Table of Contents
Advertisement
Quick Links
Advertisement
Table of Contents
Subscribe to Our Youtube Channel
Related Manuals for NewTek TriCaster Mini
Summary of Contents for NewTek TriCaster Mini
- Page 2 TCXD860, TCXD860, TriCaster 460, TriCaster TCXD460, TCXD460, TriCaster 410, TriCaster TCXD410, TCXD410, TriCaster Mini SDI, TriCaster Mini, TriCaster 40, TriCaster TCXD40, TCXD40, TriCaster 855, TriCaster TCXD855, TCXD855, TriCaster 455, TriCaster TCXD455, TCXD455, TriCaster EXTREME, TriCaster 850 EXTREME, TriCaster TCXD850 EXTREME, TCXD850...
-
Page 3: Table Of Contents
CONTENTS ABOUT THIS MANUAL ....................3 INTRODUCTION ......................5 2.1 M ......................5 ECTION EET THE AMILY 2.2 O ........................5 ECTION VERVIEW 2.3 S ......................6 ECTION TARTUP CREEN 2.4 L ......................... 7 ECTION ESKTOP 2.5 F ........................8 ECTION EATURES 2.5.1 Physical.......................... - Page 4 3.3.2 Registering by Telephone ....................24 3.4 R ..................25 ECTION OUNTING ASTER 3.5 I ..................... 26 ECTION NPUT ONNECTIONS 3.5.1 Connect A/V Sources ..................... 26 3.5.2 Connecting a Video Router .................. 29 3.6 G ....................30 ECTION ENLOCK ONNECTION 3.7 T ....................
- Page 5 4.7 L ......................65 ECTION WITCHING 4.7.1 Switcher Rows ....................... 65 4.7.2 Transitions ........................69 4.8 R ....................... 75 ECTION ECORD AND 4.8.1 Record ........................... 76 4.8.2 Grab..........................77 4.9 M ......................79 ECTION EDIA LAYERS 4.9.1 The DDRs ........................79 4.9.2 Graphics Players ......................
- Page 6 6.4.1 Rename Input ......................134 6.4.2 Workspaces and Min/Maximize .................. 134 THE DASHBOARD....................137 7.1 F ........................ 138 ECTION 7.2 O ......................138 ECTION PTIONS 7.3 H ......................... 140 ECTION 7.4 I ....................140 ECTION NFORMATION ANEL I/O CONFIGURATION .................... 143 8.1 O .....................
- Page 7 9.3.2 Main Controls ......................182 9.4 S ....................186 ECTION WITCHER SLOTS MONITORING YOUR VIDEO ................187 10.1 I ..................187 ECTION NTERFACE AND ULTIVIEW 10.1.1 Workspace Presets ....................188 10.1.2 Viewport Tools ......................190 10.2 P ....................191 ECTION ROGRAM ONITOR 10.3 L...
- Page 8 LIVEMATTE ......................225 13.1 C ......................226 ECTION HROMAKEYING 13.2 M ........................226 ECTION ATTE 13.2.1 Color .......................... 227 13.2.2 Tolerance ........................227 13.2.3 Smoothness ....................... 228 13.2.4 Luma Limit ......................... 228 13.3 S ....................229 ECTION PILL UPPRESSION 13.4 C ......................
- Page 9 15.6.3 Effects (Transitions) ....................257 15.7 A ..................258 ECTION DVANCED ONFIGURATION 15.7.1 Audio Delay ....................... 258 15.7.2 Follow ........................259 15.7.3 Pan ..........................259 15.7.4 Routing ........................260 15.7.5 Processing ......................... 264 15.8 O ................. 267 ECTION UTPUT AND RIMARY ONTROLS 15.8.1 Headroom Notes .......................
- Page 10 18.1.1 Compact View ......................301 18.2 W ......................301 ECTION ROWSER 18.3 C ....................301 ECTION ONNECTION PTIONS 18.3.1 RTMP ......................... 302 18.3.2 Windows Media Pull....................304 18.3.3 Windows Media Push ....................305 18.3.4 Browser Based ......................306 18.4 A ......................
- Page 11 21.1.1 Sessions, Projects and Display ................... 343 21.1.2 Files/Filebin ....................... 344 21.1.3 Naming Stand-in Images ................... 345 21.2 S EDIT ......................345 ECTION PEED 21.2.1 Sessions, Projects and Display ................... 346 21.2.2 IEEE1394 I/O Output ....................346 21.2.3 SpeedEDIT Desktop ....................346 CONTROL SURFACES ...................
- Page 12 22.5 T ™ 40 CS & T CS ..............387 ECTION ASTER ASTER 22.5.1 Delegates and Synchronization ................. 388 22.5.2 Switcher Delegates ....................388 22.5.3 SHIFT & ALT ....................... 389 22.5.4 Transitions ......................... 391 22.6 T ™ ......................393 ECTION IMEWARP 22.6.1 22.5.1 CONFIGURING TRICASTER ................
- Page 13 22.9 GPI CONTROLLERS ....................418 ECTION HOW DO I … (?) ......................421 ......................... 424 ONNECTIONS A.1.1 Connect cameras? ....................424 A.1.2 Connect fill + alpha sources? ................... 424 A.1.3 Configure alpha matte output?................425 A.1.4 Color correct mismatched cameras? ............... 425 A.1.5 Connect monitors? ....................
- Page 14 A.3.4 Record my Program? ....................443 A.3.5 Find my Recorded Program File?................443 A.3.6 Change Playback Speed for Clips in the DDR (Media Player)? ........ 443 A.3.7 Deal With DDR (Media Player) Clips That Seem Blurry? ......... 444 A.3.8 Get Stubborn Clips to Play in the DDR? ..............444 A.3.9 Change Colors for an Entire Title Playlist at Once? ..........
- Page 15 A.7.4 Add a Custom Streaming Connection for Youtube Live ........... 462 ..................463 UESTIONS AND NSWERS A.8.1 Can I do anything to improve latency/audio sync? ..........463 A.8.2 Why is my power supply beeping? ................464 A.8.3 Why Do Some Thumbnail Icons Look Wrong? ............465 PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS .................
- Page 16 D.11.1 Edit Title Pane ..................... 487 D.11.2 Selection and Navigation ..................487 D.11.3 Misc........................487 DIMENSIONS AND MOUNTING..................489 22.10 T ..................489 ECTION ASTER ODELS 22.11 T 410 ..................490 ECTION ASTER 22.12 T 8000 860 ..................491 ECTION ASTER 22.13 T...
- Page 17 P A R T I ( G E T T I N G S T A R T E D ) Introducing TriCaster – connections and registration, a top-level overview of primary features, and a hands-on tour to get you started.
-
Page 19: About This Manual
ABOUT THIS MANUAL This manual tells you everything you need to know to use your TriCaster™, and occasionally, even more. It attempts to convey essential information in a friendly, concise way, while also providing a deeper reference section you can turn to when you really need all of the relevant details. -
Page 21: Introduction
All professional model TriCasters bear a strong family resemblance. The user interfaces of TriCaster Mini, Mini SDI, 410, 460 and 860 have a great deal in common with the flagship system, TriCaster 8000. The latter, of course, has a number of unique attributes and features, but many aspects of the workflow and user software are intentionally very similar. -
Page 22: Section 2.3 Startup Screen
With TriCaster you can produce and distribute live video programs from diverse sources and digital media in both standard and high definition. Use multiple cameras, network video sources, recorded digital video, multimedia presentations from networked laptops, live web pages, digital photos and graphics, control robotic cameras, and much more. -
Page 23: Section 2.4 Live Desktop
SECTION 2.4 LIVE DESKTOP TriCaster’s live production features are all available from its unique Live Desktop, which in many ways mimics familiar production equipment. However, the Live Desktop provides far more functionality than similar single-purpose devices, all in one integrated environment. The various features, controls and modules comprising TriCaster’s Live Desktop are arranged in horizontal bands, as seen in Figure 2. -
Page 24: Section 2.5 Features
Here’s a brief overview of just some of TriCaster’s key features: 2.5.1 PHYSICAL Rugged rack-mount cases (except for TriCaster Mini SDI and Min, which come in a unique, durable yet extremely compact format). Redundant power supplies (TriCaster 8000 and 860 only) ensure robust, reliable and quiet performance in fixed or mobile installations. -
Page 25: A/V Input And Output
Video pass-through (not a TriCaster Mini SDI or Mini feature) ensures that as long there is AC power, audio and video from Input 8 (on 8-input models) or Input 4 (4-input models) are routed to Output 1 in a case of catastrophic software condition. -
Page 26: Alpha Channel I/O
NewTek and third party manufacturers supporting the NDI (Network Device Interface™) protocol. Select Microsoft Windows® or Apple Macintosh® computers on the same network as Switcher inputs for your live productions using NewTek's iVGA™ clients. Update still Buffers in ‘watch folders’ from networked graphic workstations, even when these are displayed live. -
Page 27: Timecode
2.5.5 TIMECODE External LTC timecode support (except TriCaster 410, Mini SDI and TriCaster Mini). Default Quicktime® recording format includes full ‘per frame’ time-code. IsoCorder™ recorded clips from multiple sources are easily aligned for synchronized post show editing using embedded timecode (external timecode is not supported on TriCaster 410, Mini SDI or Mini). -
Page 28: The Switcher
Proc Amps and White Balance controls for every source preserve pristine image and color fidelity. 2.5.8 THE SWITCHER TriCaster’s powerful 24-channel (8-input models)) or 15-channel switcher with native support for popular professional video routers puts countless video sources at your fingertips. - Page 29 Adobe After Effects®), and convert them to colorful *animated Buffer effects that you can display on demand – without tying up a Media Player. (*Not a TriCaster 410 or TriCaster Mini SDI, or Mini feature). Reveal combinations of video layers with a single operation of the T-bar or single-click Take and Auto buttons.
-
Page 30: M/Es
Display DSK channels independently, and swap them during a switch with custom transitions for each. Use TriCaster’s numerous Media Players to overlay title pages, including scrolls, crawls and lower-thirds, or assign a Camera feed or Network source to an overlay channel. ... -
Page 31: Virtual Sets
Stream using Windows Media® or RTMP, and archive your stream locally. Connect to content delivery networks easily using the powerful Configure Stream Connection panel or dedicated third-party TriCaster plugins. Use NewTek’s TimeWarp™ instant replay control surface to mark and replay highlights without interrupting capture. Page | 15... -
Page 32: Media Publishing
2.5.12 MEDIA PUBLISHING Publish support makes it easy to distribute content to multiple targets in one pass. TriCaster stores credentials for social media and upload sites, and FIGURE 9 provides a queue for uploading and file conversion. Clips and stills from live sessions can easily be added to the queue without interrupting production, and then be distributed to multiple hosting and social media sites (including Twitter®, Facebook®, YouTube®, and more) all with a single click –... -
Page 33: Import And Export
2.5.15 IMPORT AND EXPORT MPORT EDIA The integrated Import Media module provides a convenient one-stop approach to gathering productions assets. Batch import media files for use in TriCaster’s Media Players. Imported files are automatically categorized and sent to the correct locations, making them easy to find and use during live productions. -
Page 34: Audio Remote Control
2.5.17 AUDIO REMOTE CONTROL TriCaster’s Audio Mixer can be controlled by a companion Apple iPad® application that controls Volume, Pan, Mic Gain for every input and output. Alternatively, an Avid® Artist Mix control surface connected to TriCaster offers professional level tactile control over the Audio Mixer. -
Page 35: Buffers
Autoplay feature starts and stops playback automatically based on Switcher activity. Control Media Players with macros triggered by other events. Assign titles, graphics, clips or buffers to multiple DSK or M/E Key channels. Edit titles live, even while ‘on air’. 2.5.19 BUFFERS The Buffers module provides quick review and management of TriCaster’s internal media buffer system, and is in reality a combined multiview, player and asset... -
Page 36: Titles And Graphics
2.5.21 EDIT The full version of NewTek’s popular and versatile non-linear video editing program SpeedEDIT™ is available as a downloadable Add-On at no extra cost for TriCaster 410, 460, 860 and 8000. SpeedEDIT provides powerful, professional tools to let you prepare movies for insertion into your live productions, or perform broadcast quality post production work on recorded programs. -
Page 37: Setting Up
Keys to front panel of case (Rack-mount models) Four attachable rubber feet (for desktop use) A/C power cabling (external PSU with cable for TriCaster Mini SDI and Mini) BNC removal tool (to assist with cable connection and removal, rack-mount units only) ... -
Page 38: Section 3.2 Activating & Authorizing Windows
2. Connect the mouse and keyboard to USB ports on TriCaster. 3. Connect the power cord (or cords, for 8-input models), or – for TriCaster Mini models – the external power supply between the DC Power input connection on TriCaster’s backplate and an external power receptacle. -
Page 39: Section 3.3 License And Registration
3. Assign a name to the administrator account. You may type your name, company, or perhaps simply “TriCaster”. 4. Click Finish, and TriCaster will re-start. After restarting and accepting NewTek’s User Agreement, the interface will load automatically. SECTION 3.3 LICENSE AND REGISTRATION On launch, TriCaster presents an End User License Agreement dialog. -
Page 40: Online Registration
Registration dialog. 3.3.2 REGISTERING BY TELEPHONE NewTek’s Customer Support center can also handle registration requests by telephone, if that is more convenient (when opportunity permits, you should still visit the website as discussed above to gain access to software updates). -
Page 41: Section 3.4 Rack Mounting Tricaster
Please see http://www.newtek.com/protek.html or your local authorized NewTek reseller for more details regarding ProTek plan options. SECTION 3.4 RACK MOUNTING TRICASTER Several TriCaster models are designed for convenient mounting in standard 19” racks (mounting rails designed for different TriCaster models are available separately from NewTek Sales). -
Page 42: Section 3.5 Input Connections
SECTION 3.5 INPUT CONNECTIONS 3.5.1 CONNECT A/V SOURCES External audio and video sources are connected to the appropriate inputs on TriCaster’s backplate. FIGURE 13 – TRICASTER 8000 FIGURE 14 - TRICASTER 860 Page | 26... - Page 43 FIGURE 15 – TRICASTER 460 FIGURE 16 – TRICASTER 410 FIGURE 17 – TRICASTER MINI Note: Hardware details as depicted are subject to change without prior notice. Page | 27...
- Page 44 TriCaster Mini’s HDMI inputs.) Note: that the analog video input connection options listed next are not provided by TriCaster 410, Tricaster Mini SDI, or Mini. Component – Attach the appropriate BNC connectors from your sources to all three analog BNC connectors (labeled Y, Pb and Pr) in a column of the Video In group.
-
Page 45: Connecting A Video Router
Note: The broadcast video standard (such as NTSC, NTSC-J or PAL) of all video sources connected for a given session must match. 2. To input analog audio along with the video, connect the desired audio sources to the (XLR or ¼”) connectors as provided in the Audio In group. We’ll discuss audio Connection Type options a bit later, in Section 3.13. -
Page 46: Section 3.6 Genlock Connection
This file is where you add the routers you wish TriCaster to recognize. Each router is identified by an entry you insert between the starting and closing “config” tags, as explained in the file comments. A typical entry might be as follows: <grassvalley ip="10.28.1.128"... -
Page 47: Section 3.7 Timecode Connection
Many studios use this method to synchronize equipment in the video chain. Genlocking is commonplace in higher-end production environments, and genlock connections are typically provided on professional gear. If your equipment allows you to do so, you should genlock all cameras supplying TriCaster, and TriCaster itself. -
Page 48: Hd And Sd
S-video (4 pin mini-DIN) to BNC adapters, and also that both of these connection options support output at SD resolution only. a. SDI or HDMI – Attach SDI connectors to BNC or HDMI (TriCaster Mini only) connectors in the VIDEO OUT group labeled 1-(2 or 3). - Page 49 b. Component – Attach your device to the second, third and fourth BNC connectors (Y, Pb and Pr). c. Y/C – If your S-Video equipment and cabling has the usual 4-pin mini-DIN connectors, you will need an ‘S-Video to dual BNC’ adapter. i.
-
Page 50: Supplemental Video Outputs
3.8.3 SUPPLEMENTAL VIDEO OUTPUTS Additional dedicated video outputs make it possible to connect monitors or projection devices to TriCaster for a variety of purposes including program output for IMAG (Image Magnification) installations or flexible monitoring for the convenience of the operator. 1. -
Page 51: Section 3.9 Tally Lights
Switcher’s Program row. FIGURE 18 (Not a TriCaster Mini SDI or Mini feature.) Note: Tally over SDI, as supported by devices from Blackmagic Design, is natively suported, and requires no special configuration. Please see also: Section 22.9 regarding GPI support to trigger tally (and more);... -
Page 52: Section 3.10 Starting A Session
SECTION 3.10 STARTING A SESSION If TriCaster is not already running, power it up now to reveal the Startup Screen. (If TriCaster is already running, and is in the Live Desktop or another area of the interface, you may need to click the small [x] button at upper-right to exit, or click the Back arrow at upper-left in the Session Page to return to the Home Page.) The Startup Screen consists of two similar pages –... - Page 53 SD options include both 4:3 and 16:9 (widescreen) image aspects. TriCaster Multi- standard models permit you to select from different video standards according to your locale, choosing between NSTC, NTSC-J (Japan) or PAL. Continue with session creation by designating the Video Standard used in your locale (Multi-standard models only).
-
Page 54: Section 3.11 Configure Video Output
FIGURE 21 (TRICASTER 8000 SHOWN) SECTION 3.11 CONFIGURE VIDEO OUTPUT TriCaster provides complete video input monitoring right on the Live Desktop. This allows you to operate it without even connecting downstream video monitors or devices. (You might do just that in the case of productions intended primarily for live streaming.) Page | 38... - Page 55 Often, though, you will want to connect external monitors or other downstream devices to the VIDEO OUT connectors on TriCaster’s backplate (see Section 3.7). High definition video monitors should be connected to either SDI or Component connections. For standard definition monitoring, several different connection...
-
Page 56: Channel Options
FIGURE 23 1. Move your mouse pointer over the large Program Output monitor on the Live Desktop. 2. Click the Configure button (gear) that appears at right below the monitor pane (Figure 23) to open the Output Configuration panel. This panel provides two tabbed panes, the first of which is labeled Output. This is where the video signals present on each of TriCaster’s video outputs, as well as the HDMI, Network and Stream outputs and Display ports are configured. - Page 57 Optional Source selections for these two primary output channels include any of the following: Program output A clean Program feed The ‘look ahead’ Preview The direct output of any M/E Selected Buffer content Media Player output ...
-
Page 58: Section 3.12 Configure Video Inputs
SECTION 3.12 CONFIGURE VIDEO INPUTS Control over settings for video sources is provided TriCaster’s monitoring section. The individual monitor viewports on the Live Desktop can be flexibly assigned to show different video sources. Complete monitor layouts prepared, stored and recalled using tools located in the Workspace menu in the Dashboard. -
Page 59: Configure A Video Router Input
8. Click the Connection Type button to reveal a drop-down menu listing a variety of connection types. Select the correct format, such as 720p (Component) or 1080i (SDI), for the video source you connected to Video Input 1 on TriCaster’s backplate (menu alternatives vary by TriCaster model;... - Page 60 Options may include Mic 1, 2 (with and without phantom power), Line, AES/EBU, and SDI Embedded. Note: TriCaster Mini omits this menu for FIGURE 28 inputs that support HDMI audio only. Likewise, Phantom power is not supported by TriCaster Mini models.
- Page 61 SDI Embedded or HDMI provide digital audio from the associated video connection. Note: Analog audio levels conform to SMPTE RP-155. maximum input/output level is +24 dBu, nominal Mic input level +4 dBu (-20dBFS), and the sample rate is 96 kHz. The Volume sliders (next to the VU meters) default to their lowest settings on first launch.
