[ANNOUNCE] NewTek NAB 2005 Press Releases - Video Group

Chuck

Chuck

NewTek Social Media
NewTek Ships TriCaster Portable Live Production Suite
TriCaster is the first affordable product to allow mixing of graphics, live video, recorded video and computer sources

NewTek is pleased to announce the release of TriCaster™, a portable LIVE production suite which provides a comprehensive toolset designed to appeal to corporate presenters, educators and media ministry users. The easy-to-use interface of TriCaster™ is designed without using video jargon, allowing users who aren’t video full-time video professionals to produce quality live presentations, web casts and video. With over 200 transition effects, PowerPoint support, template driven titles, real-time switching, and editing, TriCaster allows the user to bring dynamic live elements to their presentations within minutes of opening the box. In addition to allowing users to produce presentations that have the impact of live television, TriCaster allows simultaneous distribution to Video, Internet and Projectors.

For the complete text of the press release link to:
http://www.newtek.com/news/releases/04-18-05a.html


VT[4] Live™ wins Media & Methods Portfolio Award
NewTek’s Affordable Tools Help Schools offer Mass Communications and Television Production Programs

NewTek is pleased to announce that VT[4]™, an integrated production suite for live and post production, earned a "Media & Methods" Portfolio Award. This year’s results represent recently released cream-of-the-crop educational resource materials for K-12 schools. Selection was based on VT[4]’s comprehensiveness, versatility for different learning abilities, ease of use and innovation.

For the complete text of the press release link to:
http://www.newtek.com/news/releases/04-18-05b.html


NewTek Launches Online Streaming Television Channel NewTekTV.com
Technology demonstration turns into powerful marketing tool.

NewTek is pleased to announce the launch of an online streaming channel, NewTekTV.com. The 24/7 streaming television network offers live and pre-produced programming, featuring interviews from the NAB show floor, cutting edge computer animation, tutorials and more. Not only is NewTekTV.com a great resource for LightWave 3D®, VT[4]™ and TriCaster™ customers to learn the latest tips and tricks, but it is also a practical demonstration of how easy it can be to start your own Internet Television Network.

For the complete text of the press release link to:
NewTekTV.com: http://www.newtek.com/news/releases/04-18-05c.html


For more information about TriCaster or VT[4], link to:
http://www.newtek.com
 
Chuck,

The TriCaster is a really awesome product, and I think it was a brilliant move on your part. It was probably the ideal way of having a "lower end" product without carving the VT[4] into multiple layers of hobbledness. I was concerned about what direction this would take. But, I congratulate you on this. It is brilliant and I hope it goes like wildfire. I'm sure it will!

But, it is not really what I can use, at the moment. I am really disappointed that you didn't announce HDV for the VT[4]. Actually all you would need to do is make a driver for the DecLink cards and we could have reasonably price HD-SDI.

I am sure you will do this eventually, but I sure was hoping you would surprise us all at NAB this year!
 
Gentlemen:

First, there may be some additional announcements. Some things are still in progress that we may be able to announce during the term of the show. If not, then we'll certainly make appropriate announcements at the appropriate time.

Secondly, we've stated for a long time that we'll be developing an HD product; apologies that we didn't have more news about that at this time, but when the time is right we'll talk about it. Our Standard Definition products are exactly that - SD products. I wouldn't expect the hardware to be able to be adaptable to any form of HD output.

The news reports are posted as a courtesy. It would be nice if they were received in that spirit, even when the information they have is of direct importance to other customers rather than to you in particular. That the VT[4] receiving an award should be greeted with disappointment by VT[4] users just astonishes me; and NewTekTV.com will in fact be a new and useful resource for VT[4] users; so, again, I find the reaction somewhat perplexing.

In any case, apologies that you find the news in these releases not to your interest, but do rest assured that we have plenty of things in progress that will be of interest for you when the proper time comes around to announce them.
 
Chuck said:
Secondly, we've stated for a long time that we'll be developing an HD product; apologies that we didn't have more news about that at this time, but when the time is right we'll talk about it. Our Standard Definition products are exactly that - SD products. I wouldn't expect the hardware to be able to be adaptable to any form of HD output.
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I believe that's the first time I've heard that, or any reference to a NewTek employee stating it. It's comforting to hear. I have no need for HD now, nor do I forsee a need even in the next couple of years. When I do have a need, that's when I'll start worrying about what is available. Knowing that NewTek is planning a solution is good.

