NewTek at NAB 2009

[Paul Lara]

Wow.

There are a lot of surprises for me at NAB this year.
That attendance is down slightly from last year is not surprising - that's a trend that is already evident in every other 2009 trade show preceding this one. What does surprise me is the dramatically heightened interest in NewTek.

Now, I'm not new to these shows (this is my 9th year staffing the NewTek booth) but I am not accustomed to NewTek TriCaster being spoken about so widely all across the show floor.

NewTek has a TriCaster BROADCAST station in the Canon booth in Central hall, and the attention has been steady both days. A co-worker and I went to go eat lunch today and everyone at the table we sat with was peppering us about BROADCAST and XD300 questions.

The big hit of the demos is NewTek 3PLAY which is now shipping, and TriCaster XD300, which is being seen publicly for the first time.

Let me tell you, I have never been more proud of a product than I am of this newest TriCaster! Some of the key features include:
- HD/SD switching (you can mix SD and HD on input)
- Simultaneous HD/SD output
- 3 HD/SDI or Component HD inputs
- A re-engineered live workflow that makes access to titles, clips, proc-amps input settings and more always available without tabbing away from the live panel.
- Customized zooming and positioning of ANY input
- customized zooming and positioning of sources in the LiveSet monitors
- zooming the LiveSet itself (not as a camera zoom, but to tweak its position)
- zooming the talent in your live set post-key
- speaking of keying, a re-designed keyer that takes advantage of the exponential increase in data. Up to now, NewTek has based video production on 8-bit 4:2:2 component video. Not any more. TriCaster XD300 provides 32-bit 4:4:4 video. Whoa.
- virtual inputs. These babies ROCK. Imagine having multiple MixEffects that are locked as a preset so you can just do a program-row punch.
- Proc amp controls on ALL inputs (including DDR, Titles and iVGA)
- Proc amp control on Program Out as well.

People get excited about the new features, but they are completely unprepared for the NewTek Upgrade Guarantee (http://www.newtek.com/news/pressrelease.php?viewpr=104). In short, buy a TriCaster now, start producing and streaming and making money and building your clientele. When the XD 300 ships, you can trade up and receive full retail price as credit toward your new system.

So, it seems that there are fewer people on the show floor, but the ones that are here are serious buyers, and they are very happy with what NewTek has to offer for their tightened budgets.

Well, my lunch hour is about up, and I've got to go stun some more customers at the demo station. :D

All my best,

Paul(stream or die) Lara

[Quiet1onTheSet]

Wow.

There are a lot of surprises for me at NAB this year.

Well, my lunch hour is about up, and I've got to go stun some more customers at the demo station. :D

All my best,

Paul(stream or die) Lara

Hi Paul. Your entry here serves as a great follow-up to John Perkins' giving us a partial peek at what to expect with TriCaster XD300. Thanks a lot for chiming in here. We all appreciate it!

:tcicon:
:)

[SBowie]

Hey, another cool XD300 feature just occurred to me - freely switch between ISO monitors and larger FX/Preview monitors (switchable to WF/VS) by clicking a tab.

And presets (did anyone mention presets?) - in the DDR, Stills, Titles and Virtual Source tabs, create as many presets (playlists) as you like, swap 'em with a single click. Trust me, this is very slick.

[GaryG]

We are bouncing off the freeking walls over here.

We might be waiting for an XD 500 or 800 or whatever... or a VTHD. But man it's good to know Newtek has the HD hardware working.

[ted]

First off, Paul is so right. There is more buzzzz at NAB about NewTek then I've ever heard.

The upgrade guarantee is making it easier than ever for many companies and people to make the investment now. We are all worried about spending money on something that will be better later this year. NewTek just trumped the competition by taking better care of the customer base.
I told several people they should buy now, develop their market, make money and if they need the XD300 they will have had "FREE" use of the amazing TriCaster in the mean time. That's huge! :thumbsup:
It made a lot of people feel it was a no brainer.

Now poor Andrew and his team has to gitter done!

[radams]

Well Congrates Tim, Andrew, Paul, and the whole team for getting this new XD300 HD/SD Tricaster off the ground.