-
Page 62: Section 3.14 Configure Genlock
TriCaster’s audio controls follow well-established conventions, providing 20dB of headroom above nominal level (+4dBu at 0dB on the VU scale). Hint: Confusion can sometimes arise because different calibration scales are common in various audio realms, and even for different device types and software. For example, analog mixers commonly show levels on VU scales indexed as just described. -
Page 63: Section 3.15 Configure Timecode
5. With the aid of downstream Waveform and Vector Scopes, adjust TriCaster’s Horizontal and Vertical Position and Phase settings in the Genlock section of the I/O Configuration panel. FIGURE 32 Ideally both the cameras and TriCaster should be genlocked. If they are not genlocked to the same reference signal as the TriCaster output, a TBC (Time Base Correction) operation is automatically applied. -
Page 64: Section 3.16 Networking
TriCaster is capable of displaying screens from networked computers running NewTek’s iVGA™ client software, or output from devices or applications supporting both the NDI (Network Device Interface™) protocol as well as NewTek’s previous AirSend™ system – including video streamed from other TriCaster or 3Play™ systems on the network. -
Page 65: Live Production Walkthrough
LIVE PRODUCTION WALKTHROUGH This chapter provides a quick hands-on tour of the major components and functions of your NewTek TriCaster™. In a very short time, these basics will be second nature to you. More detailed reference material on all aspects of TriCaster follows in Part II (Reference). -
Page 66: Section 4.2 Importing Content
2. The Session Page will appear when you click Start Session. 3. Click Manage on the icon ring (Figure 34). FIGURE 34 SECTION 4.2 IMPORTING CONTENT Let’s import a few files that we’ll use later in our walkthrough: FIGURE 35 4. -
Page 67: Section 4.3 Configuring Share Accounts
FIGURE 36 5. Click Add in Import Media (Figure 36) to open a system File Explorer. 4. Navigate to C:\TriCaster\Documentation\Walkthrough Content. 5. Press Ctrl + a (to multi-select everything in the folder shown in the File Explorer) – then click Open, adding these items to the file pane of the Import Media panel. - Page 68 FIGURE 37 At the top of both Home and Session pages in Startup, you’ll see a row of icons (Figure 37) representing Accounts you can optionally publish your media to. These include popular social media sites like Facebook® and YouTube®, along with more prosaic but still very useful storage option.
-
Page 69: Section 4.4 Monitoring
If you like, enable the Prepare for Web switch. Hint: Normally, for File Copy, and perhaps FTP destinations, you might well skip this last step. It causes shared files to be transcoded to a compact H.264 format suitable for uploading to social media sites when processed. That’s all you need to do. -
Page 70: Workspaces
4.4.2 WORKSPACES The options provided in the Workspace menu include different Desktop and Multiview monitoring layouts. Click the Workspace menu to view a drop down pane allowing you to select and configure Workspace presets. At the top of this pane are four Interface presets, labeled A- FIGURE 40 D, with accompanying graphics depicting the current layout assigned to each preset. - Page 71 6. With the Interface D preset active, reselect the Load Default menu, 7. This time, choose the Cameras preset, populating the Live Desktop monitors with 8 camera input monitors (plus Preview and Program monitors). 8. Move the mouse pointer over the monitor for Camera 1 and right-click to open the Monitor Setup menu (Figure 42).
- Page 72 FIGURE 43 The monitor labels for sources currently visible on Program output are highlighted in red (Figure 43). Labels for sources shown on Preview have a green tint. FIGURE 44 Monitors provide other controls and displays on rollover as appropriate, including things like Play or Stop and current position (timecode) in a clip for Media Players, and Network source selection (Figure 44).
-
Page 73: Scopes
4.4.3 SCOPES FIGURE 45 1. Display the Scopes again (if you’ve forgotten how, see the previous section). The monitoring area displays Waveform and Vectorscope displays (along with a full color Preview source video pane), invaluable for calibrating your video sources. 2. -
Page 74: Section 4.5 Audio Mixer
SECTION 4.5 AUDIO MIXER Having previously connected and configured your audio inputs, let’s explore a few of the standard features in TriCaster’s Audio Mixer. Hint: You will need to have speakers connected to (at least) the first two connectors (channel 1 and 2) in the Output 1 (upper) row of TriCaster’s Audio Out section (even better, if you have them handy, connect a pair of stereo headphones and put them on). -
Page 75: Pan
FIGURE 47 7. To avoid any confusion in our little experiment, let’s eliminate all other sounds for now. Click the Audio Mixer tab, and Mute any inputs that show live audio on their respective VU meters by clicking the speaker icons in the titlebar of each control group so they show red background (Figure 47). - Page 76 FIGURE 48 A Pan slider is provided for each channel of all audio sources. Sliding a Pan knob left or right actually moves (or ‘pans’) the audio from its original channel onto its neighbor (in the same stereo pair). 2. Mute channels B, C and D for DDR 1. If the DDR controls are at their default, you will now hear sound only on the left channel.
-
Page 77: Talk
Pan thus provides precise control over where the audio from any channel input is heard – whether exclusively on output channel A, B, or in differing amounts on both channels. 4.5.3 TALK Talk is an abbreviation of “Talk Over”. The Talk feature is only shown for inputs when they are set to Mic. - Page 78 At this point, you should be hearing audio only from input 1. Hint: By default, each audio input is configured to follow the video source having the same Switcher row slot, though the Follow switch is disabled. However, it’s valuable to know that these default source relationships can be modified, as we shall see shortly.
-
Page 79: Section 4.6 Network Sources
2. Connect TriCaster to the client computer via the local network. 3. Double-click the iVGA icon on the second computer. After agreeing to the NewTek license (and a moment or two for the network connection to be established) the name of the remote computer is added (along with “Black”... - Page 80 FIGURE 49 Note: Gigabit networking is highly recommended, and should be considered mandatory for HD sessions in particular. When TriCaster recognizes qualified network sources, it adds them to a drop-down menu for quick selection (Figure 49). 4. Move your mouse pointer over a Network monitor in the All Monitors tabbed view.
-
Page 81: Livetext
4.6.2 LIVETEXT™ NewTek’s (optional) standalone LiveText application offers features that are very similar to TriCaster’s integrated LiveText (see Chapter 21 LiveText™ and SpeedEDIT™), but installs separately on a compatible Windows® computer. A (networked) LiveText workstation effectively constitutes a dedicated CG and title solution for TriCaster presentations. - Page 82 Clicking a button in any row selects the active source for that row. Program and Preview row selections determine the content of the BKGD (Background) video layer, before the application of any overlays (DSKs). IDEO AYERS TriCaster video output often consists of multiple sources of imagery, added together layer on layer to form a composite.
- Page 83 transition, portions of both the Program and Preview row selections can be seen in varying amounts. The BKGD layer composition can include other content as well, as we’ll see later in Section 4.10 (LiveMatte) and Section 4.11 (More About M/ES). Hint: It can be useful to have the tab for a Media Player you select on the Preview row shown automatically.
- Page 84 GFX 1 player to open a custom Media Browser (Figure 52). b. Click the NewTek location at left (under the Titles heading) in the Media Browser. c. In the file pane at right, scroll down to locate a title that does not cover the entire screen (such as the one shown in Figure 52).
-
Page 85: Transitions
Hint: This introduces the TriCaster’s Buffers, discussed more fully later. For now, think of them as it will suffice to think of buffers as dedicated ‘instant-recall’ memory slots allocated to hold media for instant display. We’re ready to configure the DSKs we want to use now. The DSK controls are located to the right of the Transition control group (T-bar) in the central (Switcher) area of the Live Desktop. - Page 86 FIGURE 54 4. Click the BKGD button above the T-bar in the Transition group – Figure 54 (this dedicates the T-bar to control the BKGD video layer exclusively). 5. Click the Take button below the T-bar. a. Camera 1 is instantly removed from Program Out. b.
- Page 87 The Transition Bin provides quick access to a number of transitions, but TriCaster includes many others. To replace an entry in the Transition Bin with a completely new effect, proceed as follows: 8. Open the Transition Bin again, and hover the mouse pointer over any thumbnail icon.
- Page 88 Hint: DSK 2 appears ‘in front of’ DSK 1 (from the viewer’s perspective). DSKs can each have their own transitions, and these can be set to different durations as well if you like. 12. Click the local Auto button for DSK 1. Since GFX 1 is assigned to DSK 1, the currently selected item in that Media Player transitions in to appear above the BKGD FIGURE 57...
- Page 89 DSK 1 (which was displayed above the BKGD layer) is removed from view, and DSK 2 is displayed using its own transition. Let’s up the ante just slightly. 19. Press Ctrl on your keyboard while you click the BKGD delegate button. FIGURE 58 Your Transition Delegate buttons should now resemble Figure 58, showing that three delegates are currently active.
- Page 90 FIGURE 60 (AFTER) In obedience to the current Transition delegate multi-selection, one click of the main Auto button resulted in all of the following operations: A BKGD layer transition occurred, swapping the Program and Preview row selections. DSK 1, which had been displayed on output, transitioned out of view. ...
-
Page 91: Section 4.8 Record And Grab
Note that, after de-selecting the BKGD delegate button, the Preview monitor no longer shows the Switcher’s Preview row selection. Instead, it shows DSK 1 over the current Program row selection. Why is that? Since only the DSK 1 and DSK 2 delegate buttons are active, only those two video layers will be affected by a main Take or Auto operation. -
Page 92: Record
4.8.1 RECORD FIGURE 62 1. Roll the mouse pointer over the Record control in the Dashboard and click the Configuration button (gear) that appears to open the Record Configuration panel (Figure 63). 2. Click in the Base Name field, and enter a unique name for the captured file(s). Hint: TriCaster stores recordings at (drive):\Media\Clips\sessionname\Capture (where “drive”... -
Page 93: Grab
4. Click Close. 5. Make sure you have an active source playing on Program output. 6. Press the Record button. It will illuminate, and the neighboring timecode field will begin keeping track of the duration of your recording. 7. After a little while, press Record again to stop recording. This configuration will record everything that is displayed on Output 1, letting you capture your entire live production for posterity if you like. - Page 94 9. Enter “test” (without quotes) in the Base Name field. 10. Enable Capture stills from all inputs. 11. Enable the Add PGM grab to switch, and click the nearby gear button select some destinations (be sure to include DDR 1). FIGURE 65 12.
-
Page 95: Section 4.9 Media Players
Note that only one thumbnail is added to the GFX 1 playlist, even though you enabled Capture stills from all inputs. The option did not fail, though. The same folder mentioned just above also contains sub-folders for each Grab you performed. You’ll find the additional still image files inside these folders. - Page 96 2. Click the + (Add Media) button in the DDR 1 pane (Figure 67) to open a Media Browser. 3. Click the heading named for your current TriCaster session (Practice Session, if you’ve been following FIGURE 67 along) beneath the Clips header in the Locations column at left in the Media Browser.
- Page 97 1. Instead, try this: simply click inside the Speed slider (engaging direct edit mode), type “50” and press Enter to change playback Speed to 50%. 2. Click Play again, and observe that playback is now in smooth slow motion. 3. Adjust Speed again – notice that you can even modify Speed during playback. 4.
- Page 98 INGLE AND UTOPLAY 9. Click the Single switch (Figure 70). FIGURE 70 10. Double-click the first clip in DDR 1’s playlist to play it (double-clicking is another way to engage Play). With Single mode engaged, playback automatically stops at the end of the current clip. 11.
- Page 99 18. Click Play. 19. After a few seconds, perform a Take and watch what happens: a. Naturally, DDR 1 and Camera 1 are swapped on the Switcher. b. DDR playback is stopped at the current frame of the current clip. 20.
-
Page 100: Graphics Players
21. Move the mouse to the extreme left of the screen to open the MEM slot bin for DDR 1. 22. Click an empty MEM slot, and use the + (Add Media) button to populate its playlist. 23. Switch back and forth between presets, noting as you do how various attributes are retained. - Page 101 27. Repeat the two steps above for GFX 2. 28. Add some image files (a dozen or more) to GFX 1 (you can use some of the images from the NewTek group under the Still location heading for this example).
- Page 102 TriCaster’s native title pages have some distinct advantages over a common still image, however. Let’s try them out: 1. Click Add, and use the Media Browser to select a few of the prepared title pages from the NewTek location listed under Titles in the Location List at left. Page | 86...
- Page 103 2. Click an icon to highlight it in the Media Player playlist. 3. Display the title page on Program Output by selecting the correct Media Player on the Switcher’s Program row. 4. Move the mouse over a different title page icon, and click the Configure button (gear) that appears in its lower-right corner.
-
Page 104: Section 4.10 Live Matte & M/E S
8. Notice that you were able to edit a page without disturbing the title already displayed on Program Output - Click the Close button. 9. Repeat your text edit operation but this time editing the title displayed on Program Output. Notice that, this time, the display updates immediately. - Page 105 FIGURE 74 2. Remove any extraneous DSKs left from earlier operations from view using the local Take buttons in the Switcher’s individual DSK control groups. 3. If necessary, click the Mix Effects label between the Monitor and Switcher sections (or press ‘m’ on the keyboard) to expand the M/E pane. FIGURE 75 4.
- Page 106 Select DDR 2 in the B row. 7. Click the DDR 1 tab, and Add the video clip named Kiki 1 Center.mov from the Green Screen group inside the Clips>NewTek location. FIGURE 76 8. Click the DDR 2 tab, and add the image named texas_weathermap.png (from Practice Session, under Stills in the Location list at left).
- Page 107 FIGURE 77 11. Click on the Color button in the Matte section of the panel, and keep the mouse button depressed. 12. Drag the eye-dropper pointer over the green background in the monitor, and then release it (Figure 77). This sets the primary ‘key color’ (LiveMatte is automatically enabled when you select a color).
-
Page 108: Section 4.11 More About M/E S
SECTION 4.11 MORE ABOUT M/E Depending on your model, four or eight M/E (Mix/Effect) buttons sit innocuously on TriCaster’s Switcher rows. They may seem like other video inputs, but in reality they possess very powerful features. An M/E permits a composition to be prepared from multiple sources as just seen, using keying and other effects. - Page 109 As currently configured, Program output displays the result of changes you make. (Of course, during a live production you’d likely use Preview to make these sort of modifications, instead.) 2. Click Reset Positioning to restore default Position, Rotation and Size. 3.
-
Page 110: Adding An Upstream Overlay
Hint: When the Keep Aspect switch for the Scale controls is lit, vertical and horizontal adjustments are locked together – adjusting one affects both. Otherwise, the vertical and horizontal scaling factors are independent. Drag vertically over the ‘magnifying glass’ button to modify vertical scale, or drag laterally to adjust the horizontal scale. - Page 111 7. Select GFX 1 as the source for Key 1 in the M/E tab, and display the corresponding overlay channel by clicking the Auto button below). FIGURE 81 As you can see, we have replicated on our earlier composition, but with additional benefits: ...
-
Page 112: Liveset
1. Click Take in the Transitions section of the Switcher, to show M/E 1 on the Preview monitor. 2. Add the file TriCaster Spin Logo.mov from the NewTek > Logos group to the playlist for DDR 2. Enable the Single and Autoplay switches for both DDR 1 and DDR 2. - Page 113 5. In the file pane at right, click the thumbnail icon named Center.Liveset in the World Update group, and then click OK at the bottom of the Media Browser. 6. Select DDR 2 as the source for Input B. The icon in the M/E tab and the label will update, showing that the current LiveSet is now World Update, Center.
-
Page 114: Section 4.12 Buffers
Both DDRs will begin running their currently selected clips simultaneously thanks to Autoplay (of course normally your foreground shot would be supplied by a camera). 8. Now, click the effect thumbnail icon in the M/E panel, to display the popup LiveSet Shot bin. - Page 115 1. Add the image file TriCaster Logo w. Bkgnd.png from Still > NewTek > Logos to the playlist of a Media Player. FIGURE 85 2. Right-click on the new icon in the playlist, and slide the mouse pointer down to the item Send to Buffer. Select BFR 1 from the sub-menu that appears.
-
Page 116: Section 4.13 Streaming
4. To finish up, right-click the original TriCaster Logo w. Bkgnd.png icon in the Media Player, and select Remove. Observe that the correct image continues to appear when the LiveSet is displayed, even though the original image file no longer exists in the playlist. Actually, the Send to Buffer function copied the source file and placed it in a special folder (C:\TriCaster\Effects\Frame Buffer\session_name\). -
Page 117: Simple Pull Streaming
FIGURE 87 4.13.2 SIMPLE PULL STREAMING FIGURE 88 “Pull” streaming, though limited, is arguably the simplest way to get your production online: 1. Select “Create Connection from current URL” from the drop-down Connection menu at upper left (for Pull connections, the ‘current URL’ is actually irrelevant, so we didn’t need to navigate to a specific place on the web first). - Page 118 FIGURE 89 2. Select Windows Media Pull, click OK, and then supply a name for this Connection preset. 3. The next thing to do is to choose streaming profile that provides a suitable resolution and bitrate from the Resolution menu (Figure 90). 4.
-
Page 119: Push And Rtmp Streaming
4.13.3 PUSH AND RTMP STREAMING Browser Based, Windows Media Push and RTMP streaming are slightly more complex, largely because they depend on external resources to distribute your stream to a wider viewing audience. These may be provided in house by your organization, or you may take advantage of a commercial (or advertising sponsored) Content Delivery Network (CDN). - Page 121 P A R T I I ( R E F E R E N C E ) A thorough examination of the various aspects of TriCaster: every button, menu item, feature and control is considered in this section, so you can take full advantage of your system.
-
Page 123: The Startup Screen
THE STARTUP SCREEN The TriCaster™ Startup Screen is the gateway to a suite of applications as well as maintenance and management features for both sessions and the system. We’ll discuss each of these in the pages that follow, beginning with a review of the concept of sessions. The Startup Screen’s Home Page appears whenever you launch TriCaster™. -
Page 124: Section 5.1 Introduction To Sessions
We’ll look into each of these in turn, but first let’s consider that fundamental TriCaster concept, the session. What is a session, and why are sessions both important and valuable to you? Hint: Social Media accounts and other details related to TriCaster’s Share Media features are configured using controls in the Startup screen’s titlebar. - Page 125 o For example, will you send video to a local reference monitor using an S-Video or composite cable? o Do you intend to configure a connection for a projection system? What external audio connections and adjustments are required? You might create a playlist of custom title pages in a Media Player, along with additional playlists for the DDRs.
-
Page 126: Section 5.2 The Home Page
Naturally, store multiple sessions and re-open them freely. This greatly simplifies business models that involve regular trips to specific remote sites or a number of unique episodic programs, and easily accommodates different users with their own individual requirements and preferences. FIGURE 92) SECTION 5.2 THE HOME PAGE Having discussed sessions, let’s go on to... -
Page 127: New (Session)
–1080i, 1080/24p, 1080/30p, 720p, 720/30p, 720/24p, *480/30i (16:9) or *480/30i (4:3), or **480/60p (16:9), **480/60pp (4:3). Multi-standard models offer PAL format equivalents. * TriCaster Mini HDMI models do not offer interlaced SD formats. ** TriCaster Mini SDI does not offer progressive SD formats. ESSION You will see a name field for your session listed above the options pane at right (Figure 94). - Page 128 FIGURE 94 EMPLATE The Template drop-down menu (Figure 94) lists all sessions currently available on the system. If you select an entry, the session you create subsequently retains all settings of the source session, but without content from its Media Player playlists. OLUME A control labeled Volume appears just beneath the Session name.
-
Page 129: Open (Session)
output either (or both) HD or SD video, and SD video output can be either in a 16:9 widescreen format or cropped for display on a 4:3 television (see Section 8.1). The session setting has some other significant ramifications, too. For example, if your session format is SD 4:3, this is the file format captured by the Record function when capturing Program output …... - Page 130 FIGURE 96 FIGURE 97 Available sessions are grouped under the names of the storage volume they are located on (Figure 97). The listing shows the Session Name and Format for each session. Let’s look at the Sessions List briefly before we open a session. ONTEXT MENU Right-click a session name to open a context menu with two items listed in it: Rename and Delete.
-
Page 131: Shutdown
FIGURE 98 Click Open, and a progress gauge will track the restoration process. In due course, the newly restored session will be added to the Session List for the specified drive. Hint: Restoring a session that has a lot of content can take considerable time. Be judicious, then, if considering a restoration shortly before a scheduled live production. - Page 132 Register TriCaster – TriCaster shows a watermark on output before registration, so we encourage you to register early. Among other reasons, doing so will serve to identify the unit to NewTek as yours in case of theft, and will also allow you to check for software updates that may have been recently released.
