Blackmagic Design enhances HyperDeck Studio recorder family

A new family of HyperDeck Studio recorders that feature better design, upgraded codecs and support for more media types, has been unveiled by Blackmagic Design. All models now support record and playback to H.264, ProRes and DNx files, as well as PCM or AAC audio. They also support SD cards and UHS-II cards, with the Pro models adding extra SSD support.

There are four models in the HyperDeck Studio family. The 3G-SDI based HD Mini model records and plays H.264, ProRes or DNxHD files onto SD cards, UHS-II cards or external USB disks in SD and HD formats up to 1080p60. The larger HD Plus model adds better transport controls, front panel headphone and speaker, 6G-SDI with fill and key out, SDI monitoring and records H.264 up to 1080p60 or ProRes and DNxHD up to 2160p30. The full rack HD Pro model is the same as the HD Plus model but adds two SSD slots and a machined metal search dial with clutch. The powerful 4K Pro model records H.264, H.265, ProRes or DNx in SD, HD and Ultra HD in standards up to 2160p60.

HyperDeck Studio features traditional deck-style transport controls, including a search dial for jog, shuttle and scroll. The LCD includes monitoring for video, plus audio level meters, selectable between technically accurate VU or PPM ballistics. The combination of VTR-style controls with the built-in LCD screen is designed to make HyperDeck Studio fast to use and easy to learn.

All HyperDeck Studio models support recording to common SD cards and UHS-II cards, removing the need for expensive custom media. However the Pro models also add two SSD slots so customers can use two different types of media. Users can also record to external USB disks. With H.265, it is possible to record up to 58 hours in 2160p60 Ultra HD or up to 157 hours of H.264 recording in 1080p59.94 on a 1TB card. That’s over six days of recording in HD using a single 1TB card.

All HyperDeck Studio models feature dual media slots for non-stop recording. When the recording card becomes full, recording automatically continues onto the next card, enabling users to hot swap a full card for an empty card while recording continues in the other slot during long events.

For compatibility with a wide range of computer software, HyperDeck Studio features webcam support using the USB connection. The computer is tricked into thinking the HyperDeck is a common webcam, but it’s really a broadcast-quality video source. HyperDeck Studio’s USB webcam feature works with any video software including Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype, or enable live streaming with Open Broadcaster, XSplit Broadcaster and more.

The models also offer support for advanced HDR standards. When recording, the SDI and HDMI inputs will automatically detect HDR video standards and then tag the files with the correct HDR information. Static metadata PQ and HLG formats are handled according to the ST-2084 standard. HyperDeck Studio Plus and Pro models even allow customers to load a 3D LUT into the monitoring output to add looks or to convert film to video gamma.

HyperDeck Studio includes professional multi-channel SDI audio for recording up to 16 channels. There’s extra space on the SDI monitoring status overlay, which allows the audio meter display to show the number of channels customers have enabled all at the same time, and the audio meters will show 2, 4, 8 or 16 channels simultaneously. The audio meters are designed to use the correct ballistics and customers can change between different VU and PPM meter displays in the LCD menu.

Sometimes media can fill before customers change to a blank card, or if the card is too slow, customers can get dropped frames while recording. To eliminate this problem, the HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro model can be upgraded to add an M.2 flash disk to use as a record cache. This eliminates any potential speed problem if the user tries to use cheap media or external disks, because the cache will automatically take over and record any content the media was not fast enough to capture. Even if a card fills, recording will continue to using the cache.

With a timecode and sync generator built into all models, customers can stack multiple units for digital signage or multi-channel recording. Each HyperDeck has dedicated outputs for reference and timecode, direct from the internal sync and timecode generators. The generators ‘free run’ unless reference or timecode is connected to the inputs, and then generators will automatically lock. This means users can loop from HyperDeck to HyperDeck to create perfectly timed array or recorders.

HyperDeck Studio supports multiple languages including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, German, French, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Polish and Ukrainian. It also records files that are compatible with virtually all post production software. Plus, if customers record in H.264, they can upload files from HyperDeck Studio direct to streaming services such as YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Twitter and more.

When customers need a portable broadcast solution, the HyperDeck Studio HD Mini model includes most features miniaturised into a 5in-wide compact design that’s only one third of a rack unit wide.

“We think the new HyperDeck Studio models will offer customers a much better user experience, along with a more consistent feature set between models,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “Even the lowest cost model is extremely powerful, as HyperDeck Studio HD Mini still has reference and timecode generators, H.264, ProRes and DNx recording, dual media slots, recording to USB disks and more. It’s very exciting.”