DeckLink’s leading quality, flexibility and affordable low cost has revolutionized the television industry into a truly creative industry. Designers, editors, matte painters and effects artists are no longer limited creatively by expensive machines hired by the hour. See how DeckLink has changed the industry and helped turn it from an equipment hire industry into a large and exciting creative community.

Quality

Software such as Final Cut Pro™ and Premiere Pro® are resolution and quality independent, so even though they're used with DV video, they're not limited to DV quality. Whether you need DV, uncompressed standard definition or high definition quality, it’s all determined by the video card installed in your system and not the software. By plugging a DeckLink card into a system, you're replacing all the video rendering and files with true uncompressed 10 bit quality.

10 bit uncompressed is of such high quality, it's actually better than Digital Betacam™ decks because there's no video compression at all. This means all of your editing and design work is higher quality than other pre-built and incredibly expensive systems! That’s why DeckLink has been used by thousands of high end customers for leading edge TVC’s, episodic program production and feature films worldwide. You simply can't get better quality high definition video than DeckLink's 10 bit uncompressed HD-SDI video.

Speed

DeckLink systems are much lower cost than other solutions so you can have more people working on the same job. In the past a single operator used an expensive system to complete a job as fast as possible. Because the system was expensive, it created a bottleneck as most companies could only afford one. Because DeckLink systems are inexpensive, you can do the same quality work but with more specialized people working on various parts of the job. For example, you might have a graphic designer with no knowledge of television working on graphics in Photoshop®, and then feeding those graphics to a video editor running Final Cut Pro™ or Premiere Pro. The designer doesn't need to know anything about television as Photoshop is the same tool they'd use for print, web and now television. It’s really the designers' creative skills you need!

This leaves the editor free to focus on the edit and not the titles and graphics, so their time is better utilized. You have two tasks being completed at the same time for the same job and using specialists who are better qualified for each specific task, which is a much faster workflow.

Choose your Software

With DeckLink you can choose any software you need for a job. So if you're editing but then need some new kind of complex effect, you can instantly move into another application better suited to the task. For example, you can move from Final Cut Pro™ to After Effects® and then move media back instantly. All media are standard QuickTime™ files so you don’t need to render imported files. They just drop directly into each application for direct use.

Once your edit's finished, instantly move to DVD Studio Pro™ or Encore DVD® to author a DVD using uncompressed files for maximum quality. If a new software tool is released into the market with unique features, as long as it’s QuickTime™ or DirectShow™ AVI based you can use it immediately.

More People know the Tools

The software used with DeckLink HD series cards is also used on lower quality but higher volume solutions such as DV editing. So you know that thousands of people are using the same tools everyday and can be hired to complete high-end work without any retraining. Operators can move from DV to uncompressed standard definition, or even HD without retraining as the software still operates the same way independent of quality or television standard. Talented graphic designers can be called in to add an extra creative boost to work and as they know applications such as Photoshop well, you can integrate their talent into your workflow without retraining for television. Eliminating complex custom training lowers your costs and also means you can immediately bring in extra creative talent, such as matte painters and graphic designers to work on complex jobs, taking your creativity to much higher levels.

Online or Offline Editing

Do your offline editing and then move to online editing using the same tool! DeckLink supports uncompressed online quality and on Mac OS X™, DeckLink also supports ProRes, DV and JPEG compression for offline work.

A faster alternative to offline is using DeckLink for uncompressed 10 bit capture and playback. You can do all of your work in uncompressed and when your job is finished you won't need to do online at all. That’s great when deadlines are tight as you can work right up to the deadline before outputting to tape. Eliminating the offline process can really save time and lowers costs.

Stay with the Latest Technology

You can take advantage of the latest technology with DeckLink based systems. The problem with low volume expensive pre-built systems based on SGI or other expensive computers, is they cost so much. You need to run them for a long time to pay off the purchase price. This means it might be 5 years or more before you can throw away the computer and get the latest model. DeckLink uses standard, but fast Mac™, Linux™ or Windows™ based PC’s, so after about a year you can get the latest model for higher speeds. The older model doesn't need to go to waste either, as it can be moved to paint and other non speed critical tasks so you retain value in your previous computer purchase. Because you can add any new operating system and application updates you like, we are constantly ensuring our drivers are upgraded for latest compatibility. Check out our technotes for more details.

