Decklink SDI card

[Jan Sherlink]

On the Tech-Specs page they compare the Decklink Studio with the Decklink SDI.
Studio has all connections, Decklinck SDI only has SDI.

… to answer you question …
The Decklink SDI will only connect to a SDI capable monitor !!
that’s why there is a price difference of 300 dollar.

cya,

Jan

[S. Marcotte]

My worst fears confirmed.

Thanks Jan.

[Jan Sherlink]

I don’t know if you need the SDI-in for capturing,
otherwise, the Intensity Pro has HDMI-out, Component-Out, Composite-Out and YC-Out for 349$, but no SDI.

cya,

Jan

[S. Marcotte]

Right. I’m starting to understand all this slowly. Options include component, composite and sdi signals. All of which go through a BNC connectors. I just have to make sure the monitor can take in what the card is putting out. Brendan Coots has already gone through all this with me. Still a bit fuzzy, apparently.

I’m not looking to capture – just colour correct. Nor do I have a monitor at my disposal yet (I’m shopping on ebay for that one).

So, assuming money’s a factor, if I get a monitor that can take SDI, then I should go for the Decklink SDI. Any other broadcast monitor means I get the Intensity Pro. There. That’s simple enough. Isn’t it?

They say SDI is better. Does that mean I shouldn’t trust component or composite (for, say, big screen video projection)?

[Jan Sherlink]

as you’re not capturing the video you’ll probably recieve it on Hard Disk. So I’m guessing you’re not outputting it to tape, but bouncing it to Hard Disk again.
This means your Blackmagic-card will only be used for viewing, the video-processing will stay digital on your hard-drive, previewing through Composite, component or SDI won’t change a thing.

SDI is definitely better than Component, it’s digital to component, so the noise-levels are much lower, picture is sharper, 2nd generation copies are better…
Shouldn’t you trust Component ???
It has been used in broadcast for ages so it can’t be that bad 🙂

are you buying the card/monitor just for this project ?
wich jobs will you normally do?
would you ever need SDI again?

options:
Intensity PRO + Component monitor
Decklink SDI + SDI monitor
Decklink Studio + SDI or Component monitor

wich one is more future-proof do you think ?

cya,

Jan

[S. Marcotte]

That’s extremely helpful.

Yes, the project (a personal one) is on a hard disk and will stay that way for a while. The output will come much later and will certainly not be done here. In fact, when I’m done with the project, I plan to sell off both the card and the monitor immediately. That’s that.

So just to confirm: Composite, component and SDI matter if you’re outputting or capturing. For strict colour work, like what I’m doing, the results may differ slightly but it’s of no real consequence when all I want is a good skin tone.

I don’t mean to beat this into the ground. I’m just a nervous investor. Times being what they are.

[Jan Sherlink]

[Serge Marcotte] “So just to confirm: Composite, component and SDI matter if you’re outputting or capturing. For strict colour work, like what I’m doing, the results may differ slightly but it’s of no real consequence when all I want is a good skin tone.”

yep,right,
just forget composite and choose component or SDI,
and calibrate you computer monitor also as a double-check.

cya,

Jan

[S. Marcotte]

One last thing. I’m shopping for a monitor online and hoping to see the words “Component” or “SDI” printed in large, blinking neon letters on the back of the monitor. No such luck. Most ebay sellers don’t say, and I can only assume the manual is long gone. They do, however, include pictures of the monitor’s back side. So how can I tell which is component and which is SDI?

[Jan Sherlink]

SDI is always printed on the back.
Component is mostly printed there or sometimes as YPbPr.

Ask the seller for more information and Type-numbering or google for manuals. There are lots of manuals and descriptions on the internet.
It’s the only way, cause lots of those seller don’t even know what a broadcast monitor is !

cya,

Jan

[Brendan Coots]

Hi Serge,

The differences are of no real consequence if your WORK is of no real consequence. The difference between SDI and Component probably won’t negatively impact your ability to do general color work, but composite should be avoided outright. I use component connections through a Blackmagic Decklink pro and have come to fully trust the results, but another station in my studio has composite and you can clearly tell the difference – blacks are not to be trusted and certain color ranges don’t reproduce properly.

These three different options have increasingly limited color reproduction capabilities as you go down the list from SDI to composite. With each step you must rely more and more on your scopes and less on your eyes, which isn’t always practical.

I wouldn’t feel like you HAVE to have SDI, but component should be the minimum for serious color work.

Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com