Did someone try the Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K ?

  • Hello all,
    I would like to know if someone has tried the **Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K** ?
    The main advantage compared with the **UltraStudio Express** is an update which seems to allow a separated capture and playback :
    " The new version promised full duplex mode (simultaneous capture and playback) and decreased I/O latency "
    Does it mean that it is possible to use at the same time one input and one output ?
    For the others external cards, the output seems to be the mirror of the input if an camera is plugged for example.
    So if this is right, it leaves free one thunderbolt port in case of capture and playback...
    Another thing, I could make just a quick test on a Mac Pro with an internal Blackmagic card :
    are the settings only in Output > External Video Out Device (not in the Stage Preferences) ?
    And how does the blackmagic card appears in Live Capture settings ?
    Thank you for your advice.
    All the best.

  • Hi Clement,

    I would not use BM cards for output.
    With a graphic card, you have the hardware for opengl etc...
    On the output of a BM video card not.
    If you need 4k output on SDI of a computer, I would use HDMI output of a graphic card and then convert it ( for ~220€ ) to SDI.
    Then, BM cards for capture are nice, and I personnaly allways had good experiences with Isadora ant it.

  • @keftaparty

    Thank you Mehdi for your advice.
    I am looking on this BM UltraStudio 4K card because it seems to be multipurpose, especially if simultaneous input and output is enable (and maybe less latency). I may have to buy a capture card for a future project, and it can be a good thing to get this one which works with SD and HD (not for its 4K specification).
    I didn't know that BM cards have hardware limitations for output.
    I have a MBR retina with HDMI output : with this thunderbolt card (or the UltraStudio Express), if I want to connect a projector in HD-SDI for example, do you think it's better to use the computer HDMI port + HDMI / HD-SDI converter, instead of the Blackmagic HD-SDI output ?
    For the price (~850€) the BM UltraStudio 4K is maybe a better choice than BM UltraStudio Express (~400€) + converter (~250€) considering its possible uses, but maybe I'm wrong.
    Thanks, all the best.

  • @Clement  The blackmagic output has no open GL, it is not a video card. Anything you want to send has to be rendered by the video card, converted to bitmap and then sent to the output. The blackmagic API does this in a quite efficient way but it is in no way a substitute for a video card. What it does ensure it broadcast framesync and colour space.

    I have not used the 4k but it uses the same drivers as the rest of the capture family and should work fine as the other capture cards work, (within the limitation that Isadora still uses the ageing quicktime library for capture). 
    Yes if you want HDSDI out use an HMDI to to SDI convertor from the HDMI output.
    @keftaparty was right (as usual)

  • @Fred Thanks a lot for your answer, it's more clear to me now !

    I will have a look on BM UltraStudio Express then, instead of Intensity family because SDI connectors can be useful thereafter.
    Thanks again. Best.