NewTek 330 User Manual
Revised – Nov 12, 2010
Copyright 2010 NewTek Inc., 5131 Beckwith Blvd. San Antonio, TX USA 78249. 3PLAY, TriCaster, VT[5], SpeedEDIT,
LiveSet, LiveMatte, and LiveText are trademarks of NewTek Inc. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks
belong to their respective holders
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. i
1 About this Manual ................................................................................................................... 1
2 Software License and Limited Warranty .................................................................................. 3
3 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 9
3.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................... 9
3.2 Recording, Marking and Events ........................................................................................ 9
3.2.1 What is an Event? ................................................................................................... 10
3.3 3P-10 Control Surface ..................................................................................................... 10
3.4 Administration Screen .................................................................................................... 11
3.4.1 Standard and High Definition .................................................................................. 12
3.4.2 Output Mode .......................................................................................................... 12
3.5 3Play Desktop ................................................................................................................. 13
4 Setting Up .............................................................................................................................. 15
4.1 Command and Control .................................................................................................... 15
4.2 Activating & Authorizing Windows™............................................................................... 16
4.3 3PLAY License and Registration ....................................................................................... 17
4.3.1 Online Registration ................................................................................................. 17
4.3.2 Registering by Telephone........................................................................................ 18
4.4 I/O Connections .............................................................................................................. 18
4.4.1 A/V Input ................................................................................................................ 18
4.4.2 A/V Output ............................................................................................................. 19
4.4.3 I/O Configuration .................................................................................................... 21
4.4.4 Genlock Input.......................................................................................................... 22
4.4.5 Network Connection ............................................................................................... 23
5 Quick Start ............................................................................................................................. 25
5.1 Creating a Session .......................................................................................................... 25
i
5.2 Configuring Inputs .......................................................................................................... 27
5.3 Monitoring ..................................................................................................................... 28
5.4 Recording ....................................................................................................................... 28
5.5 Marking Events............................................................................................................... 29
5.5.1 One Button Marking ............................................................................................... 30
5.5.2 Two Button Marking ............................................................................................... 30
5.6 Instant Replay ................................................................................................................ 31
5.7 Play Highlight ................................................................................................................. 32
5.8 Selecting the Camera ...................................................................................................... 33
5.9 Slow Motion ................................................................................................................... 34
5.10 Jog and Jump .................................................................................................................. 34
5.11 Event Panel..................................................................................................................... 35
5.12 Playback Information ..................................................................................................... 37
6 3Play Reference ..................................................................................................................... 39
6.1 User Interface Requirements .......................................................................................... 39
6.2 3P-10 Control surface ..................................................................................................... 40
6.2.1 Playback Speed ....................................................................................................... 40
6.2.2 Event Marking ........................................................................................................ 41
6.2.3 Record .................................................................................................................... 43
6.2.4 Camera Selection .................................................................................................... 43
6.2.5 ALT ......................................................................................................................... 44
6.2.6 Jump ....................................................................................................................... 44
6.2.7 LIVE ........................................................................................................................ 45
6.2.8 Transport ................................................................................................................ 45
6.2.9 Jog/Shuttle ............................................................................................................. 47
6.2.10 Select and Manage ................................................................................................. 47
6.3 Administration Screen .................................................................................................... 49
6.3.1 New Session ........................................................................................................... 49
6.3.2 Open/Manage Session ............................................................................................ 51
6.3.3 System Preferences ................................................................................................ 53
6.3.4 System Utilities ....................................................................................................... 54
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6.3.5 About 3Play ............................................................................................................ 55
6.3.6 Shutdown System ................................................................................................... 56
6.4 3PLAY Desktop ................................................................................................................. 56
6.4.1 Titlebar Display ....................................................................................................... 57
6.4.2 I/O Configuration .................................................................................................... 57
6.4.3 Record and Device Status ....................................................................................... 63
6.4.4 Monitoring ............................................................................................................. 64
6.4.5 Input 1, 2, 3 ............................................................................................................ 65
