[Luke Maslen]

Hi,

We support 8-bit SD, 10-bit SD, 8-bit HD and 10-bit HD AVI files on Windows. However the only codec included with Windows XP is 8-bit SD. Blackmagic Design has had to supply its own codecs to support the other formats for which there is no native support in Windows XP.

This means that you should be able to use an 8-bit SD AVI on any PC. However if you want to use 10-bit SD, 8-bit HD and 10-bit HD AVI files on PC’s without a DeckLink card, you will need to download and install the freeware codec installer from the Support page of our web site.

I believe the same situation will apply to any Windows application including Vegas due to the limited, native codec support provided in the current version of Windows XP. If this changes in the future, I think we would be quick to adopt any standard Microsoft codec for these other formats.

This is a similar situation to the Mac platform where Blackmagic Design released its own 8 and 10-bit codecs before Apple. Once Apple started to include uncompressed 8 and 10 bit SD codecs, we stopped using ours and started invoking the Apple codecs. However we kept using our own HD codecs as FCP has not previously had HD color space support. We’ll switch over to Apple’s codec in HD once they’ve released HD color space support.

It does appear to be a similar situation and it’s great to be able to support 8 and 10 bit SD & HD AVI movies on Windows XP, even though there is only native support for 8-bit SD. It will make it easier to share files with other users if other native codecs are added to Windows in future.

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Luke Maslen]

Hi Kevin,

Yes, I checked with one of the engineers and he showed me Windows Media Encoder working with DeckLink cards. You can select DeckLink inputs and outputs. When specifying a video format, make sure it is a standard TV format as non-standard formats will not work with DeckLink cards.

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Luke Maslen]

Hi Nick,

Absolutely. You will need FCP5 and the DeckLink v5 drivers to support HDV, and then you will have HDV real-time monitoring from all DeckLink HD series cards.

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Luke Maslen]

Hi Charlie,

Both the DeckLink HD Pro 4:2:2 and DeckLink HD Pro 4:4:4 cards are HD-SDI cards and also include component analog video monitoring. So you can capture and play back to the deck via HD-SDI and have inexpensive analog monitoring via the component outputs of the card. The DeckLink HD Pro 4:2:2 card is US$1495. The DeckLink HD Pro 4:4:4 card is US$1995.

If you are looking for a standalone convertor, then one of the Multibridge units would be great and we hope to recommence shipping shortly.

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Luke Maslen]

Hi John,

Thanks for your ideas which I have forwarded to the engineers as a product suggestion. I’m sure there is “scope” for a joke here but I just can’t find the right words 😉

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Luke Maslen]

Hi Rob,

I just received an email from one of our engineers at the show. He has the following good news for you:

Think of Multibridge Extreme as an external DeckLink HD Pro with more connectors. Therefore, anything that the DeckLink HD Pro can do (all functionality in Final Cut Pro), the Multibridge Extreme can do. That includes VariCam (and 720p24).

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Luke Maslen]

Hi Jeremy,

That’s great info. While I’m waiting for the files to download, another thing Alisa can check is the RT popup menu at the top-left of her timeline. I suspect that the RT playback quality is set to High and this will cause problems if RT effects are applied. Reducing Playback Video Quality it to at least Medium should help overcome any jittery playback if this is a factor.

You are absolutely correct that the audio needs to be 48kHz as that is a TV standard and DeckLink cards always require 48kHz audio

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Luke Maslen]

Hi Rob,

Good question! I’ll send a message to our team at NAB 2005 and try to find out. It might take a few days but I’ll either amend that in our specs or else provide you with the relevant information.

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Luke Maslen]

Hi Scott,

All Multibridge models are designed to act as standalone convertor and you can also connect a Multibridge to your PC via a Decklink card such as the DeckLink HD. This provides the HD-SDI connection to Aspect HD, regardless of whether you are using the component connections of the Multibridge or not. Multibridge seamlessly converts between HD analog and HD-SDI and vice versa. So as far as Aspect HD is concerned, it is just working with HD-SDI.

The new Multibridges with PCIe include a PCIe adapter card for your PC. As far as your PC is concerned, it will think that it is just working with a DeckLink card via HD-SDI and that fact that the Multibridge unit is external is of no consequence. In other words, Aspect HD should view the Multibridge with PCIe as if it were just any DeckLink card with HD-SDI.

So yes, you should be able to use component HD analog and have Multibridge convert it to HD-SDI for use with Aspect HD as it will be just like using a DeckLink HD card.

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Luke Maslen]

Hi Emery,

I just found out that the PCIe to PCI-X bridge card is expected to cost around US$150. The price depends upon exactly which components are used in the final card but that is what we currently believe will be the price when released. Intensive testing of the card will dictate which components are used in the final releaese.

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design