Jesse Pepin
April 15th, 2013, 03:22 PM
I hadn't seen a topic launched here for this already, so I figured I'd share what I saw at NAB that is going to be changing the game: the Production Switcher 4K.
Blackmagic took everything I liked about the 1 M/E, the size of the TVS, the controls and display of the Ultra Studio, and combined it with the ability to use 4K technology. In a 1 R/U switcher, you can use 8 inputs, have XLR and RCA audio, a single row of SDI inputs (instead of bunching them together), and it supports either HD or UHD (4K).
This this also has an aux out on the back that can run a completely separate mix controlled by the front-side buttons. And finally, it's cheaper than the 1 M/E: $1,995.
When I got to play with it at the Blackmagic Design meet-up, it was truly stunning: most people won't be able to make use of the 4K multi-view or even prog out yet, but it still does HD as well, and gives a nice piece of gear that can take you through the transition to UHD if/when it becomes necessary.
Doesn't hurt that they're launching the Production 4K Cinema Camera roughly the same time.
On my tech blog, I went ahead and expanded the review including additional information from my hands-on time with this piece of equipment:
Blackmagic Design Production Switcher 4K | jesse's gear (http://jessesgear.com/2013/04/15/blackmagic-design-production-switcher-4k/)
Shoot me any questions you have on here, and I'll answer any that I possibly can.
Blackmagic took everything I liked about the 1 M/E, the size of the TVS, the controls and display of the Ultra Studio, and combined it with the ability to use 4K technology. In a 1 R/U switcher, you can use 8 inputs, have XLR and RCA audio, a single row of SDI inputs (instead of bunching them together), and it supports either HD or UHD (4K).
This this also has an aux out on the back that can run a completely separate mix controlled by the front-side buttons. And finally, it's cheaper than the 1 M/E: $1,995.
When I got to play with it at the Blackmagic Design meet-up, it was truly stunning: most people won't be able to make use of the 4K multi-view or even prog out yet, but it still does HD as well, and gives a nice piece of gear that can take you through the transition to UHD if/when it becomes necessary.
Doesn't hurt that they're launching the Production 4K Cinema Camera roughly the same time.
On my tech blog, I went ahead and expanded the review including additional information from my hands-on time with this piece of equipment:
Blackmagic Design Production Switcher 4K | jesse's gear (http://jessesgear.com/2013/04/15/blackmagic-design-production-switcher-4k/)
Shoot me any questions you have on here, and I'll answer any that I possibly can.