Personally I much prefer this approach than the sales of smoke, mirrors and hype that is all too common with trade shows. I'm more comfortable doing business with an honest company. I remember all to well when another company with a "studio in a box" solution demoed amazing real time DVEs with reflections and everything at NAB, but someone got a look in the box, and saw that it was empty, just had some cables passing through to other machines and power for cute little LEDs. That got reported in newsgroups online. The product never did materialize doing all the things originally claimed. Lots of folks made purchase decisions based on what they saw at the show and got played.

In short it's nicer to hear "We're planning and working on something" than hear "Our new product has this feature and that feature, and this other feature, but we can't ship just yet."

That the VT[4] receiving an award should be greeted with disappointment by VT[4] users just astonishes me; and NewTekTV.com will in fact be a new and useful resource for VT[4] users; so, again, I find the reaction somewhat perplexing.
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Not so astonishing to me. Largely because I've come to realize that a certain percentage of people are whiners who enjoy hearing themselves whine, and being heard to whine. Myself, having worked in large audience web media for years, (OK, that's relative terms some see it large, some as small - about 1,000 folks a day watch my webcast show, and over 10K a day are on my information web site) I still have trouble sometimes not letting particularly acrid feedback get to me, but it's key to put it in perspective and realize that unfortunately, folks who have a medium to enthusiasticly positive response are far less likely to express it than those who are even mildly displeased.

In any case, apologies that you find the news in these releases not to your interest, but do rest assured that we have plenty of things in progress that will be of interest for you when the proper time comes around to announce them.
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Thanks for the releases, it's good to know what's going on, and the assurance that an HD solution is being planned is also great news, IMHO.
 
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One thing I would be interested in is some kind of advance mention about what if anything else the VT4 hardware is anticipated to do. Since it's been suggested that HD will not happen on even the VT4 hardware, I've been really curious if there's anything to that new VT4 card beyond the alpha/preview and 4 channel audio support. For me, it's perfectly fine if that's all there is to it, but not knowing really keeps me wondering as I'm planning my system expansions. I currently don't have any use for the extra hardware features, but I can't be sure if upgrading the software only on all my systems is a good idea or not, given I may or may not want to upgrade the card later as well. Even though I personally don't have need for HD right now, I'm still wondering what's going on with the new card I don't even own yet. If HD will require new hardware, should I assume there's nothing else significant coming for the VT4 given its, presumably short shelf life? If that's the case, I'll know I should upgrade my software without question. Any answer is fine with me. I know it's a delicate balancing act you guys are performing, but knowing nothing about plans is also a bit of a problem. Maybe you could post some kind of "future development" possibilities or something that included a disclaimer so people could not claim any promises were made. That might allow us to at least know what if anything Newtek is actually working on and what we can completely remove from the equation. I mean, sure it would be dumb for Newtek to say anywhere and in any form what they may be thinking about, but it could be very useful for users and potential customers to have an idea about what they are actually using resources to develop. Still I guess you're just setting some people up for dissappointment. I dunno, what was I typing?
 
Chuck said:
In any case, apologies that you find the news in these releases not to your interest, but do rest assured that we have plenty of things in progress that will be of interest for you when the proper time comes around to announce them.
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If I may, I just want to express my concern and what I believe (from other threads) is the concern of many VT users.

Us VT users have reaped the benefits of making a good decision in investing in Newtek's product offerings. It simply makes sense that we don't want to feel we might have to change to a different company's products and have a different set of rules or "pipeline" as I hear it called now, to learn. I, personally, don't need High-Def this year. I probably won't need it next year either. I think that is true for many of us.

What is dismaying to us is that NAB is such a huge showcase where basically, the whole broadcasting world focuses attention on what products they are going to be using in years to come. Apple, Adobe, Matrox, Pinnacle, Canopus, and Sony are flaunting there HD product offerings for this year and for the future. Meanwhile, Newtek, in showing their latest and greates SD product, almost ignoring the VT[4], and having no announcements about directions to high definition is giving off the perception that they aren't interested in future technologies. As untrue as that may be, it is the message that is being sent, I believe. I shudder at the thought of all the folks passing by the Newtek booth this year and seeing the Tricaster, a pro-sumer product at best (though a good one), and just dismissing any consideration of a VT system since there is no roadmap to high definition. Instead they are going to consider the offerings by someone else, probably the aforementioned companies. This isn't good for Newtek and it isn't good for us VT users. A few prominent members of this forum have mentioned jumping ship if there was no announcement made. It may be empty threats but, then again, it may not.

I know this discussion should probably take place in another thread so let me just say that I am addressing what I feel is going to be a lukewarm reception to Newtek's NAB announcements.
 