It sounds like you've put alot of thought and workflow improvements into it.

One thing for me thou...
It is only three camera's is that correct ?

I know that this will fit a significant market...but there are many of us out here who would be using 4-6 or more cameras...

Will that be a possibility down the line ?

Have a blast at NAB all :)

Cheers,

[SBowie]

I know that this will fit a significant market...but there are many of us out here who would be using 4-6 or more cameras...

Will that be a possibility down the line ?Fair question, and not one I can answer except to say, sure - you can absolutely do it: two XD300s in series gives you 5 cameras, and a whole lot more. ;)

[John Perkins]

I wouldn't focus too much on exact details right now beyond "What can the demo unit at NAB do today?"

The feature set isn't 100% nailed down yet, it's still pretty early. There are still features we couldn't enable yet, features we're still trying to get in and decisions that will be made after we actually get to use it in real productions.

You can theorize about workflow all day long, but I guarantee that some things will change the moment we get behind the wheel of a "complete" one.

That's one reason that I was hesitant to comment earlier.

Questions about interoperability with 3Play (a v1.0 with a v0.1 product) or about more inputs are a little premature just yet.

Needless to say, we didn't write ourselves into a corner, this is just the first look at a platform that should carry us on for quite a few years.

Think the original ToasterNT demos compared to TriCaster Broadcast, because that's where we're at. We've just learned a lot since then ;)

[D3Cast]

Understood. All exceedingly fair points. We're just excited, too!

-steve

[radams]

Thanks John & Steve,

Steve, how do you invision the units in series ?
are you thinking of one like a router...that just feeds one three camera set into another unit with two cameras ?

John, Yeah I understand that this is just the start...and nothing has been locked down as of yet.

Just wanted to bring up the question since it had to be on many people's minds.

I look forward to see where it goes....

Cheers,

[SBowie]

are you thinking of one like a router...that just feeds one three camera set into another unit with two cameras ?Yes - and I am only half kidding, Ray. :)

[Quiet1onTheSet]

Yes - and I am only half kidding, Ray. :)Come to think of it: for reasons expressed in another thread -- relating to use of an XD300 in tandem with 3Play, it seems reasonable that the XD300 ought to have 4 video input channels at the minimum.

'Makes for a more impressive duo, IMHO.

[harlan]

Great news Paul, the XD300 & 3Play look like awesome products. Glad to see you guys have finally made the jump to HD.

How the f### do we get one though, there's no product page for the XD300 and I don't see an order option for it anywhere on newtek.com

Grrrrrr!!

PS - Any SpeedEDIT or VT news? I'd love a SpeedEDIT update!!

[billmi]

How the f### do we get one though,

Wait until it is a shipping product (estimated 4th quarter 2009) then buy it from a NewTek dealer.

Detailed product info probably won't be available until after the product is defined - a technology demo is being done at NAB, not a finished product unveiling.

[Tarheel Cougar]

Very impressive to hear this! Looking forward to an update online... but is there a reason why the first news link on the home page points to an Indian drug store?

[SBowie]

Very impressive to hear this! Looking forward to an update online... but is there a reason why the first news link on the home page points to an Indian drug store?Nevermind, I found it - thanks! (EDIT - fixed. Hope it stays that way ... grrrrr)

[Paul Lara]

Glad to see you guys have finally made the jump to HD. How the f### do we get [an XD300] though, there's no product page for the XD300 and I don't see an order option for it anywhere on newtek.com

Grrrrrr!!

Well, Harlan, you can't have what's not done.
Do you want cake, or a nice cup of cake batter?
We like to limit web pages to products that are shipping, or about to ship. TriCaster XD300 is slated for a Q4 '09 release, so we have a few miles to go.

PS - Any SpeedEDIT or VT news? I'd love a SpeedEDIT update!!

Well, we have a new beta build we are showing of SpeedEDIT, which includes XDCAM support, SUBProjects as overlays, the ability to play a range within the project and ....more.

Paul

[billmi]

subprojects as overlays

sweet!

