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Filed under: *VIDEO* •Audio •Cameras •compression •Distribution •Editing •Hardware •Post Production •Production •Software •Vendor Channels •

NewTek’s TriCaster TCXD300 ignites 3rd multicam revolution, now in HD

Any video professional with a couple of decades of experience under her/his belt will remember the original Video Toaster, which was a card that ran in a Commodore Amiga computer, and (among many others) included the infamous Kiki wipe. Despite very minor defects, the original Video Toaster —in its era— represented a revolution for multi-camera live (or live-on-tape) productions. Now NewTek has given birth to the HD-capable version of the 3rd-generation product. The TriCaster TCXD300 is an amazing standalone box that works in either SD or HD, and can record internally or externally, in addition to encoding live webcasts in HD. It has a high quality character generator and includes virtual sets. After attending an intense, multiple-hour demonstration in Miami, conducting a radio interview for both of TecnoTur’s audio channels (the current Castilian channel, and the upcoming English channel) with two TriCaster team members, and a followup e-mail interaction with NewTek’s executive VP of engineering, I now know that there is no exaggeration in stating that the TriCaster TCXD300 is indeed the 3rd multicam revolution for HD live-to-disk, HD live-to-air, or HD live-to-web production. Experience many of the details in this article.

Purpose of this article

The purpose of this article is not to regurgitate the specs from the NewTek website, but to give another perspective, and many details not currently revealed at NewTek.com or NewTek-Europe.com.

Basic functions & specs

This is a preview of main points.

• Luggable standalone box, under 9 kg / under 20 pounds
• 3 simultaneous external video inputs, which can be any combination of HD-SDI, SD-SDI, HD component analog, SD component analog, Y/C (via BNC) and composite. Capable of simulating 6 live camera sources from 3 actual sources.
• Proc-amp adjustments for each external video input, which can be saved to a project.
• Inboard DDR (Digital Disk Recorder) to play back pre-recorded clips.
• Unlimited iVGA video inputs (Ethernet networked sources, like web pages or Skype).
• Very high quality chroma key.
• Live virtual sets, with “network quality” and zoom capability (details ahead).
• Combined preview outputs via DVI (HDMI compatible) eliminate the need for individual monitors for each camera source.
• Virtual waveform monitor and vectorscope on preview output (with a minor correctable bug… details ahead).
• Inboard character generator, high-quality and fully compatible with both USA and Spanish ISO keyboard (details ahead).
• Balanced audio inputs (mic/line) with optional phantom power.
• Audio processing: 48 Khz/24 bit
• Video processing: “beyond 10-bit” internal processing (details ahead), 10-bit output via HD-SDI.
• Projects in “locked” USA model: NTSC SD, 720p59.94 or 1080i59.94
• Projects in “unlocked” multi-standard model: all of the above, plus PAL SD, 720p50 and 1080i50
• Automatically scales camera sources and file sources to match the spatial resolution of the project (when necessary). If upscaling SD to HD, the system currently assumes that the SD source is anamorphic.
• Tally connection.
• Onboard HD video recorder (720p or 1080i) (MPEG2, 8-bit i-frame 100 megabit/s recording, either 4:2:0 standard profile or 4:2:2 high profile) can record either on the inboard RAID0, or externally (details ahead).
• Add an AJA KiPro recorder if you need 10-bit 4:2:2 recording.
• Live web streaming, up to full-raster 720p HD.
• Inboard video editing.
• Optional hardware-based control panel with fader bar, buttons and potentiometers.

The front panel

The front panel…or is it the back panel?

Some screenshots of different modes

Production mode.

Live virtual sets with color scopes.

Live HD streaming.

Up to 4 channel audio per camera (if embedded via SD-SDI or HD-SDI).

Pricing

The TriCaster TCXD300 base “locked” USA model costs US$14,995. The “unlocked” multi-standard model costs US$17,995. (More about the differences ahead in this article.)



NewTek offers an optional hardware based control panel called LiveControl which costs US$1,995. It has a fader bar, buttons, and potentiometers. I consider this panel to be a must-have option. Otherwise, you can switch with a computer keyboard.

To make a complete studio system, just add…

For a complete studio HD system, add:

• Lights
• Talent
• 3 HD cameras [If conventional, add tripods, intercoms, camera operators, and (optionally) CCUs. If robotic, add the controller system, which can have a multicam CCU built inside.]
• Sync generator (if using genlockable cameras. See genlock section ahead.)
• Microphones (Optional: mixer, limiter/compressor/gate)
• 1 or 2 preview monitors (DVI or HDMI)
• 1 HD video program monitor with HD-SDI input, or some other HD monitor with an adaptor to allow for an HD-SDI source. If you choose the HP DreamColor monitor, then purchase either the AJA HDP2 or the Blackmagic HDLink Pro DisplayPort, since they are both capable of converting YUV to RGB (when necessary) and of converting interlaced video or PsF into true progressive (when necessary).
• Audio monitor (or at least headphones. Fortunately, the TriCaster TCXD300 does have a headphone output.)
• If 8-bit recording is okay, then you can record internally. If you must have a 10-bit recording, then purchase or rent an AJA KiPro.
• If webstreaming, adequate broadband service with a proper Ethernet connection, and an outside multicast service.

Ahead in this article

On page 2 you’ll find:

• Differences between “locked” USA version, versus unlocked multi-standard version
• About the TriCaster TCXD300’s webstreaming capability
• Internal video processing
• TriCaster TCXD300’s own audio/video recording
• Are genlockable cameras required? What difference does it make?
• Non-genlockable HD-SDI cameras for TriCaster TCXD300
• Genlockable HD-SDI cameras for TriCaster TCXD300

On page 3 you’ll find:

• Virtual sets and virtual live cameras
• Character generator keyboard compatibility
• All about black level, setup, and pedestal
• Waveform monitor panic, and response
• Wish list
• Conclusions

Click here for page 2.

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Thanks for this informative review! Just the kind of info I need.

I definitely see a solution to allow live webcasting in my future and have been researching the options.

Too bad we’d need a Aja Ki-Pro to record 10 bit though, since that’s a Mac thing. I’ve been sticking with Windows and Adobe for lot’s of reasons that work for me and which I’m sure many readers here understand even if they are devoted to FCP.

With Adobe’s forthcoming 64bit Mercury Engine and the ability to “multicam” even simultaneous 4K RED streams in realtime, the need for live switching will be utterly deprecated, for me. It’s the live webcasting that sparks my interest in this solution.

I wonder if “field upgradeable” for other CODECS means firmare/software update over internet and is free to users.

Thanks again!

Posted by wsmith  on  02/23  at  11:56 AM

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WSmith,

I am very glad you liked the article. Yes, TriCaster is best used for live-to-disk, live-to-air, or live-to-web production. The live-to-disk is especially important when little or no post-production can be done.

If you re-read my review on KiPro, you will see ways to make it work even for Windows, by adding MacDrive to your Windows machine, and downloading the ProRes422 códec for Windows (read-only) from Apple.

Allan Tépper

Posted by Allan Tépper  on  02/23  at  12:14 PM

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Thanks Allan,

How about that! I learn something new every day around here. I wasn’t aware that ProRes was available for Windows.

I’ve been a user and fan of Cineform so I really haven’t been paying much attention to ProRes.

Posted by wsmith  on  02/23  at  12:33 PM

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