Boy he puts it really well and better than I could. I too am shuddering to think what's going through the mind of the very people I have been desparately hoping would recognize the VT3/4s power and adopt it in professional production applications. That's the best thing that can happen for Newtek and especially those of us who have adopted the system already. Instead, existing users in professional applications are having to sit on integration problems like component video noise issues and a few others with no resolution even hinted at so far while you guys are using the single largest and most important venue for broadcast and professional television equipment exhibition to focus on something for business presentations. I'm sure this would be well placed at Infocomm later this year, but you can imagine us old timers who have been regular attendees to NAB are rather dismayed at the focus of the company right now. I'm not trying to bust anybody's chops and I really appreciate the info that's been provided and the good stuff you guys have done to date. It's just disturbing nonetheless because NAB really establishes a manufacturer in the minds of the marketplace by demonstrating how well they are addressing the needs of that market. Whether my personal perception of Newteks's present focus is true or untrue, I think any larger acceptance of the VT in the broadcast & professional video market will be that much harder to establish as a result or recent trends.
 
Chuck,
I do hope that you understand that my post was not meant in any way to be mean spirited. I along with many other users had so hoped that there would be an HD announcement at this NAB.
Since I am a long time user(can you say 80's?) I am used to NewTek being at the forefront of creating great tools for video content creation and have touted the company over the years for the innovative toolset that you market. However, in recent years it seems that NewTek has lost a little steam and is lagging behind the development curve of it's competitors.
I will always have a soft spot for NewTek and it's products due to the early days and will happy to take a look at the new system when it becomes available. I will continue to use (and make money with) my VT system and Lightwave until I decide on my next NLE.
Best of luck,
Curtis
 
Chuck,

I did not mean for my comments to be discouraging. Perhaps you were refering more to Curtis's comment, but I was not saying that your announcements were disappointing (I said how brilliant I thought Tricaster was - I was not being sarcastic) I was just saying the the absence of an HD/HDV announcement was disappointing.

I am glad to hear that you could surprise us yet with some announcement! :)
Maybe I jumped the gun with my post....

I is also good to hear that you are working on something HD related. Of course, I never doubted that! I have never thought, like some, that just because you haven't announced it, that you would never do it!

It is also a little disappointing to hear you say that the current hardware could never support any form of HD, including HDV (I am assuming that is what you imply when you say "any form of HD output"). I guess I would have expected uncompressed HD to require new hardware, but not HDV. But, then again I guess HDV usually uses firewire, so wouldn't use the current hardware anyway. So, maybe I am assuming too much from what you said. I am just thinking aloud here.

I guess what I am saying is that, even though I figured you would probably come out with a separate product (from VT) to do uncompressed HD, I was hoping I could ease into it with HDV on the VT rather than having another large capital investment to do any form of HDV.

But, once again, I am making assumptions. So, I will eagerly anticipate your additional announcements. We will probably all get exactly what we want! :)

And, once again, I am not disappointment with your announcments, just anticipating the one I was hoping for. :D
 
Actually, I don't think any of us have to worry about Newtek's broad acceptance in the marketplace. They lead the revolution, but they ended up not being the ones with millions of extra cash to spend like Avid (for which we can be thankful!). So, Newtek will probably never be the company announcing HD support, or whatever other new fangled innovation first! I understand that.
Newtek will never be in Avid's place (I hope) where the VT is the "industry standard" editing system. But, Newtek always comes out with innovative products at innovative prices that actually do compete with the "high end" (meaning high priced) systems!
One reason that Newtek will never be in that position is that most non-innovative buyers will never believe that something of that price could possibly be competing in many areas with something that costs 10-20 times more!
For this we can all be thankful! It means that many of us as individuals in home studios with $20K can "compete" with multi-million dollar studios.
Newtek's real revolution wasn't starting desktop video, it was bringing video editing to the "masses." And, in that sense they are still clearly leading a revolution (even if they aren't the first to announce each individual feature)!
I am sure there HD product will be "revolutionary" too!
I am just really anxious to hear about it!
 
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Hi all,

Chuck, I'm sorry that many of us here in the user base are less than thrilled.

I guess it is just that the hype and expectations of this time of the year and the dog and pony show at NAB...gets us all crazy ;).

The information of what LW, Tricaster, and all is good news and I celebrate that is happening and you at NT are trying to make things move.

Your comments about HD etc...are the first too that I've heard or read publicly where NT is heading...it is an image and message issue I think that are confusing and conerning many out here.

I do want to point out again to all those who discount the tricaster...

Check something under the hood in this puppy.

Network IN and VGA output...

What does that mean...streams from ANY computer source as a source...and that the software core is NOT rez or frame rate dependent!!
FYI; even the new Final Cut Studio has to up or down rez to conform their timeline. Tricaster doesn't and neither does VT from Pal of NTSC...so would expect that the newer products will also do this in realtime.