- Page 133 This way you can be sure the very latest *release version of the software for your TriCaster is installed. Alternatively, you can go to the NewTek web site, click My Account, and use the login details you provided when registering your TriCaster to access your personal product page.
- Page 134 You could think of your hard drive as being like a shelf in your library. As time goes along, the shelf fills with books. Some are quite large, others smaller – just as TriCaster media files may be larger smaller. As time goes along, you decide to remove books you have finished using from the shelf, in order to make room...
- Page 135 Backup or Restore System – A complete set of Backup and Restore features are available to help in the event of an unforeseen problem. We strongly encourage you to protect against any unforeseen occurrence by using the Backup feature soon after registering TriCaster. Please refer to Section A.5.7 in Appendix Chapter 22 for details.
-
Page 136: Help
About TriCaster link to list software version information, credits and acknowledgments. 5.2.5 ADD-ONS NewTek offers additional software tools to expand the power of your TriCaster. FIGURE 102 The icon labeled Add-Ons on the Home Page provides access to some of these tools. -
Page 137: Section 5.3 The Session Page
Selecting it (by clicking the icon or using the left/right arrow keys to bring it to the front), presents a Start Live Production link in the Session Page’s right-hand pane; click this link to launch the Live Desktop. 5.3.2 GRAPHICS TriCaster includes an integrated version of LiveText, NewTek’s standalone titling and CG application. Page | 121... - Page 138 FIGURE 105 Selecting the Graphics icon displays a number of related items on the right-hand side of the Session Page. FIGURE 106 When you first enter a new session, no LiveText projects are listed in the area under Project Name. After you create one or more projects, the name(s) will appear here and, as you would expect, you can re-open the project by clicking its name.
-
Page 139: Manage
Note: Similarly, external projects will not be backed up by the Backup Session function (or be deleted by the Delete Session function) To create a new LiveText project, click in the default project name field (just above the Start New Project link) and modify it, then click Start New Project. When you finish working in LiveText, click the [x] button in its upper-right corner (or select Exit in the File menu) to return to the Session Page. - Page 140 FIGURE 108 Hint: Of course, you can open several of these folders simultaneously, and navigate these file windows to other locations as well. For example, you might copy the title page (.cgxml) files from the Titles folder of one session into the Titles folder of a different one before deleting the first session. Several other important features are contained in the Manage group, including Import Media, Export Media and Backup Session.
- Page 141 Click Add to open a standard system file window, and select (or multi-select) items to build a list in the Import Media file pane. Some highly compressed video files may not be well suited to live playback. Enable switches in the Transcode column for files you wish to convert to a friendlier format on import.
- Page 142 OOLS The Duplicate feature is very useful for cases when you wish to export content to multiple target file formats or locations, for different purposes or specific software applications. Note that Export Media’s file list pane supports multi-selection. When a file (or group of files) is selected, you may use the Duplicate and Remove buttons to clone or delete files from the list.
- Page 143 o Apple Final Cut Pro® (.mov) – very high quality M-JPEG encoding, full raster, 4:2:2 sub-sampling, high compatibility. o DV/ DVCPro (.avi) – moderate quality, SD only (NTSC 720x480, PAL 720x576), 25Mbit/s, 4:1:1 (NTSC) or 4:1:0 (PAL) sub-sampling, very broad compatibility.
- Page 144 Video Server o Leightronix NEXUS\Ultra NEXUS – SD (NTSC 720x480, PAL 720x576), high quality, MPEG2 Program Stream, 9Mb/s variable bitrate, 4:2:2. o TelVUE Princeton – SD (NTSC 720x480, PAL 720x576), high quality MPEG2 Program Stream, 9Mb/s variable bitrate, 4:2:2, NTSC 720x480 (PAL 720x576).
- Page 145 When external media is used in the session, a dialog is presented stating "The following files are external to the session. Would you like to import these files?" The optional actions in the dialog are: Backup without importing Import and Backup ...
-
Page 147: Live Desktop: Overview
LIVE DESKTOP: OVERVIEW The TriCaster™ Live Desktop is the control center for all your live production work. It provides control over switching, transitions and overlays, titles and graphics, audio mixing, playback of digitized content, and much more. In addition, streaming and recording features are located here, along with keying and virtual set tools. -
Page 148: Section 6.2 Overview
SECTION 6.2 OVERVIEW TriCaster’s Live Desktop provides visual feedback for operations, including monitoring, live switching, and so on. It is divided into five horizontal bands. From top to bottom, these are: 1 - Dashboard • Quick access to interface options and important tools, including Publish and Macros along with Record, Stream, Workspace and Timecode options. -
Page 149: Section 6.3 Standard Controls
SECTION 6.3 STANDARD CONTROLS You will find various control types used repeatedly in TriCaster’s Live Desktop. Some examples are shown in the table below. Control Type Type Examples Usage Numeric Slider Gain, Pan Drag in line with the control’s orientation to raise or lower the current value. -
Page 150: Section 6.4 Customizing The Live Desktop
SECTION 6.4 CUSTOMIZING THE LIVE DESKTOP TriCaster’s Live Desktop layout can be adapted to many different scenarios, and provides a number of customization options that can be of benefit in your workflow. In this section, we’ll touch on several of these. 6.4.1 RENAME INPUT As charming as descriptive names like Camera 1, DDR 2 and M/E 5 are, you may wish to change these labels to something more appropriate for your local needs. - Page 151 When a Multiview monitor is in use the two Workspace preset options can be combined with great flexibility, letting you see what you want to see where you want to see it. It’s easy to set up complementary displays in the two monitor areas. For example, you might show main Program and Preview monitors along with all 8 M/Es on the Live Desktop.
- Page 152 FIGURE 115 Hint: The keyboard shortcut to show/hide the M/E tab is “m”. A number of further workflow and interface options that can be very valuable are found in the TriCaster Options menu, discussed shortly (Section 7.1). Page | 136...
-
Page 153: The Dashboard
THE DASHBOARD TriCaster’s Dashboard groups important production features and system display controls in one convenient place for quick access and review. As well, the Dashboard serves to provide information on the current session, status updates and storage usage, along with timecode and the TriCaster Options menu. -
Page 154: Section 7.1 File Menu
Of these items, some are so important that they rate their own chapters. Others are detailed in various sections of this guide (cross references to the relevant sections of the manual are provided above). In this chapter, we’ll focus on those Dashboard features which are not discussed in depth elsewhere. - Page 155 FIGURE 117 (TRICASTER 8000 SHOWN) Enabling Lock Mouse to Primary Monitor prevents the mouse from traveling into the external Multiview display. Enable Autoplay Out on M/Es – You may find it useful to enable Autoplay’s ‘transition-out when nearing the end of play’ feature for M/E’s (Mix mode). By default, this option is off.
-
Page 156: Section 7.3 Help
SECTION 7.3 HELP Select this option to display QR (Quick Response) codes you can scan with your mobile device (such as an iPad® or Android® tablet) to view TriCaster documentation. This provides an easy to use mechanism that lets you look up information about TriCaster without interfering with your live production. - Page 157 The Switcher Memory ‘gauge’ tracks how much system memory is consumed by currently selected virtual sets, transitions and the like. (If you do inadvertently overtax the effects system by pre-selecting many, many large custom effects – an unlikely scenario – you might just reach the limit, which could in turn result in dropped frames.) Hint: Another useful bit of system information concerns avaliable drive capacity.
-
Page 159: I/O Configuration
I/O CONFIGURATION TriCaster™ provides extensive control over your video sources, along with related creative features. Each video source (internal and external) has its own Proc Amp, keyer (LiveMatte™) and Crop (‘garbage matte’) features. Input Configuration panels are also home to TriCaster’s powerful realtime Hotspot and Tracker features. -
Page 160: Output Tab
The Output Configuration panel contains a pane governing TriCaster’s outputs, and may also include a tabbed pane with Genlock & Failsafe options (Failsafe only for TriCaster 410) and settings. (TriCaster Mini SDI and Mini do not have genlock or failsafe options.) - Page 161 UTPUTS The first tab, labeled Output, provides control over all of TriCaster’s Output channels. Each of these is in some ways unique. Outputs 1 and 2 are of particular interest, for several reasons: Of all of TriCaster’s outputs, Outputs 1 and 2 support the most diverse range of optional video sources.
- Page 162 o Program o Program (Clean) o Black o Alpha Matte – Output 2 only Audio menu (Figure 124) – choose which audio is presented on the corresponding Audio Out connector groups on TriCaster’s rear from the following list: o Outputs Master 1, 2 (sound from the Master 1 and 2 busses) ...
- Page 163 Analog Out menu (not present on TriCaster 410, Mini SDI, or Mini) – select the video connection type for downstream devices you intend to connect to the corresponding output: o Component FIGURE 125 o Composite + Y/C Note: The only analog connection type suitable for HD video is Component. The Analog Out menu for Outputs 1 and 2 are automatically set to Component and locked when the current Resolution selection for the row is HD.
- Page 164 ENERAL OTES Here are some other noteworthy facts related to output: o For SD session formats, session aspect (4:3 or 16:9) is respected on output (e.g., when the session is SD 16:9, video output is also 16:9). o For HD sessions (which are always 16:9), SD video from Output 2 (and any output set to Follow 2) can use either a 16:9 image aspect or as (side-cropped) 4:3 video, as noted earlier when discussing the Resolution menu.
- Page 165 Note: From version 2-4, TriCaster network output supports both the newer NDI (Network Device™ protocol and AirSend™, allowing it to communicate with the vast majority of NewTek products in current use. Streaming Output is more complex, since there are so many different ways to stream.
- Page 166 Switches provided at left in each row permit the Display ports to be selectively disabled when they are not required. Note: Some TriCaster Mini models also provide CASE DISPLAY setup features, providing access to a number of useful display alternatives for the side-panel LCD screen.
-
Page 167: Genlock & Failsafe
8.1.2 GENLOCK & FAILSAFE TriCaster’s Genlock feature allows it to ‘lock’ Hint: The term “genlock” refers to its video output to a reference video signal “generator locking”. supplied to its Genlock input connector. (Note that TriCaster 410, Mini SDI and Mini Professional video devices often lack Genlock options.) provide a “genlock input”, which... - Page 168 TriCaster, however, includes dynamic audio re-sampling for each input. Genlocking of SDI audio/video sources is not a requirement. Still, genlocking sources and TriCaster to a house reference signal, or genlocking the cameras directly to the TriCaster output is encouraged (to genlock cameras, see your camera manual). ERTICAL OSITION ORIZONTAL...
-
Page 169: Center Frequency
Thus, the Vert Position, Horiz Position and Phase settings allow you to tweak synchronization to arrive at an optimum match between devices. Typically, these settings are fine-tuned with the aid of a downstream Vectorscope and Waveform Monitor. (A discussion of these adjustments goes beyond the scope of this manual, but a quick online search for the keywords “genlock”... -
Page 170: Section 8.2 Input Configuration
In some studio settings, however, more elaborate hardware failsafe systems may be in use. Typically, such systems take over broadcast duties whenever the output signal fails. In such cases, TriCaster’s failsafe video passthrough mechanism (which ensures that video output continues even in catastrophic circumstances) can actually prevent the external system from engaging. -
Page 171: Connection Type
8.2.1 CONNECTION TYPE The Configuration panel for the Camera inputs features a Connection type menu at the top of its Input Settings tab. Connection menu options vary depending on the Video Standard for the session. TriCaster Multi-standard provides PAL and NTSC-J session options, in addition to NTSC. - Page 172 1080/30p (SDI), 1080/30PsF (SDI), 1080/24p (SDI), 1080/24p Telecine (SDI), 1080/25p (SDI), 1080/25PsF (SDI) • Digital source, high definition, progressive scan, or PsF (a hybrid) • 1920x1080 pixels, 16:9 picture aspect • Connected to TriCaster by SDI input connectors • Optionally carries embedded audio 720/60p (Component), 720/50p (Component) •...
- Page 173 480/30i (Y/C) • NTSC (S-Video) analog format , standard definition, interlaced • 720x480 pixels, 4:3 picture aspect or anamorphic 16:9 picture aspect • Connected to TriCaster by Y and Pb input connectors 480/30i (Composite) • NTSC analog format , standard definition, interlaced •...
-
Page 174: Act As Alpha
576/25i (Y/C) • PAL (S-Video) analog format , standard definition, interlaced • 720x576 pixels, 4:3 picture aspect or anamorphic 16:9 picture aspect • Connected to TriCaster by Y and Pb input connectors 576/25i (Composite) • PAL analog format , standard definition, interlaced •... -
Page 175: Frame Sync
8.2.3 FRAME SYNC FIGURE 133 (TRICASTER 8000) TriCaster internal Frame Sync is enabled for all sources by default, allowing you to work with a wide array of potential video sources without concerns about video timing. For TriCaster 8000 (only), it is possible to ensure the very lowest possible throughput latency for genlocked sources by disabling Frame Sync. - Page 176 FIGURE 134 The Input Settings tab also contains Proc Amp (processing amplifier) settings. Input Proc Amp adjustments are applied after LiveMatte is processed, which can help when composing greenscreen shots to match a background or LiveSet. You may also notice that changes to Proc Amp settings affect stopped (or frozen) sources, including live camera feeds.
-
Page 177: Edges
transmission, and may result in display problems on some devices.) Hint: your TriCaster system provides Waveform/Vectorscope monitors, an invaluable aid to calibrating your video sources. White Balance – this secondary control group adds U Offset and V Offset controls to the Proc Amp. -
Page 178: Livematte
Cropping settings in the Edges control group can be used to remove such unwanted ‘garbage’ from the scene, or used independently for other purposes – such as to isolate some portion of the screen for use as a ‘Picture in Picture’ overlay source. FIGURE 136 Essentially, the numeric controls in this group allow you to define independent margins for the frame. -
Page 179: Hotspots
FIGURE 137 (TRICASTER 8000 SHOWN) The process involves eliminating a portion of the image (effectively cutting a digital ‘keyhole’ in it) to reveal a user-defined background scene. It also plays an important role in the workflow of LiveSet, TriCaster’s powerful virtual set technology. LiveMatte’s controls are deceptively simple, making a great deal of complex digital manipulations easy to use. -
Page 180: Tracker
A Hotspot is a square, user-defined region of the screen that (when active) detects opacity changes inside its boundaries. This is why the feature is paired with LiveMatte in the TriCaster interface (Hotspots do not work without LiveMatte being enabled). With LiveMatte properly configured, the Hotspot feature can trigger a macro when opaque pixels are newly detected in an active Hotspot (as, for example, when... - Page 181 DJUSTING OLERANCE Click the eyedropper, keep the mouse button depressed, and drag the pointer over top of the monitor showing the source you want to track (Figure 140). The color swatch updates constantly as you drag, until you release the button to make a selection.
- Page 182 Lock Scale to prevent the Tracker from automatically compensating when the scale of the tracked region grows or shrinks during motion. Likewise, when Rotation is locked, the orientation of Tracker output is constrained. The Aspect Ratio lock forces the Tracker to conform to a FIGURE 141 square (1:1), or rectangular (4:3 or 16:9) shape.
-
Page 183: Ptz
8.2.9 PTZ FIGURE 143 PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom), or ‘robotic’ cameras can play important roles in certain types of productions. These systems range widely in price, from a few hundred dollars to those the ‘six figure’ range, with an equally diverse range of quality and features. Generally, remote control of PTZ cameras involves sending instructions to the camera across either serial (RS232. -
Page 184: Section 8.3 Network Inputs
FIGURE 145 Windows will automatically assign a COM port number to the adapter, usually COM 1. In some cases, you may wish to manually assign it to a specific port. Exit to Windows from TriCaster’s Adminstration Mode screen (Section 5.2.3) to access the controls shown in Figure 145. -
Page 185: Section 8.4 Timecode Configuration
A wide variety of sources can be supplied to Net 1 and 2, making these two inputs exceptionally versatile and powerful. To cover these capabilities fully, we’ve dedicated all of Chapter 16 (Network Inputs) to the topic. We’ll just mention here that both of these inputs provide TriCaster’s full gamut of creative controls, including Proc Amps, LiveMatte, Edge control, Tracking, Hotspots, and so-on (see Section 8.2). -
Page 186: Event Time
(Otherwise, for example, a video frame recorded one minute before midnight would be assigned the timecode 23:59:59.00, while frames recorded one minute or more later would have timecode ≥ 01:00:00.00 – seemingly a lower (i.e., ordinarily earlier) timecode value.) 8.4.2 EVENT TIME Two more switches, under the label Indicate Event Time, allow you to configure Start and End times for your upcoming show. - Page 187 TriCaster decodes time stamps from the audible signal, and uses the values for clock displays and embedded timecode when recording video. This is a great asset for post- production purposes. Enable linear timecode using the switch labeled Use External timecode (LTC) in Timecode Configuration. Sound from the audio input tasked with supplying timecode is automatically muted for recording and output purposes when LTC timecode is enabled, but you can un- mute it briefly in the Audio Mixer to let you adjust input levels.
-
Page 189: Switcher, Transitions And Overlay
SWITCHER, TRANSITIONS AND OV ERLAY TriCaster’s Live Desktop replicates traditional video switcher controls in easy to comprehend and use fashion. It provides numerous transitions that you can use to add interest when changing scenes, four independent downstream overlay channels, and some very useful automation. When the M/E pane is minimized , the central band of the TriCaster™... -
Page 190: Program And Preview
9.1.1 PROGRAM AND PREVIEW The PGM (Program) row selection determines the dominant video stream of the Background (BKGD) video layer – the bottom-most layer of the composition sent to the Program output. Other sources may be mixed into the Background layer at times, as you apply LiveMatte, or see portions of an incoming Preview row video source during a transition. -
Page 191: Selecting Sources
DSK (DownStream Keyer, or ‘overlay’) layers may or may not appear above (or, if you like, in front of) the Background. DSK layers are typically used for overlaying graphics, titles, etc., though they may serve other purposes as well. In addition to BKGD, up to five additional ‘primary layers’... -
Page 192: Linking Switcher Rows
Hint: Right-click camera input or Buffer buttons to select special sources from video routers or Buffers – see Section 3.12.1 (Configuring Routers) and Section 11.4 (Buffers). 9.2.2 LINKING SWITCHER ROWS FIGURE 153 It can be very useful to link two (or more) Switcher or M/E source rows together, causing them to operate synchronously. -
Page 193: Dsk Controls
At left in this group are the main Transition controls, including the T-bar. The larger portion at right provides solo control and configuration options individually for the four primary DSK layers. Main Layer Controls Solo DSK Layer Controls FIGURE 154 (TRICASTER 8000 SHOWN) Let’s consider the individual DSK Layer Controls first. - Page 194 provided for quick selection, shown in Figure 156 (4-input models do not require this control). To replace an entry in the palette, click its label, or move the mouse pointer over an icon and click the “+” sign that pops up – see Figure 156. This opens the Custom Media Browser FIGURE 156 to let you choose from the hundreds of transition...
- Page 195 These special Animation Store transitions are loaded into the Transition Palette in the same way as their less colorful cousins, using the Browse feature. A number of Animation Store transitions are supplied, but you can generate your own using the supplied Animation Store Creator application and custom animation content you have access to or create using art software.
- Page 196 Hint: You can also constrain mouse actions to one axis by holding down the Ctrl key before dragging. In similar fashion, drag the pointer over the Rotation button with the left mouse button depressed to turn the overlay source on three axes as follows: ...
- Page 197 DGES FIGURE 162 Edge controls for DSK layers are similar to those found in TriCaster’s Input Configuration panel. However these settings are independent, applying even when the similar option in Input Configuration is not active. Individual settings can be reset by double-clicking with the shift key held down.
