Some Advantages of TriCaster Advanced Edition for Sports Production

If you haven't already updated your rig to Advanced Edition here's a list of features that may convince you to go ahead and take the plunge.

Advanced Edition and all the other products mentioned here are available directly from Digital Arts. NewTek also has an amazing bundle deal of Advanced Edition and other software for educational buyers that's too good to pass up. Call us at 1-800-692-6442 to order or for more info.
 
Integrated instant replay

A new feature they added that's not mentioned in that video is that a replay clip in the DDR can be changed to any of the camera angles after the fact. In other words you can click the button to add a camera 1 clip and then change it to a camera 2 clip after it's in the DDR. Tutorial

You can run this all with the mouse and keyboard but it's easier if you create some macros and even better if you assign the macros to an xKeys controller like this:

Digital Arts sells the XKeys pad w/custom key legends and the TriCaster instant replay macros pre-programmed for $250

More NDI Inputs/Outputs
On a TC460/410/Mini you can have a mix of four normal inputs and up to eight NDI inputs for a total of eight inputs. TC860s and 8000s get twelve total inputs.

The NDI inputs can be any NDI source on the network, things like cameras, software CG programs, other TriCasters, 3Play units, TalkShow or any of the other hundreds of NDI compatible devices and applications. The one you might be most interested in is the Connect Spark which allows any camera to be converted to Wireless NDI.

In addition to the NDI inputs you also have four NDI outputs so you can send various versions of your switch to multiple locations. One common use of this is to provide announcers with an output feed wirelessly using a basic laptop running NDI Monitor (free). Or record the output (ISOCorder - free or ISOCorder Pro) on another computer to free up a record channel on the TC itself so you can use it for instant reply.

More video layers and keys
Advanced edition has four downstream keys and the M/Es can have up to four video layers plus four overlays (TC410 and Mini only get 2 layers and two overlays). This gives you 12 layers of video using only one M/E plus the DSKs. If that's not enough you can feed the output of one M/E into a second to add seven more layers etc.

Judicious use of animated buffers along with something like NewBlueFX's Titler Live Broadcast which can send multiple independent animated graphic feeds via NDI to the TriCaster you can make maximum use of all these layers and build more sophisticated scoreboards with motion graphics to get that modern sheen.

Scoreboards are an easy way to monetize by adding animated sponsor logos.
To help manage all these layers there is a new 'comp' system (TC460, 860 and 8000) that lets you easily set up transitions between graphic states so that multiple elements fade or fly on and off with a single click.  Tutorial


Improved Automation
Integrated DataLink lets you update information on CG pages automatically. The prime sports application of this is bring in scoreboard data using ScoreBot directly from the scoreboard controller so no operator is necessary. You can also bring in stats data from web sites so your stats are always up to date.

NewTek has also made many improvements to the macro system giving you more fine grained control of TriCaster functions.


Improved Streaming - A new encoder with lower overhead, higher maximum resolution and better quality is included.