6.4.6 Output Monitors ..................................................................................................... 65
6.4.7 Audio, and Audio Monitoring .................................................................................. 69
6.4.8 Event Panel ............................................................................................................. 69
6.4.9 Desktop Dashboard ................................................................................................ 77
6.5 Keyboard Shortcuts ........................................................................................................ 78
6.6 3P-10 Functions .............................................................................................................. 78
6.7 Front Connections ........................................................................................................... 79
6.7.1 Video Connections .................................................................................................. 80
6.7.2 Audio Connections .................................................................................................. 80
6.7.3 Genlock Input ......................................................................................................... 80
6.7.4 USB ......................................................................................................................... 81
6.8 System Restore ............................................................................................................... 81
6.9 Screen Sharing and Remote Desktop .............................................................................. 81
7 How Do I … ? .......................................................................................................................... 83
7.1 Connections .................................................................................................................... 84
7.1.1 Connect cameras? .................................................................................................. 84
7.1.2 Connect monitors? ................................................................................................. 84
7.1.3 Connect the 3P-10 control surface? ........................................................................ 85
7.1.4 Connect the Genlock Reference Signal? .................................................................. 85
7.1.5 Connect An External Hard Drive? ............................................................................ 85
7.1.6 Connect to a Network? ........................................................................................... 86
7.2 Sessions .......................................................................................................................... 86
7.2.1 Start an SD Session?................................................................................................ 86
7.2.2 Start an HD Session? ............................................................................................... 86
7.2.3 Work on a Stored Session? ..................................................................................... 87
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7.2.4 Clear Out Old Data? ................................................................................................ 87
7.2.5 Rename a Session ................................................................................................... 87
7.2.6 Backup a Session to an External Drive ..................................................................... 88
7.2.7 Restore a Backup Session........................................................................................ 88
7.3 Events ............................................................................................................................. 88
7.3.1 Mark an Event? ....................................................................................................... 88
7.3.2 Cancel an Incomplete Marking Operation? ............................................................. 89
7.3.3 Replay an Event? .................................................................................................... 89
7.3.4 Play an Instant Replay? ........................................................................................... 90
7.3.5 Play in Slow Motion? .............................................................................................. 90
7.3.6 Prepare a Highlight Reel? ........................................................................................ 90
7.3.7 Play a Highlight Reel? .............................................................................................. 90
7.3.8 Rename a Custom Event Tab .................................................................................. 91
7.4 Files & Maintenance ....................................................................................................... 91
7.4.1 Export A/V files to an External Drive? ..................................................................... 91
7.4.2 Improve Performance? ........................................................................................... 92
7.4.3 Update My 3Play?................................................................................................... 92
7.4.4 Restore 3Play Factory defaults? .............................................................................. 92
7.5 Registration and Tech Support ........................................................................................ 92
7.5.1 Register 3Play? ....................................................................................................... 92
7.5.2 Contact Technical Support? .................................................................................... 93
7.6 Miscellaneous ................................................................................................................. 93
7.6.1 Access Windows™? ................................................................................................. 93
7.6.2 Return to 3Play from the Windows® Desktop ......................................................... 93
8 Index ...................................................................................................................................... 95
Credits ......................................................................................................................................... 101
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Page 1
Hate reading manuals? If so, you are part of the majority (estimates
are that between 60 and 97% of the human race agree). Many
prefer to jump right in, maybe asking a friend for occasional help
(and who can blame them)?
This manual attempts to tell you what you need to know in a friendly,
concise way, while also providing a deeper reference section you can
turn to when you really need specifics.
Especially if you hate reading, please take a moment to peruse this
page, which explains the manual’s organization. You may find you
can escape with a minimum of reading.
1 ABOU T THIS MANUAL
Chapter 2 - Software License and Limited Warranty
Chapter 3 - Introduction: Basic concepts explained
Chapter 4 - Setting Up: Connecting external devices (cameras, monitors and the like) and
registration
Chapter 5 - Quick Start: A brisk romp through 3PLAY operations, about 15 pages
Chapter 6 - 3PLAY Reference: Complete details, for those who love (or need) to know
everything
Chapter 7 - How Do I … ?: Quick notes, with cross-references. When you have a specific
question, skimming a few lines here may be quicker than searching through Chapter 6
Index: Comprehensive keyword index
Credits: 3PLAY’S family tree
Page 3
2 SOFTW ARE LICENSE AND LIMITED WARRANTY
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE INSTALLING AND/OR USING
THIS SOFTWARE. BY INSTALLING AND/OR USING THIS SOFTWARE,
YOU AGREE TO BECOME BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE.
IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE, RETURN
THIS PACKAGE TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU OBTAINED IT WITHIN 15
DAYS OF PURCHASE FOR A FULL REFUND.
1. Grant of License
The enclosed computer program(s) (the "Software") is licensed, not sold, to you by NewTek, Inc.
(NEWTEK) for use only under the terms of this License, and NEWTEK reserves any rights not
expressly granted to you. You own the disk(s) on which the Software is recorded or fixed, but the
Software and all copyright rights therein, foreign and domestic, is owned by NEWTEK or its
suppliers and is protected by United States copyright laws and international treaty provisions.