Customize your Systems

You can build your DeckLink system exactly how you need it. You can mix and match system components, such as DeckLink models and software applications any way you like. For example, if you're only doing DVD authoring on Mac OS X™, then simply add a DeckLink card and DVD Studio Pro™ to get up and running immediately. DeckLink also includes deck control so you can capture clips direct from tape. If you're editing on Windows™ then simply add DeckLink and Premiere Pro for a fantastic high quality editing solution. Talk with your local Blackmagic dealer about your workflow needs, your dealer can customize a solution that's perfect for you or do it yourself!

DeckLink cards are faster, better quality and massively lower in cost so you can afford to get everyone in your facility a custom-built workstation. Now everyone can work together, that’s truly revolutionary!

DeckLink Duo is now shipping!
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Products
DeckLink SDI™	US$295
DeckLink Duo™	US$495
Decklink Optical Fiber™	US$495
DeckLink Studio™	US$695
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10:1 Cost Advantage

Traditional systems for editing and design in post production and broadcast are sold as a complete system, so you have no choice in the components or even what software and storage you can use. With DeckLink cards and Multibridge based systems, you can choose your favorite software and still have complete compatibility. The big advantage is software and hardware vendors compete to give you the highest quality, more features and the lowest possible price.

Integrate PSD, EPS, PDF, and 3D

Unlike other systems, common DeckLink Studio compatible software can directly import Photoshop, EPS, PDF and 3D files.

That's a huge time saver and by importing files such as EPS and PDF as used in publishing, you can work with content from advertising agencies, ensuring client logos are presented to strict client corporate standards. With DeckLink Studio you can integrate your workflow with your clients and reuse print based materials for video use.

No HD Proxies

DeckLink cards will capture and playback uncompressed media directly without proxies, or any kind of intermediate file. DeckLink cards have loads of vector code so speeds are snappy and responsive. Unlike proxy based systems you are working with the real media not a substitute.

Frame Accurate

Editing systems based on Final Cut Pro™ or Premiere Pro using DeckLink Studio, may be inexpensive but they're certainly professional. Editors demand frame accurate batch capture and perfect AV sync! If you're conforming EDL’s or recapturing for online finishing, DeckLink will allow frame accuracy so all of your edits are always assembled correctly.

Flawless EDL support

Like all professional editing systems, Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro™ work with common EDL formats, so you can integrate with other systems. EDL’s are a great way to move from older systems onto DeckLink Studio based editing solution for online finishing.

Mature Software Tools

Although DeckLink cards are a new revolution in the industry, DeckLink's software tools are mature and used by tens of thousands of professional creative users every day. Applications such as Photoshop have been available for well over a decade and are used by publishing and web designers.

Saints Row 2

Emmy Award winning video editor for Volition, Alexander Mejia, uses Multibridge Pro to bring Saints Row 2 to life. Mejia relies on Blackmagic's real time editing hardware to get the lightening fast turnaround times needed for cutting promotions.

Work with 3D Software

Software such as Nuke™ allows direct importation of 3D models. You can integrate natural looking 3D into visual effects and then live preview on the DeckLink video output as you work. That increases your work speed and lets you see what the final rendered result will look like.

Television is a Creative Industry

The founders of Blackmagic Design are from the post production industry and not the equipment manufacturing industry. With extensive experience in areas such as telecine engineering, where quality is everything, it's become our dream to make high quality video affordable. We are helping to turn the television industry from being equipment focused to becoming a more creative industry.

Custom Development

The DeckLink software development kit provides a stable, cross platform interface for DeckLink, Multibridge and Intensity capture products. This allows developers to easily perform common tasks using low-level hardware control and high-level QuickTime and DirectShow interfaces. All product installers include the SDK.

The Red Machine

This is the story of a professional thief who is forced to help a Navy spy steal an encoding machine from the Japanese. Using a High Def workflow to create stylized palettes of color and sound, The Red Machine uses a blue-grey world for the spy and a brown world for the thief.