Newtek VT4 Intregrated Production Suite Features

The NewTek SX-84 is the heart of the VT[5] LIVE! Switcher, offering component, Y/C or composite ins and outs, along with audio, preview, alpha channel, tally, GPI and machine control.

There are 8 Video input rows, but that does not indicate the true flexibility of this rack-mountable beauty measuring 18 7/8” wide by 10 ½” high (or 6 rack-units high) and 1 ½” deep.

All inputs can use whatever cameras you have at your disposal, and unlike most switchers, does not require cameras to be genlockable. VT[5] performs all this internally, with each input having its own dedicated genlock controls in software. This means less gear to haul to a shoot, less time in setup and less investment for you to produce a multi-cam production. There is even an input for house synch, so you can time VT[5] to the other suites.

Each input row consists of a Y/C input, a Y, U and V BNC input. This allows connection of 8 component cameras to VT, which is something not available to producers at even twice the price.

Not many production facilities have that many component cameras for live switching, so the SX-8 allows you to mix and match inputs for incredible flexibility. Connect a component camera to input 1, then a Y/C camera to input 2, and then connect three composite video sources to the three BNC connectors on input 3.

When a Y/C source is connected, the BNC V connector is still free for a composite input.

8 component inputs
1 component input + 1 Y/C + 19 composite
8 Y/C inputs + 8 composite inputs
3 Y/C inputs + 18 composite
24 Composite inputs…and so forth.

Audio inputs are also quite flexible, with 4 microphone inputs (with phantom power). Those same inputs can be switched to line-level for 4-channel balanced audio support. There are also 6 stereo pair of unbalanced inputs. Add to that an Aux Return input for any audio coming back from outboard devices, such as parametric equalizers, limiters or reverb units. NewTek gives you incredible flexibility at the greatest price available.

Outputs
Your choices are equally flexible on the way out of VT[5]. There are 4 rows of video outs, which allow you to send Program Out to several devices for display or recording. You can also send your output in component or Y/C and composite. VT[5] also provides an output for your Preview field monitor. That connection can be soft-switched to become a dedicated key out.

Audio outputs provide four balanced outs, 4 stereo pair of unbalanced outs and an Aux Send channel if you wish to perform a pre-fader manipulation of an audio input. The integrated audio mixer provides such handy live capabilities as a Talkover function for VJ’s and a mix-minus record.

DV(IEEE1394)
Although SX-84 is analog, many customers are interested in FireWire in and out. If you have a IEEE 1394 Firewire card installed in your VT[5] machine, you can bring in your DV camera as an input into VT[5] switcher. Real-time FireWire out is also available whether you are editing graphics in VT[5] or switching a show with VT[5] LIVE!

Control
With more than 100 connectors on this switcher expansion module, we have included inputs for controlling decks and external devices as well. SX-84 includes three independent RS-422 machine control ports to remotely operate your professional decks, as well as a serial connector and a Tally/GPI connection. VT[5] gives you complete control over hardware so YOU have control over your production.

NewTek advances the state of live production with SX-SDI™, the newest VT[5] hardware that provides 8 serial digital inputs and outputs.

Serial Digital Interface, or SDI, is a standard for broadcast quality video, capable of transmitting uncompressed digital component video across a single coaxial cable with television facilities, with audio

embedded in the same signal.

In addition to live switching of 8 digital sources, SX-SDI also serves as a signal router, with the ability to assign any of the serial digital inputs to any of 5 digital outputs.

Further flexibility is provided on the audio side, with support for embedded digital audio selectable from any SDI input, as well as AES-EBU audio in and out.

While the SX-SDI adds additional inputs to VT[5], it does not limit the capacity of the SX-84 analog switcher. This means an SX-SDI added to a VT[5] LIVE! system continues to provide component, Y/C and composite in and out in addition to the digital connectivity.

Whether you are editing uncompressed or for DTV output, signal quality is imperative. NewTek's SDI option allows you to send VT's pristine D1 video output in real-time in an absolutely lossless, uncompressed state to any SDI-capable capture device or tape deck using a single coaxial cable. For users of Digital Betacam or Digital-S equipment, this is the perfect solution, providing a direct digital connection between your source or master tapes and VT. The VT SDI specifications include:

If you need to send your video to an off-line graphics house for compositing, or simply to another VT for your co-worker to use, SDI offers two benefits: video is never re-compressed and your images are sent via a single coaxial cable, instead of a longer component run of three cables. Even if the source material was acquired in a compressed format, such as DV, you benefit from SDI by eliminating any re-compression until you are ready to print to master.

VT's SDI option is a single PCI card to be installed in a PCI slot adjacent to the VT card. The VT SDI Interface uses SMPTE 259M video in and out and EAS/EBU audio in and out. The SDI card allows for Reference In and Reference Out in addition to SDI I/O BNC Connectors.