Remote Studio Video Production with the NewTek VT 5

Broadcast quality video production is easier and less expensive today than ever before.

A basic definition of “broadcast quality” could be a show done with multiple cameras and microphones, (or edited to look that way) along with chroma key and other digital video effects.

Thanks to high-powered computers, creating such a video can be done with a minimal amount of equipment and therefore a minimal budget.

Gone are the days when you needed a huge studio or editing suite filled with thirty or forty components run by ten crew members at a budget of five-million dollars.

One powerful computer with the right software can replace a good deal of those components and consolidate most every task inside of one computer.

That saves not only tons of money but tons of room. You can get by with a MUCH smaller space if you don’t need all that stuff.

This makes videotaping in remote locations easier and more practical. So even if you are way out in the boondocks, broadcast quality video production takes less money, less space, less equipment, less personnel, and less effort than ever before.

Of course, you can also put the same equipment in your basement and still have room for the pool table. 🙂

There are a growing number of different software choices that essentially turn a high-powered desktop computer into a very compact TV and video production studio.

One solution for setting-up a desktop video studio is the VT5 by NewTek. The video on this page shows you a VT5 in action.

(UPDATE:  With technology moving faster than the speed of sound, the VT5 has been replaced with newer versions, but this sort of system was so revolutionary, the concept still holds.) 

The VT5 runs a bit under $9,000, and that does not include the actual computer. The VT 5 includes a huge video card, a breakout box, various converters and accessories.

In addition to the VT5, a complete operation will need cameras, mics, lights, monitors, play/record decks, and cables.

NewTek has been developing innovative digital video editing solutions for a very long time. The VT line has met with great success.

How well I remember New Tek when they first came out with their revolutionary Toaster. Baaaaaaaaa! (It had a fluffy sheep wipe! Honestly one of the most useless digital effects I can think of. But it was cute!)

A longtime working buddy of mine from my TV News days today operates a remote mobile production van that uses a NewTek VT5. The van is owned by the country government. He works as their Video Production and Studio Manager. The county uses the Remote Production Van to create incredible, high-quality shows of county sponsored events: parades, fairs, school events like graduations, dedication ceremonies, and sporting events. The van stays busy.

My buddy, Newt Danley, was nice enough to show me around the van and describe how he has the equipment set up. I made a video about it for my readers here at Video Production Tips. The video shows you what it takes today to create videos that rival what those in the big leagues have been doing all these years with their huge budgets.

Now, even low to medium budget groups can take advantage of desktop video production and create broadcast quality programing.

If you are interested in studio-quality video production, whether you want to stock a mobile production van for remote locations like my friend Newt, or use the same equipment to set up a stationary studio, the NewTek 5, or a similar unit, is one of the best ways to do it.

Below, I have copy/pasted some sales copy off the NewTek website, giving the product’s features, requirements and specs. Below the NewTek copy, I have put a list of additional equipment Newt uses in the mobile production van.

Now go forth and make video!

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips.

Lorraine Grula

COPY FROM NEWTEK:

The VT 5 Live SX-SDI Bundle from New Tek is designed to function as a complete television control room for your desktop. It is intended for use in live and post-production video studios. This model also includes the 8-input SX-SDI switching breakout box.

It supports NTSC and PAL standards. Other features include network-style, live, virtual sets and specialized tools for high-end post-production work. It offers (24) inputs with hundreds of real-time transitions and 3D DVEs. The solution also includes a character generator, a 2D video paint and animation system, real-time keying, and a digital disk recorder for integration of captured video clips.

Some of the benefits and features you will gain with this system include:

• NewTek LiveSet effects engine
• Completely integrated live virtual set system
• LiveMatte provides sophisticated keyer previews
• Optional LiveControl LC-11 switcher surface
• Optional TimeWarp replay and slo-mo controller
• 8-input SX-SDI switching hardware
• Optional LiveText remote titling and graphics software
• Optional DataLink real-time linking and display of external scores or files
• Live streaming in Flash, Windows Media or VC-1 formats
• On-screen Video Monitor supports any resolution/aspect
• Monitor offers action safe/title safe overlays
• Still Frame option on capture panel
• iVGA Recorder captures remote client displays as video
• DDRs support different clip aspect ratios
• DDRs support file formats listed below, including Apple QuickTime
• VGA output to projector includes real-time image enhancement
• VGA supports remote applications, such as LiveText
• Record show in I-frame MPEG-2 with optional MP3 audio
• Clock now on main interface
• Create and export title templates for VT[5] or TriCaster
• Title templates can be placed on Effects bus
• Render scrolls/crawls to any SpeedEDIT formats (HDV, etc)
• Audio/Video drivers support Windows Media Encoder and Flash encoder
• AVI wrapper has been re-written to support more project features
• SpeedHQ codec supports
• 4:2:2 video with and without alpha channel
• 4:4:4 video support with and without alpha channel
• Complete multi-core and multi-CPU decoding
• Customizable UI colors in Preferences
• Significantly improved readability across all modules
• Windows Vista UAC support
• Standard (non-admin) windows accounts supported

