Blackmagic Design has announced DeckLink for Mac OS Version 4.8 software for users of its DeckLink broadcast video cards. The company boasts two high-definition models-DeckLink HD Pro, priced at $1995, and DeckLink HD Plus, for $995. Designed with high-end television and feature-film postproduction in mind, DeckLink HD Pro is a 12-bit HDTV Dual Link 4:4:4 capture and playback card featuring a single-slot PCI-X 133
mhz interface, two-channel SDI input and output, true 14-bit analog 4:4:4 HDTV and SD monitoring output, and a full uncompressed 10-bit 4:4:4 RGB codec. DeckLink HD Plus, a 10-bit HD-SDI and NTSC/PAL video card, includes a PCI-X 133
mhz interface, Sony-compatible RS-422 and Genlock input, and support for HD, HDTV, and SD formats. Both DeckLink cards offer true 10- bit and 8-bit uncompressed video-quality modes, independent video and audio monitoring outputs, compatibility with Apple Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows, and Blackmagic Deck Control software.
www.blackmagic-design.com
A division of Digital Voodoo, Bluefish444 unveiled its latest uncompressed video card, Catalyst, during NAB 2005. Catalyst joins the company’s HD Fury, HD Lust, and HD Iridium XP video boards. Supporting Windows XP, Windows 2000 Pro, and Linux (2.4 and 2.6 kernals) operating systems, the HD video card enables multiple layers of uncompressed real-time video processing with its dual 1
ghz digital serial processors and field-programmable gate array. A PCI-X 64-bit 133
mhz PCI interface provides up to 1
gb/sec data-transfer speeds and support for a maximum of five streams of uncompressed 10-bit YUV HD SDI video, whereas its internal keyer function aids users in overlaying video or graphics on an SDI input stream. Catalyst also supports the 16-bit RGB pixel format, HSDL frame rate, and 2
k film resolution. In fact, Catalyst enables real-time down-conversion and up-conversion between 2
k and HD/SD SDI, and others in between. Catalyst will ship next quarter with a $15,995 price tag.
www.bluefish444.com
AJA has announced the availability of software release 1.1 and three free downloadable utilities for its Kona 2 uncompressed capture card. Compatible with HD, Dual Link HD, and SD, Kona 2 features PCI-X 133
mhz bus technology and the company’s Qrez hardware-based codec for video compression at a 4:1 ratio. It offers broadcast-quality 10-bit SD to HD up-conversion, 10-bit HD to SD down-conversion, and automatic 12-bit HD/SD component analog video output. The card also provides dual-monitor desktop viewing, hardware acceleration for the new DVCProHD codec in Apple’s Final Cut Pro HD, and support for Adobe’s After Effects and Photoshop, as well as Final Cut Pro RT Extreme effects. AJA also offers the Xena DXT, a 64-bit, 66
mhz PCI, HD/SD-capable card for media encoding and transport.
www.aja.com
Canopus offers its Edius NX for HDV, priced at $2098, and Edius SP for HDV, at $3999, for video professionals. Both boards are powered by Edius Pro 3-the company’s NLE software for editing and processing HDV, uncompressed SD, DV, MPEG-2, and MPEG-1 content-which enables multitrack and mixed-format editing, compositing, chroma keying, and full-resolution HD video output to an HD monitor in real time. Edius NX for HDV features a 5.25-inch breakout bay with connectors for FireWire, S-Video, and composite video. For postproduction facilities moving from SD to HD, Edius SP for HDV includes a 64-bit PCI board with FireWire, component, composite, and S-Video connectivity.Canopus also recently launched the HDV Education Site (www.canopusedu.com), complete with a guide to HDV, for video professionals planning to move from SD to HDV.
www.canopus.us