The copyright restrictions of this license extend to any further updates, software patches, or bug
fixes made available to you by NEWTEK, whether distributed by floppy disc, CD ROM, DVD ROM or
in an electronic format via BBS, ftp, email, etc.
This License allows you to use one copy of the Software only with the accompanying 3PLAY
hardware.
You may make one copy of the Software in machine readable form solely for backup purposes. The
Software is protected by copyright law. As an express condition of this License, you must
reproduce on the backup copy the NEWTEK copyright notice in the following format "(c) 1990 2010 NEWTEK"
You may permanently transfer all your rights under this License to another party by providing such
party all copies of the Software licensed under this License together with a copy of this License and
all written materials accompanying the Software, provided that the other party reads and agrees
to accept the terms and conditions of this License.
2. Restrictions
The Software contains trade secrets in its human perceivable form and, to protect them, YOU MAY
NOT REVERSE ENGINEER, DECOMPILE, DISASSEMBLE, OR OTHERWISE REDUCE THE SOFTWARE TO
ANY HUMAN PERCEIVABLE FORM. YOU MAY NOT MODIFY, ADAPT, TRANSLATE, RENT, LEASE,
Page 4
LOAN, RESELL FOR PROFIT, OR CREATE ANY MODIFICATIONS OR OTHER DERIVATIVE WORKS
BASED UPON THE SOFTWARE OR ANY PART THEREOF.
3. Termination
This License is effective until terminated. This License will terminate immediately without notice
from NEWTEK or judicial resolution if you fail to comply with any provision of this License. Upon
such termination you must destroy the Software, all accompanying written materials and all copies
thereof. You may also terminate this License at any time by destroying the Software, all
accompanying written materials and all copies thereof.
4. Export Law Assurances
You agree that neither the Software nor any direct product thereof is being or will be shipped,
transferred or re-exported, directly or indirectly, into any country prohibited by the United States
Export Administration Act and the regulations thereunder or will be used for any purpose
prohibited by the Act.
5. Limited Warranty and Disclaimer, Limitation of Remedies and Damages.
YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE SOFTWARE MAY NOT SATISFY ALL YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR BE
FREE FROM DEFECTS. NEWTEK WARRANTS THE MEDIA ON WHICH THE SOFTWARE IS RECORDED
TO BE FREE FROM DEFECTS IN MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP UNDER NORMAL USE FOR 90
DAYS FROM PURCHASE, BUT THE SOFTWARE AND ACCOMPANYING WRITTEN MATERIALS ARE
LICENSED "AS IS." ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS (INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED
WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE) ARE DISCLAIMED.
YOUR EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY WILL BE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MEDIA
OR REFUND OF THE PURCHASE PRICE. IN NO EVENT WILL NEWTEK OR ITS DEVELOPERS,
DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AFFILIATES BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL,
INCIDENTAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS,
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE), WHETHER
FORESEEABLE OR UNFORESEEABLE, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE
SOFTWARE OR ACCOMPANYING WRITTEN MATERIALS, REGARDLESS OF THE BASIS OF THE CLAIM
AND EVEN IF NEWTEK OR AN AUTHORIZED NEWTEK REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
The above limitations will not apply in case of personal injury only where and to the extent that
applicable law requires such liability. Because some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or
limitation of implied warranties or liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above
limitations may not apply to you.
Page 5
6. General
This License will be construed under the laws of the State of Texas, except for that body of law
dealing with conflicts of law. If any provision of this License shall be held by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be contrary to law, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent
permissible and the remaining provisions of this License will remain in full force and effect.
7. Trademarks
NewTek, TriCaster DUO, TriCaster, TriCaster PRO, TriCaster PRO FX, TriCaster STUDIO, TriCaster
BROADCAST, SpeedEDIT, DataLink, LiveText, LiveControl, 3PLAY, VT, VT[3], VT[4], VT[5], Video
Toaster, Toaster, Inspire 3D, 3D Arsenal, LightWave and LightWave 3D, LightWave CORE and Aura
are trademarks of NEWTEK. Other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their
respective holders.
8. MPEG
Use of this product commercially, including the distribution of content media, may require
additional licenses from MPEG sources, depending on your usage.
ANY USE OF THIS PRODUCT OTHER THAN CONSUMER PERSONAL USE IN ANY MANNER THAT
COMPLIES WITH THE MPEG-2 STANDARD FOR ENCODING VIDEO INFORMATION FOR PACKAGED
MEDIA IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT A LICENSE UNDER APPLICABLE PATENTS IN THE MPEG2 PATENT PORTFOLIO, WHICH LICENSE IS AVAILABLE FROM MPEG LA, L.L.C., 250 STEELE STREET,
SUITE 300, DENVER, COLORADO 80206.
