Blackmagic Design Introduces Expanded 4K Product Line at IBC

September 13, 2013 - Posted by csandy

Today at IBC in Amsterdam, Blackmagic Designed announced a new lineup of 4k “Ultra HD” products.

Here’s the write-up from BMD

New products include:

• ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K
• SmartScope Duo 4K
• HyperDeck Studio 2 and HyperDeck Studio Pro 2
• DaVinci Resolve 10 Public Beta
• Mini Converter Optical Fiber 4K
• Mini Converter Multiplex 4K
• Mini Converter SDI to HDMI 4K
• New HyperDeck ProRes Codecs
• New Desktop Video 10

ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K
At NAB in April we introduced ATEM Production Studio 4K which was the world’s first Ultra HD live production switcher. This was a very powerful switcher because we wanted it to handle both HDMI and SDI cameras. So it could be used by people starting out in live production, it had a lot of HDMI inputs.
Now we are introducing a new model to the family that includes more advanced features. This is a high end model featuring all SDI inputs, so it’s designed specifically for broadcasters and professionals who are building all SDI based systems.
The new ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K includes features such as 10 independent 6G-SDI inputs each with frame sync, built in DVE with zoom, scale and rotate, 4 upstream chroma keyers, 3 independent aux outputs with front panel control and a larger media pool that holds both still frame graphics as well as motion video clips.

The current ATEM Production Studio 4K will be reduced in price to US$1,695 so it becomes the entry level model of the family.
What’s exciting about these new switchers is the built in 6G-SDI and HDMI connections allow Ultra HD connections with a single cable, however those SDI and HDMI connections instantly switch between SD and HD as well. So even if you don’t ever think your going to need Ultra HD, these switchers still have amazing features when used in regular SD and HD live production. Of course you can then switch to Ultra HD in the future any time you need!
One of the most exciting features is the built in DVE. You get full position, resize, scale and rotation of any live video source so you can position graphics, use it for picture in picture effects and it’s great for DVE transitions. The DVE works also with the media pool so you can call up graphics and do stringer transitions with audio.

This new model features a much larger media pool with 32 RGBA still frame graphics plus 180 frames of clips in Ultra HD or when switched to 1080p or 1080i video formats the media pool allows 720 frames of full motion clips.
These are very exciting switchers and it’s been fun playing with the pre release model and checking out all the features! The new ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K will ship in October for US$2,495.
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/atemproductionstudio4k

SmartScope Duo 4K
SmartScope Duo 4K is a new updated model of our SmartScope Duo that now includes 6G-SDI connections so it’s the perfect solution for rack mount video and waveform monitoring in SD, HD and Ultra HD television formats.
SmartScope Duo 4K features two large 8 inch LCD screens in a rack mount design and each screen can be switched between video monitoring or a choice of 6 scope displays including waveform, vectorscope, RGB parade, YUV parade, histogram and an audio scope with 16 channels of SDI audio and audio phase meter.
SmartScope Duo 4K overcomes the main difficulties when using multiple monitors, which is trying to match color settings on all monitors. SmartScope Duo 4K connects to your Ethernet network using Mac and Windows software to adjust all your monitors from one central location. This utility also lets customers choose between monitoring video or the various types of scope views.

This is an important update because now we have a great solution for multi camera monitoring when doing live production. Our ATEM range of live production switchers has a fantastic multi view feature, but there is nothing like having an independent screen for each camera source. With our latest production switchers supporting Ultra HD, this updated SmartScope Duo 4K means you get that camera monitoring solution as well as scopes built in for tech monitoring as well.
This new model replaces the older model and is available now for US$995.
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/smartview

New HyperDeck Studio Models
Over the last few years we have introduced many new products with attractive front panels that we manufacture by machining a solid block of aluminum. It’s a lot of work however we get a very elegant front panel that’s also very strong.
We felt it was time to upgrade the HyperDeck Studio family to this new look, so when all our products are mounted in a rack they all match and look great. I have a portable mini rack at home I use for small live production and it has all our latest Ultra HD equipment, but the HyperDeck Studio just did not match!
Now with these two new models, HyperDeck Studio and HyperDeck Studio Pro get an attractive machined metal front panel. Machining front panels from solid metal like this was something I only dreamed about a few years ago!
All other features are the same, however the HyperDeck Studio model now features a built in power supply that replaces the external DC supply on the older model. The prices remain the same and HyperDeck Studio is the perfect SD and HD SSD recorder and player priced at US$995. HyperDeck Studio Pro is perfect for SD, HD and Ultra HD recording and playback and is priced at US$1,995.
These models will start shipping next week.
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/hyperdeckstudio

DaVinci Resolve 10 Public Beta
As you might know, we have been working hard on DaVinci Resolve 10 and we are very happy to let you know the public beta was posted onto our web site today for download.

If you are a DaVinci Resolve user then please download this new version and check it out. We have both the full DaVinci Resolve 10 as well as the DaVinci Resolve 10 Lite editions posted for download.
DaVinci Resolve 10 is a major upgrade that includes new features for integrating the workflows of multiple different software products used in the film and television industry. DaVinci Resolve 10 has upgraded on set tools, upgraded editing features, support for OpenFX plug ins as well as new tools for delivering final project masters to cinemas. Other changes include the addition of Ultra HD resolutions and additional GPU support on the free of charge DaVinci Resolve Lite edition.

