NewTek TriCaster 450/TriCaster 450 EXTREME overview

Within a year's time, NewTek has released four new hi-definition TriCasters, the TriCaster 850 and TriCaster 850 EXTREME plus the brand-new TriCaster 450 and TriCaster 450 EXTREME.

While the TriCaster 850 and 850 EXTREME are extremely powerful systems that offer an incredible amount of capability in one box, the respective cost of $25K and $35K put those models into a new price range never been seen before by a NewTek product. Many of NewTek's traditional customers felt that the company had left them behind as the company went up-market with its new line of video switchers.

The TriCaster 450 and TriCaster 450 EXTREME should go a long way towards changing that impression. At only $15K and $20K respectively, owning a four-input, hi-definition switcher with titling, video clip playback, virtual sets, hard-drive recording and live streaming has become more affordable, especially if you have an older TriCaster that you can trade-in towards a new 450 model and lower the price some more.

Previously, if you couldn't afford the TriCaster 850, much less the TriCaster 850 EXTREME, to do live-switching with hi-definition video sources, your only other option from NewTek was the $12K TriCaster 300. The TriCaster 300 is limited to working with only three live video sources at a time, one DDR for video clip playback and only works with one networked computer feed at a time. For many customers, working with three video cameas and only one DDR was a serious limitation. Finally, the TriCaster 450 series comes in a 2 RU rackmount chassis, ideal for mounting in an equipment rack or portable road case. The TriCaster 300 is designed with a desktop configuration. 

The TriCaster 450 series changes all of that. Just like previous hi-def TriCasters, you can mix and match your video inputs including standard-def composite, Y/C, component and SDI video plus hi-def component and SDI video inputs. Unlike other switchers, all of your live video sources don't have to be at the same video resolution and frame rates going into the TriCaster 450. You can input a pair of 1080i cameras plus a single 720P and a single 480i video camera and the TriCaster 450 will seamlessly mix all of the different video sources together at the resolution that the TriCaster 450 is running at, which can be any of the following: 1080/30p, 1080/24p, 1080/60i, 720/60p, 720/30p, 720/24p and 480/60i with 16:9 by 4:3 aspect ratios.

Another strength is the two independent DSKs plus the virtual inputs. Each DSK can be independently scaled, rotated and positioned on the screen plus various wipes and other transitions used to bring the DSK on and off the screen. While the DSKs or overlays channels are generally used to overlay titles and other graphics over live video, any of the video inputs can be used with the DSKs. For example, during a basketball games three video cameras can be used to switch the game while the fourth camera is locked onto the game clock. By shrinking (scaling) the game clock down to a smaller size and positioning in into the bottom right corner of the screen, you have the time remaining in the game always being displayed. When you need to drop the game clock to show the game full screen . . . you can.

Anything can be a DSK source including all four video cameras, the pair of DDRs (video clip including animated titles with alpha channel, still stores and other graphics), two networked computer feeds including Apple AirPlay devices, plus titles and graphics.

NewTek's virtual inputs can be used for chroma-keying, box effects and virtual sets. NewTek's chroma-keyers are incredibly easy to use yet produce an extremely smooth and professional-looking key. Taking the process a step further, chroma-keyed talent can be inserted into a virtual set, making it look like your talent is sittting inside a network studio giving the latest news when they are actually sitting on a stool in front of 5 by 7 green screen in your home office. 20 virtual sets are included with the TriCaster 450 and 450 EXTREME. And you can create your own custom virtual sets using NewTek's Virtual Sets Editor or VSE software.

NewTek includes four IsoRecorder channels with the TriCaster 450 EXTREME. While the TriCaster 450 can record its live switch to hard drive including the full program or just a clean feed, the TriCaster 450 EXTREME allows you to record up to four separate recordings to the internal hard drives including the full program or clean feed or any of the four video cameras. Once captured, those files can be further editing using the TriCaster's own editing software (SpeedEDIT) or exported to another editing system including Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Avid MediaComposer or Sony Vegas.

Finally, the TriCaster 450 and 450 EXTREME lets you stream live to the internet while creating an archive file to hard drive. Output options include Adobe Flash plus Windows Media push or pull streaming. A relatively new feature for NewTek is its Streaming Profile Manager with integrated Web browser, which allows access to online CDN accounts to manage or view shows during a live stream.

Other important features found the TriCaster 450 and TriCaster 450 EXTREME include LTC or longitudinal time code support, waveform and vectorscope displays, tallly light support, etc. Click here for a detailed list of technical specs.

NewTek has announced a new control panel (the TriCaster 450 CS at $4,995.00) and and a new instant-replay controller (TW 850 at $2,495.00) for the TriCaster 450 and 450 EXTREME. The TW 850 also works with the TriCaster 850 and TriCaster 850 EXTREME. 

If you have any questions about the new TriCaster 450 or TriCaster 450 EXTREME feel free to contact Matt Drabick of DigiTek Systems at mdrabick@mindspring.com or calling 919-790-5488 or posting your questions at this website's forum.

As time permits, I will post more information about the new TriCaster 450 models and accessories plus post some images of the new units. For now, check out the larger rear-view image of the Tricaster 450/450 EXTREME at our "Switcher images" page.