9. Other MPEG – No warranty
Your use of this product to distribute CD’s, streaming video, or other media, or certain other
commercial uses, may require additional licensing from other appropriate MPEG licensing sources,
and no warranty is made otherwise.
10. US Government Restricted Provision
If this Software was acquired by or on behalf of a unit or agency of the United States Government
this provision applies. This Software:
(a) Was developed at private expense, and no part of it was developed with government funds,
(b) Is a trade secret of NEWTEK for all purposes of the Freedom of Information Act,
Page 6
(c) Is "commercial computer software" subject to limited utilization as provided in the contract
between the vendor and the government entity, and
(d) In all respects is proprietary data belonging solely to NEWTEK.
For units of the Department of Defense (DoD), this Software is sold only with "Restricted Rights" as
that term is defined in the DoD Supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regulations, 52.227-7013 (c)
(1) (ii).
Use, duplication or disclosure is subject to restrictions as set forth in subdivision (c) (l) (ii) of the
Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at 52.227-7013. Manufacturer: NEWTEK,
5131 Beckwith Boulevard, San Antonio, TX 78249.
If this Software was acquired under a GSA Schedule, the US Government has agreed to refrain
from changing or removing any insignia or lettering from the software or the accompanying
written materials that are provided or from producing copies of manuals or disks (except one copy
for backup purposes) and:
(e) Title to and ownership of this Software and documentation and any reproductions thereof shall
remain with NEWTEK,
(f) Use of this Software and documentation shall be limited to the facility for which it is required,
and,
(g) If use of the Software is discontinued to the installation specified in the purchase/delivery order
and the US Government desires to use it at another location, it may do so by giving prior written
notice to NEWTEK, specifying the type of computer and new location site. US Governmental
personnel using this Software, other than under a DoD contract or GSA Schedule, are hereby on
notice that use of this Software is subject to restrictions which are the same as or similar to those
specified.
NewTek, Inc. Limited Hardware Warranty
This warranty covers only the hardware portion of the Product delivered (“Product”) and extends
to the original purchaser only. Software is licensed to you, not sold, under a separate license
agreement, above, that has its own warranty terms.
NewTek warrants that for a period of 1 year from the date or your original purchase of our
computer/video product (hardware), it shall be free from defects in material and workmanship. If
Page 7
a defect is determined to be covered by this warranty as determined by NewTek, NewTek will
correct it, and may do so using new or remanufactured components.
NewTek’s Liability and Limitations. NewTek’s obligations are only as expressly stated herein.
NewTek is not liable for loss or damage for inconvenience or interruption of service, loss of
business, data or anticipatory profits, or consequential, incidental or punitive damages resulting
from the use (or operation) of any of the products purchase by you. NewTek’s liability is limited
solely to the repair or replacement of the defective product. NewTek is under no obligation or
responsibility to enhance or update the product. This warranty does not cover damage or
malfunctions resulting from improper handling, accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, electrical surges,
failure of electrical power, use with other products not manufactured or approved by NewTek,
installation or removal charges or damages, damage while in transit for repair, repair attempted by
any unauthorized person, or any other reason not due to defects in materials and workmanship.
This warranty is also void if any applicable serial number has been altered, defaced, or removed.
The hardware and software in this product are designed to work in conjunction with each other.
Any termination of the Software License, including use of the software, or any portion of the
software, not in conjunction with the hardware provided in the same computer, will void all
warranties and any technical support service otherwise available.
To Obtain Warranty Service. To obtain free repair under this warranty, contact NewTek Technical
Support for confirmation, receive a Returned Materials Authorization (RMA), and deliver the
product along with proof of ownership (such as the original invoice, or a photocopy) to NewTek.
You will be responsible for any costs associated with the delivery to and from our service center.
Other Legal Disclosures. The above warranty is exclusive and in lieu of all other warranties,
expresses or implied (other than those warranties implied by state law). All applicable state
statutory implied warranties, including, but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability or
fitness for a particular purpose, shall be limited to a period of 1 year from the date of your original
purchase. No warranties, either express or implied, will apply after this period.
Because so many states have different laws that are ever-changing, and because we have no desire
to conflict with these laws, then any term of this warranty that is prohibited by applicable law shall
not apply. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or the
exclusion of warranties or of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or
exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have
other rights which vary from state to state.
