The Blackmagic Design DeckLink Quad 2 is an 8-lane PCIe card that features eight bidirectional 12-bit SD/HD/3G-SDI connectors that are independently configurable to provide any combination of eight capture or playback channels at up to 1080p60. The card supports compressed video formats such as ProRes and DNxHD, as well as uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 video, making it ideal for use in both live broadcast and post-production. It is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux computers, and supported by a wide range of software applications. For use with applications that don’t capture video on their own, Blackmagic’s Media Express software is included, allowing you to capture, organize, and manage your media.
Key Features
- Eight bidirectional 12-bit SD/HD/3G-SDI connectors
- 8-lane PCIe interface compatible with Mac-, Windows-, and Linux-based workstations and servers
- Each SDI input and output can be a different video standard, as they’re all independent
- Single black burst/tri-sync reference input
- Supports uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 signals
- Cross-conversion between 720p and 1080p on video capture
- SD upconversion to 720p or 1080p on video capture
- HD to SD downconversion on video capture or playback
- Supports 16 channels of embedded audio per input/output
Connections
SDI Video Inputs
8 x bi-directional 12-bit SD/HD independently configurable as either Input or Output.
SDI Video Outputs
8 x bi-directional 12-bit SD/HD independently configurable as either Output or Input.
SDI Audio Inputs
16 channels embedded in SD and HD.
SDI Audio Outputs
16 channels embedded in SD and HD.
Sync Input
Tri-Sync or Black Burst.
Computer Interface
PCI Express 8 lane generation 2, compatible with 8 and 16 lane PCI Express slots.
Supported Codecs
AVC-Intra, AVCHD, Canon XF MPEG2, Digital SLR, DV-NTSC, DV-PAL, DVCPRO50, DVCPROHD, DPX, HDV, XDCAM EX, XDCAM HD, XDCAM HD422, DNxHR & DNxHD, Apple ProRes 4444, Apple ProRes 422 HQ, Apple ProRes 422, Apple ProRes LT, Apple ProRes 422 Proxy, Uncompressed 8-bit 4:2:2, Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2, Uncompressed 10-bit 4:4:4.
Software
Software Included
Media Express, Disk Speed Test, LiveKey, Blackmagic Desktop Video Utility and Blackmagic driver on Mac OS and Windows. Media Express, Blackmagic Desktop Video Utility and Blackmagic driver on Linux.
Internal Software Upgrade
Firmware built into software driver. Loaded at system start or via updater software.
Physical Installation
PCI Express 8 lane generation 2, compatible with 8 and 16 lane PCI Express slots on Mac OS, Windows and Linux. Mac OS systems require a Mac Pro computer with PCI Express slots. Please check the Support pages to see the full system requirements.
Video Standards
SD Video Standards
525i59.94 NTSC, 625i50 PAL
HD Video Standards
720p50, 720p59.94, 720p60
1080p23.98, 1080p24, 1080p25, 1080p29.97, 1080p30, 1080p50, 1080p59.94, 1080p60
1080PsF23.98, 1080PsF24, 1080PsF25, 1080PsF29.97, 1080PsF30
1080i50, 1080i59.94, 1080i60
SDI Compliance
SMPTE 259M, SMPTE 292M, SMPTE 296M, SMPTE 372M, SMPTE 425M, ITU-R BT.656 and ITU-R BT.601.
SDI Metadata Support
RP 188/SMPTE 12M-2 and closed captioning.
Audio Sampling
Television standard sample rate of 48 kHz and 24 bit.
SDI Color Precision
8, 10, 12-bit RGB 4:4:4 in all modes up to 1080p30 and 8, 10-bit YUV 4:2:2 in all modes. 12-bit RGB 4:4:4 only supported in playback.
SDI Video Sampling
8, 10, 12-bit RGB 4:4:4 in all modes up to 1080p30 and 8, 10-bit YUV 4:2:2 in all modes. 12-bit RGB 4:4:4 only supported in playback.
Color Space
REC 601, REC 709.
Processing
Colorspace Conversion
Hardware based real time.
HD Down Conversion
Built in, high quality software down converter on playback and capture. Down converted SD selectable between letterbox and anamorphic 16:9 styles.
HD Up Conversion
Built in, high quality software up conversion from SD to 720HD or 1080HD on capture. Selectable between 4:3 pillarbox, 14:9 zoom and 16:9 zoom.
Cross Conversion
Built in, high quality hardware cross conversion from 720HD to 1080HD on playback, 1080HD to 720HD on playback.
Real Time Effects
DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro X internal effects. Adobe Premiere Pro CC Mercury Playback Engine effects. Avid Media Composer internal effects.