Blackmagic Design Announces New UltraStudio HD Mini with Thunderbolt 3 – Press Release

Press Release

Blackmagic Design announced UltraStudio HD Mini, the world's first portable Thunderbolt 3 capture and playback solution with 3G-SDI, HDMI and analog connections for broadcast quality 10-bit recording up to 1080p60 and 2K DCI.

UltraStudio HD Mini has been specifically designed to enable customers to perform archiving, edit monitoring and live broadcast graphics tasks, while using the latest Thunderbolt 3 based computers for maximum performance.

UltraStudio HD Mini is a portable Thunderbolt 3 capture and playback solution that’s small enough to take anywhere and powerful enough to work on high end projects. It can capture and playback all formats up to 1080p60 in full 10-bit YUV, or up to 1080p30 and 2K DCI in 12-bit RGB. UltraStudio HD Mini features HDMI output for monitoring on a big screen television, dual 3G-SDI outputs for fill and key playback, plus analog audio and video inputs for digitizing and archiving materials from older analog decks.

This combination of connections greatly assist in workflows commonly used today. For example when doing archiving, customers need to connect to older broadcast decks such as Digital Betacam, Betacam SP and even 1” C format open reel decks. With analog component, composite and SDI inputs, plus a deck control serial port, UltraStudio HD Mini has all the features needed to connect and capture directly from those decks.

When working with modern editing and color correction software, such as DaVinci Resolve, customers can use the Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI or SDI outputs for high quality broadcast monitoring with perfect AV sync. When doing live broadcast graphics, customers can use the dual SDI outputs to output in real time both fill and key signals to downstream gear such as live production switchers. This lets computers output live graphics for keying over live action.

UltraStudio HD Mini features advanced Thunderbolt 3 technology that is capable of transferring data at up to 40 Gb/s. These data rates make it possible to capture and play back fully uncompressed video, leaving the computer’s CPU free for more processing tasks. UltraStudio HD Mini is also powered via Thunderbolt 3, so it powers from a laptop computer’s battery and customers don’t have to carry an external power supply with them when they’re on the road.

Designed for portability, UltraStudio HD Mini fits in ⅓ of a standard rack space so it can be racked alongside other equipment or used stand alone on the desktop. It’s also compatible with the optional Teranex Mini Smart Panel, which adds enhanced front panel controls and LCD monitoring so customers can preview video, see audio meters, timecode and more. Ultra Studio HD Mini is even small enough to fit in a backpack with a laptop and portable drive, making it the ultimate on-the-go capture and playback solution.

Customers can purchase the optional Teranex Mini Smart Panel which adds LCD monitoring and additional controls to the front of UltraStudio HD Mini. The easy to install design features push button controls and a bright color display for previewing video with audio meters, timecode and format information. It can also be used to adjust settings and change the source video input.

An exciting advantage of customers using the Teranex Mini Smart Panel is the LCD on the panel shows video and audio levels, plus status information. This status information shows input selection and video format used, as well as the frame buffer level indication. The frame buffer indication is a quality of capture and playback indicator and it will show the number of full buffers on playback or the number of empty buffers on capture. This means broadcasters can evaluate the performance of storage media while capturing or playing and have an indication of disk speed trouble well before it happens.

UltraStudio HD Mini supports more editing, design and video software than any other capture product. Customers get full editing compatibility with DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro X, Media Composer, Premiere Pro and more. It can be used to create stunning visual effects with Fusion and After Effects, and for color correction with DaVinci Resolve.

UltraStudio HD Mini Key Features
Thunderbolt 3 interface capable of up to 40 Gb/s transfer speeds.
Thunderbolt 3 for bus powered operation.
3G-SDI input and two 3G-SDI outputs for dual link SDI playback and fill and key.
Supports 3G-SDI Level A and Level B.
HDMI 1.4a output.
Y, Cb, Cr and NTSC/PAL input.
Two 1/4” jack connectors for balanced analog audio input.
Tri-Sync and Black Burst reference input.
RS-422 deck control connection.
Supports 16 channels of embedded audio on SDI and 2 channels on HDMI.
Supports all SD and HD formats up to 1080p60 and 2K DCI 25p for 10‑bit YUV.
Supports all SD and HD formats up to 1080p30 for 12‑bit RGB.
Supports optional Teranex Mini Smart Panel for status.
Supports optional Teranex Mini Rack Shelf for rack mounting.



Availability and Price
UltraStudio HD Mini is available now for 455 EUR ex. VAT.

Press Photography
Product photos of all Blackmagic Design products, are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/press/images.

About Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD 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 go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.