Page 9
Thank you for purchasing this NewTek™ product. 3PLAY™ is the
newest addition to a family of video systems and software with a
proud heritage. A genuine video pioneer, NewTek is justifiably
proud of its innovation, ongoing commitment to excellence and
superb product support.
This chapter provides a quick tour of the major components of your
3PLAY system.
3 INTRODUCTION
3.1 OVERVIEW
3PLAY is a standalone hardware device that supports simultaneous recording, display and instant
replay of up to 3 video (and audio) streams. Its output possibilities include professional
hardware connections capable of conveying all three (synchronized) video streams to external
video systems such as live broadcast switching equipment, and file export.
3PLAY’s playback video output at any moment may be one of the following:
I. Live - Live pass-through of the input sources
II. Delayed – 3PLAY output runs somewhat behind the live input streams
III. Event – Playback of ‘bookmarked’ time segments that were captured from the live
streams
IV. Highlight – Special Highlight Reel playback mode
Hint: It’s important to realize that neither Delayed nor Event output interrupts continuous
capture.
Both Delayed and Event video streams can be played back at variable speeds. The standard
(NTSC) 3PLAY supports NTSC video in HD1080i, 720p, and SD formats. The International model
supports the same formats for NTSC, NTSC-J and PAL video broadcast standards.
3.2 RECORDING, MARKING AND EVENTS
Recording is intrinsic to 3PLAY – so much so that live input streams are only passed to 3Play’s
output when Record is active (previously recorded streams can be output at any time, of course).
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For this reason, Record is automatically enabled whenever you press the LIVE button on the 3P10 Control Surface (to select incoming live video streams as output).
When recording is enabled, all three incoming a/v streams are continuously captured and stored.
(Typically, each stream might represent a different camera angle.)
Note: For any single session, recording stops automatically after 12 hours.
3.2.1 WHAT IS AN EVENT?
The 3PLAY operator uses the supplied 3P-10 external control surface to mark events. An event
entry (in the Event List) is essentially a digital bookmark pointing to a portion of the recorded
video. Events are created when you mark In and Out Points as a live production progresses.
These In and Out timecode values allow you to isolate interesting segments. Newly-marked
events are successively added to the Master List of the Event Panel for convenient recall.
An event is not merely a clip. Rather, think of it as a bookmarked section of the complete
recording. Each event entry denotes a synchronized time slice of all three video streams. You
can recall and display events instantly. This involves sending the stream from one particular
camera or all three simultaneously to 3PLAY’s outputs, according to the Output Mode for the
session.
Events bear another similarity to literal bookmarks. A bookmark is only a convenient reference
to the printed material on the book’s pages – it does not comprise the actual text. Adding or
removing a bookmark does not remove pages from the book.
Likewise, 3PLAY normally captures a complete, uninterrupted record of your production. Just like
bookmarks, the events listed in the Event Panel are pointers to this volume of stored
information. Add and remove events freely with no fear of losing recorded material. You can
even add, remove or reorganize events during recording, or long after your 3PLAY recording
session ends.
3.3 3P-10 CONTROL SURFACE
A dedicated external 3PLAY control surface (Figure 1) designated 3P-10 provides primary
operational control (see Section 6.2), supplemented by the keyboard.
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Figure 1
Note: A variant of the usual 3Play Desktop is automatically displayed if the External 3P-10 Control
Surface is not detected on launch. The Dashboard in this alternate interface provides full 3Play
control using the mouse.
3.4 ADMINISTRATION SCREEN
The Administration Screen (Figure 2) appears on your monitor when you power up 3PLAY. It
provides control of important systems settings, along with administrative and system
maintenance functions. Most of these will be covered in depth later (in Section 6.3), but we’ll
touch on a few more noteworthy items here.
Figure 2
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3.4.1 STANDARD AND HIGH DEFINITION
3PLAY records and replays video in a wide variety of popular formats. For a particular 3PLAY
session you may wish to connect High Definition (HD) devices, while another environment may
consist of Standard Definition (SD) devices. The Video Standard (International model only) and
Resolution must be correctly chosen in the New Session section of the Administration Screen
before beginning a 3PLAY session.
3.4.2 OUTPUT MODE
For newly-created 3PLAY sessions, two optional Output Modes are available. These are
designated 1-Out and 3-Out modes.
Note: The Output Mode is set when a session is created, and can’t be changed if it is later
reopened.
When you choose 1-Out mode, a single (switchable) camera view is designated as the primary
output, and is displayed on all of 3PLAY’s video output connectors. In 3-Out mode, each of the
three synchronized views is transmitted independently on its own output.
