• Blackmagic Design

  decklink extrem video gain

  Posted by Frenzie on December 7, 2006 at 5:55 pm

  I’m using decklink extreme and fcp for tv documentaries (PAL). Since i’m using decklink I was disappointed of the quality of my footage (a bit dark and very flat and contrastless). First I tested the camera – nothing. Finally I found out that the decklink extreme is responsable. Capturing component video (from professional players (BETA, DVCPRO or whatever) makes a very low video level. In deed, if you test it with a standard color bar you’ll find out that you have to push the video gain on the decklink to +1,5 db in order to capture a good signal according to the final cut vectorscope. Is my decklink defect? I tried the same on the system of a friend, same hardware, same configuration – and identical result.
  Is this normal? If it is, Blackmagic should inform buyers in advance to calibrate the video level. I trusted too much in my new hardware and payed with bad quality, damadging my reputation. That’s the reason I’m posting this warning for other users. Don’t forget to calibrate your decklink before using it professionally!

  MAC G5 / OS X Tiger / FCP 5 / Decklink extreme v. 5.4.2

  Brett Howe replied 19 years, 5 months ago 4 Members · 4 Replies
• 4 Replies

• 

  Jeff Brown

  December 8, 2006 at 3:24 pm

  Yah, they added the proc amp after the first couple of software releases, and corresponding compliants about analog levels. The standard line has always been that “unlike digital signals, analog levels vary…” . Which is true, but I’ve used 4 other analog capture systems over the last 8 years, and never had to calibrate the hardware to get unity gain. But I did have to with my DL Extreme. I agree: there should be setup notes about that.

  -jeff

  Jeff Brown
  Fire Mist Media
  http://www.firemist.com
• 

  Margus Voll

  December 11, 2006 at 5:20 pm

  Hi.

  I have used some Matrox systems and i had to always calibrate input signal.
  So it is not all BM fault i belive.

  It changes with different sources also.

  What i miss is output levels.
  My betacam tends to do sometimes little darker images
  than captured from digibeta.

  —

  Margus

  https://iconstudios.eu
• 

  Brett Howe

  December 13, 2006 at 3:17 am

  I have noticed this also, just doing a sofware render on a NON BM machine (offline). THe chroma and contrast are lacking in all BM codecs.

  Can we adjust the proc amp for rendering from AE or premiere 1.51?

  Cheers

  Brett
• 

  Brett Howe

  December 13, 2006 at 3:31 am

  I take it back! It looks like it’s my CANOPUS storm2thats adding contrast and chroma. Ignore my last post. The canopus Storm’s days are numbered!

  Cheers

  Brett

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