World's First Real Time Uncompressed Color Correction

Melbourne, Australia - 4 February 2003 - Today Blackmagic Design announced the immediate availability of DeckLink v2.4 featuring real time color correction, and full compatibility with uncompressed 8 and 10 bit Digital Voodoo™ format QuickTime™ files.

This major update is available today at no charge to all registered Blackmagic DeckLink users. Because Blackmagic DeckLink™ costs only US$995 for the incredible quality of uncompressed 10 bit video and real time effects, everyone can afford to upgrade to Blackmagic DeckLink™.

The Blackmagic Real-Time Color Corrector operates as a professional primary color corrector commonly found in high end telecine suites. Real time color correction allows color treatments to be added to video clips in an edit and then instantly played back in real time without time consuming rendering.

Color treatment is critical to the overall feel and look of video, and can instantly change the entire mood of a shot. Including this as a real time effect will allow a more emotional aspect to users work and make long duration editing much faster. Featuring independent red, green and blue control in lift, gamma and gain, this new real time color corrector is a professional tool that will dramatically increase the productivity of edit sessions.

In addition to the new real time color corrector, Blackmagic DeckLink v2.4 software also includes support for capture, playback, and rendering of an increased range of uncompressed QuickTime™ files. No other video card manufacturer has unified the many file formats used in television as Blackmagic Design has.

Supporting uncompressed video formats used by Pinnacle CineWave™, Blackmagic DeckLink™, Viewgraphics Video Pump™, and now Digital Voodoo™, Blackmagic DeckLink users can interact with any freelance designer or effects artist without concern to the equipment they are using. Files can be moved back and forth, and instantly output to tape without conversions.

Because only Blackmagic DeckLink provides uncompressed 10 bit video combined with many other powerful features for only US$995 many customers are upgrading to DeckLink. Allowing this unprecedented file format compatibility will allow customers to add DeckLink cards to other systems, but still open projects and files from older less feature rich hardware boards.

This makes it easy for users to upgrade to Blackmagic DeckLink for incredible real time effects options, and the increased stability of the mature Blackmagic Design Mac OS X QuickTime™ drivers can provide.

This allows customers to phase out older hardware in a more controlled way, and avoids workflow problems if a facility-wide file format changeover was required. Any format can now be used with ease.

"If people thought Blackmagic DeckLink featuring uncompressed video and real time effects for only US$995 was amazing, then this new real time color corrector at no extra charge is going to really shake up the television industry!" says Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. "Real time color correction is critical for long duration work where long render times cannot be tolerated. Other card vendors charge for this powerful feature, however for DeckLink users, it's free. How tremendously exciting!"

Blackmagic DeckLink™ features include:

• Fully digital SMPTE-259M 10 bit SDI input, and output.
• Separate SDI monitor connection, for editing without video deck.
• No sync generator required as DeckLink generates SDI video sync internally.
• Uncompressed true 10 bit and uncompressed 8 bit capture and playback modes.
• Built in DV Bridge. Real time and instant playback from DV edits to video output.
• Compressed full resolution high quality JPEG capture and playback mode.
• Sony™ compatible RS-422 serial deck control port.
• Real time color correction, dissolves and image control effects.
• Real time effects updated via easy internet based downloads.
• Video Desktop. Realtime output for Adobe Photoshop™ to SDI video.
• Multi television standard support. Instantly switch between NTSC and PAL.
• Super high quality 64 Bit RGB codec rendering at trillions of colors.
• All file formats compatible. Includes Pinnacle™, AJA Video™, Digital Voodoo™
• Adobe After Effects™ RGB output for previewing compositions and pre renders.
• YUV native rendering in supported applications.
• Fully compatible with Mac OS X 10.2.
• Universal free software codec for Mac OS X™, Mac OS 9™, and Windows™.
• Low Cost. All included one off price of US$995.
• All these features available now.

At only US$995 for the quality of uncompressed 10 bit video and real time effects, everyone can afford to upgrade to Blackmagic DeckLink.

This real time color correction and increased uncompressed file format compatibility with other hardware vendors is included in the DeckLink v2.4. This update is available today from the Blackmagic Design support web site, and is completely free of charge to all registered Blackmagic DeckLink users. See www.blackmagic-design.com

Blackmagic DeckLink is available from authorized Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide for only US$995. Please check www.blackmagic-design.com for additional product information and authorized reseller locations.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design manufacturers the world's highest quality video cards for the post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design also provides products and technology to other high end manufacturers.

Over the last year, Blackmagic Design and its partners have quickly moved to an industry leading position with the first uncompressed 10 bit QuickTime™ video card for Mac OS X, the first uncompressed real time effects on Mac OS X, the first 10 bit uncompressed video card to also offer compressed video modes, the first film Cinema Tools™ compatible film editing solution, and the first film quality uncompressed 10 bit HDTV QuickTime™ card.

With growth in the creative segment of the professional television industry at an all time high, Blackmagic Design is well positioned to take advantage of its unique technologies for future innovation and growth. Blackmagic Design's headquarters, manufacturing, and development facility is located in the post production district of South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Press Contact:

For all Blackmagic Design press enquiries, please contact Terry Frechette.
Email: tfrechette@topazpartners.com