The Output Mode choice allows you to tailor 3PLAY to your specific production environment:
3-Out mode is ideal when camera selections for instant replay are made ‘downstream’ from
3PLAY. For example, 3PLAY’s three independent output streams may be connected to a broadcast
switcher. The switcher operator, with all three streams at his fingertips, can broadcast any of
them instantly on demand.
At other times, the 3PLAY operator may be more of a ‘one-man-band’, possibly controlling both
3PLAY and a downstream switcher.
1-Out mode sends a single, selectable camera angle to 3PLAY’s output. This single video stream
requires just one input on the downstream switcher. Or perhaps you use 3PLAY to directly feed a
jumbotron-style display without any intervening switching device. 1-Out mode fills this need as
well. (See Section 6.3.1.1 for further discussion.)
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3.5 3PLAY DESKT OP
Clicking New Session (or Open Session) in the Administration Screen presents the 3PLAY Desktop
(Figure 3), which provides monitoring as well as numerous event management features.
Figure 3
As mentioned in Section 3.3, 3PLAY’s Standard Desktop is designed for use with the external 3P10 control surface. This mode of operation maximizes screen space available for event
management.
Hint: A ‘Desktop Dashboard’ appears automatically if you launch 3PLAY in the absence of the 3P10 control surface. This adds marking, slow motion, and event transport controls to the interface
(at the expense of a little screen space).
If you like, you can opt to display the Dashboard at all times by enabling a switch in System
Preferences (Administration Screen) – see Section 6.3.3.
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This chapter explains how to properly connect power, external
control devices, monitors and audio visual sources to your NewTek
3PLAY™ system.
It also reviews registration for warranty purposes and technical
support. After completing this short section, you’ll be all set to
continue into the Quick Start chapter that follows it.
4 SETTING UP
To begin, let’s review what is ‘in the box’:
1. 3PLAY system
2. 3P-10 Control Surface and USB cable
3. Keyboard and Mouse
4. A/C power cord
5. 3PLAY Reference Manual
6. 3PLAY Quick Start Guide
7. Registration reminder card
4.1 COMMAND AND CONT ROL
1. Connect an external computer monitor to a DVI or VGA port on 3PLAYs’s back plate
(whichever port is appropriate for your monitor connection type).
Note: As a minimum, 3PLAY requires a Screen resolution of 1280 x 768 pixels for its user
interface.
2. Connect keyboard and mouse to appropriate ports on 3Play’s back plate.
3. Likewise, connect the 3P-10 control surface to a USB port.
4. Connect the A/C power cord from the three-prong connection on 3PLAY’s rear to an
external power receptacle.
5. Turn on the computer monitor.
6. Press the Power switch located on 3PLAY’s lower front.
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At this point, the blue Power LED on 3PLAY’s faceplate will illuminate, and the hard drive activity
light should flicker as the device boots up. (If this does not happen, check your connections and
retry).
Hint: Though not required for 3PLAY to function, it is always wise to use an uninterruptable power
supply (UPS) for any ‘mission critical’ system. Likewise, consider A/C “power conditioning”,
especially in situations where local power is unreliable or ‘noisy’.
Power conditioning can reduce wear on power supplies and other electronics, and also provide a
measure of protection from surges, spikes, lightning and high voltage.
4.2 ACTIVATING & AUTHORIZING WINDOWS™
(Your dealer may have performed this operation for you as part of his pre-delivery service.)
When you see the ‘Welcome to Windows’ screen:
1. Click Next at lower-right.
2. Choose your time zone.
3. Accept the license agreement.
4. Enter your 25-digit key.
5. Decline automatic updates (by clicking “not right now”).
6. Give your 3PLAY a distinct computer name for networking.
You can authorize your Windows installation by network or by telephone. Assuming you have an
Internet connection available, and have connected 3PLAY to it with an Ethernet cable, the Internet
is the fastest method of activation. (See Section 4.4.5 for more on network connections.)
1. Click ‘Obtain IP and DNS automatically’.
2. Agree to activate Windows. This activation is permanent, and you won’t see these screens
again. (Registration with Microsoft is optional).
3. Assign a name to the administrator account. You may type your name, company, or
simply “3PLAY”.
4. Click Finish, and you system will re-start.
After restarting and accepting NewTek’s 3PLAY User Agreement, the 3PLAY user interface will load
automatically.
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4.3 3PLAY LICENSE AND REGISTR ATION
The Registration dialog shown in Figure 4 is presented when you launch 3PLAY, and provides the
unique Product ID you need to register your system. A 60 day period is allowed for your 3PLAY to
be registered and ‘unlocked’ (by entering the registration code in the space provided.)
