Beyond TriCaster: Extending the Reach of Your Content

January 23, 2011 - Posted by csandy

It’s a wrap.  You’ve shot the best video of your life.  Thanks to your TriCaster or VT’s ability to help you produce a network quality show all in one box, you have a top-notch production with mixed audio, moving overlays and glossy titles.  There’s only one problem – getting your content to an actual audience.

There are 3 key components in the video streamer’s workflow: production, transmission, and distribution.  While the TriCaster or VT [5] product will sail you past the production stage, it will play a limited role in the transmission and distribution stages – especially when you grow past a handful of users.

While you can have viewers connect directly to your TriCaster and pull content, doing so really limits your audience.  You did all that work and put together a stellar production so as many people as possible can see it, right?  Well then we have to talk about distribution, but before we get there, we have to figure out how to get our video to our distributor.  Here’s where the second part of our work flow, transmission, comes into play.

The easiest way to get live or pre-recorded content out of your TriCaster is as simple as plugging it into the Internet on your network or as complex as setting up a satellite transmission.  The beauty of the TriCaster is that you can transmit your program from anywhere to anywhere using the Internet at little cost. If you are in a location where you already have Internet service – like your studio or a client’s corporate premises – finding a connection to the Internet is very simple.  If you find yourself in unfamiliar or remote territory, however, getting out to the Internet can be a little trickier.

While on the road you will likely have to rely on the Internet connection of a hotel or Conference Services at some point.  If your production requires the bandwidth and reliability of a wired connection, there is little you can do but accept the rates your venue offers.  If you opt to go wireless however, you will have some options.

You may opt for either fixed wireless or a mobile wireless solution.  One example of a fixed wireless solution includes point-to-point microwave, where you would set up antennas pointed toward each other to create a wireless link (this could be two sites on the ground – terrestrial, or a site on the ground and one in space – satellite).  But there are some decent options, especially if you consistently need to stream from remote locations.  TodoCast provides a satellite kit and has a program that matches users of their portable satellite platform to TriCaster users – they are familiar with NewTek products and are worth a look.  Satellite can be the most expensive option though because it requires sophisticated equipment that usually operates in licensed spectrum.  If using terrestrial microwave, you will likely require a license to operate your equipment as well.

The alternative is to use unlicensed spectrum like WiFi or WiMax.  You can get phenomenal range using specialized but inexpensive antennas and you don’t have to worry about special licensing.  The equipment for unlicensed use is also generally easier to set up and operate.  If you want to leave it up to the experts, you also have the option of using a Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) such as ClearWire or Verizon’s LTE.

Once you have figured out how to get your content from your TriCaster or VT to your distribution point you can then explore your distribution options.  I recently spoke to church Elder from Huntsville, Alabama.  For several years now, his A/V team has used a NewTek VT[5] to switch their weekly worship services and provide titling and image magnification.  Oddly enough, they have never gone beyond simply archiving their worship service to some form of wider distribution.    Not employing the VT’s streaming capability left a lot of power unused.  I suggested they at least start off small and use a free streaming service to put themselves online.  Strangely enough, this particular church already had a high-speed Internet connection and no restrictions on making their worship service public.  Ironically, quite the opposite was true – this church had a mandate to spread their ministry to as wide an audience as possible.

The distribution problem faced by this little church in Alabama is not unique.  Other houses of worship and corporations have struggled with the same problem.  “How do I get my content out there.”  Today, with inexpensive high-speed Internet, inexpensive digital tape formats like DV and DVD in standard definition, and HDV and Blu-Ray in high-definition, the barriers to video content distribution have never been lower.  What many entities lack are not resources, but knowledge.

So here’s an outline of what you need to think about in order to effectively distribute your content.  First, how many people do you need to reach (or would like to reach?)  Second, what quality of stream is your audience likely to enjoy?  Third, do you want the program to only been seen live?  Or do you want it to be available on demand later?  Fourth, is there a preferred technology you want to use? Finally, what type of revenue model will you follow, if any at all?  And what level of security or encryption do you require for your product?  Answering all of these questions will help you determine which service you should use.  For example, many producers wish to stream in Adobe Flash format because of the wide installation base on a variety of web browsers – so you would want to make sure that your streaming video provider provides flash format.   You may also want to stream in multiple format or even multiple screen resolutions.

Your quality requirements may vary from job-to-job as well.  Some clients may require uninterrupted video to a variety of global locations.  In this instance, you would be wise to use a content delivery network (CDN) such as Akamai or Limelight.  If “best efforts” delivery will do – a less expensive provider like AudioVideoWeb or Watershed may provide the price-to-quality ratio you need.  And let’s not rule out free.  No-cost services like YouTube, Google Video, U-stream and similar companies can get deliver your content to a wide audience at no cost.

If you’re interested in setting up a pay-per-view system for your content, consider how easily the streaming video provider can integrate into your existing e-commerce system.  Or if you don’t have a current e-commerce system, evaluate which providers can help you get your pay-per-view system up and running with the least amount of hassle.  There are many players in the video content delivery marketplace – and even more joining the fray like Internet giant Amazon.com through its cloud computing services.  Whichever route you take to get your work out to more people, good luck and keep streaming!

Sidebar 1

Don’t forget traditional distribution methods.  Broadcast and cable television are still mainstays in video distribution.  While time on network television can be very expensive, local affiliates usually have lower advertising and programming rates.  Also, your programming may easily qualify to be cablecast over your local Public Educational and Government (PEG), or public access station.

Many years ago, municipalities struck a deal with cable companies.  In exchange for giving cable providers rights of way to bring cable lines through your town and up to your house, cable providers had to pay a franchise fee, which in turn funds at least one channel on their network for the use of the public.  That’s you.

While facilities are usually provided by your county, you have leg up by owning your own production facility in a box (even though some public stations use NewTek equipment as well – you’d likely have to share this equipment with your neighbors).  Check the web sites of your local public access station to determine what their programming rules and opportunities are.  More often than not, you will simply have to fill out a form and provide your content in the preferred format.  You may also be able to send your content to neighboring counties – or counties on the other side of the country. Don’t rule out this option in your distribution strategy.  A little time, a few tapes, and a handful of stamps can go a long way in distributing your content to a wider audience.

Sidebar 2

“The TriCaster has been a great solution for combining live camera work and a character generation all in one small self contained unit.  Our control room is small so size can be a real issue, so combining multiple solutions in one small box is the silver bullet for us.   Also having the ability to offer clients web streaming of their events gives them on more reason to hire us.”  – Dave Baum, Fire Up Video

A version of this story appeared in two editions of NewTek Magazine.  NewTek manufactures the TriCaster TCXD850 high definition web streaming and switching appliance and the standard definition line of TriCasters.

Tags: Education.