At IBC 2012, Blackmagic announced the US$1295 UltraStudio 4k audio/video i/o, which now represents the top end Thunderbolt device from the Australian company, which is now known not only for its interfaces, but also for its DaVinci Resolve software, cameras, and other products. Unlike prior UltraStudio Thunderbolt interfaces from Blackmagic, this is the first to have a 19-inch rack form factor. It is an obvious step up from its sister, the US$995 UltraStudio 3D, whose name sometimes confuses people, since it also handles 2D… and of course the UltraStudio 4K can also do 3D, and features an LCD monitor and hardware buttons for source selection. As you can imagine, the first question I asked Blackmagic was: Does the UltraStudio 4K offer digital RGB-over-HDMI? I asked on behalf of DreamColor owners, because the total price of the UltraStudio 4K is lower then the sum of the UltraStudio 3D plus the “Band-Aid” (the HDLink Pro 3D DisplayPort). Of course, I know that the HP DreamColor is not a 4K monitor (at least not the current one).

Specs of the UltraStudio 4K (from the press release, with my comments)

• Dual Link 3G SDI (3 Gb/s SDI) connections, supports SD, HD up to 1080p60, 2K and 4K.
• SDI inputs include full SDI re-clocking for capture from poor quality SDI sources.
• HDMI in and out, supports SD and HD formats up to 1080p60, frame packing 3D and 4K.
• Component analog in and out.
• Component analog switches to Y/C (Blackmagic called it s-video) and composite.
• 2 channel balanced analog audio in and out. Additional RCA audio in for consumer level unbalanced (Blackmagic calls it HiFi).
• 2 channel AES/EBU unbalanced audio in and out.
• Timecode in and out on XLR connectors
• Genlock/tri-sync input.
• Sony compatible RS–422 deck control.
• Supports uncompressed 8/10 bit and compressed video capture and playback.
• Supports 4K playback using new Dual Link 3 Gb/s SDI connections and HDMI.
• Capture/playback of side by side, line by line, top and bottom and frame packing 3D via HDMI.
• Capture/playback of side by side, line by line, top and bottom and dual stream 3D via SDI.
• Includes hardware up down and cross conversion on playback.
• Includes hardware SD and HD keying.
• Compatible with Mac OS X computers with Thunderbolt.
• Supports Final Cut Pro X , Adobe Premiere Pro CS6, Adobe Photoshop CS6, Adobe After Effects CS6 , DaVinci Resolve 9 and more.
• Includes free developer SDK.
• Includes free DaVinci Resolve Lite (actually, it’s free to anyone) and Media Express capture and playback software.

Does the UltraStudio 4K offer RGB/4:4:4 over HDMI?

Here was the response from Blackmagic’s public relations department:

It will not. It is YUV.
I am checking in on whether it is in the works and will get back to you on that.

I have been asking the same question of Blackmagic for several years now, and as you can tell, I haven’t given up 🙂

As a conclusion after Blackmagic’s response: if you own a DreamColor monitor, you plan to use DaVinci Resolve to do grading, and don’t already own a compliant Blackmagic interface, you can consider the UltraStudio 4K for its other features (or any other compliant Blackmagic interface), but you must know that for now, you’ll still need a “Band-Aid” in the form of the HDLink Pro 3D DisplayPort. If you are new to this HP DreamColor telenovela, read the prior articles which are listed below. If you own an interface from AJA, Matrox, MOTU and expect it to work with DaVinci Resolve: the only way I see that happening is if AJA, Matrox, or MOTU buys Blackmagic. You never know…

Related DreamColor articles

• Allan T©pper’s HP DreamColor Mac connectivity & functionality: update 2012.1
• Allan T©pper’s: HP DreamColor Mac connectivity & functionality: update 2012.2
• Allan T©pper’s: HP DreamColor versus its closest alternative
• Allan T©pper’s: Does Premiere CS5 achieve the “impossible dream” for critical evaluation monitoring?
• Allan T©pper’s: Why should I care if my monitor shows ITU Rec.709?
• Allan T©pper’s: Who is the ITU, and why should I care?
• Allan T©pper’s: How to connect your HD evaluation monitor to your editing system properly: Let me count the ways!
• Allan T©pper’s review: DreamColor from HP: an ideal tool for critical image evaluation
• Patrick Inhofer’s review: HP’s DreamColor: A PVM CRT Replacement?
• Allan T©pper’s: DreamColor direct interfaces
• Allan T©pper’s: DreamColor converter boxes for non-compliant systems
• Allan T©pper’s: Matrox’s original MXO crashes the Direct DreamColor interface party from January 10, 2010
• Art Adam’s: GEEK OUT: The Non-Technical Technical Guide to Sony OLED Monitors from March 6, 2012
• Allan T©pper’s Bandito Brothers use multiple HP DreamColors + Adobe Premiere for Act of Valor from March 9, 2012
• Allan T©pper’s Blackmagic: We’re ready to remove the Band-Aid!

My latest ebook

I have just published an ebook in two languages.
The format is Kindle, but even if you don’’’t have a Kindle device, you can read Kindle books on many other devices using a free Kindle app. That includes iPad, iPhone, Android phones, Android tablets, Mac computers, Windows computers, some Blackberry phones and Windows 7 phones.

In English:

In English, it is currently available in the following Amazon stores, depending upon your region:

• At Amazon.com (for all of the Americas and India)
• Amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom)
• Amazon.de (Germany)
• Amazon.es (Spain, pero a lo mejor lo prefieres en castellano, a continuación)
• Amazon.fr (France)
• Amazon.it (Italy)

If you’re going to buy a Kindle book as a gift, you must do so via the Pan-American Amazon store (the first one listed above), regardless of where you live or where the recipient lives.

En castellano:

En castellano, está disponible actualmente en las siguientes tiendas Amazon, según tu región:

• Amazon.com (todas las Am©ricas y la India)
• Amazon.co.uk (Reino Unido)
• Amazon.de (Alemania)
• Amazon.es (España)
• Amazon.fr (Francia)
• Amazon.it (Italia)

Si vas a comprar un libro Kindle como regalo, debes hacerlo vía la tienda panamericana de Amazon (la primera de la lista) sin importar donde vivas tú o donde viva la persona que recibirá el regalo.

Allan T©pper’s books, consulting, articles, seminars & audio programs

Contact Allan T©pper for consulting, or find a full listing of his books, articles and upcoming seminars and webinars at AllanTepper.com. Listen to his TecnoTur program, which is now available both in Castilian (aka “Spanish”) and in English, free of charge. Search for TecnoTur in iTunes or visit TecnoTur.us for more information.

Disclosure, to comply with the FTC’s rules

No manufacturer is specifically paying Allan T©pper or TecnoTur LLC to write this article or the mentioned books. Some of the other manufacturers listed above have contracted T©pper and/or TecnoTur LLC to carry out consulting and/or translations/localizations/transcreations. Many of the manufacturers listed above have sent Allan T©pper review units. So far, none of the manufacturers listed above is/are sponsors of the TecnoTur programs, although they are welcome to do so, and some are, may be (or may have been) sponsors of ProVideo Coalition magazine. Some links to third parties listed in this article and/or on this web page may indirectly benefit TecnoTur LLC via affiliate programs.

Copyright and use of this article

The articles contained in the TecnoTur channel in ProVideo Coalition magazine are copyright Allan T©pper/TecnoTur LLC, except where otherwise attributed. Unauthorized use is prohibited without prior approval, except for short quotes which link back to this page, which are encouraged!