A few months ago, I came up with an idea for an Internet TV show I’d like to host & produce. I considered returning to the multi-million dollar studio in Dallas where I filmed Ecommerce Confidential but really wanted to explore other options.
In March at South by Southwest in Austin, I came across a device that completely blew me away, the Tricaster TCXD300. For about $15,000, the Tricaster lets you, while on camera produce the quality of tv show that would have cost half a million or more and require a crew of five or six people just a few years ago. This is the same piece of equipment that’s being used by Fox Sports and several other networks. (NewTek, the manufacturer, has several different versions of the Tricaster and different price points).
The Tricaster will allow you to connect up to three cameras, a computer (to display Powerpoint presentations, websites, etc.) and even bring in a guest via Skype. You can also add images, film clips and add graphics, titles and credits. It includes several virtual sets and there’s software available that let’s you create custom sets.
You can simultaneously create a live program streaming over the Internet while also recording the show on the Tricaster and, it will also send the signal out to a projector at a live event.
Last weekend, I rented the Tricaster 300 along with a couple of cameras and setup a greenscreen and lights in my home office. The results are amazing! In such a short time, I wasn’t able to take advantage of all the things the Tricaster can do but I did record an hour long interview with a friend as well as the 10 minute review featured on this page.
I rented the Tricaster from Videotex Systems in Dallas. To find a dealer in your area or for more info on the Tricaster TCXD300, visit Newtek.com. Special thanks to Darryl Newman and Russell Meehan from VideoTex for helping me get all the gear in place.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Enjoy your Tricaster! It gave me my own TV Network. It’s an amazing piece of equipment. And we owe the world to NewTek
Thanks, Mike! I see you’re doing some very cool things with the Tricaster over at StreamingGarage.com. Congrats on getting on Roku!
What a great piece of equipment. And you in a suit!
Thanks for sharing this, technology is getting easier and easier.
Heidi
Yes Heidi, a suit
Something about the setting dictated a suit. Hope you’re doing well.
This is incredible! As are YOU! thanks for teaching us
Thanks, Martha! Btw, just got home from Austin to find UPS delivered your book. Can’t want to read it!
Check out Wirecast from Vara. Does the same for about 1/15th the cost.
Thanks, David. Wirecast is a good option for someone on a budget but I don’t think you can say it does everything the Tricaster does for 1/5th the cost. For one thing, it’s software so you’d still need hardware, capture cards, etc. For another, and this is significant to me, Wirecast would require having people man the cameras and would be difficult to operate while on-camera. Also, their virtual sets don’t look very good. If one is considering having a Skype guest, it doesn’t look like, and I could be wrong about this, Wirecast includes a mix-minus feature in their audio mixer.
I think it could be very useful though to someone that’s on tight budget that’s got friends to help run the gear.
This is the first time I have come to know about the tricaster tcxd300. Powerful features and a world of its own! Thanks for the info.
Thanks for your comment, Joe!
Great Job Bill!
I enjoyed it
Your lecture was very nice – good job
Just a few questions to be sure: Before I purchase one
1. Can Tricaster TCXD300 do encoding for roku live streaming via the Internet ?
2. Roku does not host video files, will this same Tricaster TCXD300 act as my video host since it can record upto 18hours of video
3. Is that everything I need for web streaming all in one box ?
4. Like you noted broadcast has changed a lot due to technology, if am doing just web live streaming from my home/office here in the USA do I need FCC License ?
Thanks a bunch.
Thanks, KC! You might want to direct some of these questions regarding the Roku service to the Tricaster forums here: http://www.newtek.com/forums/ I can tell you that you wouldn’t use the Tricaster as a video host. There are a number of services that can handle that for you. It does do web streaming right out of the box. I’m not an attorney but streaming over the web is not the same as broadcasting over the airwaves so no FCC license is required.