While the merits of 4K as a broadcast standard was a matter of considerable debate
at IBC, the resolution is firmly established on the production side of the value chain.
Every gear vendor exhibiting at the show had at least one new 4K product or, at the
very least, an existing product updated for 4K. Blackmagic Design was no
exception.
With its cost-effective solutions, Blackmagic is making lengthy inroads into the
production and broadcast technology fields. This year it introduced two new
additions to its 4K workflow, the 40 x40 SmartVideohub video router and the
SmartView 4K monitor.
The Videohub family of routers allows for mixed format routing and comes with
five-inch (12.7cm) high-resolution monitors built in. The 40×40, the largest of the
family, includes 6G-SDI technology so that producers can simultaneously connect
and route any combination of SD, HD and Ultra HD video. The unit is designed to
route any number of inputs up to 40 to any combination of outputs simultaneously.
The five-inch LCD screen, the spin knob and button controls are designed to make
routing as easy as possible. Whatever input or output is selected is displayed on the
screen, enabling operators to see clearly and immediately what is being routed.
This certainly also makes the router visually attractive and allows it to stand out
from the many others on offer. But the real appeal of the 40×40 Videohub is its
adaptability for all resolutions. It offers stable and reliable SDI video connections in
any format. Even producers not working in UltraHD can make use of the 40×40 for
SD and HD output, knowing that the system is 4K enabled should they need it.
The Smart Videohub became available on the market in October 2014 at a US$2995
price point.
SmartView 4K is a versatile new broadcast monitor with a native resolution of 3840
x 2160. It features multi rate 12G-SDI inputs that automatically switch between
resolutions. The monitor also supports Ultra HD at high frame rates, which is
becoming an important aspect of production workflow. When monitoring SD, 720 HD
or 1080 HD SDI sources, the built in Teranex processor uses advanced patented and
proprietary PixelMotion™ algorithms to automatically de-interlace and scale video
to the native Ultra HD resolution of the LCD.
According to Blackmagic, the SmartView includes a number of useful features that
disappeared from monitors with the advent of SDI in the mid-1990s, such as the
H/V delay, which allows engineers to view data and signals in horizontal and
vertical blanking.
SmartView 4K will be available in December 2014 for US$1,995.
