Key Features

Connect to Analog or Digital Video

Featuring the highest quality 10-bit uncompressed SD-SDI, DeckLink Extreme is perfect for connecting to high end decks such as Digital Betacam, D1 and DVCPRO 50. True 10-bit SDI capture retains all the subtle detail in your images, even during multi generation rendering and video processing. When using analog decks such as Betacam SP, DeckLink Extreme PCIe features analog component YUV video and balanced analog audio, so you don't need cumbersome external converters.

Built-In Professional Quality Audio

The DeckLink Extreme features unbalanced AES digital audio out for incredible quality and sample accurate AV sync. DeckLink Extreme unbalanced AES audio output is also compatible with S/PDIF consumer audio, so you can use inexpensive HiFi equipment for audio monitoring. When connecting to analog decks, DeckLink Extreme includes analog XLR audio in and out connectors for direct analog deck connection. 8 channel SDI audio is supported, perfect for 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound audio work.

Choose Windows XP or Mac OS X

DeckLink Extreme can be plugged into either Windows XP or Mac OS X systems. You can move the DeckLink Extreme between operating systems allowing you to constantly reconfigure your facility as your needs change.

On Windows XP, DeckLink Extreme supports DirectShow for compatibility with most video software. For editing, DeckLink Extreme includes a full suite of plug-ins for Adobe Premiere Pro including deck control. You can even playback AVI, QuickTime and still frames files all on the same Premiere Pro timeline and with multi-channel audio via our ASIO driver.

On Apple Mac OS X, DeckLink Extreme supports QuickTime for full compatibility with all video software such as Apple Final Cut Pro HD, Adobe After Effects, Shake, DVD Studio Pro, iDVD, Combustion and many more.

True 10-Bit Uncompressed SDI Capture & Playback

DeckLink Extreme supports full 10-bit SDI uncompressed video capture and playback for great image quality. Ideal for Digital Betacam , D1 and Panasonic DVCPRO 50 decks, uncompressed 10-bit is the highest quality possible from the SDI television system. The Blackmagic codec allows 16-bit RGB per channel rendering preserving the quality of 10-bit video. Only 10-bit uncompressed will hold up under the heavy working conditions demanded by clients today, while still retaining that delicate film look.

Flexible File Formats

When used with Mac OS X and Windows XP operating systems, you can select from the highest quality 10-bit uncompressed and 8-bit uncompressed. When used on Mac OS X, DeckLink Extreme includes support for DV and JPEG compressed video formats. On Windows XP, you can choose between AVI and QuickTime file formats and even play back TARGA and BMP image sequences in the Premiere Pro timeline without rendering.

Design & Effects

High quality effects and design work has never been easier. The DeckLink Extreme card is fully compatible with the standard software tools for broadcast designers, such as Adobe After Effects, Apple Shake, Apple Motion, Combustion and Photoshop. For a complete solution for inputting and outputting media, Blackmagic Deck Control is included free and allows time code accurate remote capture and output to broadcast decks. DeckLink Extreme also includes an RGB QuickTime preview output for After Effects and Combustion. And, you can always preview on the DeckLink video-out interactively as you work, and then play pre-renders using real-time ram preview. When rendering your work, processing quality using the Blackmagic codec is full 16-bit, so you always get the advantage of 10-bit SDI video.

Broadcast Paint & Graphics

Broadcast graphics-work demands absolute quality and seamless integration with software for speed. Adobe Photoshop has become the tool of choice for broadcast designers worldwide because of its industry standard interface and powerful tool set. DeckLink Extreme includes Photoshop plug-ins so you can capture still frames from the video input, and output graphics to the video-output with a simple menu click. Photoshop documents can use 16-bit rendering to 10-bit SDI for the highest quality video. Blackmagic Deck Control can also be used to control your broadcast deck remotely. And, when used in live environments, DeckLink can even key graphics with an alpha channel over live input video.

HD to SD Down Conversion

The DeckLink Extreme SD card supports playback, software, down conversion from HDTV1080 and HDTV720 to SDTV. Software down conversion can be enabled or disabled with a software switch in the System Preferences>Blackmagic DeckLink on a Mac G5 system. A HD-capable Mac system and a hard drive array must be used even when performing down conversion, of uncompressed HD video, with the standard definition DeckLink Extreme card. If wanting to perform down conversion on capture, a DeckLink HD series cards is required. ¹