Blackmagic Design Announces DeckLink 4K Extreme

IBC 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands - September 7, 2012 - Blackmagic Design today announced a new PCI Express capture card, DeckLink 4K Extreme, that now includes all the features of its popular DeckLink HD Extreme 3D card, plus adds 4K playback that is four times the resolution of 1080HD video and a much faster PCI Express Generation 2 connection to allow higher resolution video standards such as 4K.

DeckLink 4K Extreme will be shown on the Blackmagic Design IBC 2012 booth in Hall 7, Booth H20.

The new DeckLink 4K Extreme with 4K monitoring extends the video quality of the DeckLink family, because the dual link 3 Gb/s SDI allows four times the resolution of regular HD video, using only two BNC SDI cables. The dual link 3 Gb/s SDI connection for 4K is a new video standard being pioneered by Blackmagic Design and takes the old quad link HD-SDI connections and multiplexes them to reduce cable count and router cross points required to route 4K signals.

With 4K required for high end DaVinci Resolve feature film projects, DeckLink 4K Extreme combined with the new Dual Link 3 Gb/s SDI connections will make this workflow simple, low cost and fully compatible with existing video infrastructure.

For customers interfacing to 4K devices, Blackmagic Designs new Mini Converter SDI to HDMI 4K supports HDMI 4K devices such as new video projectors and televisions being introduced into the market. For customers who need to connect to older Quad Link HD-SDI devices that use four regular HD-SDI connections for 4K, Blackmagic Designs new Mini Converter SDI Multiplex is an ideal solution to converting the Dual Link 3 Gb/s SDI to Quad Link HD-SDI 4K.

DeckLink 4K Extreme also includes all the latest technologies and video connections, such as HDMI 1.4 frame packing 3D, which allows full resolution frames for the left and right eyes down the single HDMI connection so each eye gets a full resolution image. Previous generation HDMI 1.3 can be used for 3D video, however it’s limited to side by side, line by line and top and bottom method for transferring 3D video which are half resolution 3D modes.

DeckLink 4K Extreme also includes full SDI 3D capture and playback modes for the widest compatibility with all 3D workflows. Dual steam 3D allows customers to use the DeckLink 4K Extreme dual SDI connections to capture and playback two streams, one for the left eye, and one for the right eye. The two streams are recorded into two separate media files. Dual stream 3D is higher quality because each eye is full resolution video, but dual stream is less compatible with current editing software. To solve this problem, Blackmagic Design’s Media Express has been upgraded to handle both interleaved and dual stream 3D for capture and playback of 3D media for a complete 3D solution.

The new DeckLink 4K Extreme also includes powerful features such as hardware up, down and cross conversion, 12 bit hardware architecture, 3 Gb/s SDI, support for up to 1080p60 in SDI, component analog and HDMI connections, as well as full SD, HD, 2K and 4K playback. Down conversion allows 4K playback to output as 1080 HD if required.

With SDI, HDMI and analog video capture and playback, combined with balanced analog and AES/EBU digital audio, DeckLink 4K Extreme still lets customers connect to all decks, cameras and monitors! DeckLink 4K Extreme instantly switches between SD, HD, 2K and 4K, so it’s the ideal solution for all post production and broadcast users when working on design, editing, paint and effects tasks.

DeckLink 4K Extreme also includes a fantastic new high quality up, down and cross converter so customers can edit in SD and play out HD, or edit in HD and play out SD. The cross converter lets customers edit in 720p and output in 1080i, or edit in 1080i and play back in 720p. Customers can also edit in 4K and output in 1080p. The new up, down and cross converter uses the highest quality 10 bit processing and filtering.

DeckLink 4K Extreme is based on a new internal hardware design with new PCI Express Generation 2 computer connection, support for 12 bit SDI video and full support for video rates up to 1080p60 via SDI, HDMI and analog component. For developers, two DeckLink 4K Extreme cards can be sync'ed together with a cable for dual card operation.

“DaVinci Resolve customers have been asking for a 4K solution for color grading, and we are so excited to be able to include that in such a feature rich capture card. With DeckLink 4K Extreme, we have an all in one solution to allow everyone to have access to the highest quality 4K and 3D workflows. I cannot believe how many advanced industry leading features are packed into this single product!” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “DeckLink 4K Extreme is the only way to get 4K, 3D, 4:4:4 and 2K capture and playback, combined with conventional SD and HD in the one card and at a price everyone can afford. It is really amazing!”

DeckLink 4K Extreme Key Features

• 3G SDI (3 Gb/s SDI) in and out, supports SD, HD up to 1080p60, 2K and 4K playback.
• 4K playback supports the new dual link 3 Gb/s SDI connection allowing 4 times HD resolution.
• SDI inputs include full SDI re clocking for capture from poor quality SDI sources.
• HDMI 1.4 in and out, supports SD and HD formats up to 1080p60 and frame packing 3D.
• Component analog in and out, supports SD and HD formats up to 1080p60.
• Component analog switches to s video and composite.
• 2 channel balanced analog audio in and out.
• 2 channel AES/EBU unbalanced audio in and out.
• Genlock/tri-sync input.
• Sony™ compatible RS-422 deck control.
• Supports uncompressed 8, 10 and 12 bit and compressed video capture and playback.
• Capture/playback of side by side, line by line, top and bottom and frame packing 3D via HDMI.
• Capture/playback of side by side, line by line, top and bottom and dual stream 3D via SDI.
• Includes high quality hardware up, down and cross conversion. HD down conversion from 4K.
• Includes hardware SD and HD keying.
• Plugs into Mac, Windows and Linux computers.
• Supports Final Cut Studio, Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, After Effects, Fusion and more.
• Includes free developer SDK for Windows, Mac and Linux.
• Includes free Media Express capture and playback software for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Availability and Price

DeckLink 4K Extreme will be available November for $1405 (AU$ Inc GST) from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.

Press Photography

Product photos of the DeckLink 4K Extreme, and all other Blackmagic Design products, are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/press/resources/images.

About Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, routers, waveform monitors and film restoration software for the feature film, post-production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in the television industry, while the company’s DaVinci Emmy™ award winning color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984 and continue ground breaking innovations including stereoscopic 3D and 4K workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore, and Australia. For more information, please check www.blackmagicdesign.com.

About New Magic Australia Pty Ltd (Australian and New Zealand Blackmagic Design master distributor)
New Magic Australia Pty Ltd is a recognised leader in the distribution and marketing of multimedia hardware and software, representing a carefully selected range of innovative, leading manufacturers and catering for both the professional and consumer markets. New Magic Australia established in 1993 is the Australian distributor of Blackmagic Design, Convergent Design, NewTek LightWave 3D, Hauppauge Computer Works Inc, Rotolight, Cubix, Matrox Video Products and Sony Creative Software products. www.newmagic.com.au