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MOTU ships new HDX-SDI video interface for Mac and Windows

Tuesday, November 24, 2009. MOTU is now shipping the HDX-SDI video interface for Mac and Windows ($895). With the blazing speed of PCI Express, the HDX-SDI turns a Mac or PC desktop or laptop computer into a powerful HD/SD video production workstation equipped with all the I/O needed for professional capture and monitoring.

Users can connect any source, from SD camcorders to today’s latest HD cameras, then log and capture clips directly into Apple Final Cut Pro on the Mac or Adobe Premiere Pro on Windows. The HDX-SDI supports all standard SD and HD video formats up to and including 1080p30 (720p, 1080i, 1080p & 1080PsF). The front panel provides convenient inputs for legacy SD capture and full 10-bit uncompressed HDMI capture from any HDMI-equipped camcorder.

For the best-possible image quality, users can capture uncompressed HD video input via HD-SDI or HDMI with 4:2:2 10-bit color depth and full-raster 1920 x 1080 resolution.

For compressed workflows, users can choose Apple ProRes, ProRes HQ or the codec of their choice in Apple Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro. Because the HDX-SDI delivers 10-bit uncompressed video to the computer, users are not limited to a particular codec and are instead free to go with the host-based workflow of their choice, including many popular file-based formats now supported by Final Cut and Premiere.

For monitoring, the HDX-SDI offers pixel-for-pixel HD output via both HDMI and HD/SD-SDI, along with analog HD or SD component, composite and S-Video output. The SDI section supplies two mirrored outputs so that users can connect both a deck and a monitor simultaneously.

While capturing or monitoring, the HDX-SDI video console software provides separate color grading controls for video signal input and output. Users can adjust ten different parameters, which together determine an industry-standard color transfer function, as defined by the American Society of Cinematographers Color Decision List (ASC CDL) specification version 1.2.

For audio, the HDX-SDI provides comprehensive audio capture and monitoring in stereo or full surround with support for both 5.1 or 7.1 configurations. In fact, users can capture or monitor up to 16 channels of audio simultaneously via any two 8-channel banks of TRS analog, AES/EBU digital, embedded SDI, or embedded HDMI at sample rates up to 96kHz. The HDX-SDI’s unique bank of quarter-inch analog TRS connectors makes it a snap to connect cameras and a wide range of video and audio gear up to eight channels at a time. The front panel provides comprehensive audio activity LEDs, plus eight channels of assignable 4-segment input metering. The HDX-SDI’s stereo (BNC) AES/EBU digital audio input and output are continuously sample-rate converted, providing trouble-free digital audio transfers, regardless of clock source.

Advanced synchronization features include time code in/out, large front-panel time code display, video reference in/out/thru with support for both bi-level and tri-level sync, and Sony 9-pin machine control for Batch Capture and Edit to Tape operations. Time code support includes LTC, VITC (SD analog), D-VITC (SD-SDI) and embedded (SD/HD-SDI).

The HDX-SDI is housed in a rugged, one rack-space cast metal enclosure with removable brackets for convenient desktop operation. The HDX-SDI is available in two versions: desktop and laptop. The Desktop version includes a PCIe card for connectivity for today’s multi-core Mac and PC towers. The laptop version ships with an ExpressCard/34 adapter for any current-generation Mac or Windows laptop equipped with an ExpressCard slot.

The HDX-SDI provides the following video connections:

—1 x HD/SD-SDI in and out (4:2:2 10-bit) on BNC connectors
—1 x extra HD/SD-SDI output BNC connector
—1 x HDMI in and out (4:2:2 10-bit, YCbCr or RGB)
—Support for DVI output with HDMI-to-DVI adapter (sold separately)
—1 x HD/SD component in and out (10-bit, YPbPr or RGB) on BNCs
—1 x composite in (10-bit) on RCA
—1 x S-Video in (10-bit) on 4-pin mini-DIN
—1 x composite in and out (10-bit CVBS) on shared BNC
—1 x S-Video in and out (10-bit Y/C) on shared BNC

The component section supports both RGB and YPbPr, and it can alternatively serve as CVBS (composite) in/out or even Y/C (S-Video) in/out.

The HDX-SDI provides the following audio connections:

—16 channels of simultaneous audio input and output
—Supports all standard audio sample rates from 44.1 to 96kHz
—8 x quarter-inch TRS analog in and out via direct connection (no breakout cable)
—2 x RCA analog input on the front panel for SD Composite/S-Video capture
—2 x AES/EBU digital in and out on BNC connectors with sample rate conversion (SRC)
—8 x AES/EBU digital in and out on standard DB25 breakout cable (purchased separately)
—8 x HD/SD-SDI embedded audio in and out
—8 x HDMI embedded audio in and out
—Front panel headphone jack with dedicated volume control
—Front panel audio channel metering consisting of two 8-channel banks of status LEDs assignable to any 8-channel audio bank (analog, AES/EBU, or embedded) in or out

The HDX-SDI provides cross-platform operation with Final Cut Pro (6.0.5 or higher) on Mac OS X (10.5 or higher) and Adobe Premiere Pro (4.0.1 or higher) on Windows 7/Vista/XP.

The HDX-SDI is now shipping. Price is $895.

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