“We took a look at just about every single vision mixer available in the cloud and ultimately landed on TriCaster Vectar being the tool that best supported our needs. We needed to be able to ingest a hefty amount of inputs while also being able to support a wide range of production models. Vectar made sense to allow us to operate both in small crew environments where the Technical Director wears a lot of hats like audio and video playout, but also to flex up to a larger, fully remote crew where we break those roles away from the switcher,” adds Buetsch.

Ultimate flexibility for any size production

The flexibility of the TriCaster Vectar system, particularly in its I/O configurations and M/E (mix/effect) allocation, was a game-changer for Chess.com. Allowing for up to 44 video inputs and 8 M/Es empowers the production team to manage various production scales and complexities, effortlessly. From live international tournaments to educational videos, TriCaster Vectar handles each production’s unique requirements with ease.

Moreover, the scalability of this cloud-based system ensured that Chess.com could continue to expand their production capabilities without the need for frequent hardware upgrades. This is particularly beneficial for managing multi-region remote operations, a common scenario for Chess.com’s global production team.

Enhancing viewer engagement with innovative HTML5 graphics

The advanced graphics and social media curation capabilities of Viz Flowics enriched Chess.com’s productions, making them more visually engaging and professional.

 Audience comments from all its different social networks (YouTube Live, Twitch and Twitter) are incorporated during live games, letting fans share their experiences and reactions, creating a true sense of community.

TriCaster Vectar’s native ability to incorporate these high-quality HTML5 graphics, combined with smooth multi-camera switching, set a new standard for online chess broadcasts.

The production team utilized these graphic capabilities to create visually appealing broadcasts that captivated their audience. Whether it was live tournament coverage or instructional content, the enhanced graphics added a professional touch that resonated with viewers, making every viewer feel like a King.

Helping chess commentators tell better stories

To put Chess.com’s commentators in control – but without the need for them to learn any new systems – Mike and his team used the power of TriCaster Vectar’s REST API to integrate it into the Chess.com platform and their other systems. With this integration and using TriCaster Vectar’s intelligent macros, complete scene changes with transitions, compositions, graphics, and switches to multiple new sources are possible at the click of a button.

During major tournaments, when a new match begins on Chess.com, the backend systems automatically assign the board and player cameras as camera sources and route relevant data about the match and players into their broadcast graphics. Commentators simply select the match they want to move to which triggers TriCaster Vectar to perform the pre-set mix effects and compositions to animate away the current match, switch to the new sources, and bring in any relevant graphics.

“Our commentators know the game best, so we wanted to give them the power to quickly switch between matches as needed as the action heats up”, explains Buetsch. “Major tournaments such as the FIDE Chess Olympiad can see hundreds of matches being played at once, so it’s essential we make it easy for our commentators to rapidly move between them. With this integration, at no point do commentators have to liaise with the Technical Directors; they are in direct control and can tell more engaging stories as a result”.

Overcoming challenges with Vizrt’s Customer Success teams

The implementation process, while straightforward, was not without its challenges. However, support from Vizrt’s Customer Success teams ensured that these challenges were swiftly addressed. Vizrt provided comprehensive assistance, ensuring that the Chess.com team could maximize the potential of the TriCaster Vectar system from day one. In addition, a collection of Viz Minutes – short “how to” videos – plus access to training resources on Viz University provides ongoing education and training for operators.

The adoption of Vizrt’s TriCaster Vectar, Viz Flowics, and NDI technology has had a transformative impact on Chess.com’s production operations. The streamlined workflows and enhanced capabilities have led to significant increases in productivity. The team can now execute more complex and engaging productions with the same resources, leading to improved efficiency and reduced operational costs.

Increased viewer engagement has been another notable benefit. High-quality, visually appealing broadcasts have drawn in larger audiences, enhancing Chess.com’s reputation as the leading platform for chess enthusiasts worldwide.

Looking to the end game

True to the spirit of the game, Chess.com is always thinking several moves ahead. Future production plans include more live-streamed content through faster platforms and making use of new capabilities released in NDI 6 including 10-bit signals and HDR video.

The expansion of how Chess.com controls its broadcasts through API management of the Vizrt suite of products is also high on its roadmap and it is already actively in use during shows, with information from Chess.com helping drive data, camera routing, and even animations.

The flexibility, scalability, and advanced features of the TriCaster Vectar and NDI technology have enabled Chess.com to meet their growing production demands while setting new standards in broadcast quality. As Chess.com continues to expand its offerings and reach new audiences, the ongoing collaboration with Vizrt and NDI promises to bring even more exciting developments in the world of online chess broadcasting, ensuring every production ends in a win.