bulk to a setup.

Integrated Screen and On-screen Use

As mentioned above, we like the idea of the integrated screen, but it’s really too small for practical use. We’ve seen other integrated streaming devices that have a smaller form factor but a wider, brighter, tiltable touch screen.

Granted, these other devices didn’t have quite the software and user-interface functionality behind them, but the fact that one shouldn’t have to choose between bring the integrated monitor to eye-level or suffer from leaning over to peer into the small monitor if the TriCaster Mini is positioned closer to one of the HMDI-based cameras. We hope NewTek will come up with as elegant an integrated monitor concept—or a clever ultraportable external monitor option—by the time the next TriCaster Mini model rolls out.

Screen size aside, though, one thing you will need to do to get started is plug in an external screen. When we tried booting our TriCaster Mini without a second screen attached, the unit just paused at a pleasant but repetitive NewTek logo animation (Figure 7, below). [Editor's note: Newtek says the internal monitor defaults to the logo, without an external monitor plugged in, by design.]

Figure 7. Sans second screen, the HD4 defaulted to a NewTek logo animation.

Once an external computer is plugged in, you can run the entire TriCaster interface on the very small integrated screen. We did this for testing purposes and found that, while it might require a younger set of eyes than ours, we were familiar enough with the layout to do basic productions (Figure 8, below).

Figure 8. The TriCaster interface crammed into the Mini’s compact screen.

For anything more, with complex graphics and IP camera inputs, for instance, you’d be in a location where you could use the larger monitor to do production work. So it’s a catch-22 for those who want to be portable; again, something we hope NewTek will fix. All in all, though, what you see with the TriCaster Mini in production mode is what you’d expect to see with numerous TriCaster models: lots of options. That’s impressive, given the small size of the TriCaster Mini, as well as the lower price point, and that brings us to our final thoughts.

Conclusion

As mentioned at the outset, the TriCaster Mini is a return to the roots for NewTek. The company had been criticized in recent years for going towards the high-end, or at least away from the event videographers and smaller houses of worship that made up a sizeable subset of NewTek’s early converts. I was one of the them, and had expressed that concern to the company over the past two years.

Yet I’m happy to say that the TriCaster Mini goes a long way towards bringing the company back around to being a nimble, innovative, and engineering-driven marvel, just like it was 25 years ago when the Video Toaster first launched. TriCaster Mini is one of those products that makes you say “what if?” in a way that few products do, and we look forward to seeing what the company will generate when it comes to future versions of these ultra-portable, streaming-capable, video mixing devices.

TriCaster Mini, including the optional integrated display screen and system storage capable of recording approximately 45 hours of footage, lists at $7,995 USMSRP. TriCaster Mini is also available without the integrated display screen and system storage capable of recording approximately 15 hours of footage for $5,995. An optional control surface is available for $2,495, and an optional TriCaster Mini cable-kit with four 100-foot HDMI cables is also available for $495.