The VT[5] features live switching and Web streaming of up to 24cameras, and now includes LiveSet™, NewTek’s proprietary live virtual set technology that allows users to implement multi-channel virtual sets in a live environment with unprecedented realism and video quality. Only a few monitors can do the videos justice as they need to output at least a 4K display.VT[5] also includes advanced new keying capabilities, integrated SDI switching support and automated clip playback, with simultaneous output to video, projector and Web stream. VT[5]’s extensive HD post production capabilities include sophisticated real-time, non-linear editing, video painting and a full-featured animated character generation package. VT[5]’s real-time, uncompressed video processing with component and SDI output delivers unsurpassed video quality. The optional Serial Digital switcher adds an additional eight SDI inputs and SDI routing functionality to the new VT[5] system.Live Virtual Sets

NewTek’s proprietary LiveSet™ system in VT[5], allows separate virtual sets to be assigned independently to all switcher inputs, including all cameras and DDRs. In addition, each input has an independent LiveMatte™ matting module that eliminates the need for expensive hardware for each source connected to the system. Each virtual set supports virtual cameras with multiple angles and zoom levels, with support for secondary video sources for on-set virtual monitors.

All effects are rendered with unprecedented photo-realism, including reflections, refractions, shadows, bump maps, and sophisticated filtering.

Additionally, the advanced new keying capabilities included in the LiveMatte™ technology enable refined previews of mattes for the precise isolation of color, edge and spill for the sharpest possible results.
Features

• Live Switching
• LiveSet™ Effects Engine
• Live Virtual Sets – multiple angles and multiple focal lengths per set
• Upstream effects row
• 8 Component inputs
• 8 Y/C inputs
• Up to 24 Composite inputs
• 8 Serial Digital inputs (with SX-SDI)
• DV input Support
• Real-time FireWire input or output
• Automated Audio Mixer
• 4 Component outputs
• 4 Y/C outputs
• 5 SDI outputs (with SX-SDI)
• Preview output
• 4 Composite outputs
• 3 RS-422 machine control ports
• Real-time, advanced chroma keyer
• LiveMatte™ keyer previews of color, edge and spill
• Cue mode in Digital Disk Recorder
• 200+ digital transitions
• Dual GPI In / Out
• 8 Internal Tally light controls
• Background generator
• Internal Genlock
• Audio Mixer
• Mix 8 stereo live and 8 4-channel online audio sources
• 4-track audio: 4 discrete channels of audio in and out
• Supports SDI embedded audio (with SX-SDI)
• Talk-over, reduces mix levels for mic inputs to talk over
• 4 adjustable XLR balanced mic / line inputs with Phantom power
• 6 stereo unbalanced audio ins from live sources
• 8 stereo inputs from computer sources
• DV and SDI audio inputs
• Floating point audio with distortion-free audio levels
• EQ, balance, mute and mono for all 16 audio inputs
• Aux Mix: stereo aux send and aux returns for external sweetening
• Automated mixing: transition between audio presets
• Calibrated audio meters
• Audio-follows-video option
• Manage your output mix with Input Pass Thru
• PA Mix Out: for live PA or control room feed
• Balance on all inputs and outputs
• Digital Disk Recorder
• Multi-format, multi-standard on-screen tape deck
• Compressed or uncompressed playback
• Detects clip aspect ratios for playback
• Play back a single clip or list of clips
• Cue clips to roll when triggered by Switcher
• Real-time transitions between clips
• Count up or count down project time or clip time
• Operate multiple DDRs simultaneously
• EDL import/export (Grass Valley, CMX, Sony, Excel)
• Proc Amp
• Brightness
• Contrast
• Hue
• Saturation
• U Offset, V Offset
• U Gain, V Gain
• Track Preview function
• More than 70 adjustable parameters
• Calibrate computer sources as well as analog sources
• Auto Calibration for 75 IRE bars, 100 IRE bars, video pass-through
• (requires SX-84)

Video Scope

• Full-frame data
• 60 fields-per-second
• Monitor Program or Preview
• Waveform of Y/C, Y, C, YUV or RGB
• Vectorscope at either 75% or 100% Chroma

