View Full Version : Blackmagic ULTRA Studio MINI RECORDER


Marcello Mazzilli
September 14th, 2012, 12:53 PM
Hi,
i was wondering if somebody has had the chance to test this little (seems great) object in a LIVE environnement... I was wondering if I could use 2-3 of these with a Thunderbolt Mac for a Live event with a software like Wirecast

This is the thing: Blackmagic Design: UltraStudio Features (http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/ultrastudio/features)

Shaun Roemich
September 14th, 2012, 08:54 PM
First of all it isn't due to ship until 4th quarter this year and BlackMagic Design are NOTORIOUS for missing shipping dates. I would expect it February next year, based on recent shipping delays on BMD products.

Second, I'm not sure you'd be able to switch between two of them on the same computer seamlessly, without breaks in the signal. That requires frame store sync or genlock, which is why one uses a vision switcher for multicamera live switched solutions.

Marcello Mazzilli
September 15th, 2012, 12:37 AM
Ok...sorry... You are right about release date.. I didn't notice
But... Regarding syncing... Shouldn't this be Wirecast's job to live sync different sources?

Shaun Roemich
September 15th, 2012, 08:38 AM
I'm unfamiliar with Wirecast. It may handle all that somehow. All I know is I handle my multicam webcasts entirely differently.

Marcello Mazzilli
September 15th, 2012, 09:27 AM
How if I may?
I need to do full HD recording though.. not just webcast stream,ing (that it might happen but is not my main target)

Kevin Spahr
September 27th, 2012, 07:20 AM
I ordered one of these and I was told November, so February seems about right. (I think these companies should be more like Apple, announce something when it is ready to ship. Slipping ship dates "P" people off.)

I thought this could also be used to turn my 17"MBP into an "on location" monitor.

Kevin Spahr
November 16th, 2012, 12:53 PM
Wow - it is going to be delivered today. Hope I get some time to play with it - err... I mean, test it.

Marcello Mazzilli
November 16th, 2012, 12:57 PM
Kevin.. let us know how it works.... Good luck with playing... mm.. testing

Kevin Spahr
November 17th, 2012, 08:07 AM
I plugged in my EX3 via SDI and everything worked as expected - no real setup. I will need to get a Thunderbolt raid if I want to capture HD video but anyone should know that. I expect the HDMI port will work the same. This is a well built product that is easy to use at a good price. I haven't done any quality tests but since it is all digital data, I would expect the quality is not too much of an issue. The Blackmagic Media Express App allows you to set the capture codec when you're capturing video. In the past I have used this app on my MacPro with their DeckLink card and it always worked great.

My initial idea is to use my 17" MBP as a field monitor since it is in the camera backpack anyways. Quicktime X Player doesn't seem to have the ability see the video, but Quicktime 7 player can connect to the incoming feed (when you select the proper size and frame rate in the app preferences) but it will not allow the window to completely fill the screen. So I'm currently looking for an App that will see the incoming video signal and display it in full screen mode.

Hey Blackmagic, why don't you knock together a little program that does this one thing and nothing else? Start the app and the video fills the screen - just show the incoming feed with the audio. (Maybe they already have made such an app and I haven't found it yet, or maybe they think that might hurt the sales of their SmartView monitors.)