Deck Link HD upgrade?

[Llewelyn Roderick]

Hi Matt

I’ve got a BM Deck Link HD pro, the pre-cursor to the Extreme and I’ve just hit a wall with it. I need to master a feature length doccie that was shot on the EX in XDCAM 25p and that’s the one thing it can’t do: 1080p25!

But apart from that it works a treat. I think SDI monitoring is critical for a pro facility (which the HD pro has). Not sure if HDMI is going to cut the mustard.

I work in PAL, so no comments on pull-down.

I am looking at the Kona 3 now because of the superior (as reported on the cow) downconversion from HD to SD. 90% of my work is mastering to HD but every HD job needs a high-quality SD master whether for local TV broadcast or as the source for a high-quality DVD master.

Hope this helps. Cheers

Llewelyn

Llewelyn @ Fireworks
HD for indies post production
http://www.fireworksfilms.co.za

8Core 2.8Ghz 10GB RAM with BM Decklink HD Pro, 2TB Raid, 20″ Sony PAL SDI CRT & 19″ Sony HD SDI LCD + 4Core 3Ghz edit 2

[Matt Campbell]

Thanks for your comments. HD-SDI monitoring will only be used for the broadcast monitor and the HDMI is only for the client monitor (37″ LCD).

So for HD-SD downconversions, I’d have to simply have to use Compressor or other software conversion, whereas a Kona 3 would do this via hardware? Does that sound correct? Or would the system prefs panel allow for proper downcoversion?

OS 10.5.5, Mac Pro 2 x 3 ghz quad-core intel xenon, 9 gb ram, with BM Intensity Pro card

[Kristian Lam]

Hi Llewelyn,

Without knowing the details about your workflow, it’s very hard to know why you’re saying it does not work. Kindly refer to this little technote about 1080p25 in our support library.

https://blackmagic-design.com/support/detail.asp?techID=107

I would also like to point out that the HD Extreme now has a very high quality hardware downconversion and we’ve kept it at the same price.

regards

Kristian Lam
Blackmagic Design

[Kristian Lam]

Hi Matt,

The upgrade you’re looking for is the HD Extreme card. With that you can monitor simultaneously to your HD-SDI as well as HDMI monitor. I don’t think the Kona 3 has HDMI outputs so you’ll need to spend more on another converter.

Also, it has hardware down conversion so no re-rendering is involved. This is all accessible in our DeckLink Preferences pane.

regards

Kristian Lam
Blackmagic Design

[Matt Campbell]

Sweet. Is the downconversion new to the latest model? I thought the Deck LInk HD Extreme did not have this? Thats great news, I think this card is a perfect fit for my workflow.

But I still have a question regarding the downcoversion. Is that hardware downconversion only on output for playback and monitoring as well as use for the Print To Tape feature in FCP or can it be used in creating an uncompressed Quicktime file, as I have no decks and most, if not all of my work is for DVD and web. From what I understand the hardware downconversion gives better results than software downconversion with Compressor. Is this correct?

Oh, and one more. Can this card add in 3:2 pulldown for a 24p project going out for broadcast?

OS 10.5.5, Mac Pro 2 x 3 ghz quad-core intel xenon, 9 gb ram, with BM Intensity Pro card

[Llewelyn Roderick]

Dear Kristian

Thanks for clarifying that. More specifically what I’m looking for is 25p extraction from 50i in 1080. I don’t think Aja does this either (but I stand to be corrected). Or simply put, a descent hardware deinterlace.

I’m buying a decklink SDI card in the next few weeks so that I can take advantage of the Decklink HD Pro’s hardware conversion abilities. Like Matt, I seldom need a deck (playout from digital file at a nearby facility) and have been missing out on the card’s hardware conversion functions.

cheers

Llewelyn

Llewelyn @ Fireworks
HD for indies post production
http://www.fireworksfilms.co.za

8Core 2.8Ghz 10GB RAM with BM Decklink HD Pro, 2TB Raid, 20″ Sony PAL SDI CRT & 19″ Sony HD SDI LCD + 4Core 3Ghz edit 2