Teradek revolutionized the professional streaming game, in 2022, with the release of its original Prism Flex Encoder and Decoder. Now, the second-generation Teradek Prism Flex Mk II Encoder and Decoder are ready for action with a bevy of refinements that make wireless workflows even stronger—including a new chassis design, an improved multi-function D-tap controller on the front of the units, better cooling, and analog audio IFB for talkback between devices via Core Share.
These lightweight, low-profile units slot easily into any studio or broadcast rig and allow users to encode and decode up to 4K HDR video with 10-bit 4:2:2 color and remarkably low latency. The Prism Flex ecosystem works with a wide range of codecs, including HEVC/H.265 and AVC/H.264, to ensure users have a compression format that hits the exact bit rate they need, plus six network protocols built in to achieve virtually any delivery requirement you throw at them.
With the Encoder unit, users can continue to send high-quality IP video feeds to offsite control rooms, event spaces, or their streaming platform of choice. Maybe you’re a reporter working on a remote segment cut into a regular broadcast, or you’re a Twitch streamer who wants pristine quality on the streets of New York. Choose your format, set your destination, plug in your camera, and you’re ready to roll. With the Decoder, users can then pull that wireless signal back down for hardwired playback or further tweaking, cross-cutting, and layering before it goes to its final destination. All this in a durable aluminum chassis that weighs less than 12 ounces and can slot vertically or horizontally.
Carefully compressed video won't get anywhere without a strong network to send and receive it, so Teradek gave the Encoder and Decoder four ways to communicate with up to eight bonding sources at a time—dual gigabit Ethernet ports, built-in Wi-Fi 6, multiple cellular modem connections, and cellular hotspot bonding using the Prism smartphone app. These allow plenty of redundancies, especially when paired with the Teradek Node II Modem Module. If a bond is weak, the Prism will automatically swap it out for a stronger one, ensuring a stream never slows down or drops out.
A new 5-pin locking connector on the back of Prism Flex Mk II models offers improved interfacing with the Node II. The Node II will transmit video among a wide swath of 4G/LTE data bands using its dual SIM card slots, offering improved data rates compared to traditional carrier modems and allowing you to move between networks without unplugging the Node. This might not be necessary if you’re in a controlled studio setting with a reliable connection, but it’s a must-have if you find yourself shooting or editing in the field. Pairing the Flex with the Node ensures high-quality streams with no Wi-Fi or ethernet in sight.
Inputs and outputs are what you’d expect from a professional video product—12G-SDI with loop through, HDMI 2.0, Analog Audio Ins and Outs, a 2-pin power connection, an SD Card slot for recording, a USB-A slot for storage or modems, and that new 5-pin locking connector for the Node. Onboard recording via the SD or USB-A slot has also been upgraded, since users can now store video clips before sending them to a bevy of Camera-to-Cloud platforms, including Frame.io, the Sony C3 Portal, PIX, and more. Recording is still a rare find on IP encoder/decoder boxes, giving the Teradek Prism Flex an extra layer of utility. Even if all eight of your network bonds go down, you can record your video and upload it to a platform of choice as soon as the connection’s restored.
Pair these Prism Flex units with Teradek Core, the company’s streaming media orchestration platform, and achieve true wireless production bliss. The Core web interface can monitor, manage, record, distribute, and archive the feeds from the Flex units, alongside the rest of the Teradek line, with multiple users making tweaks from anywhere in the world. Add additional licenses to a Flex to unlock bi-directional video and simultaneous destinations on the Encoder, as well as a de-bonding/re-transmitting feature on the Decoder.
Ultimately, what the Teradek Prism Flex Mk II gets you is reliability and customizability. Feed it anything from 480i to DCI 4K and it can scale or deinterlace effortlessly. Pick any protocol from TRT to SRT to MPEG-TS and the Encoder will code it with ease. Then have the Decoder pull it back down milliseconds later and send it out via lossless SDI or HDMI. Throw on a LUT, customize your audio with up to eight channels, and control it all from the unit, the Core web interface, or the Prism smartphone app. Whether you’re working on live events, broadcast, virtual production, or corporate video, the Flex system will help you jump into a wireless video workflow without any glitches, drop-outs, or headaches.
For more information about these new encoder and decoder boxes, including additional features, specs, and highlights, be sure to check out the detailed product page for the Teradek Prism Flex Mk II Encoder and Decoder. Or drop us a line below, and we’ll do our best to reply to your comments and questions.
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