-
Page 198: Main Controls
Important Note: It’s best to use files with straight (a.k.a. “non-premultiplied”) alpha channels in TriCaster’s Media Players. Premultiplied files will generally not yield correct results when overlaid on other imagery. FIGURE 164 TriCaster’s DSK layers offer a lot of creative possibilities. You might use DSK channels to display a permanent station ID ‘bug’, superimpose a company logo onto a title page, perhaps to add a ‘spinning globe’... - Page 199 Ping Pong – when enabled, this option causes the direction of the transition to be automatically swapped after each time it is applied. RANSITION ELEGATES An executive maxim suggests “Don’t do anything yourself when you can delegate it”. The familiar main T-bar, Auto and Take controls occupying the left half of TriCaster’s Transition control group are surmounted by a set of Transition Delegate buttons.
- Page 200 Now add DSK 2 to the delegate selection, and switch again. The BKGD layer is updated, DSK 1 is removed, and DSK 2 is displayed. Hint: The Look Ahead Preview monitor respects your Transition Delegate selections, allowing you to configure layers for upcoming switcher operations with great confidence. A progress bar beneath the each of the DSK control groups tracks transition progress (progress bars remain fully ‘on’...
- Page 201 AKE AND As we have seen, clicking the main Take button (keyboard shortcut Enter) performs a straight cut for all video layers that are currently selected in the Transition Delegate group. Likewise, if you press Auto (or the keyboard Spacebar), the transitions assigned to all delegated video layers are performed.
-
Page 202: Section 9.4 Switcher Mem Slots
Since a little more free space is available on the Live Desktop of 4-input TriCaster models, an expanded version of the effect control is provided for the most important transition selection (Background). This Background Transition bin shows eight different icons for immediate selection. The all-important Fade is permanently affixed to the first slot in the bin, but the others can be replaced easily: simply move the mouse pointer over an icon, and click the small + button that appears (in its upper right corner) to open TriCaster’s Media... -
Page 203: Monitoring Your Video
MONITORING YOUR VIDEO The word “monitor” comes from the Latin “monēre” – meaning ‘to warn’. The word has taken on additional meaning since Roman times. As a verb, these include such connotations as ‘keeping an eye’ on something, and ‘checking continually’. As a noun, we understand it to mean devices that permit one to do just that. -
Page 204: Workspace Presets
10.1.1 WORKSPACE PRESETS TriCaster provides powerful Workspace options. Freely switch from preset A to B to C to D for either Interface or Multiview, customize the display shown, recall it at a moment’s notice, or reset it to a default layout using Load Default. Each viewport in any layout offers diverse input or output source options, and can be further modified to produce just what you need. - Page 205 Selecting Clock item replaces the video display with Event Clocks showing current time or LTC timecode along with countdown style Start and End clocks (see Section 8.4.3). The Custom Image FIGURE 173 feature lets you display a network logo. A further display you may find useful is the Timecode Only option that appears at the bottom of the Media Players sub-menu.
-
Page 206: Viewport Tools
Note: Certain Overlay menu options are not suitable for all monitor sources, hence are not listed when innapropriate. Two final items complete the monitor viewport options: Rename – allows you to supply a custom name to be shown for the monitor viewport (as well as the associated Switcher row button) for sources. -
Page 207: Section 10.2 Program Monitor
Just as for other sources, a Configure (gear) button is shown on rolling over these monitor types; clicking it opens the Configuration panel for the related source (see Chapter 8 I/O Configuration, Section 8.2). Hint: When LiveMatte, Proc Amp, or Crop settings are active for a source, bright green, blue and yellow indicators are lit under its monitor. -
Page 208: Section 10.3 Look Ahead Preview
SECTION 10.3 LOOK AHEAD PREVIEW FIGURE 178 Again, by default, the Live Desktop also prominently displays the Look Ahead Preview monitor (labeled simply Preview). The Look Ahead Preview is versatile and powerful. Instead of showing just one video source (the Preview row selection), it displays the composite result of a Take operation applied to all currently delegated video layers (see the sub-heading Transition Delegates in Section 9.3.2). - Page 209 composition (including titles and overlay positioning), and switch to it with sublime confidence. M/E M ONITORS AND REVIEW As mentioned earlier, TriCaster’s monitor viewports can also be assigned to display the output of TriCaster’s M/Es. FIGURE 179 Among other things, this means you can freely assign a monitor as a secondary ‘program output monitor’...
-
Page 210: Section 10.4 Scopes
SECTION 10.4 SCOPES FIGURE 180 A further and very useful monitoring option is Scopes, providing Waveform and Vectorscope displays. Among other things, these help you to judge Proc Amp and LiveMatte settings (see Appendix C, Video Calibration). (To display the Scopes view, select that entry from the Load Default options.) By default, the scopes and associated FIGURE 181... -
Page 211: Clocks
10.4.1 CLOCKS As discussed back in Section 8.4.2, TriCaster provides handy Event Time clocks. One of these time displays is shown at upper right in the Dashboard. It’s possible to show clocks in any monitor pane, as well – whether in the Interface or Multiview displays. -
Page 213: Media Players & Buffers
MEDIA PLAYERS & BUFFERS TriCaster’s Media Players permit you to integrate video, stills and title pages into your live presentation with simplicity and style. Preload content and display it sequentially as a playlist, or call up individual items on demand. Media Players can even play, stop and advance automatically in response to your Switcher operations. -
Page 214: Section 11.2 Shared Features
TriCaster’s different Media Players are essentially specialized variants of a single module, modified to suit specific and complementary purposes. The foremost difference between players is in the file formats each supports (and even that distinction is not rigidly adhered to, as we will see). ... - Page 215 This arrangement offers easily visible thumbnail icons for each entry. A scrollbar at right accommodates long playlists when necessary. Icons in the playlist can quickly and easily be re- ordered using the familiar drag and drop workflow. The playlist can even be altered during playback (of course, if the currently playing item is removed, playback stops immediately).
- Page 216 During playback, the border around successive playlist items illuminates as each is played in turn. When necessary, the playlist pane scrolls to display the icon for the currently playing item. A progress bar is displayed beneath the currently playing thumbnail, and the Scrub-Bar knob also tracks playback progress. Hint: Selection status is independent of which clip is playing.
- Page 217 Un-playable (missing, corrupt, or unsupported) file icons are dimmed. Hint: Multi-selection is supported for most operations, including Set Duration (applies to Still and Title only). ISPLAY Interestingly, the playlist Set Display Name feature edits a local alias, or ‘playlist nickname’.
- Page 218 RIMMING LIPS AND THE CRUB Just beneath the playlist pane is a full-width Scrub-Bar (Figure 187). The width of the scrub-bar represents the full run time of the current clip or other media file. Drag the knob left or right to change time position in the current playlist item. FIGURE 187 Initially, In and Out Point handles at either end of the Scrub-Bar are at their extreme positions, marking the actual limits of the file on disk.
-
Page 219: Media Browser
FIGURE 189 The custom Media Browser provides easy navigation to and selection of suitable content on your TriCaster or other NewTek live production system on the local network. The Media Browser appears anywhere in the Live Desktop that you might wish to select content, transitions or effects for use in your project (such as the Media Players, LiveSet and Transitions sections). - Page 220 OCATION The Location List is a column of favorite “locations”, grouped under headings such as LiveSets, Clips, Titles, Stills, and so on. The Media Browser is context sensitive, so the headings shown are generally appropriate for the purpose for which they were opened.
- Page 221 Icons appearing in the File Pane represent content located inside the sub-heading selected at left in the Locations List. These are grouped under horizontal dividers named for sub-folders, which allows related content to be organized conveniently. FIGURE 191 ILTERS The File Pane view is filtered to show only relevant content. For example, when selecting LiveSets, the browser only shows LiveSet files (.vsfx).
-
Page 222: Player Controls
11.2.3 PLAYER CONTROLS Transport controls and playback settings are located directly below the Playlist and Scrub-Bar. FIGURE 193 ISPLAY During playback, a timecode field beside the transport controls displays the Current Time for the player. This may be the current time position in the active playlist item (when Single mode is enabled), or relate to the duration of the entire playlist. - Page 223 RANSPORT ONTROLS A simple set of controls beneath the playlist pane provides all playback-related functions: Previous button – go to previous playlist entry Stop (clicking Stop when already stopped goes to the first frame) Play Next button – go to next playlist entry ...
-
Page 224: Mem Slots
selection) or indirectly – such as by being displayed via an M/E channel or DSK operation. Second, if player output is displayed on Program the reverse Switcher transition occurs automatically as the end of play approaches, whether the Out Point of the current item for Single play or the end of the playlist. -
Page 225: Network Sharing
MEM S REVIEWING LOTS At times you may wish to preview the contents of a different Media Player MEM slot without disrupting playback of the current playlist. When a clip is playing, a small white ‘play indicator’ is shown over the icon for the currently selected entry in the flyout MEM slot bin. -
Page 226: Section 11.3 Editing Title Pages
This allows applications such as sluggish response to controls may NewTek’s Virtual Set Editor, etc., running on result. extneral systems to export directly to TriCaster. These network shares are unnaffected by the We strongly urge you to gather Share Media Folders and Buffers setting. - Page 227 Hint: The panel can be re-sized by dragging its lower-right corner, and re-positioned by dragging its titlebar. When you move the mouse over text in the Title Page Editor’s preview pane, a white bounding-box appears (Figure 198). If you click once inside the box it turns yellow, indicating the text object is selected, and a text edit field opens.
- Page 228 The header of the Title Page Editor holds an assortment of text attribute controls. These include a Font selector drop-down menu, numeric Size control, and Bold, Italic, Underline and ‘ALLCAPS’ switches. The Prev and Next buttons let you store your changes and move to another title page in the playlist without the tedium of closing the Title Edit pane.
-
Page 229: Section 11.4 Buffers
With Shift depressed, a red border appears around any locked image under the cursor. Stand-in (unlocked) images show a green border. To toggle the status for an image, left-click it with Shift depressed. If you right-click a stand-in image, a menu is presented that provides several optional methods of fitting the source image to its frame. -
Page 230: Buffer Types
Using a buffer for a specific DSK or M/E channel (rather than a Media Player) eliminates the risk of accidentally displaying the wrong graphic, as might otherwise happen if the current Media Player item selection was not the one intended. 11.4.1 BUFFER TYPES Buffers support the following media types: ... -
Page 231: Selecting Content
FIGURE 203 The remaining buffer slots are restricted to graphics content, including popular image formats along with TriCaster title pages (i.e., .cgxml files). FIGURE 204 11.4.2 SELECTING CONTENT FIGURE 205 Clicking an icon reveals a palette of nine buffer presets (Figure 205). When you move the mouse over one of these icons a [+] (Add Media) button appears. - Page 232 Alternatively, assign content to a buffer slot by following the steps below: Right-click a still image or title page icon in a Media Player, and choose Send to from the playlist context menu. Select a specific buffer you wish to assign the file to using the hierarchical menu.
-
Page 233: Buffers Menu
11.4.3 BUFFERS MENU Right-click a thumbnail icon in the Buffers pane to open a menu offering two items: Rename allows you to assign a custom name to the buffer. The name will also be visible in menus (such as DSK source menus). ... -
Page 234: Sharing Buffers
Hint: Select a Slow, Medium or Fast preset value from the drop-down menu, drag the mouse left or right over the time to change the current value, or click to enter a number directly using the keyboard. For auto-run animation effects, a further control is added to the thumbnail icon when you move the cursor over it. -
Page 235: Watch Folders
11.4.6 WATCH FOLDERS The Frame Buffer folder is a “watch folder”. When you save an image into the correct location for a given buffer, the corresponding buffer immediately updates, even if it is currently displayed. This lets you refresh overlays virtually instantly from any computer on the same network. -
Page 236: Keying, Proc Amps And More
o Key channels – choose a buffer for any Key channel using its drop- down source menu. Buffers allow abundant use of animation throughout your productions – as virtual set elements, layered graphics overlays, etc., all without tying up precious Media Players. (Consider that, for TriCaster 8000, in addition to the buffer cross-points in the main Switcher, each M/E supports up to eight animated buffers. -
Page 237: Ptz Control
PTZ CONTROL Once primarily used in security applications, robotic or ‘PTZ’ (pan, tilt, zoom) cameras are appearing on the production scene in ever increasing numbers. Not only do they offer dramatic potential savings, robotic camera installations also offer both creative possibilities and, in certain environments, safety benefits. -
Page 238: Section 12.1 The Ptz Tab
SECTION 12.1 THE PTZ TAB FIGURE 210 All of the controls and features just mentioned are located in the PTZ tab, located at left in the lower third of the Live Desktop (Figure 210). 12.1.1 THE CAMERA BIN FIGURE 211 The Camera Bin (Figure 211), located across the bottom of the PTZ tab contains icons for each camera. -
Page 239: Ptz Presets
12.1.2 PTZ PRESETS The large Preset Bin (above the Camera Bin) shows eight thumbnail icons for the currently selected PTZ camera. Click a preset to select it, and the camera automatically begins moving to the new position. Hint: The number of the current Preset icon is shown in an overlay at upper left. When the actual camera position at the moment does not correspond to a preset, an “M”... -
Page 240: Ptz And The Control Surface
This is also true for the Iris setting, and its Auto switch. 12.1.4 PTZ AND THE CONTROL SURFACE Pan, tilt, zoom control, and several settings for connected robotic cameras are also directly supported on several NewTek control surfaces. See Chapter 22, Control Surfaces for details. Page | 224... -
Page 241: Livematte
LIVEMATTE Although its controls are deceptively simple, TriCaster’s LiveMatte™ employs powerful chromakeying technology capable of extremely high quality results. Used alone or in conjunction with TriCaster’s DSKs, M/E Overlays and LiveSet features, you will find LiveMatte can play a ‘key’ role in your live productions. As we mentioned earlier, chromakeying –... -
Page 242: Section 13.1 Chromakeying
SECTION 13.1 CHROMAKEYING Chromakeying has become an essential tool in video and film production. Typically, foreground footage is shot in front of a blue or green screen, and then that background color – the key color – is treated as transparent, allowing another image to be inserted. For example, when you see a television meteorologist in front of a weather map, that person is almost certainly posed in front of a green screen. -
Page 243: Color
FIGURE 217 TriCaster’s supplies a digital version of this traditional tool. The controls under the Matte label, as you would expect, allow you to define and adjust the matte for the corresponding video input. 13.2.1 COLOR Initially, LiveMatte removes a specific color from the foreground image. This color is chosen using the Color button. -
Page 244: Smoothness
On the other hand, it may be that there is (usually unplanned for) detail in the foreground that is somewhat similar to the key color. Reducing Tolerance may allow you to prevent unwanted holes appearing when the subject opts to wear his St. Patrick’s Day tie. -
Page 245: Section 13.3 Spill Suppression
SECTION 13.3 SPILL SUPPRESSION The term Spill refers to key color unintentionally reflected or ‘spilled’ onto the foreground subject. For example, a little green spill often appears on the shoulders of someone in a greenscreen shot. The Spill controls let you remove key color spill in your FIGURE 218 scene by reducing the amount of that color in the foreground, where it doesn’t belong. -
Page 246: Section 13.6 Practical Staging For Livematte
Hint: The best method for optimizing the key is to begin with the best incoming source possible; if your cameras have both composite and S-video outputs, check to see which one gives you the best picture quality. Pick your primary Color, but – before releasing the mouse button – slide the eyedropper around to different parts the background. -
Page 247: Connection Considerations
Second, the distance from your talent to the screen behind can make a profound difference in key quality. When the subject stands too close to the key colored background, the key color reflects back onto the subject, creating a green or blue fringe that is difficult to remove. - Page 248 Component (a.k.a. ‘YUV’ or ‘Y, Pb, Pr’) – a three wire system typically using BNC (push & twist-on) connectors. For analog connections, either of the last two methods is to be preferred – but it is entirely possible to succeed with only a composite signal. When you have something better available, however, you should naturally use it.
-
Page 249: Mix/Effect (M/E) Tools
MIX/EFFECT (M/E) TOOLS M/E banks provide truly awesome production power and convenience. Pre-configure multi-layered compositions and switch them as easily as you would to any single input, or use an M/E to control a special purpose sub-mix. This is also where TriCaster’s potent realtime virtual set technology, called LiveSet™, is applied. -
Page 250: Section 14.2 M/E Modes
For TriCaster 8000, M/E buttons also appear on source selection rows and Key channel source menus inside the M/E panels. This type of M/E, referred to as “reentrant”, is an exceptionally powerful feature, and one offering endless creative possibilities. Note: Self-referential reentrancy (i.e., re-assigning a given M/E as one of its own sources) is not supported. -
Page 251: Mix Mode
In either Mix or Effect mode you will observe two source button rows at left labeled input A and B (Figure 222) by default. At right are up to four Key control groups, depending on which TriCaster model you are using. In most respects these are identical in appearance and practice to the DSK controls located in the main Switcher (see FIGURE 222... -
Page 252: Input Position Controls
As required, as many as 4 input rows may be shown in Effect mode. Position controls appear for up to four input layers (A, B, C, and D) as supported by the effect, and depending on which TriCaster model is in use). Let’s consider these reasons behind for these changes in the interface. - Page 253 1. Click the label above the Effect icon, and use the Media Browser to select the Advanced Tracking effect from the Default group. 2. Add the clip named Kiki Track Rectangle.mov (NewTek location, Green Screen group) to the playlist for DDR 1. 3. Enable Single and Loop modes for DDR 1.
- Page 254 5. Add an attractive full frame graphic to the Graphics 1 player. 6. Select M/E 1 on the main Switcher’s Program row, to make it easy to view the result of the following steps. 7. In the M/E 1 tab, select DDR 1 on the input A row. 8.
- Page 255 also see imagery from DDR 2 displayed wherever the (originally) orange card appears in the frame. What’s happening is that the Advanced Tracking effect is applying the values from the (DDR 1) Tracker for a secondary iteration of LiveMatte. Our LiveMatte settings cut away the green, revealing the C layer behind.
- Page 256 FIGURE 229 Now would be a good time to test the effect of the Scale, Rotation, and Aspect controls in the Tracker tab for DDR 1 (remember you can double-click the DDR 1 monitor to open this panel). TILITIES Effects can take other forms as well. We’ve looked into the Default effects group;...
- Page 257 Applying this effect immediately causes the display on the Program monitor update, showing the content of the alpha channel for input A (Input B is ignored). The current input A source is keyed, so the effect displays black on Program out reveals wherever transparency exists in the foreground, white for full opacity, and shades of gray for in-between blends.
- Page 258 FIGURE 233 Across the bottom of this panel, you’ll see a bind containing 9 thumbnail icons representing the different shots (position/zoom presets) currently configured for the effect. The current shot is bordered in blue. Clicking a shot selects it for editing. Click the Preview switch at lower left to view the effect of adjustments you make on the Program monitor.
-
Page 259: Virtual Sets
In turn, this combined stream resolves into 3D when viewed through special glasses with red and cyan (blue-green) filters for left and right eyes respectively. TriCaster provide easy access to anaglyphic technology by means of the Anaglyph effect. The effect combines 2 video inputs selected in an M/E. 3D output can then be switched easily like any other source. - Page 260 LiveSet is one of TriCaster’s most powerful tools, and can dramatically enhance a production. With it you can achieve the look of a large, sophisticated studio setting (Figure 237) within a very small studio space (Figure 236), all without external equipment. Broadly speaking, setup of a LiveSet effect is much like the Default effects previously considered (see Default Effects, Section 14.2.2).
- Page 261 The Location List of the Media Browser lists any installed LiveSet groups under the heading “LiveSets”. Select an entry beneath to show thumbnail icons in the Browser’s File Pane (Figure 238 shows the content of the NewTek location under the LiveSets heading).
- Page 262 FFECT RESET DITOR ©When the mouse pointer moves over a shot icon (whether in the Shot Palette or the icon for the current effect), a gear button is shown (Figure 240). As we observed when discussing more mundane effects, you can click this gear to open the Effect Preset Editor (a.k.a., the ‘Shot Editor’).
-
Page 263: Holographic Livesets
The Zoom T-bar is located beside the Effect icon. Dragging it vertically adjusts the virtual ‘camera distance’ for the active LiveSet, between 0- 100%. When you click a Zoom Preset, the T-bar updates to the zoom level of the new shot. Conversely though, adjusting the T-bar does not update the current value for a Preset. - Page 264 Holographic LiveSet effects are loaded into an M/E in the same manner as any other effect. Simply move the cursor over the effect name (below the thumbnail icon for the current effect), and click the + sign (Add Media button) that appears to open TriCaster’s Media Browser, and choose the effect you wish to load (several examples are included with your system).
