Up until recently, if you wanted to connect a 4K video signal from one device to another, you required four SDI cables per source. At NAB 2013, Blackmagic showed and began to ship its first 6G-SDI products, which include ATEM Production Studio 4K live production studio, ATEM Studio Converter 2, Blackmagic’s 4K Production Camera, the HyperDeck Studio Pro recorder, and the company’s new Audio Monitor. But is 6G-SDI a SMPTE standard, and should you be concerned?
Is 6G-SDI a SMPTE standard, and should you be concerned?
Blackmagic responded to me that 6G-SDI “is a pending SMPTE standard”. Blackmagic is not sure how close SMPTE is to ratifying it. But in the worst case scenario (i.e. if it never gets ratified), should you be concerned? Let’s say that you are considering the ATEM Production Studio 4K (see my recent Blackmagic adds 1080p to new ATEM 4K US$1995 a/v mixer). Well if you are planning to use it with 1080p or 720p cameras, it doesn’t matter, since 6G-SDI is backwards compatible with prior SDI standards (SMPTE 259M, 292M). If you are planning to use the new ATEM 4K mixer with Blackmagic’s new 4K camera, then there is no problem, since it also has 6G-SDI. The same think applies to any manufacturer’s 720p or 1080p recorder, or Blackmagic’s own HyperDeck Studio Pro recorder. Perhaps the only concern would be if you are considering using the ATEM Production Studio 4K with another manufacturer’s 4K camera and/or 4K recorder. If the other 4K manufacturer doesn’t use 6G-SDI you would need a converter which may not exist yet. I’ll update this or publish another article as soon as I hear more.
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My latest ebook
My most recent ebook is available 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 the Republic of India)
- Amazon.co.jp (Japan)
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- Amazon.es (Spain, pero a lo mejor lo prefieres en castellano, a continuación)
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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 Américas y la República de la India)
- Amazon.co.jp (Japón)
- 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 Tépper’s books, consulting, articles, seminars & audio programs
Contact Allan Tépper 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.
FTC disclosure
No manufacturer is specifically paying Allan Tépper or TecnoTur LLC to write this article or the mentioned books. Some of the other manufacturers listed above have contracted Tépper and/or TecnoTur LLC to carry out consulting and/or translations/localizations/transcreations. Many of the manufacturers listed above have sent Allan Tépper 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.
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