Hello! This is my first post here, and I am hoping you can help with some advice.

I work for a university and we produce both sporting and academic performances and events on campus. In the past, my main switcher has been a TriCaster 460.

We recently decided to centralize our control room using NDI so that our soccer, football, hockey, basketball, wrestling and volleyball can all be processed in one location with a minimum of equipment to haul around. Our goal is an ESPN level experience for our fans.

The TriCaster Advanced Edition gets our TXD460 ready for NDI, but my vision is to have two complete production teams in one room capable of producing simultaneous events. My first instinct is to get a TriCaster TC1 (we will be using NewTek Sparks to transmit camera signals), but at $25,000 with control surface... that is a lot of my budget.

I tested and eliminated several other software and hardware solutions and only vMix is still standing for consideration. I figure with all the recommended computer components, xKeys controllers and the vMix Pro software, I can deploy for about $7,000.

I have sent a few emails in to vMix, but have had no replies, so I am reaching out to you in the vMix community.

I am very interested in vMix, and I think I have even found a way to make it behave like a traditional switcher layout by saving a preset with empty inputs all labelled for future use. In other words, I may only be running four cameras today, but input 10 is still "camera 10" on my xKeys controller. That means input 13 will be my first media player, etc.

When running multiple cameras, I find I need to keep my eyes glued to the multi-viewer and my hands have to instinctively know where to go, like a typist or pianist. having the "A" key "slip around" just isn't an option for me and almost counted vMix out for me until I "tricked" the interface.

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In any event, here is what I need to know:

How good a quality are the main recordings? We broadcast live to television and also need a good quality archive.

How reliable is the system? I simply cannot afford to be down during a live televised show.

My initial tests on a less than perfect spec machine have been good but do show a lot of dropped frames, even from local media. Will a perfect spec machine fix this? Are there formats that are better for playback in vMix?

Is the xKeys integration easy and rock solid? For me, switching without a surface is like driving while texting, on a real slow journey maybe you don't crash, but at the speed of sports, you will crash if you don't keep your eyes on the multi-viewer.

Although there are some paradigm differences, so far it seems like vMix can do almost anything the TriCaster can do... am I missing something? If vMix is this good, why is TriCaster so much more?

How is the quality of the streaming output? We use an RMTP based service (Stretch) for all our shows.

Is it possible to break out the instant replay controls to a separate controller?

Finally, I saw a few of the showcase videos and while graphics and production quality was good, I did not see anything quite at the level I am looking for - four plus cameras, replays with stingers, advanced graphics (particularly in motion)and video / commercial insertion. Can anyone point to an "ESPN level" production produced by vMix software?

Thank you in advance for your advice, my timeline to make a decision is very short.

Ironically, we reached out to vMix and BirdDog studios (for their NDI adapters) and neither has responded. The irony is this: every time I have a major problem with our TriCaster, I plan on a two to four day down time as I go through slow (but good) technical support and draconian security measures on their software. It was a recent four day frustration session that really opened up my thoughts to vMix and BirdDog, but you know the old adage, if you can't get them to respond when they are trying to sell you something, how can you expect good support after you buy?

How have your support needs been met by the vMix crew?

Thanks again for your time and advice.

H. R. Petersen,
Strategic Media Development Coordinator,
Minnesota State University, Mankato

Thank you so much PrepSpin, I've read some of the case studies on you and was hoping you might reply. I am feeling pretty awesome about the prospect of this software.

Any recommendations on computer components? Any problems with NDI camera sources?

Buy both :)
I have vMix, Livestream Studio and Tricaster. Sometimes I use OBS.

Mr. Petersen

I have spent several months on the identical issue. The TC-1 is wonderful; but, twice as much buck for the same bang. That was only part of the equation as i never want money to hurt the quality.

The other issue is i like the freedom to see what i can do and dont like limitations imposed from others.

The final issue is i cant ever see how i can get a broken tricaster fixed when i live in the middle of nowhere and newtek just plain doesnt support that type of customer service without a special expensive contract. With vmix it is my responsibility to get the right stuff to back up the software and let it do its job.

Re hardware, look at the few day old vmix fun time live show for august dealing with the i9-7900x build the designers of the software are experimenting with.....about 12 minutes into the show.

Please let me know what you end up building as that is the next step for me also.

With the money you save you could consider a heavy duty graphics system on a separate
machine that is available to both control rooms. I believe this now supports NDI.
http://www.fullcompass.c...eo-Ltd-XPression-Live-CG

vMix is incredibly stable, I've had no crashes or ever felt the need to restart it.
Very impressive considering what it's doing.

Having a Tricaster and vMix would be the best of both worlds, especially when linked
by NDI / SDI.

In a training environment having the students learn both systems would be ideal.

Yes, vMix supports Premier playouts with alpha via NDI.

This is fun, realtime playout and will texture map live sdi and direct x sources (vMix
external 2), into a 3D model -
https://www.outerspace-software.com/blufftitler

The high end Tricasters do have virtual set tracking tools that vMix doesn't
but for the money you would have to consider the new Ross alternatives.

Looks like a great system.

Peter B, I have actually used Bluff Titler to create sports opens in the past (pre-rendered for easy play out). Bang for the buck, it is pretty awesome for a small operation like ours.

Speegs - thank you for the good advice. I will work with the budget and see if I can fit some of those in - although I do have a trio of Atomos Ninja recorders that work really well. We have a very solid fiber backbone, so you are right, 10GE is what I want to get upgraded to - may have to happen mid season though.