-
Page 265: Section 14.3 Key Channels
Preset adjustments made using the mouse and canvas vary slightly, however, for holographic effects. For a standard LiveSet effect, dragging the mouse left, right, up or down changes the camera position in the frame; the mouse-wheel zooms in or out. In a holographic LiveSet, mouse-wheel operations are the same, zooming in or out. -
Page 267: Audio
AUDIO Less than 100 years ago, movies were silent. We’ve come a very long way since “The Jazz Singer” (1927, Warner Bros.), and great audio now plays a huge role in video production. TriCaster™ provides an extensive set of professional quality audio tools, which we’ll explore in this chapter. -
Page 268: Audio Specifications
NOTE: 4-input TriCaster systems do not provide analog output connections for channel C and D. However the extra channels can be recorded, streamed, or output via SDI- embedded connections. 15.1.1 AUDIO SPECIFICATIONS TriCaster’s analog audio conforms to SMPTE RP-155. The maximum input/output level is +24 dBu. -
Page 269: Section 15.4 External Sources
dBVU – most familiar to users of typical analog audio mixers dBFS – dB ‘Full Scale’ – the digital standard; see notes under the heading Audio Headroom in Section 3.13 dBu – based on a voltage of 0.775 VRMS (a shy scale rarely seen in public, supplied for completeness, comparison, and the amusement of audiophiles) SECTION 15.4 EXTERNAL SOURCES Columns in the first set of control groups are labeled for correspondingly numbered... -
Page 270: Section 15.5 Common Controls
Mic (or Mic 1, 2) – low impedance microphones and other common professional audio sources Mic 1, 2 + Phantom (power) – microphones (typically condenser mics) requiring supplementary DC power; not supported by TriCaster Mini models. Line – generally consumer audio sources such as CD players, VCRs, etc. ... -
Page 271: Mute
15.5.1 MUTE Mute switches for audio sources are located (Figure 253) just above the in the main Mixer panel. A single button may control one or two channels, as appropriate for that source. FIGURE 253 Enabling Mute removes the sound from that source from all downstream audio mixes and outputs. -
Page 272: Solo
15.5.4 SOLO Solo implementations and options vary widely in the audio industry, but broadly speaking, they provide several very useful functions. TriCaster’s Solo feature (Figure 254) offers remarkable flexibility without overly confusing complexity. Consider a few basic design concepts: The Solo switch state has no impact on the audio mix(es) sent to other outputs. -
Page 273: Section 15.6 Internal Sources
SECTION 15.6 INTERNAL SOURCES FIGURE 255 Besides external audio sources, sounds played from TriCaster’s internal storage volumes (including removable media such as external hard drives or ‘thumb’ drives) via the Media Players (DDRs, etc.) can be added to the output mix. 15.6.1 NET 1 AND NET 2 The Net 1 and Net 2 audio control groups affect sound associated with the Switcher sources by the same name. -
Page 274: Section 15.7 Advanced Configuration
SECTION 15.7 ADVANCED CONFIGURATION The controls for all inputs (including internal audio sources) as well as the Effects, Stream, Aux 1, 2 and Master 1, 2 output groups include a configuration button located just below the source or output label. The familiar ‘gear’... -
Page 275: Follow
15.7.2 FOLLOW Enabling Follow Video options for an audio source directs TriCaster to track switcher operations affecting the related video source. FIGURE 257 Audio for sources with Follow Program video enabled in the Audio Configuration panel is automatically removed from mixed outputs until one or more specified video sources are actually displayed on Program Output. -
Page 276: Routing
Centering the Pan knob labeled A splits the sound received by Input 1a equally onto channels A and B. Sliding Pan for Input 1a all the way to the right results in that source only being audible on channel B, removing it completely from its original channel. Pan also modulates the sound levels on the left and right channels so that the overall volume neither rises nor drops as a result of adjustments. - Page 277 this master bus (in the jargon of audio processing, this is called a ‘send’), which ultimately flows to output connectors. Slightly more advanced mixers often provide more than one ‘send’ for individual inputs. For example, the sound from all inputs may be sent to the master bus, comprising the ‘master mix’.
- Page 278 For example, the audio recorded by TriCaster does not necessarily require an output connector. Note: Audio inputs and outputs for TriCaster Mini models are stereo. Audio can be routed to the Master 2 and Aux 2 busses, however, for internal use (i.e., sound on these tracks will be captured if you configure an Isocorder recording to include them).
- Page 279 Output Connectors Analog Outputs SDI Outputs AES Outputs HDMI 1a, 1b 1 (channels 1 & 2) 1a,b Master (Mini models: L, 3 (channels 1 & 2) (8-input models) Master 1c, 1d 1 (channels 3 & 4) 1c,d (8-input models) 3 (channels 3 & 4) (8-input models) 2a, 2b 2 (channels 1 &...
-
Page 280: Processing
2. For Input 2, enable only Master 1. This setup gives you a clean output consisting of just the interviewer’s voice on the Master 1 bus. You can then proceed as follows: 3. Assign Master to Output 1 in Output Configuration (Figure 261). 4. - Page 281 FIGURE 262 Page | 265...
- Page 282 The effect applied falls off gradually as Compressor … Limiter – what’s sound draws closer neighboring the difference, anyway? frequencies on either side. Compression and limiting are Click Reset to return all sliders to 0dB. not really different processes, but rather a matter of degree Hint: Naturally, reducing or increasing the perceived effect.
-
Page 283: Section 15.8 Output And Primary Bus Controls
Very high ratio settings are the reason for the word “limiter” is part of the title for this feature. The highest ratio setting will effectively reduce any signal that would rise above the threshold all the way down to the threshold level (with the exception of a brief period during a sudden increase in source loudness, as dictated by the Attack setting). -
Page 284: Headroom Notes
group Audio Mixer’s output section, and regulates sound sent to physical connectors or to ‘logical outputs’. FIGURE 263 Hint: Shift + double click Volume knobs to restore their default values (0dB). Settings in all of the control groups in this section (Figure 263) take effect downstream from all audio sources, further modulating and processing audio sent to outputs as the Aux and Master mixes, for recording, and for Internet streaming. -
Page 285: Record
TriCaster allows for any preference in this regard, by its provision of separate Record (and Stream) level controls discussed shortly. For example, dropping the Record slider to -20dBFS (our base recommendation, by the way) approximates typical professional practice. This has no impact on levels at TriCaster’s audio outputs, but all but ensures clipping in recorded files will be avoided. -
Page 286: Mem Slot Bins
SECTION 15.9 MEM SLOT BINS Roll the mouse to the left edge of the screen in the Audio Mixer to show its MEM slot bin. Audio MEM slots work just like their counterparts in the Media Players (see Section 11.2.4). MEM slots are a convenient way to quickly store and recall audio steps and settings for different venues, productions, and users. -
Page 287: Network Inputs
– including streaming video – as part of your production. Also, when connected to a networked workstation or laptop computer running LiveText™, NewTek’s powerful realtime titling software, you can assign your CG duties to a second operator, freeing you to focus on live switching. -
Page 288: Section 16.1 Ndi Sources
NDI connection for ingest. SECTION 16.2 IVGA iVGA is a proprietary NewTek utility supplied to let you use data directly from the interface of a networked computer. It has a tiny footprint, and can even be run from a USB thumb drive, without any need to install it directly on the hard drive of the remote client system. - Page 289 Double-click the Zip file to decompress it, and then double-click the .dmg file to mount it. The NewTek iVGA icon shown above will be placed on your Desktop. Open it (by double-clicking, and you will see two files in a Finder window – the readme file, and the iVGA client program.
-
Page 290: Ivga Pro (Windows)
Show either desktop monitor when you have more than one attached using the Monitor 1 or Monitor 2 options in the menu. The Options list contains settings for Open at Login, Remove from Dock, and Show in Finder. 16.2.2 IVGA PRO (WINDOWS) The iVGA PRO™... - Page 291 The first time you launch iVGA PRO you’ll be asked to accept an End User License Agreement. Afterward, several things will occur: A small icon is added to the Windows® task bar notification area. The iVGA PRO control panel opens on your computer desktop.
- Page 292 Alternatively, TriCaster operators on the same network can directly select your iVGA client as a network source for their Net 1 or Net 2 inputs (see Section 10.1.2). When a TriCaster you have not previously connected to selects your iVGA output, iVGA pops up a ‘connection request’...
- Page 293 Note: Gigabit network connection provides the best transfer rates and the best quality video output. Slower connections may cause dropped frames, and should be considered unsuitable, especially for HD sessions. In extreme cases, where network capability is low or unreliable because of other traffic, iVGA may still be useful for static displays. IDEO OURCE The video source menu governs the imagery iVGA...
- Page 294 For example, you might designate just the video player pane on a browser page as the source; or perhaps you might want to snap to the video display pane in an application such as Skype™. When you select the Window option in the Video Source menu, a new icon is shown at right (Figure 273).
-
Page 295: Taskbar Icon Menu
ECORD A multi-function button at the bottom of the iVGA PRO control panel toggles output (or recording) on and off. The button label updates to display the action that will occur if you click it according to the current operation and state of the application. It may variously show Send, Record or Stop, as appropriate. -
Page 296: Hotkeys
Privacy mode allows the user to check e-mail, or perhaps view or arrange something, without risk of the audience observing. The taskbar icon shows a red indicator when Privacy mode is engaged. Hint: If an image named “privacy.bmp (or privacy.jpg) exists in the folder that iVGA is launched from, it will be sent. -
Page 297: Section 16.4 3Play
SECTION 16.4 3PLAY™ 3Play’s Output A and Output B are available as Switcher sources to TriCaster. They appear in the source selector menu for TriCaster’s network inputs as “3Play(A)” and “3Play(B),” where “3Play” is the name for the system. Conveniently, 3Play’s network output also includes embedded audio, freeing up multiple TriCaster a/v FIGURE 278 inputs for other purposes. - Page 298 FIGURE 280 Afterward, the new entry appears in the Source menu (Figure 281) along with any other network sources that have been detected or added manually. FIGURE 282 Notice that moving the mouse over the new entry in the menu adds two control gadgets. The familiar FIGURE 281 gear icon reopens the Configuration panel, to allow you to edit the details.
-
Page 299: Macros, Automation And Remote Control
MACROS, AUTOMATION AND REMOTE CONTROL Macro capabilities smooth out your workflow, reducing complex operations to a single button press, and make it easy to produce sophisticated programs. Combined with TriCaster’s Hotspot automation, macros provide many opportunities for both workflow streamlining and creative applications. (As well, macros can reduce or eliminate embarrassing operator errors.) This Chapter also covers Remote Control, which allows TriCaster operations to be synchronized for various purposes. -
Page 300: Section 17.1 System Macros
Click Macros to show a menu (Figure 284) containing a Configure Macros item. This opens the Macro Configuration Editor, which is where you can create and manage macros. Hint: The Switcher: Reset entry is permanently included in the Favorites menu. This macro sets all effects (including DSK and Key transitions) to the default Fade, and assigns M/Es to Mix mode. -
Page 301: Section 17.2 Recording Macros
System Commands are actually the very same shortcuts called by the user interface and Control Surface to operate your TriCaster. Expand this entry by clicking the triangle at left to see a long list of these important macros. Hint: Notice that keystroke shortcuts for macro entries are shown at right, which is a convenient reference if nothing else. -
Page 302: Section 17.3 Managing Macros
Of course, you can modify the playback rate using the menu next to the Record button. You can even set macros to loop using the button at extreme right. NAPSHOT One option in this menu bears explanation – Snapshot is rather special. When you choose Snapshot as the macro’s ‘speed’, you essentially force it jump to its end result. - Page 303 To set a new shortcut or modify an existing one, click in the Shortcut field at lower left in the Macro Configuration Editor panel (it will display a “Listening …” tag). Then press the desired keystroke (or control surface Macro button combination). Hint: For clarity, lower-case characters are shown as capitals.
-
Page 304: The Context Menu
17.3.2 THE CONTEXT MENU Entries in the lister have a context menu, shown when you right-click an item (Figure 290). Macros can be recorded, as we’ve seen, of played, renamed, deleted, copied, cloned, or exported. The folder context menu supports, in addition, Play All, Stop All, Paste, and Import operations. - Page 305 Use live action to make Overlays and DSKs appear auto-magically, or switch the video in a virtual monitor by tapping it with a fingertip. Switch from a seated desk shot to a standup virtual set simply set by walking into it;...
-
Page 306: Section 17.5 Edit A Macro
Hotspots are configured in the configuration panels for individual inputs. Double- click the viewport for a camera input to open this dialog, and click the LiveMatte tab. The lower portion of this tab contains the Hotspots control group. Notice that Hotspots can be globally enabled or disabled for the session using the switch in the group header. -
Page 307: Section 17.6 Network™ Commands
Insert a blank line by pressing Ctrl + i. SECTION 17.6 NETWORK™ COMMANDS The network i/o support in NewTek products is capable of sending and receiving other types of data too, including control instructions and more. For example, one form of information available to connected network devices is tally (on-air) notification. - Page 308 – C XAMPLE ONTROLLING Let’s consider a simple example taking advantage of the potential this ability offers. Using TriCaster’s Macro system, it is easy to take advantage of network connections to send instructions from TriCaster to 3Play via the Macro system. Such a macro could actually perform sequential operations on both systems, and be assigned to a shortcut keystroke or other macro trigger for convenient execution with a single user interaction.
-
Page 309: Default Commands
17.6.1 DEFAULT COMMANDS As mentioned earlier, the macro shortcut entry “net1” addresses a controllable network source connected to the first network input on a NewTek live production system. TriCaster has a second network input, which you can send commands to using the shortcut entry “net2”. - Page 310 The entry above will ‘remember’ the current clip with the name “AAA1”. (The default for ID is an empty string, which is a valid storage target.) ESTORE Delay (ms) Shortcut Value Key 1 Value 1 (ms) net1 or net2 clip_restore index This command cues up content previously stored with a specified ID value on the upstream source channel assigned to the network input designated.
- Page 311 This would select the fourth Play List tab on the 3Play output (A or B) connected to Net 1. Delay (ms) Shortcut Value Key 1 Value 1 (ms) net1 or net2 clip_ move distance Move the specified number of pages forwards or backwards from the current page. For example: Delay (ms) Shortcut...
-
Page 312: Section 17.7 Remote Control
CRUB Delay (ms) Shortcut Value Key 1 Value 1 (ms) net1 or net2 clip_ scrub distance This command will move the playhead backward or forward by a distance of # seconds. For example: Delay (ms) Shortcut Value Key 1 Value 1 .0001 net1 clip_scrub... -
Page 313: Twinning' Tricasters
Tip: Mirrored systems should be running identical software versions, specifically Rev.1c or better. 17.7.1 ‘TWINNING’ TRICASTERS For most purposes, media content and all initial control states of both local and controlled systems must be absolutely identical in order for remote control (a.k.a., ‘mirroring’) to work as expected. - Page 314 Note: Normally, TriCasters operating under remote control retain autonomous local control response. You can actually enable bi-directional remote control by configuring two systems to control each other. This can be very desirable, such in cases where different operators are responsible for certain aspects of the production process. Page | 298...
-
Page 315: Streaming
STREAMING Live webcasting has dramatically altered the broadcast landscape. Information can now be shared among audiences around the world with very small transmission costs. The live streaming market provides many creative and profitable opportunities. When it comes to taking advantage of this new medium, TriCaster™... -
Page 316: Section 18.1 Overview
The information you enter for a given Connection is retained in a preset that is easily accessed afterward from a convenient drop-down me. In addition, this panel has built-in web browser capabilities, permitting you to both view your stream from the remote site (just as your audience will see it) and access webpage based controls as required. -
Page 317: Compact View
18.1.1 COMPACT VIEW FIGURE 298 Just to mention it in passing, after configuring one or more Connections, you can collapse the header to a compact view using the up/down control just below the connection name field (Figure 298). SECTION 18.2 WEB BROWSER A simple set of navigation controls (Figure 299) is provided above the Web Browser viewport. -
Page 318: Rtmp
FIGURE 300 Hint: The Connection Type options may seem unfamiliar if you are new to streaming. You may find it helpful to read over Section 18.6, entitled Streaming Strategies. After selecting a Connection Type and clicking OK, the Name field in the main Configure Stream Connection panel is highlighted, to encourage you to supply a descriptive name for the preset. - Page 319 FIGURE 302 At right, you will see the Server control group (Figure 302), where you will enter the specific parameters required by your streaming service (or CDN – Content Delivery Network). Let’s consider the information you need to complete this successfully. The Username and Password are supplied to you by the streaming service, and are specific to your account.
-
Page 320: Windows Media Pull
One other Flash-related detail deserves mention. The first time you configure a RTMP stream, a webpage applet may pop-up up a configuration dialog asking you to permit Adobe Flash Player to access your TriCaster audio and video devices. Click Allow, and checkmark Remember, too. Then, in turn, click the ‘microphone’... -
Page 321: Windows Media Push
Push profile is chosen, the Server control group updates to allow entry of the (pre- arranged) host web address (Location), Username and Password. Note: The publishing point is placed at the end of the URL, following a forward slash (i.e., http://225.21.1.4:8080/NewTek). Page | 305... -
Page 322: Browser Based
Generally, though, they are pretty simple, and providers offer step by step information and support through their sites. And, of course, NewTek’s own TriCaster forum membership can often offer helpful hands-on experience and advice. Once configured on the remote site, you can audition your streaming broadcast using the Stream button in the Dashboard at the top of the Live Desktop panel. -
Page 323: Section 18.4 Audio Level
As mentioned before, however, this arrangement often doesn’t give you as much control or as many options as you might want. Other Connection Type options are more hands-on in this respect, but require you to manually select related settings, as discussed next for each type. -
Page 324: On Demand Or Live Streaming
18.6.1 ON DEMAND OR LIVE STREAMING? Not all ‘streaming’ is ‘live streaming.’ The difference is similar to i) watching a television program you previously recorded at a time convenient for you, or ii) watching a live event. On demand streams are stored on a server (often supplied by an external service provider), ready to be transmitted whenever a viewer wishes. - Page 325 Naturally, streaming video is highly compressed to reduce bandwidth demands and make it available to a wider group. TriCaster supports two popular and prolific encoding systems, Microsoft’s Windows Media® and RTMP (Adobe Flash®). The decision as to which encoding format to use for your live stream is up to you or – in some cases –...
-
Page 326: Streaming Protocols
path. The level of Internet traffic can impose limits, but another major factor is the sort of connection your viewing audience may have. Consider an example scenario: Even though you know that most of your audience is going to connect to your program using (relatively slow) wireless devices, you use a very high outgoing bitrate –... - Page 327 Connecting in this manner requires you to have a connection with sufficient bandwidth to deliver a stream to each individual user. For this reason, the simple Pull streaming method rarely works well for more than 1 or 2 viewers. Advantages: o When TriCaster is not behind a firewall or does not have a public IP address, this is a very simple way to let a few viewers watch your program stream.
- Page 328 o Pull doesn’t waste bandwidth; no signal is being sent out to the server unless somebody wants to view it. o If you lose your connection to the (provider side) server, the server will re-connect to your encoder automatically when Internet connection resumes.
-
Page 329: Streaming Media Providers
Hint: A helpful way to find a good streaming service provider is to ask other TriCaster users for recommendations in NewTek’s online discussion forums. 18.6.4 OTHER RESOURCES If you’re still struggling with the differences between Push and Pull streaming methods, you can find lots of online resources (in addition to excellent information available in NewTek’s user forums!) -
Page 330: Section 18.7 Production And Capture Considerations
Microsoft even hosts an animation on the subject at: www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/wminaction/stre aming_pushpull.asx (Ignore the detailed discussion of configuring the encoder, and just enjoy the pretty pictures – your TriCaster makes that part easy for you!) SECTION 18.7 PRODUCTION AND CAPTURE CONSIDERATIONS If you’re not intent on live streaming, but wish to capture a live switching session, you would likely record at full resolution using the Record button (rather than Stream). -
Page 331: Section 18.8 Diagnostics And Troubleshooting
Also, web streaming doesn’t handle detail, transitions and motion all that well -- so your best shots should be close up, and without a lot of movement. Too, audio from cameras and camcorders is rarely as good as that from external microphones. You should at least use a clip-on lavaliere microphone, if not a directional or shotgun microphone to be sure you record only the audio you really want. - Page 332 2. You can use the tools and integrated web browser in the Streaming Configuration panel, but you may want to confirm using an external system, too. 3. Open Windows Media Player , and select File> Open URL from its file menu ®...
