Teradek Serv 4K Explained – Real-Time 4K HDR Monitoring On-Set and Remotely

by Francesco AndreolaMay 2^nd, 2022

At NAB 2022, we visited the Creative Solutions booth to learn more about Teradek’s latest cloud-based device, the Teradek Serv 4K. With this new product, the company offers a hybrid hardware/software solution to simultaneously live-stream footage from the camera to smart devices on-set as well as remote team members via the cloud. Let’s take a closer look.

After an intense week, the NAB Show 2022 has come to an end. We can definitely say that the keyword of this edition has been cloud. Atomos has introduced its first network-connected devices and Cloud Studio. Then Blackmagic followed with Blackmagic Cloud and Cloud Store. And apparently, Teradek didn’t want to be left behind.

At the beginning of the show, the company launched the new Teradek Serv 4K, a compact device that can distribute the camera video feed to local and remote collaborators. On our last day at NAB, we sat down at the Creative Solutions booth to learn more about this technology from Teradek’s product manager Colin McDonald. Here’s what we found out.

Teradek Serv 4K: real-time 4K HDR monitoring everywhere

The new Teradek Serv 4K is an all-in-one solution to allow every member of your production to monitor a high-quality, color-accurate image, no matter where they are.

In a nutshell, this device takes an SDI/HDMI signal and produces H.264/H.265 4:2:2 10-bit versions of the footage (up to 4K60) with data rates of up to 45Mpbs and support for DCI-P3 and PQ2084 standards.

These copies are safely stored onto an SD card and, if an internet network is available, simultaneously uploaded to cloud-based platforms for instantaneous monitoring and review. The system uses 256-bit end-to-end encryption to guarantee data safety.

Teradek Vuer and Teradek Core

The new Teradek Serv 4K ecosystem revolves around two main pieces of software: Teradek VUER and Teradek Core. The former is a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, while the latter is a cloud-based platform.

The smartphone/tablet app is helpful for intuitive on-set monitoring. It connects directly to the Serv 4K and doesn’t require internet service to work. It comes with all the most common monitoring tools, such as false color and peaking, to make cinematographers’ and DITs’ lives easier.

On the other hand, the Teradek Core platform is more suitable for remote clients or producers who need to monitor the image in real-time without all the technical bells and whistles. This tool focuses more on simplifying communication between team members via a series of messaging services.

Teradek Serv 4K: integration with frame.io

Along with their proprietary app/platform, Teradek partnered up with frame.io to cut any idle time between production and editorial. Remote editors will instantly see the frame.io extension within its NLE of choice populate with H.264/H.265 high-quality “proxies”.

Hence, they can start editing on-the-fly and then relink to the original footage once media is offloaded from the camera. Relinking is easy thanks to the fact that the high and low-quality copies share the same file name and timecode.

Price and availability

The Teradek Serv 4K is available to pre-order now from B&H and CVP for $2,799/€2.836. The company should start shipping the unit next month. Instead, the Teradek Core platform is a subscription-based service and the cost varies depending on your bandwidth needs. You can find the relative pricing information here.

Disclaimer: This article and the video were made in cooperation with Teradek.

Do you think this cloud-based device can fit into your workflow? What are your thoughts on the new Teradek Serv 4K? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!