This is a free update for all DaVinci Resolve customers and we hope you fall in love with the new features we have worked hard to include in DaVinci Resolve 10. We think this is the biggest update to DaVinci color correction in over 30 years!
We have also added to the DaVinci Resolve page on our web site two videos showing whats new in DaVinci Resolve 10 and how to get started with DaVinci Resolve 10. These are great videos to watch even if you’re an experienced colorist because there is lots of really powerful new features and these videos explain these and more from a colorists point of view!
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve

New 6G-SDI Mini Converters
We have some exciting new models of mini converters with 6G-SDI connections so they can be used for any SD, HD and Ultra HD workflows. These new mini converters really help build broadcast, live production and post production systems that are future proof because you can switch to Ultra HD any time you need!
There are 3 new models with 6G-SDI, Mini Converter Optical Fiber 4K, Mini Converter SDI to HDMI 4K and the Mini Converter SDI Multiplex 4K.
Mini Converter Optical Fiber 4K is a new optical fiber bidirectional mini converter that includes 6G-SDI and 6 Gb/s optical fiber for automatic switching between all SD, HD and Ultra HD television standards. This model is a more advanced 6G-SDI version of the original Mini Converter Optical Fiber model which operates up to 3G-SDI which will now be reduced to $295 as a lower cost model.
I think optical fiber has a bigger role to play when dealing with 6G-SDI and Ultra HD. With regular SDI and HD-SDI, the cable lengths were very good and it was easy to run SDI cabling all around your facility. Optical fiber was really only for much longer distances. However with 6G-SDI, the data rate is so high, it’s impossible to get the same length of SDI cable as we could with HD-SDI. Sometimes that length will be shorter than required and so optical fiber is the perfect solution to this problem. We think this new Mini Converter Optical Fiber is really going to help broadcasters build Ultra HD ready infrastructure without the high cost.

The new model of Mini Converter SDI to HDMI 4K is a SDI to HDMI converter that features 4 SDI inputs that allow support for Ultra HD video inputs using a single link 6G-SDI, dual link 3G-SDI and quad link HD-SDI connections. Although this model allows Ultra HD monitoring using a single 6G-SDI connection, some older equipment still uses 4 HD-SDI connections to connect Ultra HD devices and Mini Converter SDI to HDMI 4K supports these formats using its 4 SDI inputs.
The new Mini Converter SDI Multiplex 4K, features four SDI inputs and four SDI outputs allowing conversion to and from quad link HD-SDI, dual link 3G-SDI and now single link 6G-SDI video connections. This model can also handle different types of Ultra HD SDI connections as well as performing 4:4:4 Single Link and Dual Link 4:4:4 conversions. This model is perfect for interfacing between the latest 6G-SDI Ultra HD products and older Ultra HD equipment such as displays that use 4 separate HD-SDI connections.
We think these new models will really help when building Ultra HD systems and they will be shipping in October for US$495 each.
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/miniconverters

HyperDeck Studio Pro ProRes Update
We have been adding a lot of updates to the HyperDeck Studio family over the last few months and recently we released updates to add ethernet control, on screen menus for settings and adjustments as well as Ultra HD recording.
Now we have another new update HyperDeck Software Update 4.0, which adds additional ProRes formats to the HyperDeck Studio Pro model. The new formats are ProRes 422, ProRes 422 (LT) and ProRes (Proxy). This means you can go into the menu on the front panel and simply select the recording quality you want, and if you need long recording durations you can simply select a lower quality!
HyperDeck Studio Pro can already record and playback in uncompressed, ProRes 422 (HQ) and DNxHD formats, and now you can also choose ProRes 422, ProRes 422(LT) and ProRes 422 (Proxy). Of course you can get much longer recording durations with these formats, but you can also save disk space, which is important when you don’t need the quality of uncompressed 10 bit, or the highest quality ProRes 422 (HQ).
With these new recording formats you save so much disk space that you can record for around 24 hours using a single large size SSD, which is amazing. With the dual slots you can record for 2 days before you need to change disks!
This software update is available today free of charge.
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/hyperdeckstudio

New Desktop Video 10 Update
Lastly, we are announcing Desktop Video 10 at IBC and this is a major software update for the UltraStudio 4K and DeckLink 4K Extreme capture and playback models.
With this new software update, these models get lots of new features but the most dramatic one is simultaneous capture and playback. At IBC we are going to show this working with DaVinci Resolve 10 and UltraStudio 4K where we will show live capture, color grading and then output live on the single UltraStudio 4K.
This update is a lot more than just simultaneous capture and playback and after 11 years of shipping thousands of capture and playback products for Mac, Windows and Linux, it was time to redesign the firmware and drivers to allow a new generation of features and performance.
This new architecture has been designed from the ground up to be optimized for high speed Thunderbolt and PCIe computers and the new emerging Ultra HD television formats that require massive data speeds to support. This new design has also been driven by the needs of high end DaVinci Resolve customers who are working on high end feature films.

The new design replaces the entire driver set and internal processing in the UltraStudio 4K and DeckLink 4K Extreme models. This change is a purely modern design that allows exciting features such as capture and playback at the same time and in different video formats. The new design features almost zero latency, depending on the host computer for the highest performance Direct GPU support.
DaVinci Resolve 10 customers will benefit from the capture and playback support as this lets them capture direct from cameras on set, then grade the live video with multiple nodes of correction and then to output to an on set monitor, all live! This makes lighting a film set easy and allows DOP’s, directors and colorists to work together to optimize the film’s look on set. Other features included in Desktop Video 10 for DaVinci Resolve include new frame buffers supporting R10K RGB, 12 bit support, higher frame rates and much more.

I also think OEM developers will like the new features to help support custom system development. These new features include full frame genlock timing, closed caption in all bit rates, automatic input detection support, better CRC input checking, extremely low latency and Direct GPU support, plus the ability to write pixels direct into frame buffers and the ability to write their own custom drivers.
This is a very exciting update that will be available in October free of charge for all UltraStudio 4K and DeckLink 4K Extreme customers.
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/ultrastudiothunderbolt

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