NewTek Inc. announced the release of the first update for VT[3], the company's integrated production suite for live and post production and editing. The update is free to registered owners of VT[3], and includes enhancements to DV support and DVD authoring program support, enhanced integration with Adobe After Effects, and integration with Discreet's forthcoming combustion 3.
Update 1 for VT[3] is available free for registered owners of VT[3], at www.newtek.com. VT[3] is priced at $2,995. Registered VT[2], owners may purchase an upgrade to VT[3] software for $595. Localization is in progress for international distribution. For information on the nearest NewTek authorized reseller, see www.newtek.com/resellers.
"We express our commitment to the user by providing regular product enhancements during each generation of the product, and the current update, with dozens of new features and improvements is an example of the added value we like to provide our customers," offered Andrew Cross, svp of engineering at NewTek.
NewTek's VT[3] is a complete suite of virtual equipment created in software - monitors, decks, switchers, waveform/vectorscopes, audio mixer and more - that provides a comprehensive toolset for all professional video production needs from network broadcast to Web streaming. VT[3] provides realtime layering and effects for video and graphics in virtually any input standard or file format and operates internally in uncompressed D1 component video. NewTek's VT[3] includes integrated timeline and storyboard editing, paint, 3D modeling and animation, titling, keying, live-switching and more.
"We get a huge amount of mileage out of the integration between VT[3] and AfterEffects here at the station," said Tim Johnson of KUTV Channel 2, Salt Lake City, Utah. "It's becoming one screaming finish machine. We've got more expensive systems we can only off-line on, and with VT[3]'s uncompromised, uncompressed output we can online edit at pristine quality, with incredible speed and ease and just what we need in our fast-paced broadcast environment."
VT[3] Update 1 includes several enhancements to DV support, including improvements to realtime import, speedups to batch capture and increased frame-accuracy. For DVD production, VT-Edit now includes chapter markers in "wrapped-avi" files. These can be read by many of the popular DVD authoring applications. Genlock controls have been improved to support better control of H and V phase. The AfterEffects loader and saver for NewTek's proprietary uncompressed RTV format can now be used on systems without VT[3] installed, allowing users to share RTV files throughout their production environment.
VT[3] Integrated Production Suite overview:
-Ease of use - designed for professionals who need to get work done on time and on budget-Complete suite of virtual equipment created in software - monitors, decks, switchers, waveform/vectorscopes, audio mixer and more-Integrated timeline and storyboard editing-Multiple layers in realtime - as many as your system can handle - not limited by the software-Realtime keyframeable color correction and blur-Multi-format and multi-standard editing, with standards conversion on the fly in realtime-Realtime playback of compressed and uncompressed clips-Native DV support, component, Y/C, and composite I/O-Realtime 3D transitions, slow motion and reverse, chroma and luma keying-2D video paint with pixel tracking, filters, more-LightWave 3D, Emmy-winning world-class 3D graphics and animation-Optional SX-8TM, up to 8-component or 24-composite input Switcher-Optional RS-8TM Switcher Control Surface-Optional SDI I/O-Stream live events or finished productions to the Web in realtime
VT[3] Update 1 includes:-VT-Edit includes chapter markers in "wrapped-avi" files that can be read by many of the popular DVD authoring applications.-AfterEffects RTV loader and saver no longer require VT[3] to be installed on the machine being used. This will allow users to use their RTV files on machines other than their VT[3] station.-Discreet combustion 3.0 support (when C3 ships).-Now supports 32-bit BMP file import and PicVideo MJPEG codec.-AVI support improved. Full support for the OpenDML, including "drop frames," true keyframe support, extended -blocks, etc.-Recording of digital SDI audio is enabled with SDI option.-Genlock controls improved to support better control of H and V phase.-Realtime DV import significantly improved.-Batch capture stores time-code settings locally to projects, and not clips.-Batch capture frame accuracy improved significantly, including for DV devices.-Batch capture speed significantly improved, including for DV devices.-Background rendering cache is updated over 10x faster.-Support for 631 RS422 protocol as used by Panasonic decks.
With headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, NewTek (www.newtek.com) is a leading provider of full-featured video editing, animation and special effects tools, including VT[3], and LightWave 3D, winner of the 2003 Primetime Emmy Engineering Award. NewTek launched the desktop video revolution in 1990 with the release of the legendary Video Toaster.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