Figure 4
You can register and obtain your registration code either by telephone, or online (directly from
3PLAY or from another system connected to the Internet) as described next.
4.3.1 ONLINE REGISTRATION
If you have connected 3PLAY to the Internet, simply click the button under Step 2 in the registration
dialog. This will take you to the Registration page (http://register.newtek.com) in the Customer
Care section of NewTek’s website where you will find further directions.
Hint: More information on connecting 3PLAY to a network can be found in Section 4.4.5
Otherwise, you can visit the registration webpage from another system with Internet access. In
either case, enter the registration code provided after registering into the field provided at Step 3
of the dialog. (You’ll want to record the login name and password you choose when creating your
profile, and check your personal area of the site from time to time afterward. Among other things,
you’ll be able to download any 3PLAY software updates that are made available.)
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4.3.2 REGISTERING BY TELEP HONE
NewTek’s Customer Care center can also handle registration requests by telephone, if that is more
convenient (when opportunity permits, you should still visit the website as discussed above to gain
access to software updates). Please have your Product ID (from the Registration dialog mentioned
earlier) handy when you call.
The phone numbers for Customer Service follow:
Telephone: (US) 1-800-862-7837
(Outside US) +1-210-370-8000
Fax: 210-370-8001
Note: For Technical Support contact information, please see Section 7.5.2.
4.4 I/O CONNECTION S
Next we’ll discuss the important external audio and video connectors on 3PLAY’s front panel. A bit
later, in Section 4.4.4, we’ll also consider connecting a reference signal to 3PLAY’s Genlock Input
(and genlocking the source cameras connected to 3PLAY).
4.4.1 A/V INPUT
Three external audio and video sources can be added to the input connectors on 3PLAY’s front
panel.
Figure 5
1. Connect video sources to appropriately named input connectors, whether SDI,
Component, Y/C (may require S-Video to BNC adapter) or Composite (may require RCA to
BNC adapter).
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a. SDI – Attach the SDI source connectors to the BNC connectors marked SDI in the
Video In group.
b. Component – Attach the appropriate BNC connectors from your sources to the
second, third and fourth BNC connectors (labeled Y, Pb and Pr ) in each row in
the Video In group.
c. Y/C – If your S-Video equipment and cabling has the usual 4-pin mini-DIN
connectors, you will need to use an S-Video to BNC adapter. To connect Y/C
sources, attach the Y (luma) connector of your source to the third of four BNC
connectors (labeled Pb). Attach the source’s C (chroma) connector to the fourth
connector (labeled Pr). Do this for each row in the Video In group.
d. Composite - Attach the composite source’s connector (may require an RCA to
BNC adapter) to the second connector in the Video In section (labeled Y). Do this
for each row in the Video In group.
Note: the Video Standard (such as NTSC or PAL in Standard Definition, HD 720P or HD
1080i) of all sources connected for a given session must match.
2. To record analog audio* along with the video, connect external audio sources to the
balanced 1/4 inch (6.3mm) phone jacks beside each video input section.
* SDI video sources with embedded audio do not need a separate audio connection. Use
the BNC connectors in the Digital Audio In sections if required to connect AES3 (AES/EBU)
audio sources.
4.4.2 A/V OUTPUT
3PLAY has three separate video and audio output connector sections, and provides very flexible
options for display of your live and recorded video streams. You may variously:
View one selected audio/video stream, chosen from 3 live sources (or recorded footage)
on your external monitors (1-Out mode).
View all three live sources or synchronized recorded streams simultaneously on three
individual monitors (3-Out mode).
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And of course, from 3PLAY’s outputs you may pass either of the above on to downstream live
switching and/or recording devices.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
THE DISPLAY CAPABILITIES OF ALL OUTPUT VIDEO DEVICES CONNECTED TO
3PLAY FOR A GIVEN SESSION MUST MATCH THE SESSION INPUT SE TTINGS.
THE OUTPUT TYPE SETTING IN THE I/O CONFIGU RATION PANEL MUST
CORRESPOND TO THE CONNECTED DEVICES (SEE SECTION 4.4.3).
Figure 6
1. Connect downstream video devices to the output connectors, whether SDI, Component,
Y/C or Composite. Some devices may require use of RCA or 4-pin to BNC adapters.
