USA – Blackmagic Design today announced the new UltraStudio Mini 12G family of Thunderbolt capture and playback products. There are 3 models in the family and they are designed for extremely high quality broadcast use. The UltraStudio Mini Monitor 12G model plays back to 12G-SDI and HDMI. The UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G model captures from 12G-SDI and HDMI. While the UltraStudio Mini Replay 12G model supports both 12G-SDI capture and playback, but also includes independent 12G-SDI fill and key outputs as well as a dedicated 12G-SDI monitoring output. The replay model supports the live action replay features in DaVinci Resolve 20. All models work in all SD, HD and Ultra HD video standards up to 2160p60.
UltraStudio Mini 12G is available immediately from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide from $395.
UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G is an input only model which captures from 12G-SDI and HDMI in SD, HD and Ultra HD. It’s perfect for live streaming using software such as Open Broadcaster. Or archive from old broadcast decks into popular edit software or the free included Media Express software. Customers can even record from game consoles.
UltraStudio Mini Monitor 12G is an output only model which plays back to 12G-SDI and HDMI in SD, HD and Ultra HD. It’s the perfect solution for monitoring playback from popular edit software. Dual 12G-SDI outputs support fill and key for broadcast graphics, automatically converting the alpha channel in graphics to a key output.
UltraStudio Mini Replay 12G is a12G-SDI only model that can both capture and play back, at the same time. This makes it great for using computers as real time AI processors or for live action replay with DaVinci Resolve. Connect the input to their switcher multi-view. Then replay with auto stingers using the fill and key outputs.
All UltraStudio Mini models include fast Thunderbolt 4 with video capture and playback plus power, all over a single Thunderbolt cable. Thunderbolt 4 provides massive data speeds, giving enough bandwidth to handle high resolutions, deeper bit depths and advanced frame buffer formats such as 4:2:2:4 and 4:4:4:4. It even supports real time conversion of alpha channels out to 10-bit 12G-SDI fill and key outputs. UltraStudio Mini uses the DeckLink API, so almost all video software works. Plus the Thunderbolt link is bidirectional, so the UltraStudio Mini Replay 12G model can capture, process and output video in real time. This means computers can be used as real time graphics or AI processors.
With dual 12G-SDI video outputs, UltraStudio Mini Replay 12G and Mini Monitor 12G can connect into live production switchers so graphics can be overlaid with transparency. Internally, there’s hardware support for both RGBA and YUVA frame buffers. With RGBA graphics, video frames will automatically transcode the RGB pixels to YUV 4:2:2:4 video on both fill and key outputs in full 10-bit precision. The two SDI outputs are then connected to a live production switcher where they can be keyed over video. The key output ensures customers get smooth blending of the transparent elements in the images. This all means that UltraStudio Mini 12G is ideal for broadcast graphics and stingers.
UltraStudio Mini is designed to support the highest quality video. Most software has support for capture and playback to all popular video formats such as Apple ProRes, DNxHD or even 10-bit uncompressed, so users are never locked into a single file format. 10-bit is the most commonly used television standard as colors can be represented with 4 times the precision of 8-bit video. This means customers get the sharpest green screen keying, seamless VFX compositions and superior color correction.
UltraStudio Mini 12G supports all popular video software, allowing customers to work with the software customers already know and like. Customers can live stream with Open Broadcaster. UltraStudio Mini Monitor 12G is perfect for use with DaVinci Resolve for broadcast editing and color correction work. UltraStudio Mini Replay 12G will even capture and playback at the same time. So customers can use the live grading feature in DaVinci Resolve to capture video, apply color correction and then output it all live and in real time. Or use other editing software including Final Cut Pro, Media Composer, Premiere Pro and more. Customers can even create stunning visual effects with Fusion, After Effects and Photoshop.
UltraStudio Mini works with Fusion, which is the visual effects software integrated into DaVinci Resolve, as well as Adobe After Effects and Photoshop. Fusion Studio is a powerful node based compositing VFX tool with 2D and 3D environments, hundreds of effects and more. Plus customers can download and use Fusion free of charge in DaVinci Resolve. Customers can use the included Blackmagic Media Express software to capture and play back video into files that can be loaded into Fusion, After Effects or Photoshop.
UltraStudio Mini 12G models all feature multi-rate 12G-SDI and HDMI connections that support all SD, HD and Ultra HD video standards, making it ideal for worldwide broadcast video use. When working in SD, UltraStudio Mini 12G supports 525i59.94 and 625i50 standards. In HD, it supports 720p, 1080i, and 1080p standards, up to 1080p60. In Ultra HD customers get support for all standards up to 2160p60. For working with 3G-SDI sources, customers can switch between level A and level B.
If customers want to build a custom solution for their UltraStudio Mini, then customers can download a free advanced developer SDK for Mac, Windows, and Linux. The developer SDK makes it easy to develop their own custom solutions for in house use, or to sell to other broadcasters. The Desktop Video SDK also provides low level control of hardware when customers need flexibility, as well as high level interfaces which are a lot easier to use when customers need to perform more common tasks.
If customers are a manufacturer interested in using UltraStudio Minis, then they can contact our OEM team. Our developer support engineers can offer suggestions and help customers with their code. Once their solution is working, they can contact us to arrange bulk purchase discounts. If customers only need lower volume, they can simply buy UltraStudio Mini through our global reseller network.
“Customers have been asking for UltraStudio Mini with support for higher resolutions and more demanding workflows, so we’re really excited to introduce these new models,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “With Thunderbolt 4 and 12G-SDI, customers get high quality 10-bit capture and playback up to 2160p60, including support for alpha channels, all in an incredibly compact design. They’re perfect for monitoring, graphics or even replay with DaVinci Resolve and we’re excited to see the new workflows our customers build with these models.”
UltraStudio Mini 12G features
* 3 powerful models for capture, playback and capture/playback.
* High-speed Thunderbolt 4 connection.
* Includes dual 12G-SDI outputs for fill and key on output models.
* UltraStudio Mini Replay 12G supports simultaneous capture and playback.
* Broadcast quality uncompressed 10-bit capture and playback.
* Works with all popular video software, including DaVinci Resolve 21.
* Supports all SD, HD and Ultra HD video standards up to 2160p60.
* Includes free developer SDK for Mac, Windows and Linux.
