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Will iVGA work with Windows 2000?
Yes, iVGA will run on both Windows 2000 and XP. The only difference is that the iVGA icon on a 2000 desktop will look like a solid color instead of color bars (something to do with how Windows shows their desktop icons). Regardless of the icon color, the code will work on both operating systems.

What are TriCaster Audio specifications?
Full scale (0 dBFS) = 5.6V P-P = +5.93 dBV

Maximum input level is 5.25V P-P (+5.37 dBV)

Maximum output level is 4.85V P-P(+4.68 dBV)

Nominal input/output level .9V P-P (-10dbV)

Headroom (Max output level - nominal level) 14.68 dBV





TriCaster audio input can reach levels up to .56 dB below full scale, and TriCaster audio output can reach up to 1.25 dB below full scale.

Does TriCaster PRO support 16:9?
While TriCaster PRO has several differences from TriCaster, both models are 4:3, standard definition only production devices.

(You can see the differences in models here

What is the slim LCD monitor shown with TriCaster on your website?
That is the Shuttle XP17 monitor which can be ordered directly from Shuttle.

What kind of monitor do I need for TriCaster?
TriCaster 100 and Pro 1.0 software requires a monitor that supports a 1024x768 resolution. All other TriCaster models and versions run their software at 1280x1024.

When purchasing a monitor make sure that it supports the resolution, this is usually on the side of the box the monitor comes in and under "Specifications" on the manufacturer or reseller website and is listed as "Supported resolutions" or something similar.

Most 15" or larger 4:3 monitors support 1024x768, most 17" or larger 4:3 monitors support 1280x1024.

Widescreen monitors typically have to be larger to support the required vertical resolution. Most 17" or larger 16:9/16:10 monitors support 1024x768, most 20" or larger 16:9/16:10 monitors support 1280x1024.

Note: A common mistake when purchasing monitors is when an HDTV is used. While it's the same technology and the screen is large they don't always support the required resolution. 720p HDTVs are too short for a 1280x1024 resolution, 1080p (not 1080i) HDTVs usually support 1280x1024 however.

TriCaster now records in MPEG-2, but is that high enough quality for broadcast?
There seems to be many misconceptions about MPEG-2. One of them is that MPEG-2 quality is somehow equivalent to "DVD quality".
This is absolutely 101% not the case.
MPEG-2 is a compression format that has a very wide degree of possible quality levels. A typical fixed bit-rate of a rental DVD is about 5 Megabits per second, and keeps that data rate fixed, while varying the quality of output, depending on how much motion there is in the scene. On the other hand, NewTek MPEG-2 files are 30+Megabits per second and while the bit rate may vary, the priority is maintaining the highest possible quality.

In practice TriCaster files are not even similar in nature to what a DVD does because TriCaster does not use motion compensation (inter-frame compression) which causes the typical background blockiness of DVDs. In effect TriCaster is doing MJPEG inside an MPEG-2 wrapper so that it can be read by the majority of different NLEs out there.

What is the power consumption of TriCaster?
It varies between models, but TriCaster STUDIO consumes 90 watts of power, which generates 307 BTUs per hour.

What is the Warranty for TriCaster?
The NewTek Warranties and Return Policy is available at http://newtek.com/faq/warrantyreturns.php

Is there a competitive upgrade from TriCaster to 3PLAY?
While TriCaster is a portable live switcher, 3PLAY is a dedicated slow motion/replay device, and not a part of the TriCaster family, so there is no upgrade path between them.

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