Blackmagic Design Updates Mini Converter Software with Closed Captioning and Canon 5D Support

Blackmagic Design Inc. today announced a major new update for its Mini Converter UpDownCross and Mini Converter HDMI to SDI. The new Mini Converter software update includes the addition of closed captioning support and seamless integration into the Canon 5D MKII workflow.

The addition of closed captioning support gives broadcasters the ability to improve consistency and overall quality of closed captioning when performing up, down or cross conversion at 59.94 Hz rates. When used with Mini Converter UpDownCross, broadcasters can be assured that closed captioning information is consistent with output standards.

The update supports EIA-608 for SD-SDI and EIA-708 for HD-SDI standards for NTSC and ATSC closed captioning, and is an elegant and affordable solution to broadcasters working in both SD and HD! Support for Canon 5D workflows was a growing request by broadcasters and post professionals as the use of Canon’s 5D MKII DSLR camera has increased in popularity and the need to monitor media taken with the camera has grown.

With the Mini Converter HDMI to SDI, customers have two SDI outputs where signals can be looped out of a single monitor to multiple monitors. Now, cameramen, directors and lighting and audio techs can all have their own monitor instead of crowding around a single camera’s LCD screen or single HDMI monitor! With the addition of the new features, both broadcast and post professionals can improve SD and HD workflows through Blackmagic’s affordable models of mini converters.

Blackmagic now offers nine Mini Converter models, which include the world’s only mini converters with auto SD/HD switching, redundant input, AES/EBU and analog audio on standard 1/4 inch jack connections, combined with advanced 3 Gb/s SDI technology.

The award-winning Mini Converter UpDownCross is the most recently introduced member of the Blackmagic Design Mini Converter family. Mini Converter UpDownCross provides an easy way to convert between SD and HD video formats as it includes a full up, down and cross conversion, as well as full NTSC/PAL standards conversion.

Mini Converter UpDownCross works at the highest 10 bit SDI video quality, with superior multi tap image filtering and processing. "Our Mini Converter models are designed to solve the everyday problems post and broadcast professionals face when building an SDI studio.

This software update solves the problems of syncing closed captioning when performing up, down and cross conversions, and dramatically improves the Canon 5D workflow -- two of the main features our customers have been requesting," said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design.

Proservice festeja su 20 Aniversario en Caper 2010

Ernesto Pavon, Directivo de Proservice, nos da un pantallazo general de la actualidad de su compañia y un repaso de sus 20 exitoso años en el mercado profesional argentino.

Cuando se inauguro Proservice y con que concepto se inicio?
Proservice se inaugura en 1990 en la Ciudad de Mendoza. Comienza a dar soporte técnico a equipos S-VHS, fabricación de conversores de Norma siendo nuestra principal área el soporte técnico.

Con 20 anos en el mercado habra visto muchos cambios tecnologicos, cual considera que fueron los mas importante?
El cambio más importante es cuando luego del comienzo de la era digital del video surge la compresión esto abre un camino de cambio irreversible y hace que equipos y formatos de índole impensable surjan a precios sin precedente porque sabemos que alta definición existe desde décadas atrás, televisores capaces de soportar HD en la era del Tubo existían pero, incluso allá a finales de los 90 se decía que la HD no podría llegar porque nadie podría pagarla y hoy ya hablamos de 3D como si esto fuera algo común. Si analizamos mucho de esto tiene que ver con que la señal de se pudiera comprimir eficientemente y de esta manera abaratar toda la cadena.

Desde cuando abrio sus nuevas oficinas en Buenos Aires y con ello, cual seria la estrategia de su compania a manera regional en Argentina?
Nuestra oficina de buenos Aires abre en agosto de 2008. El cambio fue tomado para bien por algunas de las marcas como Schneider Optics que apuesta siempre al crecimiento del mercado y estar muy cerca del cliente que consume lentillas y filtros. Nuestra estrategia es poder asistir mejor a clientes que están en regiones cercanas a Mendoza y que por la configuración de nuestro país los envíos antes pasaban por buenos aires para luego llegar al destino final que podría ser Corrientes o el mismo sur argentino.

Sin dudas hoy dia el mercado profesional exige un servicio tecnico agil, dinamico y de excelencia, como evalua el de su compania y el estar ahora tambien en Buenos Aires ayuda a estar mas cerca del cliente en sus necesidades?
Nuestro carácter es dar una respuesta ágil en lo que al servicio corresponda es que como le dijera al comienzo, Nacimos con el servicio, provengo de familia de Técnicos en electrónica. Tenemos presencia comercial Familiar de service desde 1982 en la provincia de Mendoza. La idea es que todo service de Sony del cual somos representantes Autorizados por Sony BPLA para la línea Profesional tenga una respuesta ágil que sabemos es un mercado que necesita respuestas muy agiles ya que cuenta con pocos equipos.

Que linea de productos esta manejando hoy Proservice y cual considera que son sus caballitos de batalla por asi decir?
Manejamos las representación directa de Partes Sony Profesional, Lentilla y Filtros de Schneider Optics, Baterías de IDX, Placas de Edición de Black Magic Design, Mattebox de Cine City entre otros. Nuestro caballo de batalla son las Partes de Sony comercializadas a empresas de gran importancia en el mercado de la televisión.

Sin dudas su compania marca un liderazgo como proveedor en la region de sus Cuyo, a extendido como proveedor a que mas regiones de Argentina?
Somos referente de Broadcast en Mendoza y hoy podemos llegar a mas provincias entre las que podemos contar como San Luis, San Juan, Córdoba hasta Santa Cruz.

