NewTek’s Will Waters Says IP Series Will Appeal to New Markets

The IBC show is always an opportunity to see companies expanding their customer base and this year’s was no exception as NewTek introduced the IP Series video production system that merges next-generation IP technology with the old-school traditional production switcher interface that many technical directors have come to know and love. “In simple terms we’re moving up market with this product in terms of both capacity, flexibility,” says Will Waters, Newtek product marketing manager. “And it has the look and feel of control that operators are used to with software-defined live switching.”

NewTek’s Will Waters says the new IP Series will expand the company’s appeal to more mid- and high-end production operations,

Waters says the IP Series is a continuation and evolution of NewTek’s software-driven live production, something Waters says will give users the versatility to deliver the content they need.

“And because it is modular it can scale as necessary to meet needs,” he says. “At the base level we have a four-panel control surface tied to a single VMC1 video mix engine that can bring up to 64 source channels.”

Those 64 source channels include 44 external inputs (each with key and fill) and full mixing control with 8 M/Es with full re-entry, plus PREVIZ. Each Video Mix Engine includes integrated compositing, a sophisticated macro automation engine, and the most flexible and scalable effects system available with almost unlimited matting, DVE, transitions, overlays, virtual sets, real-time data and much more.

Multiple NewTek VMC1 Video Mix Engines can be placed on the network allowing for both expansion and full redundancy as needed, keeping up with demands of any size of production. The base cost of the system with one video mix engine is approximately $60,000.

“You can add more mix engines and the control panel can drive multiple mix engines via Ethernet an internally each mix engine has a 72×8 internal router so you are hard pressed to get to a creative limit,” says Waters.

The NewTek VMC1 4S Control Panel is the tactile interface that connects the operator to single or multiple engines for precise control of the production. Paired with the VMC1 Video Mix Engine over a network, the NewTek VMC1 4S Control Panel offers comprehensive functionality with four independently assignable stripes and premium hardware mechanics that are intuitively arranged and ergonomically designed to ensure optimal live performance.

The NewTek VMC1 IN Studio Input Module allows up to 4 SDI or IP inputs per module recognized by the NewTek VMC1 Video Mix Engine. Modules can be added at any location on the network to increase camera/source count as necessary. Adding new dimensions to production operations, each module includes a multiviewer with return video feed and capability to ISO record to network storage.

“The Studio Input Module can be stacked and also gives a low-cost interface to bring in SDI or other IP sources,” says Waters.

Waters says that a Studio Output Module will be available in a few months and will allow for keying and other production requirements to be added as needed.

IP has been central to NewTek’s efforts in recent years as Waters says the company looks to take advantage of the IT developments in other industries.

“Those industries dwarf what we are doing and with more and more sports content being requested but budgets being constrained to move to IP allows for more niche events to be produced and more stories to be told while being more economical about it.”

And while NDI may be a proprietary NewTek IP format the company is clearly open to other formats as Waters says an ASPEN card can allow ASPEN signals to become part of the NewTek workflow.

“Effectively any of our customers are going to look at this and amortize the costs over time,” says Waters. “But by being software defined it is much more agile and flexible and because processing can be added it fulfills the promise of future proofing.”