Detailed comparison of NewTek’s TriCaster and VT[4]

Detailed comparison of NewT= ek’s TriCaster and VT[4].= . . .

General diffe= rences:

The TriCaster is a factory= -built, self-contained appliance that is ready-to-use out of the box. The VT[4] is a hardware/software kit installed inside a PC= and built by a NewTek dealer or the end-user as a non-lin= ear editing or live video switching solution, animation and graphics workstatio= n, or even a simple video titler.

The TriCaster is a dedicat= ed presentation appliance with limited graphics creation and video editing capabilities. The VT[4] expands upon the TriCasterR= 17;s capabilities and offers advanced video editing and titling, 2D paint, anima= tion and compositing, DVD authoring plus 3D animation software with additional v= ideo inputs and outputs, advanced video monitoring tools, and more.

Weighing only 10 pounds, the TriC= aster is a truly portable solution, requiring only a mouse, keyboard and computer monitor. For live-video switching, the VT[4] is typically installed inside a PC weighing 60 or 70 pounds, uses one or two c= omputer monitors plus the SX-84 breakout box.

The TriCaster lacks a CD, = DVD or floppy drive but does include USB ports and a single FireWire connector plus network connector.

Video inputs:=

The TriCaster works with u= p to three live video sources (video cameras or camcorders, VCRs, DVD players, etc.), accepting either a composite or Y/C video feed for each input. A sin= gle FireWire connector allows video footage or data to be transferred to the TriCaster’s internal hard drive, but not as a l= ive video source.

The VT[4], combined with the SX-84 breakout box or BOB, allows up to 24 composite, 8 Y/C or 8 component analog video inputs to be connected. By adding FireWire cards to the host PC, the VT[4] works with multiple FireWire connectors for transferring video footage or l= ive video switching. The VT[4] also offers an option= al SDI card for D1 input and output.

Video outputs= :

The TriCaster offers a sin= gle composite or Y/C video output.

The VT[4] and SX-84 allows = four composite video outputs active at all times plus a choice of either four Y/= C or component analog video outputs plus either a preview or alpha channel outpu= t.

Audio inputs:=

The TriCaster offers a pai= r of microphone phone connectors plus a pair of unbalanced stereo RCA connectors= for live audio input. Audio files are imported via the FireWire connector, etc.=

The VT[4] with SX-84 offers= four XLR connectors selectable as microphone or line-level inputs plus six pairs= of unbalance stereo RCA connectors for live audio input. Audio files are impor= ted via the FireWire connector.

Audio output:=

The TriCaster offers a pai= r of unbalance stereo RCA connectors for live audio output plus audio associated with Internet streaming.

The VT[4] with SX-84 offers= four XLR connectors selectable as microphone or line-level outputs plus six pair= s of unbalance stereo RCA connectors for live audio output. Audio is also output= via the PC-host’s FireWire ports plus Internet streaming.

Time-base cor= rection and genlock:

The TriCaster provides int= ernal time-base correction and genlocking for working= with non-synchronous or “wild” video sources. Wh= atever the video source, when transitioning between video sources the switching is smooth and glitch free. The TriCaster doesn’t genlock to an external sync sourc= e for system timing and video delay purposes, or working upstream or downstream from oth= er video equipment.

The VT[4] with SX-84 provid= es internal time-base correction and genlocking for working with non-synchronous or “wild” video sources. Whatever the video source, when transitioning between video s= ources the switching is smooth and glitch free. The VT[4] does include a genlock connector for locking to an external sync sou= rce for system timing and video delay purposes, in time with other video sources including cameras or working upstream or downstream from other video equipm= ent such as a traditional video switcher. The VT[4] = also provides a dedicated video output connector for viewing its preview channel= or sending its alpha output channel to another video device.

Video storage= :

The TriCaster ships with an internal 150GB hard drive for capturing and playing back video, audio and graphics files.

Because a VT[4] system is custom-built by a dealer or end-user, NewTek recommends building a RAID-0 a= rray using four matched SCSI drives for capturing, editing and playing back mult= iple layers of video in real-time.

Non-linear ed= iting:

Both the TriCaster and VT[4] offer storyboard and timeline editing using a si= milar interface. The TriCaster’s non-linear edi= ting software is essentially a subset of the VT[4]= 217;s editing software. The TriCaster doesn’t i= nclude the VT[4]’s spline-based editing tools, b= ut does include the positioner and keyframer found with VT[4] for positioning video clips, titles and graphics over time. Both include the Tool Shed, CG Post video titler plus real-time video filters.

With either system you can adjust the size, position, = angle or rotation, transparency, add a colored border or cropping, make color adjustments plus perform luma and chroma keying of each video clip, graphic or title. While the = VT[4] offers a dual window display for trimming the in and out points of video points, you simply drag the end of each clip with the = TriCaster to mark in and out points.

The TriCaster offers basic= audio editing tools for setting levels but lacks the VT[4]’s audio filters. While the VT[4] captures and edits up to four independent channels of audio, the TriCaster on= ly works with two.

Depending on how the VT[4] system is configured (dual processor versus single, motherboard bus speed, SCSI 160 versus SCSI 320, S= CSI versus SATA, etc.) you can easily work with 6, 7 or even 8 layers of uncompressed video in real-time without rendering. With the TriCaster, you can work with multiple layers of compressed video, full-screen graphics= and titles but you’ll want to “prepare” (render) the project = out as a single file for playback purposes at the switcher.