- Page 333 Ping sends a small set of data packets to the target host (IP number), then ‘listens’ for an echo response in return. Ping estimates the round-trip time in milliseconds, records any data losses, and displays a summary when finished. Bottom line, if you can’t ‘ping’ your target, your connection has problems (the problem might be as simple as a bad cable connection).
- Page 334 1. Click the Apple icon at upper left on the Desktop, and select About This Mac. 2. Click More info … in the panel which opens. 3. Click Network in the Contents column at left. 4. The IP number for the system will be listed in the right hand pane. Issuing a Ping Ping is a command line program, and must be run from a command shell on the issuing computer.
- Page 335 FIGURE 304 FIGURE 305 Apple OS X For a system running Apple’s OS X® : 1. Double-click Terminal in the Applications\Utilities folder. 2. Type the following command into the Terminal (without quotations) and then add the IP number, and press Enter: “ping –c 4 ipnumber.”...
-
Page 336: Port Forwarding
(So, for example, you might type: ping –c 4 192.168.1.101) The response will be similar to the Windows® example described above. Again, a ping failure indicates a problem with the network connection. ONNECTION ISSUES Note that - if you are Pull streaming from ‘behind’ a router – the IP number shown in the TriCaster’s Location field will only be valid for other systems behind the router. - Page 337 The port number just mentioned (the part after the colon). Although the steps vary a bit by brand and model, generally you would proceed as follows: 1. Log into the router, so it shows its control panel in your web browser. 2.
- Page 338 7. Checkmark Enable. Some routers may have other security settings that need to be modified for your Pull stream to be visible from the outside. For example, the Linksys® router shown above has a setting in the Security page named Block Anonymous Internet Requests. While this may be a great idea normally, it’s not going to help much when outside computers request that your system permit them to Pull the video stream, is it? There are countless makes and models of routers –...
-
Page 339: Is It Really A Tricaster Issue
site which provides list online speed test resources http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest?more=1 18.8.2 IS IT REALLY A TRICASTER ISSUE? With regard to streaming issues, don’t overlook the fact that TriCaster is just one of the pieces of the puzzle. There are many others that are just as important. Here are some useful things to try: ... -
Page 341: Publish
PUBLISH TriCaster’s Publish features allow broadcasters to publish clips and stills from events like syndicated sports, entertainment or news programming to social media sites even while the live action and capture continue. Networks, corporate users and others with sophisticated website and distribution needs can deliver content moments after events occur for all manner of timely applications. -
Page 342: Section 19.2 Account Configuration
SECTION 19.2 ACCOUNT CONFIGURATION You will see Publish Account icons in the titlebar of both the Home and Session pages of TriCaster’s Startup screen (Figure 307). Click a specific icon or the neighboring configure button (gear) to open the Account Configuration panel (Figure 308). -
Page 343: File Copy And Ftp
19.2.2 FILE COPY AND FTP The File Copy and FTP options are very useful output alternatives, effectively providing a live export method that does not force you to wait until production ends to use them. These features can be invaluable for collaboration, whether local or remote. -
Page 344: Section 19.3 The Publish Queue
SECTION 19.3 THE PUBLISH QUEUE Having discussed configuration publishing accounts, let’s move on to look at live operations. In the Dashboard’s File menu, select the Publish Queue … (Figure 311) to open the Publish Queue panel (Figure 312). FIGURE 311 This is where you will create and manage the Publish Queue –... - Page 345 The selected entries are subsequently listed in the queue pane at right. Related information is displayed, including the file name (or ‘alias’, in the case of files added from a Media Player playlist), Duration, and Destination (depending on settings, multiple entries pointed at different destinations may be added in one operation). The Comment column allows you to add remarks that will be sent along with the upload to sites that support this.
-
Page 346: Managing The Queue
configure the credentials for the accounts (see Section 19.2) and – only then – upload the content. Click in the Upload column to actually publish the file (note that multi-selection is supported; all selected files are uploaded in this case). The neighboring Status column tracks upload progress. -
Page 347: More 'Add To Queue' Methods
Selecting this option opens a sub-menu showing two lists. The first is titled For Video; while the second is labeled For Stills. Adding a checkmark beside an account name in the Video list tells TriCaster that when you add a clip to the Publish Queue, it should create a queue entry with the corresponding destination. - Page 348 Alternatively, press Shift while clicking the Dashboard RECORD button to immediately add the last five seconds to the Queue. Hint: A TimeWarp™ control surface makes a perfect addition for sharing purposes. With Add to Publish Queue and Auto Upload enabled, an operator can easily mark and upload clips to social media sites on the fly, all without bothering the TriCaster operator.
-
Page 349: Record And Grab
RECORD AND GRAB You will often want to capture video clips from external sources, as well as to record your own live TriCaster™ productions. Similarly, it can be quite useful to be able to grab stills from Program output for use in the current production. This chapter will provide everything you need to know about this topic. -
Page 350: Record Configuration
Note: It is not necessary to interrupt recording to add a clip that is being captured to a DDR playlist or the Publish Queue. Add the last 5 seconds of the Primary recording to a DDR simply by holding Shift and clicking Record. Alternatively, you can use the Media Browser to do so. - Page 351 LOBAL ECORDING PTIONS FIGURE 320 ASENAME The first thing you may want to do is replace the default Base Name for captured files with a custom file name. TriCaster uses the base name and other information (such as the source) to apply a unique name to each captured file (the names are numerically incremented automatically as well).
- Page 352 RIMARY ECORDING The main features of the Primary and Secondary Recording control groups, when present (IsoCorder models), are identical – but they are grouped separately to highlight two unique aspects of the Primary Recording, those being the Add to Playlist and Add to Share Queue controls.
- Page 353 Primary clips to designated playlist(s) of the corresponding Media Player(s). Hint: You’ll generally enable this feature and set at least one of the DDR targets to “Current” when using the optional NewTek TimeWarp™ control surface with your TriCaster for ‘instant replay’ purposes. UBLISH...
- Page 354 Quicktime®, a popular and widely supported file format. For this and other reasons, we strongly encourage that you use this default encoding option. Hint: Download free NewTek codec packs for Windows® and Apple® MacIntosh computer platforms from your personal ‘downloads’ page in the “Registration” area of NewTek’s website.
- Page 355 Note: Some TriCaster features do not provide full functionality for some of the alternate formats. For example, certain of the formats do not support embedded timecode. Let’s consider TriCaster’s two MPEG-2 formats first. MPEG-2 TriCaster’s ‘double-rate’ MPEG-2 format for capture is comprised entirely of ‘I-frames’, resulting in excellent image quality.
- Page 356 PEED Selecting AVI (.avi) encoding tells TriCaster to capture the designated source using NewTek’s native AVI format, called SpeedHQ. This is a high quality, 4:2:2 file format suitable for both SD and HD applications. (See the hint under Encoding above regarding NewTek codec packs to use this option with your favorite applications.)
-
Page 357: Section 20.3 Grab
Click the Add Source button to place an additional entry into the list (up to eight sources in total for 8-input TriCaster models, counting the Primary). To remove an entry, click the corresponding [X] button at left. Secondary recordings are configured in exactly the same manner as the Primary source discussed previously. - Page 358 Close the Grab Still Configuration panel by clicking Close, or clicking outside the panel. Then click the Dashboard Grab button to capture the selected a/v source(s) to your hard drive. Image files are stored in a folder named for the session inside the main Still folder for the current session (sub-folders are created for the supplementary files captured when Grab all inputs is in use).
-
Page 359: Livetext™ And Speededit
LIVETEXT™ AND SPEEDEDIT™ LiveText™ is a powerful title and CG application, allowing you to create title pages for use in the Media Players of your TriCaster™. SpeedEDIT™ provides a great editing tool for pre and post production purposes. It is innovative and powerful, ready to handle numerous editing and also file conversion chores. -
Page 360: Files/Filebin
When LiveText is running, TriCaster’s video outputs (rows 1-3) will all conform to the session format. That is, if the project is HD, the SDI outputs will all be HD, and the analog outputs will be Component HD. Likewise when the project is SD, the SDI outputs will all be SD. As there are multiple connection options for analog SD video, please refer to the following table in this case: Analog BNC 1 Analog BNC... -
Page 361: Naming Stand-In Images
SECTION 21.2 SPEEDEDIT SpeedEDIT is an optional application, and can be found in the downloads section of NewTek’s website. SpeedEDIT is launched from the Home Page in TriCaster’s Startup Screen. After creating a new session or opening an existing one, click Add-Ons on the icon ring (see Section 0). -
Page 362: Sessions, Projects And Display
21.2.1 SESSIONS, PROJECTS AND DISPLAY Normally, TriCaster uses its current session settings for video output. SpeedEDIT projects (created using SpeedEDIT’s File menu (New), for example) may be a various resolutions, however. SpeedEDIT sends output to TriCaster’s audio and video outputs continuously, without selecting any menu setting. Unlike the arrangement for Live Desktop output, for SpeedEDIT purposes TriCaster’s video outputs (rows 1-3) attempt to conform to the SpeedEDIT project format. - Page 363 Maximize it by double-clicking inside the preview area (double-clicking a second time restores the standard ‘floating’ window). Similarly, you might find it convenient to maximize the SpeedEDIT window to fill the primary monitor display. To do this, double-click the window border. In this configuration, the Desktop exit button is not available, but you can exit the application using the File menu’s Close item.
- Page 365 P A R T I I I ( A P P E N D I C E S ) A time-saving question and answer section, followed by an extensive listing of Shortcut Keys, schematic diagram and keyword index …...
-
Page 367: Control Surfaces
The section also includes brief notes on connecting TriCaster™ control surfaces for use with your live production system. NewTek TriCaster™ systems provide unrivalled live production power. With a TriCaster™ control surface in front of you, all of that power is right at your fingertips. -
Page 368: Instant Replay
TriCaster 460 CS: Similar to the above but, slightly more compact, being designed for primary use with 4-input TriCasters. TriCaster 40 CS and TriCaster Mini CS: Compact control surfaces primarily intended for use with 4-input TriCaster’s, but also extended to serve with any Pro model;... -
Page 369: Power Considerations
22.2.1 POWER CONSIDERATIONS The power requirements of TriCaster control surfaces vary, but generally speaking are not inconsequential. TriCaster 8000CS requires a standard AC power connection, in addition to its USB control connection. All other control surfaces are powered by their USB cable. In the latter case, connecting the unit using a USB cable longer than the one originally supplied can diminish available power to the point where problems could ensue, including connection recognition failure or operational problems. -
Page 370: Overview
This spectacular and innovative control surface is the perfect complement to TriCaster 8000. TriCaster 8000’s unparalleled integration of advanced live production technologies offers many exciting new creative possibilities. Fittingly, an incredibly powerful and innovative control surface is included with the system. TriCaster™... - Page 371 WITCHER ONTROLS FIGURE 328 DSK, PROGRAM PREVIEW The DSK, PROGRAM and PREVIEW rows each present the following source selection buttons: 1. 1 – 8, Camera inputs 2. NET 1 and NET 2 3. Media Players: a. DDR 1 and DDR 2 b.
-
Page 372: Main Transition Group
MAIN DSK DELEGATE FIGURE 329 FIGURE 330 MAIN DSK DELEGATE button selections govern which DSK layer(s) the row is currently controlling; or – from another perspective – which video layers the selected source is assigned to. Note: When possible, all related button selections (and illumination state) are updated to show their current states when new delegate selections are first made. - Page 373 Note that FTB (Fade to Black), although not located beside the other delegates as it is in the user interface, is a delegate button – not an action button – and works exactly the same manner as its Live Desktop twin. Note that FTB has no dedicated transition controls;...
- Page 374 Push SHIFT + SELECT to toggle the Ping Pong switch for the BKGD transition. RATE The RATE knob operates in similar fashion to SELECT. Rotate the knob to modify the transition Rate for delegated layers. Or press the knob to cycle through the standard Slow, Medium and Fast presets.
-
Page 375: M/E Controls
Hint: When a DSK layer is fully displayed on Program out, its local Take button (on the Live Desktop as well as the control surface) remains lit. 22.3.4 M/E CONTROLS FIGURE 332 This section of the control surface corresponds to the tabbed M/E pane on the Live Desktop. - Page 376 M/E LAYER KEY DELEGATE These two delegate button groups control the functionality of the source selection rows at left, allowing you to specify sources for any or all of the video layers of all currently delegated M/E(s). Naturally, the M/E KEY DELEGATE selection(s) govern the KEY row buttons at left Just beneath the KEY row you will notice two identical rows labeled A/C and B/D.
-
Page 377: Positioner Group
FIGURE 336 LIVESET SHOT The LIVESET SHOT group buttons labeled 1-8 select the active Zoom Preset for the delegated M/Es. The ANIM ZOOM button toggles the CUT (Duration) option for delegated M/Es. When ANIM ZOOM is enabled, pressing an unselected zoom preset button initiates a smooth zoom from the current level to the new level. - Page 378 DELEGATES The Positioner section allows you to adjust position attributes for any video layer in the Switcher or any M/E effect using the Joystick. Positioner delegates are in two groups at left. The first Positioner delegate group consists of eight buttons, one for each of the primary M/E input layers (A-D) and KEY layers.
- Page 379 o Rotate the joystick clockwise/counter-clockwise (as viewed from above) To pan: o Title the joystick backward, forward, left or right. SHTL (S HUTTLE Push SHTL (Shuttle) to delegate the joystick to shuttle the Media Player(s) currently selected in the MEDIA PLAYERS > DELEGATE group. (Again, the other joystick mode buttons cannot be multi-selected with SHTL.) ...
- Page 380 Move the joystick vertically to rotate delegated sources on the X axis. Twist the joystick clockwise/counter-clockwise to rotate delegated sources on the Z axis. CROP Twist the joystick clockwise (as viewed from above) to crop delegated sources inward on all four edges, maintaining the original aspect ratio.
-
Page 381: Media Players Group
ONITORING While using the joystick in most POSITIONER DELEGATE modes, many adjustments are temporarily shown on the Live Desktop’s Preview monitor. The Preview monitor reverts to its default display a few moments after releasing the joystick to its at-rest position, just as occurs when using Positioner tools on the Live Desktop. 22.3.6 MEDIA PLAYERS GROUP MEDIA PLAYER >... - Page 382 These two buttons let you to cycle backwards or forwards respectively through existing presets for the delegated Media Player. MARK IN/OUT Click these buttons to set the in point or out point for the current playlist item in delegated players to the current frame. Press SHIFT with the button to reset the end point to its full limit.
-
Page 383: Record Group
22.3.7 RECORD GROUP Three buttons labeled REC, STRM, and GRAB are located in the RECORD group. REC – Pressing this button enables TriCaster's Record feature. As a safety measure, pressing the REC button when recording is underway does not stop recording. -
Page 384: T-Bar Illumination
That’s it – you can close the Macro configuration Panel and test the result. To play back the macro at any time, press the MACRO button along with the assigned key. 22.3.10 T-BAR ILLUMINATION TriCaster 8000CS uses colorful illumination to provide feedback and status updates your control surface selections and operations. -
Page 385: Main Transition
displayed, T-Bar lighting is at its brightest. Removing the layer dims the illumination. 22.3.12 MAIN TRANSITION 1. Just as you would expect, the illumination of this T-Bar uses red-green coloration, standard color coding for Program and Preview rows. 2. As for M/Es, described earlier, DSK-only delegate operations result in the T-Bar being lit in purple. -
Page 386: Section 22.4 Tricaster™ 460 Cs & 860 Cs
Preset selection: Press CTRL + LIVESET SHOT (1-8) to choose a preset for the selected camera. Press CTRL + RATE (M/E Transition group) to adjust the camera’s Animation Speed. Hold down SHIFT and press the top joystick button to update the current PTZ preset (position, zoom and thumbnail icon). -
Page 387: Overview
Apart from these distinctions, the features of both of these control surfaces correspond very closely, allowing us to treat them simultaneously in the following discussion. 22.4.1 OVERVIEW The CS control layout closely follows that of the TriCaster user interface, the principle exceptions being that: 1. -
Page 388: Delegates And Synchronization
The SHIFT and CTRL buttons provided on the control surface support extended features and future expansion. To the extent that these buttons are currently assigned to any feature, they have been described in context. MACRO The last button in this group offers spectacular convenience. A TriCaster macro can be assigned to any button on the control surface in much the same manner as it can be assigned to a keyboard button. -
Page 389: Switcher Controls
You push the Zoom Rate button again. The rate for M/E 1 and M/E 2 are incremented to “F”; the Zoom Rate for all three delegated M/Es is now synchronized. You will see this synchronization method applied to the following controls: ... - Page 390 c. BFR (BUFFER)/BLACK d. M/E 1 - M/E 4 (or M/E 8) (Press Shift with M/E 1-4 to access M/Es 5-8 when using a 460 CS with an 8-input TriCaster) Switcher row buttons are mutually exclusive, and the active selection button remains lit.
-
Page 391: Transition Group
controlling; or – from another perspective – which video layers the selected source is assigned to. The AUX OUT button corresponds to the Output 2 source, while FX controls Switcher or M/E rows delegated to the Green (FX) group. Note: When possible, all related button selections (and illumination state) are updated to show their current state when new delegate selections are first made. - Page 392 To do this, press the M/E button at bottom right in this section. While this button is lit, the BKGD and DSK1 delegate buttons, along with other controls in the TRANSITION group that correspond to existing M/E and M/E KEY layers and effects are diverted to the currently delegated M/Es.
- Page 393 The RATE knob operates in similar fashion to SELECT. Rotate the knob to modify the transition Rate for delegated layers. Or press the knob to cycle through the standard Slow, Medium and Fast presets. Multi-delegate selections are handled the same as for Select (for both twist and push operations).
-
Page 394: M/E Group
OCAL Local Take and Auto buttons are provided for DSK 1 and DSK 2, but not FTB. These perform a cut or transition respectively, affecting only the corresponding switcher layer. Hint: When a DSK layer is fully displayed on Program out, its local Take button (on the Live Desktop as well as the control surface) remains lit. - Page 395 automatically ensures that adjustments you make to settings will affect the M/E that you plan to display next. NPUT Just as in the Live Desktop, the Overlay row selection determines the source for the Overlay layer of an M/E. However, since the control surface supports selection of multiple M/Es simultaneously, operations can affect more than one M/E at a time.
- Page 396 UTO AND For an M/E In Mix mode, the TAKE and AUTO perform the named operation between A and B input layers, treating the former as “program” and the latter as “preview” sources. Press SHIFT + TAKE to show or hide the KEY layer(s) for currently delegated M/Es. Similarly, SHIFT + AUTO will transition the selected KEY(s) using the individual effects selected for delegated M/Es.
-
Page 397: Positioner Group
22.4.7 POSITIONER GROUP FIGURE 353 OSITIONER ELEGATE The Positioner section allows you to adjust position attributes for different overlays and video layers using the Joystick. The DELEGATE group includes seven buttons. In some cases, the scope of application for a DELEGATE selection is further modified by button selections in other sections of the control surface. - Page 398 o To zoom in: Push the joystick forward (as viewed from above), or twist the joystick clockwise. o To zoom out: Pull the joystick back (as viewed from above, or twist the joystick counter-clockwise. Push SHUTTLE to delegate the joystick to shuttle the Media Player(s) currently selected in the MEDIA PLAYERS DELEGATE group.
- Page 399 POS/SCALE Move the joystick horizontally, vertically or diagonally (as viewed from above) to move delegated video source(s) on its X and Y axes. Twist the joystick clockwise to scale delegated source(s) up, or counter- clockwise to scale down. Hint: When multi-delegate selections are active for the Positioner, adjustments are generally relative to the current state for individual delegates, as opposed to absolute.
