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There will be two reactions to NewTek’s recent announcement. For those waiting to upgrade to high-definition, there will be rejoicing. For producers with large investment sunk into pricier TriCaster, there will be apprehension. But at the end of the day, those in the second camp should seize the opportunity for growth.
The TriCaster 40 has some impressive features. Built around the same FPGA (super-geek talk for a computer chip that can be reprogrammed after is has left the factory to give the device it’s in the ability to add cool new features in the future) as the original 3play product that kicked of the new HD TriCaster line, the ’40 boasts the same 32 bit 4:4:4:4 processing as its 800 and 8000 series siblings. Because it is based on the same architecture, the ’40 maintains the same stellar chroma keying and virtual set capability. For the road warriors out there, a fully configured TriCaster 40 is less than half the weight of an 800 series TriCaster.
So what’s this talk about growth and why should the $30,000/$40,000 TriCaster crowd not fear the sub-$5000 TriCaster crowd? Let’s face it, there have always been alternatives at the low-end of the spectrum, but until now, NewTek had left a void it essentially created by moving away from its ground breaking Toaster/VT and original TriCaster products geared to a lower end market than it found in the Pro, Semi-Pro, and Varsity sports markets eager to consume ever more powerful products. Some complained about the lack of affordable product, others sought used product from larger players upgrading their gear, some simply looked to other manufacturers like Blackmagic Design or Telestream.
TriCaster 40 is a great way for those live streaming producers to flesh out their gear and perhaps leave behind the TriCaster PROs and Studios they’ve been hoarding (you all know who you are 😉 as backups. With the ’40, you can have a backup device that more closely matches the capabilities of your high-end TriCaster. These devices can also be used for break-out rooms or to otherwise expand the reach and availability of your service offerings.
But what about the competition? To explore the possibility of low-cost TriCasters taking business away from high-end TriCaster, we need to explore major differences between the ’40 and the other new high-def machines. The first and most obvious limitation of the ’40 is a lack of SDI or HD-SDI inputs. This may discourage those potential buyers who already have SDI cameras, or wish to acquire low-cost SDI cameras. The second major physical limitation is RCA inputs for audio as opposed to the more professional XLR connectors. The overall resolution is also limited to 1080i as opposed to 1080p. Also, many of the high-end features like custom warp effects, built-in audio processing, custom transitions, 3D capability, multi-track recording, and the list goes on….
It will truly be exciting to see what new entrants to the streaming media space do with their new affordable TriCasters as well as some “old timers” with VT systems and older gear who now find a high-definition within their price point. For producers who have already made the jump to HD acquisition, switching, and streaming – what a great time to expand at a great price.
The best part of the story? They’re shipping today.
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