Product Highlights

Thunderbolt Powered I/O Device
SD/HD SDI Input and Output
HDMI Input and Output
2 Breakout Cables (RCA vs. BNCs / XLRs)
Component / Composite / S-Video

Overview

The Blackmagic-Design UltraStudio Express is a capture and playback device that supports resolutions up to 1080p30. It captures saved footage or a live feed from a camera and passes it to your computer in formats ready to be edited. It can also up/down/cross convert the resolution of the footage as the footage is being passed to the computer. The third function of the Express is HDMI monitoring — you can connect a top-quality HDMI monitor and monitor the footage you captured in the best resolution possible so to perform color correction in minute precision. UltraStudio Express features built-in SD/HD SDI, HDMI and Thunderbolt connections. It comes with two breakout cables via which it expands to composite, component, S-Video, RCA audio, AES/EBU audio on XLRs, sync input, genlock for bi and tri-level sync, and RS422 connections. Connection to a camera would be by SDI or HDMI where possible and to a computer by Thunderbolt.

Specifications

Inputs	Video: SDI x1 10-bit SD/HD switchable HDMI type A x1 Via breakout cable: Component YUV x1 on 3 BNC or RCA connectors, supports HD and SD, switchable to S-video or compositeAudio: Via breakout cable: Analog — 2 channels via balanced XLR connectors or unbalanced RCA connectors AES/EBU — 2 channels unbalanced with sample rate converter on BNC connector SDI — 16 channels embedded HD / 8 channels embedded SD HDMI — 2 channels embedded in SD and HD
Outputs	Video: SDI x1 10-bit SD/HD switchable HDMI type A x1 Via breakout cable: Component YUV x1 on 3 BNC or RCA connectors, supports HD and SD, switchable to S-video or compositeAudio: Via breakout cable: Analog — 2 channels via balanced XLR connectors or unbalanced RCA connectors AES/EBU — 2 channels unbalanced with sample rate converter on BNC connector SDI — 16 channels embedded HD / 8 channels embedded SD HDMI — 2 channels embedded in SD and HD
Sync Input	Blackburst in SD, 720p50, 720p59.94, 1080i50 and 1080i59.94 formats or Tri-Sync in any HD format
Device Control	Sony compatible RS-422 deck control port Serial ports TxRx direction-reversible under software control
Computer Interface	Thunderbolt x1
Format Support	SD: 625/25 PAL, 525/29.97 NTSCHD: 720p50, 720p59.94, 720p60, 1080i50, 1080i59.94, 1080i60, 1080PsF23.98, 1080p23.98, 1080PsF24, 1080p24, 1080PsF25, 1080p25, 1080PsF29.97, 1080p29.97, 1080PsF30, 1080p30
SDI Compliance	SMPTE 259M, SMPTE 292M and SMPTE 296M
SDI Metadata Support	VITC read for 3:2 pulldown removal. VANC capture and playback using up to 3 lines of video in file. HD RP188. Closed captioning.
Sampling	Video: 4:2:2Audio: Television standard sample rate of 48 kHz and 24-bit
Color Precision	10-bit
Color Space	REC 601, REC 709
HDMI Configuration	HDMI automatically configures to connected display
HDMI Resolution	Pixel for pixel HD resolution input to connected device
HDMI Color Precision	10-bit
Multi-Rate Support	SDI and HDMI video connections are switchable between standard definition and high definition. SDI switches between 270 Mb/s standard definition SDI, 1.5 Gb/s HD-SDI and 3 Gb/s HD
Copy Protection	HDMI input is unable to capture from copy protected HDMI sources / always confirm copyright ownership before capture or distribution of content
Colorspace Conversion	Hardware based real time
HD Down Conversion	Software based down conversion during video playback
HD Up Conversion	Real time standard definition to 1080HD and 720HD during video capture
HD Cross Conversion	Real time 720HD to 1080HD during video capture
Real Time Effects	Apple Final Cut Pro internal effects, Adobe Premiere Pro Mercury Playback Engine effects, Avid Media Composer 6 internal effects
Software Upgrade	Software driver loads upgrades at system start or via updater software
System Compatibility	Mac OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard or later, and Mac OS X 10.7 Lion or later