Video Monitor

• Fully fielded on-screen playback
• YUV video display
• Monitor Program, Preview, Key / Aux or DSK buses
• Display supports for 4:3 and 16:9 aspect
• Underscan mode
• Zebra stripes for 75 IRE and illegal video
• Proc-Amp for matching computer display to reference video monitors

CG Designer

• WYSIWYG text and graphics editing
• Save projects or pages
• Display Program output within CG interface
• Use any installed TrueType™ font
• Create Title Templates
• Export Title Templates
• Assign a Title Template to any source in Upstream effects row
• Save pages as 32-bit images or animations
• Soft shadows
• Create graphic objects (boxes, circles, splines)
• Instantly save or recall text styles
• Powerful drawing tools

Title Templates

• Easy creation of live pages
• More than 80 styles
• Customize/create new templates in CG Designer
• Export any title to upstream effects

iVGA

• Import external computer displays as switcher source
• Queue up to 3 iVGA sources
• Client provided for Windows and Mac systems
• Software-based scan conversion to video resolution
• Dedicate iVGA output to connected projector
• Digital Video Effects:
• More than 200 real-time transitions
• Expansions
• Wipes
• Curls
• Trajectories
• Fades
• Overlays
• Rotations
• Compressions
• BordersSpeedEDIT

World’s Fastest Video Editor

• SD and HD editing
• Real-time HD editing and previewing
• Resolution independent
• Frame-rate independent
• Fully multi-threaded for dual-core and quad-core machines
• SpeedHQ™ codec with 4:2:2 colorspace and alpha support
• Integrated Timeline and Storyboard editing
• Unlimited layering in real-time
• 3D control of position, size and rotation of layers in real-time
• Spline-based movement of all animations
• Unlimited undo, saved with project
• Real-time 3-wheel color correction
• 4-band color selection
• No rendering of complex projects required
• Create subprojects within a project
• VST Audio plug-in support
• CG Post™ for moving text
• Project Backup Wizard
• Time-code overlay filter
• Real-time Targa sequence playback
• Multi-format and multi-standard editing
• Real-time playback of compressed and uncompressed clips
• Real-time FireWire in and out
• More than 200 real-time transitions
• Real-time slow motion and reverse
• Real-time chroma and luma keying
• Real-time high-quality scaling of graphics
• Real-time video and audio filters
• Real-time audio mixing of unlimited layers
• 3D audio positioning
• 12dB of audio headroom prevents digital distortion

Deck Controller

• Control external decks from your VT[5] desktop
• Supports multiple RS-422 and DV decks
• Interfaces with batch capture deck lists and configurations
• Jog and shuttle support
• Record allows user to generate time code settings
• Aura Video Paint™:
• Amazingly fast 16-bit paint engine
• Paint over live video
• Four-point pixel tracking
• Color isolation
• 3D compositing
• Stroke recorder
• Wide range of text controls
• Instantly use a graphic’s alpha channel
• Animate text along a path
• Native DV support
• AVI and QuickTime audio support
• Apply Photoshop® filters to any animation

VT[5] Supported File Formats

Video Formats

• AVI
• MPEG-1
• MPEG-2 (program & transport stream)
• HDV
• QuickTime (with alpha support)
• MPEG-4 (including iPod and PSP)
• Raw DV
• DVCPro 50
• DVCPRO HD
• Image sequences
• Output to Flash

Graphic formats

• JPEG
• PNG
• Targa
• Tiff
• BMP
• WBMP
• PCX

Audio Formats

• WAV
• MP3
• AU
• SND
• AIFF
• WAX
• DIF

LIST OF ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT IN THE MOBILE PRODUCTION VAN HIGHLIGHTED IN THE VIDEO. When the video quotes a budget of around $30,000 for the whole set-up, it includes the monitors, record decks, etc in the following list. $30,000 does NOT include the van itself.
Preview monitors-2 racks of 4 each. Datavideo TLM 404 4- inch monitors (Only one set of 4 was installed when we shot video).Computer monitors-2 Marshall V-R151P rack mounted 15 ” monitors.Program monitor-One Magnavox 15 ” free-standing monitor bolted to metal shelf.VCRs-One Panasonic SD-255 (main)DVC Pro: One Panasonic AJ-D230H (back-up)DVC Pro Slo motion- One Panasonic PV-HS2000 (three at time of taping. )Audio mixer-Australian Monitor(brand name)TX6000 (small, rack mounted)Back-up batteries-2-APC XS-1500Field Cameras-Four Panasonic AJ-D215 w/studio configurationScoreboard cam-Panasonic PVG-S120 (consumer cam)

Tri-pods-Heads- Bogen 3066 (Manfrotto)

Tripod Legs- Bogen 3182

Video cables are BNC

Audio cables are XLR