Blackmagic debuts Intensity HDMI card
updated 05:55 pm EDT, Mon September 11, 2006
Intensity HDMI card debuts
Blackmagic Design has announced Intensity, a low cost HDMI capture playback card that allows low cost consumer cameras with HDMI video connections to move beyond the quality limits of HDV compressed video. Intensity instantly switches between 1080HD, 720HD, NTSC and PAL video standards. The card enables users to playback to any HDMI big screen television or video projector for video editing, in SD or HD, and with real time effects. Users can capture to disk arrays for high speed uncompressed video, or choose from a range of professional compressed codecs that boast higher-than HDV quality when disk speed and space is low. Intensity is priced at $250, and is scheduled to ship on October 15th. [updated]
Users recording to HDV tape also benefit from HDMI uncompressed capture and editing. Once the HDV footage is recorded uncompressed via HDMI, and graphics as well as effects are placed, the edited video will retail full HD resolution and color depth. High quality editing is viewable in real-time via the Intensity HDMI video output on large screen televisions or video projectors. Intensity's media files are fully compatible with Blackmagic Design's DeckLink and Multibridge capture cards, enabling users to play-out to broadcast take decks by moving content to a DeckLink or Multibridge based system.
Intensity is fully compatible with Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop and any DirectShow- or QuickTime-based application.
The card features Blackmagic's On-Air 2.0 software enabling users to connect two HDMI video cameras for live mixing when used with two Intensity boards plugged into the same computer. On-Air 2.0 supports auto-sync of video inputs, negating the need for expensive cameras that feature genlock. On-Air 2.0 features "genlock-less" operation so any camera with HDMI outputs can work as a low cost solution.
Blackmagic Design also released On-Air 2.0, the latest version of its real-time video mixer that supports multiple capture cards for multi-camera mixing. On-Air 2.0 includes a new "auto-sync" feature that eliminates the need for expensive genlockable video cameras, and allows a faster workflow because mixing is performed live. On-Air 2.0 supports the new Intensity HDMI capture board, allowing users to connect an HDMI video camera to each of two Intensity boards plugged into the computer. On-Air 2.0 automatically recognizes the video inputs, enabling live production with low cost video capture cards. On-Air 2.0 is included free with BlackMagic's Intensity video capture card, and is due to ship bundled with Intensity in mid-October.
On-Air 2.0 eliminates the need to use cameras that have genlock connections. Genlock is normally required, so cameras can be synced to a vision mixer for live mixing. On-Air 2.0 features auto-sync technology that automatically synchronizes video cameras without the need for genlock. Users can connect any camera connected to a computer running On-Air 2.0 to mix in real-time.
On-Air 2.0 supports two video cameras for live event mixing; works with graphics for live keying of graphics over live video; displays live video of camera input views; shows a program view of recorded video; captures uncompressed and compressed SD and HD video to disk; displays "tally" red boarders around camera views when cameras are "on-air"; shows red board on program windows when recording to disk; features all camera and program views in a single window that fits within a 20-inch display; and is compatible with any Core Audio input device for sound recording.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2002
720hd and 1080hd
hey sorry to be a stickler but but but you need to really keep on top of this stuff as people depend on you to make educated purchases.
there are 4 DIFFERENT formats covered when you write 720hd and 1080hd, and this particular card does not support all 4 of them just 2 as far as I can tell maybe 3 but not all 4.
supported formats are: 720p (progressive scan) 1080i (interlaced scan)
HD formats represented by 720HD and 1080HD are: 720i 720p 1080i 1080p
it is important to distinguish these as people are going to use this equipment as part of a continuous chain, which would be broken if for example they purchased a piece of equipment that only did 1080i, when they needed it to fit a 1080p chain. thanks for the good work otherwise.