Cual es su reflexion al pensar en estos 20 anos de su compania en la industria?
Creo que nuestra presencia en Mendoza ayudo mucho a que fuera un mercado asediado por otros proveedores haciendo que el mismo se nutriera de mejores ofertas de precios promoviendo un crecimiento del mercado, algo que sucede en Buenos Aires por la gran competencia

Cual sería el aporte que Proservice cree hacerle al mercado?
Nosotros tratamos estar atentos a los cambios para promover soluciones nuevas e interesantes siempre moviéndonos en un mercado donde lo que no sobra es el dinero. Muchos de nuestros productos estrella son aquellos que dan una solución similar al de un costo 30% o más elevado.

Como percibe el mercado con los nuevos cambios en la televisión?

Especialmente el interior se está movilizando con la nueva ley creo que esto le está dando un dinamismo y especial protagonismo a jugadores que estaban perdidos lo que hace muy interesante poder estar cerca de los clientes nuevos y los tradicionales.

Argentina's TyC Sports, Telefe and Torneos y Competencias Using BlackMagic Design and SQUID to Broadcast the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Blackmagic Design, a provider of video editing products, color correctors, video converters, routers, waveform monitors and film restoration software, has stated that their DeckLink Studio capture and playback cards, in conjunction with XV-Tech SQUID broadcast workflow software, are currently being used by Argentinean broadcasters TyC Sports, Telefe and Torneos y Competencias to broadcast the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The company has claimed that the combination of the Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink products and XV-Tech’s SQUID solution have a long history of use in Argentina that includes TyC Sports’ recent broadcast of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. It is currently being used by more than 60 channels within Argentina.

TyC Sports, Telefe and Torneos y Competencias have been using the joint product as part of a tapeless workflow to enable them to record and playback both SD and HD audio and video of the Football World Cup games. This end-to-end solution enables them to ingest feeds and integrate signals from all World Cup games for post-production and playback, and also allows future playback and editing.

A company release specified that all processed footage will be available through archiving systems once the games conclude on July 11, 2010.

XV-Tech has asserted that their SQUID provides a complete system for the management of video clips for open air and cable stations. The system includes the SQUID LoopRecorders feature that allows broadcasters to constantly record feeds and manage them for immediate and future use, with media being recorded directly in LoopRecorders and then sent to editing and playout servers without interruption. With the LoopRecorders, DeckLink Studio is being used as the primary capture and playback device for both SD and HD signals. DeckLink Studio features SDI, HDMI and enhanced analog connections, plus a built in hardware down converter, and an incredible 4 channels of balanced analog audio.

President of XV-Tech, Ariel Mindiuk noted that the Blackmagic has been a key partner to XV-Tech, and the combination of its products with XV have been used in many of the stations in Argentina and across South America. DeckLink Studio in particular has provided reliable and affordable capture and playback capabilities that allow their broadcast customers the freedom to work in any number of formats.

Recently, Blackmagic Design's micro Videohub was released and Blackmagic Design announced UltraStudio Pro.

Blackmagic Design Inc. announced that its Blackmagic Design DeckLink Studio capture and playback cards, in conjunction with XV-Tech’s SQUID broadcast workflow software, are currently being used by Argentinean broadcasters TyC Sports, Telefe and Torneos y Competencias for the airing and playback of FIFA World Cup 2010 games and highlights.

The combination of the Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink products and XV-Tech’s SQUID solution has a long history of use in Argentina, which includes TyC Sports’ recent broadcast of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. It is currently being used by more than 60 channels within Argentina.

All three broadcasters are using the joint product as part of a tapeless workflow to allow them to record and playback both SD and HD audio and video of the World Cup games. This end-to-end solution enables them to ingest feeds and integrate signals from all World Cup games for post-production and playback, and will allow for future playback and editing. All footage will be available through archiving systems once the games conclude on July 11.

XV-Tech’s SQUID provides a complete system for the management of video clips for open air and cable stations. The system includes the SQUID LoopRecorders feature, which allows broadcasters to constantly record feeds and manage them for immediate and future use, with media being recorded directly in LoopRecorders and then sent to editing and playout servers without interruption. With the LoopRecoders, DeckLink Studio is being used as the primary capture and playback device for both SD and HD signals.

“Blackmagic has been a key partner to XV-Tech for a number of years, and the combination of its products with XV is already in many of the stations here in Argentina and across South America. Decklink Studio in particular has provided reliable and affordable capture and playback capabilities that allow our broadcast customers the freedom to work in any number of formats,” said Ariel Mindiuk, president, XV-Tech.

About Decklink Studio
The world’s most compatible 10 bit video card that works in SD and HD, DeckLink Studio includes SDI, HDMI and analog video, analog and digital audio, keying in SD and a built in hardware down converter that always down converts to a separate SD SDI output, composite and s-video outputs, all in a compact and incredibly low cost solution that's perfect for broadcast editing, paint and design. DeckLink Studio supports both SD and HD and plugs into any PCI Express Windows, Linux or Intel-based Mac Pro computer. DeckLink Studio includes SD/HD-SDI, SD/HD component, composite, S-Video, 4 ch balanced analog audio, 2 ch AES/EBU, blackburst and tri-sync reference input and RS-422 deck control connections.

About XV-Tech
XV-Tech is a leading company in the supply of workflow solutions for television stations. Their software development department provides consistent innovation and support for their offerings, and their technical department is widely experienced in the integration and support of automation systems, advanced edition, and digital workflows. XV-Tech’s product line of tools, SQUID, efficiently and intuitively solves the different problems within complex broadcast structures. http://www.xv-tech.com/index_en.php

About Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, color correctors, video converters, routers, waveform monitors and film restoration software for the feature film, post-production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in the television industry, while the company’s DaVinci Emmy™ award winning color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984 and continue ground breaking innovations including stereoscopic 3D and 4K workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore, and Australia. For more information, please check www.blackmagic-design.com