Tech Bulletin

Blackmagic Design Announces Major Update for DeckLink 8K Pro

2.78Kviews
Desktop Video 11 update adds multi channel capture and playback to DeckLink 8K Pro with full 12G-SDI support for the latest HDR workflows and SMPTE standards!

Blackmagic Design have announced a major update for its DeckLink 8K Pro capture card, which allows its four 12G-SDI connections to be used for the independent capture and playback of 4 separate video streams. For customers working on high end feature films, this update for DeckLink 8K Pro also adds support for HDR metadata packing via SMPTE ST2108-1 and both HLG and PQ transfer characteristics via SMPTE ST2082-10.

This new update makes DecLink 8K Pro like a whole new product. The new multi channel support makes DeckLink 8K Pro as powerful as 4 separate PCIe capture and playback cards. Customers can now capture or play back any combination of formats and frame rates, all the way up to Ultra HD and 4K DCI at 60 frames per second. The new multi-channel support can be enabled by developers via the free DeckLink SDK. This makes it fast for developers to support the multi channel features of DeckLink 8K Pro.

Developers will be able to use the free DeckLink software developer kit to configure their software to use the 12G-SDI connections as independent channels for capture or playback, or they can enable them to be used for 2 simultaneous fill and key outputs as well. This makes DeckLink 8K Pro perfect for compositing broadcast graphics for sport and news in realtime. It’s also ideal for digital signage playback systems in which customers need synchronized playback on massive multi screen displays. Whether it’s being used for capture, playback or a combination of both, DeckLink 8K Pro with the Desktop Video 11 update is like getting four cards in one.

For customers working on high end HDR projects, DeckLink 8K Pro with the Desktop Video 11 update adds new support for HDR metadata packing (SMPTE ST2108-1) and both HLG and PQ transfer characteristics (SMPTE ST2082-10). This uses metadata to provide a far more granular way of presenting luminance mapping which helps to ensure the content creator’s vision is carried throughout the workflow. Most importantly, it makes it possible to output HDR content over SDI, providing customers with a future proof solution for HDR content creation.

DeckLink 8K Pro with Desktop Video 11 update now supports quad link sample interleave signals in Ultra HD and 4K DCI modes, along with new 47.95 and 48 frame per second formats. This makes DeckLink 8K Pro compatible with even more quad link SDI equipment and workflows than ever before. In addition, this update adds support for perfectly synchronized capture and playback via SDI across multiple DeckLink cards when using a reference, or genlock, input signal.

We designed DeckLink 8K Pro to be a future proof solution that customers could use for HD, 4K and 8K workflows,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “The exciting thing about Desktop Video 11 is that it’s an update that’s free of charge, so customers get even more great high end features for the product they already own and they don’t have to purchase a new card. They get support for the latest formats, frame rates, resolutions and HDR workflows. Plus, it turns their existing 8K cards into the equivalent of 4 independent 4K cards! It’s a very exciting update.”

Desktop Video 11.0 update

This software update includes new features for DeckLink 8K Pro along with improvements for UltraStudio HD Mini and Media Express. DeckLink 8K Pro can now be configured to support up to 4 completely independent 12G-SDI capture and playback channels using the DeckLink SDK. In addition, support for 47.95 and 48 frame per second signal formats has been added, along with HDR metadata packing (ST2108-1), HLG and PQ transfer characteristics (ST2082-10), and support for synchronized capture and playback. Desktop Video 11.0 update also fixes an issue for audio meter updates when using UltraStudio HD Mini with a Teranex Mini Smart Panel and improves Media Express so that video captured with drop-frame timecode is now detected correctly in Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

What’s new in Desktop Video 11.0

New features on DeckLink 8K Pro:

  • Add support for up to 4 independent I/O channels via the DeckLink SDK.
  • Add support for extra frame rates including 47.95 and 48 fps.
  • Add support for quad-link Sample Interleave signals in UHD and 4K DCI modes.
  • Add support for HDR metadata packing (ST2108-1), HLG and PQ transfer characteristics (ST2082-10).
  • Add support for synchronized capture and playback.

Fixes on UltraStudio HD Mini:

  • Fix issue where audio meters would not update when using a Teranex Mini Smart Panel.

Fixes on all models:

  • General performance and stability improvements.

New features and improvements in Media Express 3.5.8:

  • Ensure video captured with drop-frame timecode is detected correctly in Adobe Premiere Pro CC.
macOS Specific
Minimum system requirements
  • macOS 10.14 Mojave or later.
  • macOS 10.13 High Sierra.
  • Mac OS X computer with either Thunderbolt, PCIe slot or USB 3.0.
  • 8 GB of system memory.
Third Party Software Support
  • DaVinci Resolve 14 and 15
  • Fusion 9
  • Apple Final Cut Pro X
  • Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and 2019
  • Adobe After Effects CC 2018 and 2019
  • Adobe Photoshop CC 2018 and 2019
  • Autodesk Smoke 2018
  • Avid Media Composer 2018
  • Avid Pro Tools 2018
  • The Foundry Nuke

If you have installed the drivers prior to installing any of these applications, we recommend that you uninstall and reinstall the drivers. This will ensure that all relevant components are installed in their required locations.

Windows Specific
Minimum system requirements
  • Microsoft Windows 10 64-bit
  • Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit
  • Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit
  • Microsoft Windows computer with either Thunderbolt, PCIe slot or USB 3.0 port.
  • 8 GB of system memory.
Third Party Software Support
  • DaVinci Resolve 14 and 15
  • Fusion 9
  • Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and 2019
  • Adobe After Effects CC 2018 and 2019
  • Adobe Photoshop CC 2018 and 2019
  • Avid Media Composer 2018
  • Avid Pro Tools 2018
  • Magix Vegas Pro 16
  • The Foundry Nuke

If you have installed the drivers prior to installing any of these applications, we recommend that you uninstall and reinstall the drivers. This will ensure that all relevant components are installed in their required locations.

Linux Specific
Basic system requirements:
  • 32 bit x86 running Linux 2.6.18 or higher
  • 64 bit x86_64 running Linux 2.6.18 or higher

A 64 bit kernel and ample memory is strongly recommended.

Thunderbolt Hotplug Requirements

Thunderbolt devices cannot be plugged in hot on kernels earlier than 2.6.30.

Supported kernels older than 3.12 require an extra step after plugging the device in. You must tell the kernel to rescan the PCI bus using the following command:

# sudo sh -c ‘echo 1 > /sys/bus/pci/rescan’

Kernel 3.12 and later support hotplug without the need for any extra steps.

Installing Desktop Video Software

If you have installed the drivers prior to installing any of these applications, we recommend that you uninstall and reinstall the drivers. This will ensure that all relevant components are installed in their required locations.

Download Information 

This download is available for the following operating systems:

We have the entire Blackmagic Design range available on our website. ESV offer next working day delivery* FREE over £249!

If you require further information or assistance you can do so, either through our ‘chat’ function, email: [email protected] or by phone: 0203 137 2901; we’re always here and happy to help.


Leave a Response