NewTek’s new 3Play 820 is a ten-channel (eight-in, two-out), slow motion system that supports simultaneous display, recording, and instant replay of eight video streams, each with up to four-channel audio, writes David Fox.
“Running replay with the NewTek 3Play 820 has raised our production to new levels, while bringing down the stress level for our tape operators,” said John Powell, NewTek beta tester and event producer for Turner Sports. “The system gives us the ability to recall an event, instantly; run multiple replays at a time, with dissolves in between each angle; and never miss a single frame of video, from any input. It’s great for even the most intense live production.”
Costing about £31,000 (which NewTek claims is significantly less than current four-input, two-output devices), the 3Play 820 is aimed at sports broadcasters, but is affordable enough for use by sports bodies, teams and schools, for instant replay for broadcast, webcast, or arena scoreboard displays.
It uses the proprietary NewTek IsoCorder technology, the eight-input, two-output 3Play 820 includes “an intuitive control surface, giving replay operators hands-on control of every input”. It can also be connected to any switcher for extra flexibility.
Its interpolated slow motion is claimed to deliver smooth playback “and ensures still frames are free of ghosting or blurring”.
It also offers full support for a wide range of video formats and frame rates; users can have a second display as an ISO monitor bridge, including Heads Up Display; there is easy import and export of a wide variety of popular media file types; linear timecode support for synchronized capture of live action and efficient post production;
Users can create multiple playlists, including transitions and sound tracks, and capture content from live video inputs any destination drive, with support for writing a single channel to two simultaneous drives for redundancy.
The unit has a 4U rack mount design, including an always on-air, multi-tiered fail-safe system and redundant hardware
