NewTek Unveils Transformed 3Play Product Family Starting at $9,995

Integrated sports production systems set new price-performance standards; breakthrough pricing provides replay opportunities for producers at all levels

NewTek™ today unveiled a new family of 3Play™ sports production solutions that includes major enhancements to the 3Play 4800, the introduction of a new 3Play 440 model, and the 3Play 425 model now starting at $9,995 USD. Unlike most replay systems that typically rely on linear, tape-based workflows, 3Play systems feature a broad range of new integrated production capabilities for creating dynamic sports programs that drive audience growth, brand awareness, and social media engagement––all with the beautiful, network-style look of a professional sports broadcast.

“While traditional vendors continue to build expensive replay systems that mimic what is essentially the way people used with tape, our approach is to architect single, integrated systems capable of handling many of the tasks that would normally require dozens of expensive component products and a sizable production crew,” said Dr. Andrew Cross, chief technology officer for NewTek. “3Play allows a single operator to produce more of the stunning content that immerses every viewer at home, at the game and online––while also taking advantage of new revenue opportunities based on the many forms of content they are producing. In addition, we’ve now made 3Play 425 broadly accessible to smaller venues, teams and schools, so that producers who previously couldn’t even consider network-style replay can get in the game and look just like a major sports broadcaster.”

The New Paradigm: Integrated Sports Production with 3Play 4800 and 3Play 440
In contrast to common replay servers that only focus on the singular aspect of replays, 3Play 4800 and 3Play 440 systems deliver a multi-purpose approach to integrated sports production that dramatically reduces the need for many specialized products and individual operators. Both systems offer a full spectrum of innovative capabilities for new workflows and production opportunities—even in environments where video production switchers are not available.

In addition, both 3Play 4800 and 3Play 440 systems are optimized for producers with specific needs. Broadcast companies, professional leagues and large venues looking for the greatest degree of production configurability can easily integrate the space-saving, 4U rack-mountable, eight-camera input, dual-channel output 3Play 4800 into their facilities. The new 2U, four-camera input, dual-channel output 3Play 440 is ideal for mobile productions and regional broadcasters, colleges, conferences, and mid-sized venues with more moderate budgets.

Additional highlights of the 3Play 4800 and 3Play 440 systems include:

• Extensive replay and review capabilities—offering the ability to preview all angles of a recorded event simultaneously for at-a-glance visual comparison of the best viewing perspectives. Play verification for officials is simple with side-by-side playback and game clock overlays to meet the increased need for angle comparisons and timing verification for official review, with razor-sharp clarity in both slow motion and accelerated speeds.
• Comprehensive media publishing—providing the ability to instantly and simultaneously publish content to multiple destinations, including Facebook and Twitter for greater visibility and increased monetization opportunities, as well as YouTube and other websites, dedicated FTP servers, second and third screen platforms.
• Beautiful visuals—allowing producers to bypass external switchers and graphics systems by utilizing real-time overlays to create stunning visuals—clips, animations, replays, and live action video—that achieve a televised broadcast look. Built-in animation buffers and stinger transitions replace the need for additional video servers and graphics stores, providing operators with instant access to branding elements and looping animations, eliminating delays and errors that often result from traditional queuing, searching, and pre-rolling. Automatic color matching tools keep all camera signals calibrated, sensing and adjusting proc amp attributes for any lighting environment—eliminating the need for a dedicated shading workstation.
• Cross-platform command and control—allowing producers to strengthen existing mobile, venue and truck installations with control of remote playback, clip and list queries, and queuing. Breakthrough across-the-network production capabilities for combined NewTek TriCaster-3Play workflows offer extensive ability to coordinate and trigger complex sequences that mix chains of events in both systems with the push of a single button. Support for the Advanced Media Protocol (AMP) allows for broader integration with third-party equipment, including Ross Carbonite video switchers.
• Automation and workflow—delivering significant production efficiencies with full macro systems that streamline complex, real-time commands to make the show look more sophisticated, and allow any configuration or sequence of internal or remote operations to be recorded, recalled and edited.
• Open Integration—extending interaction with 3Play functions to external devices. Custom scripts over TCP/IP can transmit extensive control of all 3Play operations over the network; MIDI and GPI triggers further control multiple tasks, as well as allowing simple breakout control by off-the-shelf devices; media asset management (MAM) and shared storage integration both improve access for both live content and post-production assets. In addition, Tally support provides on-air source indicators to the operator, and “watch” folders populate with multimedia content that is produced by others on the network.

New Breakthrough Pricing: 3Play 425
In addition to the major enhancements to 3Play 4800 and the introduction of the 3Play 440 model, NewTek has introduced the ground-breaking price starting at $9,995 USD for the four-input, two-output 3Play 425. This makes professional quality replay production available for smaller venues, high school athletic programs and non-traditional broadcast sporting leagues to incorporate replay technology into their video productions for the first time and represents a fundamental market shift in the affordability of professional sports production and officiating capabilities.

Key features of the 3Play 425 include network-quality replay, slow motion and highlights in native HD and SD, and seamless mixing of live video with assets from media libraries in a compact 2RU design that fits easily in small control rooms and production vehicles of all sizes.

Pricing and Availability
Prices for the expanded 3Play family include:
· 3Play 4800 for $39,995 USMSRP (free software upgrade to existing customers)
· 3Play 440 for $24,995 USMSRP
· 3Play 425 for $9,995 USMSRP (optional control surface available for $2,500 USMSRP)

3Play 425 is available now. 3Play 4800 and 3Play 440 are expected to be available in May 2014.