-
Page 400: Media Player Group
Hint: For finer control, hold down CTRL when operating the joystick. This will increase its sensitivity by a factor of 10. RESET Despite its location, RESET is really an action button (not a Joystick mode). Press it to restore all position settings for currently delegated source(s) to their defaults. (This is also why RESET does not stay selected when pressed, nor does it change the current Joystick mode. - Page 401 EDIA LAYER ELEGATE The MEDIA PLAYER DELEGATE group contains buttons for TriCaster’s DDR 1, DDR 2, Graphics (455 CS), STILL and TITLE (855 CS), and SOUND modules. This selection determines which Media Player is being controlled at the moment. (Support for multi- selection allows you to do things like start and stop both DDRs at the identical moment.) PREV/NEXT PRESET...
-
Page 402: Record Group
22.4.9 RECORD GROUP FIGURE 355 Three buttons labeled REC, STRM, and GRAB are located in the RECORD group. REC – Pressing this button enables TriCaster's Record feature. As a safety measure, pressing the REC button when recording is underway does not stop recording. -
Page 403: Section 22.5 Tricaster™ 40 Cs & Tricaster Mini Cs
TriCaster 40 CS™ was initially designed for TriCaster 40 (not covered in this Guide), its ‘version 1’ button may labels reflect that. The image above reveals the updated button layout when used with the latest software feature set. The TriCaster Mini CS layout is virtually identical, but always sports the updated label set. -
Page 404: Delegates And Synchronization
While primarily designed to support the 4-input TriCaster models, this unit and its similar sibling have been extended capabilities that allow them to work with any Pro model, even including TriCaster 860 and 8000. This makes them perfect travelling companions or backup units for use with the entire TriCaster Pro lineup. 22.5.1 DELEGATES AND SYNCHRONIZATION Delegate button groups govern other controls on the control surface. -
Page 405: Shift & Alt
For 8-input models, press SHIFT + M/E (1-4) to delegate M/Es 5-8. FX/O VERLAY When MAIN is selected in the SWITCHER DELEGATE group, operations in this row are further modified by the OVERLAY DELEGATE selection in the Transition (T-Bar) group. ... - Page 406 example, ALT + SHIFT + (Preview row selection) toggles the Proc Amp feature for the designated video source.) FIGURE 359 FIGURE 360 Holding ALT provides access to secondary functions for certain buttons. You’ll note on inspection that the first four buttons in the FX/OVERLAY row have icons on their upper half representing transport and navigation features associated with TriCaster’s Media Players.
-
Page 407: Transitions
| (Next Item) – Push this button to go to the next playlist entry in delegated Media Players. (The selection cycles to the first playlist entry when necessary.) You determine which Media Player to control by pressing ALT. Doing so lights one of the Media Player selection buttons in the FX/OVERLAY row –... - Page 408 swaps the source selected on the PREVIEW row for the one shown on the PROGRAM row. M/E selections in the SWITCHER DELEGATE group cause transition controls to operate similarly on their respective targets. If one or more DSKs is selected along with the BKGD delegate button, the display state for the delegated DSK or KEY layer(s) will be affected as well.
-
Page 409: Section 22.6 Timewarp
Afterward, the T-Bar resumes control over the delegated sources. SECTION 22.6 TIMEWARP™ This chapter discusses the use of two NewTek TimeWarp™ control surfaces in two variants. Both models (TriCaster™ 860TW and its predecessor, TW-42) add convenient slow motion instant replay to the already potent capability of your TriCaster system. -
Page 410: Configuring Tricaster
TW-42 N Wherever items of special interest to TW-42 users appear in this chapter, OTES they will be flagged in the same manner as this paragraph. 22.6.1 22.5.1 CONFIGURING TRICASTER Connect a suitable video source to a camera input on your TriCaster live production system. - Page 411 Qualifiers Record Edit DDR options delegates Preset DDR Transport Mark FIGURE 362 For convenience, related controls and buttons are grouped together on the control surface. We will discuss the features and operations supported by each group in the pages that follow. The layout includes the control groups listed below (as shown in Figure 362): ...
-
Page 412: Ddr Delegate
Record toggle DDR options Preset (DDR Playlist) DDR Transport (clip playback and position controls) Let’s take a closer look at the members of each control group and their purpose. 22.6.3 DDR DELEGATE FIGURE 363 Much of the functionality of your TriCaster 850 TW relates to clip playback, navigation, and the like. -
Page 413: Edit Group
22.6.4 EDIT GROUP In general, these buttons operate on selected playlist content in the currently delegated DDR (see Section 22.6.3). Remove – Push to remove currently selected entries from the delegated DDR’s playlist (selected items are not deleted from the hard drive, however). FIGURE 364 TW-42 N The Remove button is labeled RMV on TW-42. -
Page 414: Marking Group
Speed preset buttons mutually exclusive, and establish a playback mode. They do not initiate playback; rather, the playback speed you choose is applied when subsequently press Play. (If a DDR is already playing, pushing a speed preset button alters the current playback speed immediately.) FIGURE 365 Hint: If you use an onscreen speed control to change to a new playback speed, the control... - Page 415 For this reason, if you should happen to push the IN button before enabling recording, it is enabled automatically (illuminating the interface Record button just as if you had pressed it on the screen). With Record active, an In Point is set for the current clip that will eventually be stored (when you press OUT) in the currently delegated DDR (see Section 22.6.3).
-
Page 416: Alt And Qualifiers
ALT + OUT A different operation results when you hold down ALT (see Section 22.6.7) at the same time as you push OUT. This operation updates the Out Point of the active clip in the currently delegated DDR to the frame currently displayed. SHIFT + OUT Hold down SHIFT at the same time as you push OUT to automatically trim the play start setting of the newly added clip to a frame five seconds prior to the Out Point (this... -
Page 417: Record Toggle
22.6.8 RECORD TOGGLE It’s probably no surprise at all that pressing the REC (Record) button enables TriCaster’s own Record feature. It’s worth mentioning though, that REC is not a simple toggle button (as it is on the user interface). Simply pressing REC again does not turn Record off. -
Page 418: Preset (Ddr Playlist)
22.6.10 PRESET (DDR PLAYLIST) “P” is for “preset” … or “playlist”, if you prefer. However you choose to view it, the buttons labeled P1 – P4 allow you to quickly access any of the first four playlist presets for the currently selected DDR. FIGURE 371 TW-42 N Preset selection is not supported by TW-42. -
Page 419: Tips And Tricks
Previous (Clip) – Push to highlight the prior clip in the playlist of the delegated DDR. Stop o Push to end playback at the current frame. o When already stopped, push again to go to the first frame of the current clip (or playlist, when Single mode is off for the DDR). -
Page 420: Section 22.7 Avid® Artist Mix
Zoom, Crop (etc.) – Use the Position tools for Overlay and DSK layers to zoom in on the action in a replay. Clip Organization – It can be helpful, at times, to use the MEM slot options in the DDR to collate clips for different purposes. -
Page 421: Installing Avid® Artist Mix Software
22.7.1 INSTALLING AVID® ARTIST MIX SOFTWARE AVID(R) provides a utility called EuControl for use with the Artist Mix control surface. This software runs in the background, and is required for TriCaster to recognize and respond to the control surface. 1. From the TriCaster Startup screen, click the Shutdown icon, and choose Administrator Mode. -
Page 422: Getting Started
use a switch or router rather than a direct connection between the two devices, so TriCaster can also connect to the Internet, etc. 4. Power up TriCaster, and wait for the Start screen to appear; then press the POWER button on the control surface. AVID symbols briefly appear on the OLED display above each fader at this point. -
Page 423: Panel Layout
22.7.4 PANEL LAYOUT Figure 374 illustrates the control surface layout. FIGURE 374 1. Soft Key navigation buttons 5. SHIFT keys 2. OLED Display 6. Knob Set selectors 3. Power button 7. Fader strips 4. Fader Navigation buttons Of course, Artist Mix can be used with a variety of systems and software applications apart from TriCaster. -
Page 424: Nudge
22.7.5 NUDGE At any one time, Artist Mix can display controls for as many as eight of TriCaster’s audio inputs, internal sources, and outputs. To access the other audio controls, use the navigation buttons located at right on the control surface, just beneath the button POWER (Figure 375). -
Page 425: Level Control
22.7.7 LEVEL CONTROL As you would expect, adjusting the position of a given fader modifies the volume level of the corresponding control in TriCaster’s Audio Mixer. For example, pushing the control surface fader labeled Audio1 A raises the volume for the source labeled Audio 1 A in TriCaster’s Audio Mixer. FIGURE 377 22.7.8 KNOB SET SELECTORS A set of Knob Set selectors (Figure 378) runs vertically down the left side of Artist mix... -
Page 426: Pan Control
22.7.9 PAN CONTROL Several controls are nested above each fader, along with the matching OLED display group for that audio input or source. Looking at Figure 379 you’ll notice that in the default operating mode ( ; See the previous section) the Audio 1A track’s display shows a VU meter at left, and a PAN graph below the input label. -
Page 427: Talk
Hint: Although the GAIN control is shown for other source types, it really only has any effect on inputs configured as Mic types in TriCaster’s audio input source selector. 22.7.10 TALK Push the small button to the left of the knob to toggle the Talk (Talk Over) feature for Mic sources. -
Page 428: Eq Control
22.7.13 EQ CONTROL TriCaster provides independent 7-band equalization along with Compressor/Limiter features for each source. And Artist Mix lets you access the controls without ever touching the TriCaster user interface. FIGURE 383 To display EQ controls, it will probably come as no surprise by this point that you need to push the EQ button in the Knob Set control group. -
Page 429: Compressor/Limiter
To enable, disable or reset the EQ, press the EQ (Knob Set) button to enter EQ control mode, and press CHAN, to turn Channel mode off; the display should show the 60Hz level. Select an input (press the SEL Y button beside a fader), and press the SEL button just below the OLED to enable/disable EQ for this input;... -
Page 430: Flip Mode
is so appropriate in this case that it is automatically activated whenever you press the Knob Set selector. (In mode, a ‘grid’ background is displayed in the OLED - CHAN see Figure 388. And as we saw before, the label for the selected source is highlighted in the same manner). -
Page 431: Insert
22.7.17 INSERT button serves several important purposes. It can be used to INPUT/INSERTS reassign the label for a slider input to a different TriCaster audio control by name, or to insert (or remove) a new (initially unassigned) control column on the surface. Controls for unused inputs or outputs can be removed from the surface, or if you wish, you can re-order controls using the Remove and Insert features. -
Page 432: Audio Presets
For example, you may well wish to consider locking the Master audio controls to the seventh and eighth slots, so that these important faders will always be available. To do so, follow these steps: 1. Navigate (using buttons if necessary) to position Master in the NUDGE BANK furthest right control slot on Artist Mix. -
Page 433: Section 22.8 Midi Control
SECTION 22.8 MIDI CONTROL Another very useful (and often very affordable) control option available to TriCaster users is MIDI. Literally thousands of devices of this sort are available. (Typically, MIDI devices are used in the audio industry in particular, but often they are used for other applications as well). -
Page 434: Section 22.9 Gpi Controllers
GPI inputs and outputs are very common on professional production equipment. The macro system in NewTek live production devices can take advantage of intermediary devices, such as the eBOX™ network/GPI hardware interface from JLCooper Electronics, to support both GPI signal input and output. - Page 435 ONFIGURATION For an external GPI device to communicate with a NewTek live production system, it must be manually defined by text entries in the file named gpi_setup.xml. This file can be located in the directory shown below as appropriate for your product: ...
- Page 436 GPI C ENDING OMMANDS A special macro command allows you to send GPI signals to external devices and systems via network-connected GPI interface devices (such as the eBOX™ from JLCooper Electronics). GPI macro entries are formatted as shown below: Delay (ms) Shortcut Value Key 1...
-
Page 437: How Do I
The headings that follow list related questions and answers together, along with cross-references and other helpful remarks. Hint: The NewTek website includes a comprehensive FAQ database containing a wealth of useful information on all of its products – please see http://www.newtek.com/faq/ How do I ... - Page 438 Resolve iVGA PRO Quirks? ....................431 Enable termination for video inputs? ................... 432 Configure Wirecast® to receive TriCaster’s Network output? ..........432 ............................. 433 ESSIONS Supplement: What is a ‘session? ..................433 Start an SD session? ......................433 Start an HD session? ......................434 Supplement: What is the best session format for streaming? ..........
- Page 439 ® Share Files On YouTube ? ..................... 449 Prepare Clips with Embedded Alpha Channel? ..............450 Add an external File Location to the File Browser? .............. 450 Remove a Location From the File Browser? ................. 451 Export Files to an external drive? ..................451 Import/Export files larger than 4 Gigabytes? ...............
-
Page 440: Connections
A.1 CONNECTIONS A.1.1 CONNECT CAMERAS? 1. Connect video sources to the appropriately labeled BNC input connectors on TriCaster’s backplate according to your camera’s video output connection type (see Section 3.5). (Because of the ‘busy’ nature of the backplate, you may find the BNC removal tool provided with TriCaster helpful for this purpose). -
Page 441: Configure Alpha Matte Output
5. Roll the mouse pointer over the monitor for the camera you want to set up, and click the Configure (gear) button that appears in its titlebar. 6. Choose the appropriate Connection Type for the source attached to the odd- numbered input in the Input Settings tab (see Section 8.2.1). -
Page 442: Connect Monitors
A.1.5 CONNECT MONITORS? OMPUTER MONITOR With the power off, connect an external computer monitor to the Interface port on TriCaster’s backplate, using an adapter if necessary. ULTIVIEW MONITOR OR PROJECTOR TriCaster supports a Multiview output feature by means of the output connector labeled Multiview. -
Page 443: Messed Up. What Can I Do
(Note that if your display hardware declines to work with additions you make to the menu, the Live Desktop status message display may show an ‘unsupported display mode’ warning, and the monitor may either revert to the previous mode or simply not show anything at all.) NOTE: Changing Output Resolution can cause frames to be dropped briefly. -
Page 444: Connect A Supported External Control Surface
a. Move the mouse over the Program monitor, and double-click to open Output Configuration. b. Click the Output tab, and select either Composite + Y/C or Component for Inputs 1-3 according to the connection type used by devices connected to each output. (Please see Section 3.8 for more.) A.1.6 CONNECT A SUPPORTED EXTERNAL CONTROL SURFACE? Connect the USB cable from the Control Surface to one of TriCaster’s USB ports. -
Page 445: Insert/Remove A Drive From Tricaster's Removable Drive Bay
UESTION Q: What hard drives are recommended for TriCaster’s removable drive bay(s)? A NewTek supplied storage media has been carefully tested to meet exacting specifications, and can be expected to provide optimal performance and reliability. Of course, you are free to purchase storage media from other sources. Keep in mind that manufacturer specifications and reviews may highlight favorable statistics, focusing on results from ‘typical’... -
Page 446: Connect An External Hard Drive
11. Click the Eject gadget at upper right on the screen, and select the hard drive you wish to safely disconnect, or… 12. Open the Live Desktop’s TriCaster Options menu by clicking the label NewTek TriCaster at left in the Dashboard, select Eject and select the desired drive (see Section 7.1). -
Page 447: Connect To A Network
A.1.12 CONNECT TO A NETWORK? Please refer to Section 3.16 and Chapter 16 Network . A.1.13 LOCATE A SPECIFIC TRICASTER ON MY NETWORK? Please refer to Section 3.2 for details on giving your TriCasters unique network names. A.1.14 RESOLVE IVGA PRO QUIRKS ADDITIONAL NOTES ... -
Page 448: Enable Termination For Video Inputs
Devices”. This opens the audio device control applet, allowing you to choose among those available. (It is sometimes useful to right-click in this pane and enable “Show Disabled Devices”, as well.) o Other third-party software solutions exist as well. An Internet search for terms like “audio loopback software”... -
Page 449: Sessions
The Source Settings dialog will open. 5. Set Protocol to “HTTP”. 6. Type the Network URL displayed in TriCaster’s Output Configuration pane into the Wirecast ® URL field. TriCaster’s Network video output should now appear in Wirecast , ready to be added to ®... -
Page 450: Start An Hd Session
5. Select a Volume (hard drive) for the new session. 6. TriCaster Multi-standard only: choose your local Video Standard (NTSC, NTSC-J or PAL) 7. Choose either SD 4:3 or SD 16:9 (widescreen) for Resolution, and click the Start Session link (lower-right). (See also Sections Section 3.10 and Section 5.1.) A.2.2 START AN HD SESSION? 1. -
Page 451: Backup A Session
A.2.4 BACKUP A SESSION? 1. Open the TriCaster session you wish to backup, then click the Manage icon in the Startup Screen’s Session Page. 2. Click the Backup Session button (below the Browse list). If the session has external files in its playlists, choose one of the options from the dialog that opens next. -
Page 452: Manage Selected Content Inside A Session
A.2.7 MANAGE SELECTED CONTENT INSIDE A SESSION? 1. Click the name of the session containing the content you wish to delete in the Home Page of the Startup Screen. 2. Click the Manage icon on the Session Page. 3. Under Browse at right, click the link for the type of content you wish to manage (see the sub-heading Manage in Section 5.3). -
Page 453: Live Production
1. Click the label button [...] above the current LiveSet name to open the Media Browser. 2. Click the NewTek heading beneath the LiveSets heading in the locations list at left. 3. Select Default (2 Layer) in the Default group in the file pane at right. - Page 454 FIGURE 397 FIGURE 398 Hint: A template clip (Figure 398) is supplied in the Clips>NewTek folder (as are several looping sample clips). You can use the template as a guide to prepare similar clips with content positioned correctly for use with the Nightly Show set, using in the software of your choice.
-
Page 455: Set Up The 'Night Beat 3D' Liveset
This particular set was designed to work with all TCXD model TriCasters, including those supporting just two primary sources. For TriCaster 8000 (only), which adds C and D inputs in M/E panels, the set has been updated as follows to provide more ability: ... -
Page 456: Set Up The 'Metropolis A' Liveset
5. Click the NewTek label under the LiveSet heading in the Media Browser, and choose “3D Center L.LiveSet” from the “Night Beat” folder in the file pane at right. This M/E provides the left angle for the center desk shot of the ultimate 3D result. - Page 457 3. Click the + sign that appears when you move the mouse over the label below the thumbnail to open a Media Browser. 4. Click the NewTek label under the LiveSet heading in the Media Browser, and choose “Metropolis A Wide” from the “Metropolis A” folder in the file pane at right.
