January 5, 2007

Blackmagic Design Introduces Intensity HDMI Capture/Playback Card

San Jose, Calif. - Blackmagic Design Inc. has unveiled its Intensity HDMI capture and playback card, eanbleing users to capture high-quality uncompressed video direct from the HDMI connection on HDV cameras.

Intensity is a small HDMI capture and playback card that switches between 1080HD, 720HD, NTSC, and PAL video standards. Once Intensity is plugged into compatible PCI Express Windows or Mac OS X computers, users get the quality of uncompressed video via HDMI from cameras, decks, and set top boxes, enabling them to playback to any HDMI big-screen television or video projector for editing in SD or HD with real-time effects.

Intensity utilizes the same technology found in Blackmagic Design’s professional video capture cards that are used on award-winning feature films, documentaries, and television shows. Users can capture to disk arrays for high-speed uncompressed video, or when disk speed and space is tight, choose from a range of professional compressed codecs that go beyond the quality of HDV.

Customers recording to HDV tape also benefit from HDMI uncompressed capture and editing. After the HDV footage is recorded uncompressed via HDMI, and graphics and effects are placed, the edited video will retain full HD resolution and color depth.  

Intensity is fully compatible with Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop, and any DirectShow- or QuickTime-based software application.

Also immediately available is Blackmagic Design's On-Air 2.0 software, which is available for use with PCI-e capable Macs. Two HDMI video cameras can be connected for live mixing, when used with two Intensity boards plugged into the same computer. On-Air 2.0 supports auto-sync of video inputs, so users don't need expensive cameras that feature genlock.

Intensity carries a retail price of $249 and is available immediately worldwide from Blackmagic Design authorized resellers.