Now this for the first time makes the idea of production over IP a reality...not just HD workflows...but ANY rez and frame rate workflow via a date centric workflow.

That if fully developed will make another revolution.

Cheers,
 
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Chuck,

I think the Newtek TV is a great idea...and one that I see lots of potential with.

I would just like to see not one channel (one stream)...but allow the user to have a choice in their programming...(of course with some info and commercial breaks ;)

But to have commercial reels....to have demos....special programs...etc...as seperate selectable channels...

And you have to admit showing the 98 wavy awards is a little old ;)

But lets have some fun..and I look forward to seeing materials shot from NAB.

It would also be very nice to see if post houses and production companies would allow trailers and behind the scenes to be shown here as well ;)

Hint...hint

Cheers,
 
radams said:
Your comments about HD etc...are the first too that I've heard or read publicly where NT is heading..
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Hi, Ray!

Actually, at the very first show that we demo'd the VT on Windows, we mentioned that while it was not directed to HD that at some point in the future we would have such a product. Again, we don't work at making marketing hay out of it, as we haven't felt it was appropriate to say any more than that it is in the cards for the future. I've posted on this myself quite a few times over the years, and I'm sure Paul has as well.
 
Chuck can you clarify the hd situation now that it is brought up.

I dont see why people want to use hdv when it seems real hd is better.

Is uncompressed hd going to be a reality for vt5?

any idea when vt 5 is coming out?


any further clarification on true hd support?
 
The video product group does not have additional comment or announcements that it wishes to make regarding HD at this time, as I mentioned in my preceding post. They also have nothing more that they wish to announce yet regarding VT[4] - other than that you can rest assured they are working on advancements for VT[4] and will announce those at the appropriate time.
 
Seti,

HDV is real HD, it is just not uncompressed HD. Just like DV is real SD (just not uncompressed SD).

And, in for most things, most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between DV and uncompressed SD. By the same token, for most things, most people won't be able to tell the difference between HDV and uncompressed HD.

BTW, for all practical purpuses, there is no such thing as fully uncompressed HD or SD workflow, because there are no aquisition devices (cameras) that record uncompressed. They all compress the video to record it. So, at best you might edit an uncompressed capture of a compressed picture (which does have some benefits).

So, if your definition of real HD is uncompressed HD, then no one even starts with a real HD signal.
 
kleima said:
So, if your definition of real HD is uncompressed HD, then no one even starts with a real HD signal.
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Well you are mostly correct that it isn't a true uncompressed vs compressed world anymore...there is normally a mixture of the two for workflows and distibution these days.

HDV is JUST a flavor of HD and digital video...And yes Even the sony SR which is 4:4:4 10 bit is compressed slightly. Thou there are newer technologies that are taking the native Cmos and CCD captures as purely a data Uncompressed stream... the Viper and Dalsa can do this now...and the dalsa can save this as a bayer format. Along with this you could use the direct output from some of the newer camera's into an extremely fast disk array and get uncompressed or record to static memory modules that then buffer the stream to the disk array.

So there are options to do acquisition uncompressed...it just isn't economical or the main stream at the moment...and as DV has taught us Compressed isn't nessesarily a bad word...but there are times when different compression or uncompressed is still desired to get a better result...just that it costs or takes more resources to get the results you want.

As for green screen or FX work...I would NOT use HDV at this time...especially recorded to tape and digitally transfered via firewire. Thou the new Sony camera's Component analog output is amazing...thou with less color space...

It will be interesting to see how the new JVC and Panasonic cameras look like directly out of the camera.

I think that the term Real HD vs HDV etc...are miss named or informed. There are over 18 flavors of HD as setup thru Smpte and others...the HDV format is derived from those but with an Mpeg2 long GOP transport stream...and for those who didn't know Mpeg2 transport stream are how most of you watching ANY tv and cable are seeing...since that is the format being used to send material for distribution by most networks and sat companies.

Thou there will be an advance profile Mpeg2 a 4:2:2 coming down the road instead of the now 4:2:0 version...

So its time to get informed of the different compressions and formats and how to go bewteen them and why.

Cheers
 
I know about all that, including the Dalsa and the Viper. That's why I said "for all practical purpuses, there is no such thing as fully uncompressed HD."
These are "experimental" products, and anyone who buys them are "experimental" users! They cannot record this uncompressed signal, they have to rely on, as you said, "extremely fast disk arrays" to record the signal.
The point of my post was this: are we to say that the Viper's uncompressed output recorded to extremely fast disk arrays is the only true HD?
Some of the cameras go well beyond the resolution currently defined as HD (2K & 4K+).
 
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