-
Page 458: Initiate Streaming
9. Click the NewTek label under the LiveSet heading in the Media Browser, and choose “Metropolis A Quad Split” from the “Metropolis A” folder in the file pane at right. 10. Assign video or graphics sources to Inputs A-C. These inputs supply the three monitors behind your talent shots. -
Page 459: Record My Program
3. Click the Manage icon on the Session Page. 4. Under Browse at right, click the Clips link. A system file explorer will open. 5. Open the Saved Streams folder in the file explorer. A.3.4 RECORD MY PROGRAM? 1. Open (or create) a TriCaster session (see Section 3.10). 2. -
Page 460: Deal With Ddr (Media Player) Clips That Seem Blurry
We recommend downloading and installing the NewTek TriCaster Codec Pack (Mac) from the downloads page of your personal registration area on the NewTek website (http://reg.newtek.com/Default.aspx). This will permit you to select from several NewTek SpeedHQ codecs (including 32bit formats with embedded alpha channel) from applications that render to Quicktime®... -
Page 461: Flash (F4V)
DDR, please consider converting it to a ‘friendlier’ format. We can recommend NewTek’s own SpeedHQ, or perhaps DV (for Standard Definition clips), M2T or MPG – please continue reading for more information on file conversion. EMUXING LIPS Even when a specific AVI exists and can generally be considered ‘friendly’, the manner... -
Page 462: Change Colors For An Entire Title Playlist At Once
aggregates the information from all the moof atoms into a single moov atom and outputs a new file” Unconverted F4V files imported will not play in TriCaster’s DDR either. Conveniently, TriCaster can automate the conversion for you to a degree. If you locate the folder named Media\Clips\sessionname\SavedStreams on your primary session drive, you will see the “raw”... -
Page 463: Get Live Title Pages (.Cgxml) To Respect All Livetext Font Attributes
A.3.10 GET LIVE TITLE PAGES (.CGXML) TO RESPECT ALL LIVETEXT FONT ATTRIBUTES? TriCaster’s Title Page file format (.cgxml) presently supports almost every attribute that LiveText offers – but there are a few exceptions. For example, multiple font styles on one text line are not supported, which means that different words on a single line cannot be different colors, or use different typefaces. -
Page 464: Improve The Quality Of Multiview Output
A.3.12 IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF MULTIVIEW OUTPUT? For best visual quality, be sure that the Multiview Resolution you choose in the Dashboard’s Workspace menu corresponds to the optimum display size for the monitor connected (see Section 10.1). NOTE: Changing Output Resolution can cause frames to be dropped briefly. Thus we do not recommend changing this setting during live production. -
Page 465: Avoid Delays When Session Media Is Offline
A.4.3 AVOID DELAYS WHEN SESSION MEDIA IS OFFLINE? Launching a session when content in Media Player playlists that is served across a network is offline or missing can result in lengthy delays, even making it seem as if TriCaster has ‘hung’. Normally (i.e., when dealing with local content) the operating quickly reports file status to TriCaster, and missing media is ghosted in the playlist bin. -
Page 466: Prepare Clips With Embedded Alpha Channel
SD or HD clips, and represents a high quality, moderately compressed alternative. (As a registered NewTek customer, you can download the NewTek TriCaster Codec Pack for either Windows® or Mac® platforms from your personal Downloads page on the NewTek website.) Apple®... -
Page 467: Remove A Location From The File Browser
A.4.7 REMOVE A LOCATION FROM THE FILE BROWSER? 1. Click the Add button for a Media Player (DDR, Still or Title) 2. Right-click the name of the location you wish to remove from the list, and select Remove in the menu that opens. (See the sub-heading File Context Menu in Section 11.2.2) A.4.8 EXPORT FILES TO AN EXTERNAL DRIVE? There are several approaches to exporting media files from within TriCaster sessions. -
Page 468: Avoid The Error
A.4.11 AVOID THE ERROR “…COPY THIS FILE WITHOUT ITS PROPERTIES?” Windows® shows this error message when you export a media file from TriCaster to an external volume that does not use the NTFS file system. The warning is not really a concern (although we highly recommend using NTFS formatted storage, as noted in Section A.4.9). -
Page 469: Resolve Serious Instability Or Dropped Frames
A.5.2 RESOLVE SERIOUS INSTABILITY OR DROPPED FRAMES? If the system becomes seriously unstable or is dropping frames with ‘known compatible’ video files (after the warm-up period), consider a full System Restore (see item A.5.7). A.5.3 UPDATE TRICASTER? 1. Connect TriCaster to a valid Internet connection 2. -
Page 470: Install Virus Protection
It is quite likely that any attempt to update these manually will have unintended results, and you are strongly cautioned against doing so (unless otherwise directed by Customer Support). A.5.5 INSTALL VIRUS PROTECTION? Virus and malware protection applications can dramatically impact system performance. -
Page 471: Create A 'User Backup' Drive
Regarding codecs, TriCaster supports the vast majority of popular image, audio and video formats. That said, hardly a day passes without another new one appearing on the scene. If a file you would like to use does not play back well (or at all), consider converting it to a friendlier format. - Page 472 can use one of two methods to access TriCaster’s Restore features, depending on your situation. To restore your TriCaster system software after the system launches normally: 1. Click the Shut Down icon on the Home Page of the Startup Screen. 2.
- Page 473 Create User Backup Drive: create a bootable clone of the entire system drive (as it exists at the time) on either an external HDD or a drive mounted in a removable hard drive bay. The clone operation includes: o The existing (factory-prepared) Restore partition o The complete C partition In cases of catastrophic drive failure requiring drive replacement, a service technician can simply connect the User Backup ‘clone’...
-
Page 474: Registration And Tech Support
(Please see Section 3.3 for more detail. Also, note that it’s always good to check for updates after registration.) A.6.2 CONTACT CUSTOMER SUPPORT? Visit the NewTek Website to find the latest support information for your NewTek products, including FAQs and documentation, along with the Customer Support Department’s hours of operation and contact details. -
Page 475: Find Tricaster's Hardware/Firmware Revision Numbers
A.6.3 FIND TRICASTER’S HARDWARE/FIRMWARE REVISION NUMBERS? Click the Help icon in the Startup Screen’s Home Page, and select About TriCaster. This opens an information panel listing version numbers (at the bottom). A.7 MISCELLANEOUS A.7.1 ACCESS SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION FEATURES? 1. Exit the Live Desktop, and navigate to the Home page in Startup. 2. - Page 476 Note: It is possible to create streaming profiles that place very high demands on system resources, or are impractical for streaming over most networks. The default profiles are suitable for most purposes, and should not interfere with other operations. Attention to these considerations when creating custom profiles is vital to ensure reliable performance, and we encourage you to perform real world testing beforehand.
- Page 477 5. Copy the file, and paste the copy in at the same location. 6. Double-click the new profile to open it in the Windows Media Profile Editor. 7. Make such changes to the settings as you see fit, then click the Save and Close button.
-
Page 478: Add A Custom Streaming Connection For Youtube Live
8. Navigate (again) to the appropriate sub-folder inside the main C:\TriCaster\Configuration\Streaming Profiles\FlashProfile directory, supply a suitable name for the new profile, and click the Save button. 9. Exit Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder, and re-launch TriCaster. A.7.4 ADD A CUSTOM STREAMING CONNECTION FOR YOUTUBE LIVE 1. -
Page 479: More Questions And Answers
Format menu (in the Video section of FMLE’s Encoding Options tab). At the time of writing, all NewTek H.264 profiles use the Baseline option as it seems to be the best supported by various online services, and produces excellent results. -
Page 480: Why Is My Power Supply Beeping
TriCaster’s latency is very minimal (as little as 1 frame), but you can take measures to keep it to a minimum – first and foremost, by genlocking your video devices – see Section 8.1.2. For genlocked sources, consider disabling TriCaster’s Frame Sync – see Section 8.2.3. -
Page 481: Why Do Some Thumbnail Icons Look Wrong
UPPLEMENTARY UESTION Q: Where can I obtain replacement or spare Power Supply modules? A: Contact NewTek Customer Support for information on purchasing TriCaster components. A.8.3 WHY DO SOME THUMBNAIL ICONS LOOK WRONG? Some file formats (notably AVI) do not provide embedded aspect ratio information. -
Page 483: Bperformance Considerations
B PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS Your TriCaster™ has been carefully designed to faithfully execute its duties under any reasonable circumstances. Still, your production environment – especially in remote locations – may impose limitations that you are wise to consider. This chapter discusses a few matters that may help you get optimal performance in less than ideal settings. -
Page 484: Imag And Latency
B.3 IMAG AND LATENCY What’s IMAG? It’s a compression of the expression “Image MAGnification.” Typically in modern IMAG applications, video cameras supply live imagery to projection systems, magnifying speakers and performers so that audience members further back in large venues can still see what’s going on. IMAG is a very tricky task at the best of times, one that calls for excellent planning, and where possible, testing. -
Page 485: Latency And Your Audience
Still waiting for the promised mention of ‘relativity’? OK, here it is then: E=MC B.3.2 LATENCY AND YOUR AUDIENCE “Latency” - what’s that you ask? In this context, latency refers to the time it takes for the video signal to transit one part of the IMAG path, from camera lens to final display. Latency is usually expressed either in milliseconds or in video “frames”... -
Page 486: Other Sources Of Latency
TriCaster’s portion of the total latency sum is well within acceptable standards for devices of this sort – roughly between 1.5 and 2.5 frames (the actual amount can vary slightly within this range, depending on several factors). For example, suppose a ‘video frame’ supplied by a camera arrives at TriCaster’s inputs one millisecond after a different frame has been sent to the output. - Page 487 Certain projectors provide a ‘low latency mode’ to disable features of the unit that carry a heavy toll in latency. Enabling this mode can make positioning the projector slightly more challenging (as you may sacrifice some ability to position and scale the image using projector menu functions) -- but the latency reduction can be very worthwhile.
-
Page 489: Cvideo Calibration
C VIDEO CALIBRATION An oft-heard expression is “Don’t worry – we’ll fix it in post”. Post-production techniques are invaluable, but they do not invalidate another often repeated axiom – “Garbage in, garbage out.” And, in the case of live production, the results are immediately obvious to your audience …... -
Page 490: Calibrating Video Sources
As a first step, cameras need to be properly calibrated. Ideally, this is done right at the camera. Corrective measures taken downstream never fully compensate for problems at the first link in the chain. Most cameras, even inexpensive consumer models, provide adequate controls for this purpose. Some other video sources do not offer much if anything in the way of adjustment, however. - Page 491 Consider what happens if you gradually raise the brightness control on your television. Beyond a certain point (and unlike claims made for laundry detergent) your whites do not become whiter. They can’t – the upper limit (white) is firmly fixed. Instead, parts of the image that are nearly white are boosted, eventually also becoming white.
-
Page 492: Adjusting Color
Some more professional cameras offer full manual controls for white balance and/or black level. Use these as instructed to ensure your camera is providing the correct white and black levels. If you cannot make source adjustments, or can’t get it quite right by these means alone, you can use the Brightness and Contrast controls in the Proc Amp TriCaster provides for that input to tweak black and white levels. -
Page 493: Color Metrics
fuzzy dot is off-center horizontally or vertically, this would indicate that the camera is incorrectly calibrated, actually tinting gray areas. When the trace is off center, the direction and distance of the offset tells us what sort of tint (and how much) is represented by the deviation. You may be able to use the color controls at your camera to correct for this offset, or you can use the U Offset and V Offset controls in TriCaster’s Proc Amp to do so (as always, source controls are best). - Page 494 FIGURE 404 (NTSC) FIGURE 405 (PAL) You can use color bars in conjunction with TriCaster’s Waveform and Vectorscope to make sure the video supplied to the Switcher is consistent, accurate and broadcast legal. Most video cameras are capable of displaying color bars – check your camera manual to see how to display these (given a choice, use 75% bars).
-
Page 495: Calibrating Your Monitors
FIGURE 407 If the trace vectors do not line up as they should even after performing a white balance at the camera, you can use TriCaster’s Proc Amp controls to tweak the signal. Adjust the Hue control to rotate the vectors around the center point to line them up correctly on their respective targets. -
Page 496: Computer Monitor
C.3.1 COMPUTER MONITOR This is a subject that could (and does) easily fill multiple volumes, but which we will sadly give short shrift. It may not be quite as important to achieve ‘spot-on’ color calibration for the monitor used for the user interface. Not surprisingly, video output color is best judged on larger downstream video monitors. - Page 497 NTSC 1. If your monitor has a “Blue-gun only” setting, enable it. Depending on the brand of your monitor, the alternating bars will appear either as light gray and black, or blue and black (Figure 408). FIGURE 408 2. If the monitor lacks a “Blue-gun only” feature, you can obtain a colored filter such as a Kodak Wratten #47B gel, and hold that between your eyes and the monitor for a similar result.
-
Page 498: Further Reading
C.4 FURTHER READING You may find it helpful to review the white paper, available from NewTek’s website, entitled “NewTek TriCaster Scopes – How and Why”, by Allan Tépper. This document provides many helpful insights into waveform and vectorscope use, as well as the development and application of video standards. -
Page 499: Dkeystroke Shortcuts
D KEYSTROKE SHORTCUTS D.1 SWITCHER… Program Row, Inputs 1 to 24 (by model) F1 – F12 plus [Shift + F1-12] Preview Row, Inputs 1 to 24 (by model) 1 – 0, -, =, and [Shift + 1-0, -, =,] Transition Delegate – select BKGD [ key (left square bracket) Transition Delegate –... -
Page 500: T-Bar
D.2 T-BAR Take Return Key Take T-bar Back to Top Shift + Return Transition … Go/Pause Spacebar Auto Reverse Shift + Spacebar Adjust T-bar… Down/Up t / Shift + t (faster add Ctrl) Halfway T-bar… Take D.3 RECORD, GRAB, AND STREAM Record on/off r/ Shift + r Grab (still image) -
Page 501: Ddr 1
Show Multiview D Ctrl + Numpad 3 D.6 DDR 1 Stop Play l (lower case L) Go to previous playlist item Go to next playlist item ; (semi colon) Autoplay On/Off Loop On/Off ‘ (apostrophe) Single On/Off Navigate through Playlist items Up/Down/Left/Right Arrows Set In Point for current Playlist Item (Clip or Audio file) i... -
Page 502: Graphics
Stop Shift + k Play Shift + l (L) Go to previous playlist item Shift + j (J) Go to next playlist item Shift + ; (:, colon) Autoplay On/Off Shift + u (U) Loop On/Off Shift + ‘ (“, quotation) Single On/Off Shift + 1 (Q) D.9 GRAPHICS 2... -
Page 503: General
D.11 GENERAL D.11.1 EDIT TITLE PANE Save the current title page Ctrl + Shift+ s Save the current title page, and duplicate it in the Ctrl + Shift+ s playlist Save the page and move to the previous playlist item Page Up Save the page and move to the next playlist item Page Down... -
Page 505: Edimensions And Mounting
TriCaster systems and related control surfaces. SECTION 22.10 TRICASTER MINI MODELS TriCaster Mini is a highly compact and portable unit. Of course, like any complex electronic device, it is wise to protect it against accidental damage, including dropping or falling, as well as static discharges. -
Page 506: Section 22.11 Tri Caster 460 And 410
SECTION 22.11 TRICASTER 460 AND 410 FIGURE 410 TriCaster 460 and 410 both ship in 2 Rack Unit (RU) enclosures supplied with ‘ears’ designed to permit mounting in standard 19” rack architecture. The units weigh nearly 25 pounds (>11 KG). A shelf or rear support will distribute the load more evenly if rack-mounted. -
Page 507: Section 22.12 Tri Caster 8000 And 860
SECTION 22.12 TRICASTER 8000 AND 860 FIGURE 411 TriCaster 8000 and TriCaster 860 are encased in similar 4 Rack Unit (RU) chassis supplied with ‘ears’ designed to permit mounting in standard 19” rack architecture. As these units weigh in at about 40 pounds (>18 KG), we strongly encourage you to provide a shelf or rear support to distribute the load more evenly if rack-mounting is planned. -
Page 508: Section 22.13 Tricaster 8000 Cs
Good front and rear access is important for convenience in cabling, access to removable drive bays, and should be considered mandatory for ventilation and cooling. SECTION 22.13 TRICASTER 8000 CS Normally, the 8000 CS is used in a table-top configuration. Otherwise, the ½” (1.2 cm) rabbet provided at the front and back of the panel (only) permits you to embed the base in a cutout prepared for the purpose. -
Page 509: Section 22.14 Tricaster 860 Cs
FIGURE 413 SECTION 22.14 TRICASTER 860 CS Normally, the 860 CS is used in a table-top configuration. Otherwise, a rabbet on all four sides permits you to embed the base in a cutout prepared for the purpose. FIGURE 414 At the sides, a ½” (1.2 cm) ledge is formed for this purpose. The overlap provided front and back is narrower, about 5/16”... -
Page 510: Section 22.15 Tricaster 460 Cs
FIGURE 415 SECTION 22.15 TRICASTER 460 CS FIGURE 416 Normally, the 460 CS is used in a table-top configuration. Otherwise, a rabbet on all four sides permits you to embed the base in a cutout prepared for the purpose. Page | 494... - Page 511 At the sides, a ½” (1.2 cm) ledge is formed for this purpose. The overlap provided front and back is narrower, about 5/16” (.31 cm). FIGURE 417 Page | 495...
-
Page 513: Freliability Testing
For this reason, all NewTek products undergo rigorous reliability testing to ensure they meet our exacting test standards. For TriCaster 8000, 860 and 460, the following... -
Page 515: Index
INDEX AVI Codecs, 444 3D, 242 Beep, 464 Buffers, 98, 99, 213, 218 Network Sharing, 218 850 TW Layout, 395 Cable, 353 Calibration, 473 AAC Encoding, 455 Chroma Keying. See LiveMatte Act as Alpha. See I/O Configuration: Video Clip Transport, 402 Input Clocks. - Page 516 Edit. See SpeedEDIT I/O Configuration Eject, 113, 430 Audio, 43 Esc, 397 Genlock, 46, 151, 152 EULA. See TriCaster: Register Proc Amp, 11, 108, 159, 194 Export Media. See Startup Screen, See Startup Video Input, 42, 154 Screen Act as Alpha, 158, 424 External Audio.
- Page 517 Solo, 256 Zoom T-Bar, 247 Stream Output, 269 LiveText, 20, 343, 344, 345 Talk, 255 Standalone, 65, 271, 280 VU Meters, 252 LOOP, 401 Grab, 77, 341 Luma Keying. See LiveMatte Media Browser, 80, 203 Add Media Location, 450 Filter, 205 Media Player, 18, 79, 257 M/E, 67, 92, 447 Asset Management, 200...
- Page 518 Connecting, 63, 305, 315 Pull. See Streaming:Pull iVGA, 48, 63, 271, 467 Push. See Streaming:Push Ping, 316 Port Forwarding, 320 Sharing Buffers, 209 Sharing Media Folders, 209 Qualifier Buttons, 367, 371 Testing, 315 Quicktime, 444 Network Media, 449 Network Sharing, 209 Network Sharing, 218 Next, 403 Record, 367, 386, 401, See Live Desktop...
- Page 519 New Session, 433 Rate, 358, 377 Open/Manage Session, 113, 435, 436, 442 Select, 357, 376 Shutdown, 115 Take, 358, 377, 378 Exit to Windows, 115 T-Bar, 358, 377 System Utilities T-Bar LEDs, 377 Defragment, 452 Trans, 358, 377 Restore TriCaster, 455 Transport, Clip controls, 402 Update TriCaster, 453 TriCaster...
- Page 520 YouTube Live, 462 Zoom, 404 YouTube®. See Share Media...
-
Page 521: Credits
Trademarks: NewTek, TriCaster, TriCaster XD, TriCaster 8000, TriCaster TCXD8000, TCXD8000, TriCaster 860, TriCaster TCXD860, TCXD860, TriCaster 460, TriCaster TCXD460, TCXD460, TriCaster 410, TriCaster TCXD410, TCXD410, TriCaster Mini SDI, TriCaster Mini, TriCaster 40, TriCaster TCXD40, TCXD40, TriCaster 855, TriCaster TCXD855, TCXD855, TriCaster 455, TriCaster TCXD455, TCXD455, TriCaster EXTREME,... - Page 522 Copyright © 1990-2016 NewTek Inc., San Antonio TX USA...
Need help?
Do you have a question about the TriCaster Mini and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers
Can the switcher have a background still with PPT slides over top rightside of frame, and then have live camera feed on left?
Yes, the NewTek TriCaster Mini can display a background still with PowerPoint slides on the right side of the frame and a live camera feed on the left. It supports compositing live and video-on-demand inputs, including PowerPoint slides from a connected computer. The system allows for chroma key operations and mixing multiple video sources, enabling such a layout.
This answer is automatically generated
my tricaster only has one KEY option and two DSK options and 4 Mix Effect options. is there a way to add more of these items into my tricaster layout?
The TriCaster Mini includes Key layers in M/Es, which function similarly to Downstream Key (DSK) layers but are embedded upstream in the Mix Effect (M/E) output. However, the provided context does not mention the ability to add more KEY, DSK, or Mix Effect options beyond what is already available in the system.
This answer is automatically generated
Thank you for answering my question. There is a buzz on the output of our Tricaster410. Not sure why this is happening now.
A possible cause of a buzz or distortion on the output of a NewTek TriCaster Mini could be incorrect audio gain settings in the Output Configuration. Specifically, the gain controls for STREAM 1 and STREAM 2 may need to be adjusted. Setting the gain to -20 can eliminate distortion and align the output level with the TriCaster MASTER.
This answer is automatically generated