NewTek was honored to see it's newest product, TriCaster, play an important role in the distribution of important information to the state of New York. April 14, 2005 was an historic moment. For the first time in more than 100 years, the full 9-member panel of the New York State Court of Appeals went to hear appeals on the Niagara Frontier; their first such visit in the nineteenth century , and TriCaster was a part of that historic day.
System Integrator Doug Green, with MultiMagic, Inc., had just received a NewTek TriCaster before he was presented with the multiple demands of the traveling court. Doug says the requirements seemed perfectly suited for TriCaster, since they were asking for live cameras on the judges’ bench, video feeds to overflow and attorneys, archiving the event, and streaming the session back to the capitol
Green says they performed a dry run of the system from the courthouse in Buffalo 10 days before the event, as proof of concept. They were streaming through lines provided by the NYS Appellate IT group. Originally, two streams were tested... one QuickTime stream and a Windows Media stream from the TriCaster. In addition, a VGA signal was routed from the TriCaster to a 5000-lumen projector and a 7-by-10-foot RP screen in an overflow site at the other end of the floor where an anticipated 150 additional observers were to be seated. After it was determined by all parties that all systems were performing as needed, the test was deemed a success.
On the appointed day, Two Sony digital broadcast cameras utilizing triax cable for signal transfer to CCUs were used. All graphics, camera switching, projection feeds (overflow room) and streaming were handled with TriCaster. Seven judges mics on the bench and two mics on the counselor’s lectern were mixed in a Mackie 16-channel mixer, routed to TriCaster’s line in inputs. At the same time, VGA was fed to overflow room projector, and there was a Y/C- to a Y/C DA for distribution to two Beta SP and two S-Video record decks and a PolyCom system. TriCaster’s Composite Video output was sent to the press "mult box" in an adjoining room.
Green says system stability was a key issue, and TriCaster delivered. “Because the Windows Media stream produced by the TriCaster was so stable and easy to set up, the appellate IT group decided to just eliminate the QuickTime stream and just use the TriCaster for the narrowcast session.”
The court session lasted approximately about three and a half hours. What the verdict when the gavel fell? Green was ecstatic. “TriCaster performed without so much as a hiccup!”
The IT group, getting their first look at this portable presentation system was quite impressed. Green says there was an immediate huddle around the system with questions flying from all directions. The technicians were impressed with how something so small could be so powerful. Green has been a systems integrator for a long time, and is pleased to see something this comprehensive hit the market, declaring, “This has eliminated 30 years of integration headaches!”
Following the successful production, Green has already added TriCaster to his list of rental gear, and predicts many more producers will enjoy this power, adding, “This will prove to be one impressive product in a very short time span. Thanks NewTek!”