Naturally, Composite and Y/C support SD resolution output only.
a. SDI – Attach the SDI connector to the BNC connector marked SDI.
b. Component – Attach the appropriate BNC connectors from your source to the
second, third and fourth BNC connectors (labeled Y, Pb and Pr).
c. Y/C –To connect Y/C devices, attach the Y (luma) connector of your source to the
third of four BNC connectors (labeled Pb). Attach the source’s C (chroma)
connector to the fourth connector (labeled Pr).
d. Composite - Attach the composite source’s connector to the second connector in
the Video Out section (labeled Y).
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2. Connect 3PLAY’s audio outputs:
a. Analog audio - Connect external audio devices to the 1/4 inch (6.3mm) balanced
phone jacks beside each video input section.
b. Digital audio - A separate audio connection is not necessary for SDI output with
embedded audio. Use the BNC connectors in the Digital Audio Out section only
to connect downstream AES3 (AES/EBU) audio devices.
4.4.3 I/O CONFIGURATION
At this point, you can configure the audio and video sources you have connected. Some other
settings can be considered now as well (such as what type of output connection you require).
1. Open a 3PLAY session from the Administration Screen.
2. Access the I/O Configuration panel (Figure 7) by clicking the small ‘gear’ icon located at
upper-right in the titlebar of the 3PLAY Desktop.
3. Select the correct Video Connection and Audio Connection types from the drop-down
menus for each source you connected to 3PLAY’s inputs.
4. Set the correct Output>Video Connection type for your external analog monitor(s) or
other downstream systems.
Figure 7
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Hint: 3PLAY’s SDI and analog output sections can be used simultaneously. For example, for
an SD session you could choose Composite Output in the I/O Configuration panel (perhaps
to view 3PLAY output on a local composite monitor) at the same time as you use the SDI
connection to supply broadcast equipment. (See Section 6.7.1 for more on output
options.)
4.4.4 GENLOCK INPUT
Figure 8
The Genlock input on 3PLAY’s front panel is for connection of a ‘house sync’ or reference signal
(often a ‘black burst’). This is a common and important method of synchronizing equipment in the
video suite.
Genlocking is customary in higher end environments, and genlock inputs are usually found on
professional gear. If your equipment allows you to do so, you should genlock all cameras
supplying 3PLAY, and 3PLAY itself.
1. Supply the reference signal from the ‘house sync generator’ to 3PLAY’s Genlock connector.
2. If you haven’t already done so, genlock all cameras connected to 3PLAY inputs to the same
reference signal (see your camera manual for details).
3. Open a 3PLAY session from the Administration Screen, and access the I/O Configuration
panel (by clicking the small ‘gear’ icon at upper-right in the titlebar of the 3PLAY Desktop).
4. The default Reference Type in the Genlock settings is SD (Bi-level), as this is the most
common reference signal type. However, if you supply an HD reference signal to the
Genlock input, change the setting to HD (Tri-level).
5. Using downstream Waveform and Vector Scopes, adjust 3PLAY’s Horizontal and Vertical
Position and Phase settings (in the Genlock section of the I/O Configuration panel).
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Figure 9
Again, ideally both the cameras and the 3PLAY need to be genlocked. If they are not genlocked to
the same source as the 3PLAY output, a TBC (Time Base Correction) operation is applied - this can
involve frames being dropped or inserted to maintain sync, which is not as desirable.
Note: For a deeper explanation of genlocking, please see Section 6.4.2.4.
4.4.5 NETWORK CONNECTION
Connecting 3PLAY to a local area network (LAN) may require additional steps beyond those
mentioned back when we discussed Microsoft Windows ™ activation (Section 4.2). Here is the
basic procedure involved in joining a workgroup:
1. Connect an Ethernet cable from the port on 3PLAY’s back plate to your external network
connection or router.
2. (If necessary) – close the 3PLAY Desktop, and use Exit to Windows in the Administration
Screen’s Shutdown pane to go to the Microsoft Windows™ desktop.
3. Right-click on the My Computer icon, and select Properties.
4. Scroll down in the right hand pane of the System panel that opens to find the Computer
name, domain and workgroups settings area.
5. Click the Change Settings link at right.
6. Click the Computer Name tab of the System Properties panel that opens.
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7. Click the Change button, and enter the name of your local workgroup, as provided by your
system administrator.
8. Close the OK button.
9. Close the System control panel.
At this point, the network connection should be functional. If further help connecting is required,
please consult your local system administrator.
The next section (Chapter 5 - Quick Start) will walk you through your first 3PLAY session. To keep
this initial ‘orientation run’ simpler, you may wish to employ 1-Out mode and connect a single
monitor (of a suitable video standard and resolution for your video sources) to any of 3PLAY’s
output connections.
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