[radams]

Well, we have a new beta build we are showing of SpeedEDIT, which includes XDCAM support, SUBProjects as overlays, the ability to play a range within the project and ....more.

Paul

Nice to hear...finally subs that can be used as overlays...yeah!!!!

What about effects only single clips or effects in sub only effecting those clips in the sub?....then you could get around that limitation..since SE isn't tracked based.

Looking forward to seeing it in action.

Cheers,

[SBowie]

What about effects only single clips or effects in sub only effecting those clips in the sub?That's an interesting idea, Ray ...

[jedbarish]

Is there a upgrade for the Tricaster Broadcast to XD300 because I was told in the past that I wouldnt expect a HD version for couple years to come. Thats why I bought Broadcast 'til then... It wasn't very long ago that I bought it in late 2008 :( How's about HD version for VT5 instead?

[radams]

That's an interesting idea, Ray ...

Show off, Thanks :)

Cheers,

[harlan]

Well, Harlan, you can't have what's not done.
Do you want cake, or a nice cup of cake batter?
We like to limit web pages to products that are shipping, or about to ship. TriCaster XD300 is slated for a Q4 '09 release, so we have a few miles to go.

Ohhhhh, okay, I see. I wouldn't know this as there weren't any press releases posted here!! :thumbsup:

I'll take a cup of cake batter, you guys know how much I like playing with & banging on your gear in the early stages. :)


Well, we have a new beta build we are showing of SpeedEDIT, which includes XDCAM support, SUBProjects as overlays, the ability to play a range within the project and ....more.



Cool beans. Can't wait to check it out. Will this be a full release (hehehe) or a point release (ie: SE2 or SE 1.75)? :D


Ciao my friend, long time no talk. I've been in hiding I guess.

Thanks for the info, BTW

[xleggs]

XD300 is an exciting development. The paperwork has already started up the food chain for the upgrade in my shop, however it sounds like they just want us to buy another whole unit.

[Neex99]

what is a TriCaster XD300?

[SBowie]

what is a TriCaster XD300?See Paul's post which started this thread.

[ScorpioProd]

Harlan, we missed you at the show!

As for SE, be cautioned that there is no set date for a release of SE 2.0, and the features mentioned (again) are not necessarily working yet, and the actual feature set is no more locked down than the XD300 is. As in calling it "beta" is a bit optimistic. I say this after seeing it in person at the show. XD300 is much further along than SE 2.0 is, hence which one was demoed. And now I would expect engineering resources to be even more diverted to XD300 to finish it for Q4, with the great response the demo has received.

So, if your need is SE with more features, I'd hold off on partying yet.

How annoying, now I need to join a TriCaster forum to follow SE news...

That said, I do feel I should mention, I did find XD300 to be SWEET and my choice for the coolest new technology at the show! :)

[Ahmed]

Yeahhh SpeedEdit upgrade coming soon.. Still alive and clicking..

[ACross]

however it sounds like they just want us to buy another whole unit.

We have always treated our customers right ... and I do not expect that to change now.

[radams]

Andrew,

Thank you for your post....and please Jim, Tim and all.
I just want to say thanks for keeping all of us users in mind...and being so helpful with updates and the paid upgrades...for the entire product line.

NT has bent over backwards to give us all a hand...including maintaining free tech support!!!

I know that if you read some of these forums you may get the feeling that some of us here can be over the top negative.

Even the harshest critique should know that NT has helped to make transitions and change as easy as it possibly can....

That NT has at times taken a less profit stance...when it supported the user base and community that you & some of us helped to build.

Thank you !

Now I know there are some users out here who have some needs and issues....for those with the older VT's & Tricasters....they are old technology....the new HD version....comes from a new code base...and is new hardware...NT had alreadu stated some upgrade options...and knowing the people at NT...they will do what is possible to help the transition to this new platform...

Cheers,

[Ahmed]

I will chime in..

Some companies punish you by not allowing you to pay an upgrade price for your software if you skip one or two versions, Adobe is one of them. NewTek on the other hand welcomes you back whether you skip 1 version or 5, you pay the same upgrade price like every one else who upgraded from the previous version.

Will always be grateful.