DVD authoring= :

While the VT[4] includes a = copy of ULead’s DVD Workshop 2 for DVD authoring, the <= span class=3DSpellE>TriCaster lacks DVD authoring software or even a DVD burner. The TriCaster’s primary role is a= s a presentation device with limited graphics creation and video editing capabilities.

2D paint and = 3D animation software:

While the VT[4] includes a = copy of Aura for 2D paint, animation and compositing plus a copy of LightWave for creating 3D animations, the TriCaster doesn’t include such software.

Character gen= erator:

VT[4] ships with a standalo= ne character generator well-suited for creating video titles. A version of the same character generator called CG Post is also included with the VT[4]’s editing software. Both programs allow th= e user to create static and animated titles that can be saved in a variety of file formats.

A version of CG Post is found with the TriCaster’s editing software but only saves titles as DV clips.

TriCaster lacks the standa= lone character generator found with VT[4]. Instead, <= span class=3DSpellE>TriCaster offers a simple, template-drive character generator at the switcher. Simply load one of the many templates and substi= tute you own text while maintaining the graphical content (for example, a templa= te contains a very nice lower third gold text bar with white-lettered text that says “Eat at Joe’s Restaurant”. You can keep the gold text bar but substitute “Today’s Weather” with white lettering using the same font and font size. You can’t adjust any of the title’s attributes.

You can also import full-screen text pages, or just titles with no backgrounds (alpha channel), created with another program such as PhotoShop, and load them into the TriC= aster’s template-driven CG.

Proc amps and= scopes:

The TriCaster includes bas= ic proc amp tools (hue, saturation, brightness and contrast) for matching external video sources such as video cameras or VCRs. The VT[4] expands on those tools with advanced engineering level tools for correcting literally every value of a video signal. While the VT[<= /span>4] includes waveform and vectorscope displays for matching video sources using its proc amp controls, the TriCaster lacks both types of display.

VT Vision or on-screen video displays:

The VT[4] allows multiple V= T Vision modules for monitoring program, main, preview, DSK and Key channels. Such modules are adjustable in size and can be positioned anywhere on your compu= ter screen.

TriCaster uses a slightly different approach. Instead of modules that can selectively display what’s on the program or preview bus, each of Tr= iCaster’s eight switcher sources plus the overlay channel has its own small preview window plus a larger window for program output. You can constantly monitor what’s on each video source including the three external video source= s, something VT[4] can’t do. With TriCaster, you have a constant preview window for the= three external video sources, video black, color backg= round generator, network in, VCR plus full-screen pictures or images.

Real-time vid= eo transitions:

The VT[4] and TriCaster sh= are many of the same real-time transitions including a dissolve, many types of hard = and soft-edged wipes, blinds, mosaics, curls, picture-in-picture effects, plus effects with graphical elements. Transitions are professional looking, with smooth edges and of high-quality. The speed of each transition can be adjus= ted with both systems.

Switcher inte= rface:

While VT[4] allows the user= to open a few or all of the VT[4]’s tools and customize their workspace with multiple desktops, the TriCaster offers three f= ixed desktops without any real customization options. Having said that, the TriCaster offers a nicely-integrated switcher environ= ment with well-placed tools, preview windows for every video source plus a nicely-done audio control panel all displayed using only one computer monit= or. While both systems are excellent live video switchers, the TriCaster in general equals and in a few ways surpasses the VT[4] for performing live video switching in a few ways.

The TriCaster offers previ= ew windows, albeit small windows, for each video source. V= T[4] doesn’t do this.

VT[4] has a separate audio = module that requires a lot of desk space for effective use, essentially requiring = the need for two computer monitors with VT[4]. The TriCast= er only uses one monitor.

For quick title creation, TriCast= er’s template-driven CG can’t be beat.

Plus the TriCaster allows = an external computer or computer network to be used as a live video source for playing back PowerPoint, Excel, song lyrics and other presentations at the switcher. VT[4] doesn’t do this. VT[4] can playback PowerPoint and other presentations = using the VT[4]’s host PC for use at the switcher, but lacks the networking capabilities that TriCaster has.

DV support:

The VT[4] supports one or m= ultiple live FireWire sources at the switcher interface for video switching purpose= s. The TriCaster doesn’t.

The VT[4] captures/transfer= s DV files via a FireWire card or cards for transferring video footage with sound into the system’s video editing array. Once edited, those files can be played back as a DV stream in real-time with transitions, effects and titles for recording and archiving purposes. The TriCaster can capture/transfer DV files into its internal hard drive for editing purp= oses plus playback at the switcher but can’t export a DV stream for record= ing and archiving purposes.

Video capture= :

Both the TriCaster and VT[4] work with analog and DV video sources for captur= ing purposes. While VT[4] offers both FireWire (IEEE= -1394) and RS-422 machine control with batch capture support, TriCaster only has FireWire support without batch capture.

For more information about the Tr= iCaster and VT[4] contact Matt Drab= ick of DigiTek Systems at mdrabick@mindspring.com or 919-790-5488. DigiTek Systems is an authorized = NewTek dealer in Raleigh, NC that provides complete <= span class=3DSpellE>NewTek solutions including installation and training.=