Blackmagic Design today announced the immediate availability of HyperDeck Software Update 2.0 Public Beta, a new software update for its popular HyperDeck Studio that adds broadcast quality compressed 10 bit recording and playback to the Avid® DNxHD® format.

DNxHD is a broadcast industry standard for media files and adding native support for this compressed video format into HyperDeck Studio will allow dramatically longer recording times, lower media storage costs and full file format compatibility with Avid Media Composer® systems. All media is recorded in MXF format, so it’s available in Media Composer without any time consuming import processing.

HyperDeck Software Update 2.0 public beta is available now, and will allow customers to update their HyperDeck Studio free of charge simply by connecting to their Mac OS X or Windows computer via USB. The release of this software will allow customers to get the immediate benefit of this new compressed video mode, and to help check compatibility with various third party software products while the format certification process is underway.

HyperDeck Studio still includes support for perfect quality uncompressed 10 bit video, for the ultimate in high quality, mathematically perfect recording and playback. With this new software update, customers will now be able to choose between uncompressed or DNxHD formats any time they need, depending on the work they are doing. DNxHD recording allows dramatically longer record durations from the same size Solid State Disk (SSD), and even the smallest size 64 GB disk that has a record duration of 6 minutes uncompressed can record for more than 40 minutes when used with DNxHD compressed video. This reduces the cost of using SSDs to a little more than $2 per minute, which is much lower cost than other high end videotape formats, while customers have the added benefit that the SSD can be mounted on their computer desktop for editing direct from the SSD itself.

As HyperDeck Studio records direct to SSDs it offers incredibly fast read and write speeds, so they have the high bandwidth required for full SD or HD recording and playback in both uncompressed and DNxHD compressed video formats. SSDs have the advantage of being used in regular laptop and desktop computers, so are constantly increasing in size, while purchase prices have been dropping dramatically over the last few years. The result is the cost per minute of recording is lower than other broadcast formats, and decreasing more each day.

HyperDeck Studio is the perfect solution to replace aging broadcast decks due to its higher quality, direct file format compatibility with NLE software and easy to use broadcast deck features. HyperDeck Studio allows recording and playback from SDI and HDMI sources, and includes support for RS-422 deck control. Unlike broadcast decks, HyperDeck Studio can record forever because it includes dual SSD slots. This allows a new blank disk to be inserted while recording, and when the current recording disk is full, HyperDeck Studio will seamlessly continue to record across onto the new blank disk. Disks can be swapped constantly for continuous recording!

“This is a very exciting update because it allows much longer recording duration on customers disks, and DNxHD is one of the most common high end broadcast file formats, so quality is not compromised!” said Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design. “Now customers get great 10 bit quality and in the MXF format that allows all files to be loaded into Avid Media Composer without any import processing. That’s the fastest and most efficient workflow possible, vitally important in fast moving broadcast stations.”

HyperDeck Studio Features

• Selectable record and playback to 10 bit uncompressed QuickTime or Avid DNxHD MXF media files.
• Uses high speed off the shelf Solid State Disks (SSDs) available from computer resellers at low cost.
• Includes dual SSD slots allowing disks to be changed while recording for unlimited record duration.
• 3 Gb/s SDI and HDMI inputs and outputs, including SDI loop through and monitoring outputs.
• Familiar broadcast deck VTR design and functionality, including jog/shuttle wheel and RS-422 deck control.
• QuickTime and MXF file formats are compatible with Avid Media Composer and other editing applications.
• 1 rack unit design saves valuable rack space when mounting multiple units.

Availability and Price
HyperDeck Software Update 2.0 public beta with DNxHD recording and playback features is available now free of charge from the Blackmagic Design web site for all HyperDeck Studio users. Customers simply need to connect their Mac OS X or Windows computer via USB to upgrade their HyperDeck Studio after downloading and installing this update. HyperDeck Studio is available now from Blackmagic Design Resellers Worldwide for only $995.

About Avid

Avid creates the digital audio and video technology used to make the most listened to, most watched and most loved media in the world – from the most prestigious and award-winning feature films, music recordings, television shows, live concert tours and news broadcasts, to music and movies made at home. Some of Avid’s most influential and pioneering solutions include Media Composer, Pro Tools®, Interplay®, ISIS®, VENUE, Sibelius®, System 5, and Avid Studio. For more information about Avid solutions and services, visit www.avid.com, del.icio.us, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube; connect with Avid on Facebook; or subscribe to Avid Industry Buzz.

Avid, Avid DNxHD, Avid Studio, Interplay, ISIS, Media Composer, NewsCutter, Pro Tools, Symphony, and Sibelius are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. The Interplay name is used with the permission of the Interplay Entertainment Corp. which bears no responsibility for Avid products. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, 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 quality and affordability, while the company’s DaVinci Emmy™ award winning color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues 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.