Buying Guides

Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Switcher 4 HDMI Input Live Production Switcher  New affordable live production switcher specifically designed for YouTube live streaming and business presentation via Skype. Features include: 4 HDMI input Live production switcherFront panel controlEasy to use designTransitions, DVE, keyerstransitions, DVE, keyers, full 1080 HD webcam outputFull 1080 HD webcam output The new ATEM Mini makes it easy to create professional multi camera productions for live streaming to YouTube or innovative business presentations using Skype. Simply connect ATEM Mini and you can switch live between 4 high quality video camera inputs in dramatically better quality images. You can...

What you need to know If you work in live production and have multi-camera set ups you'll know the everyday struggles you come across with your switcher; never enough inputs, outputs and always the wrong feed... But help is at hand, the Blackmagic Design ATEM range is the largest out there, so you should find a mixer that meets your needs. Before jumping straight in with your ATEM purchase, consider these few points first: What resolution and frame rates you want to work with?How many physical inputs and outputs you’ll need?If you’ll need a Mix Effect (M/E) bus, and if...

The ATEM is an incredibly powerful live production tool, it’s the heart and brains of the live ecosystem. So to help you choose the right model, we’ve put together a quick comparison guide based on the key points we’ve highlighted in our previous article - Choosing the Right Blackmagic Design ATEM for the Job. Up to 10 Inputs: (Scroll across for full list) ATEM MiniATEM Television Studio HDATEM Television Studio Pro HDATEM Television Studio Pro 4KATEM Production Studio 4KMax Resolution/Framerate1080p601080p601080p602160p602160p30Total Inputs48888SDI In04484HDMI In444-4Up/Down/Cross on all inputsUp/Cross Only--Yes-Total Outputs288126SDI Out0448-Multiview SDI Out-1111Multiview HDMI Out-1111Program SDI Out-1112Program HDMI Out1---1Preview Out-A*A*A*A*Auxilary Out01111Audio In2x3.5jack4x Embedded SDI...

So the wait is now over and you’ve finally got your hands on one the most sort after cameras currently on the market, but what now? You need the camera to fulfil a specific task but how do you go about doing that; perhaps you need the aid of some of the many accessories that work seamlessly alongside the Blackmgaic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. With so many on the market, aimed at delivering different results and from a whole host of brands it can be a mind field. So we’ve put together our selection of ‘Recommended Accessories.’ Lenses The...

Introducing the next generation handheld 4K digital camera Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K What's all the fuss about?! Blackmagic Design’s original Pocket Cinema Camera took the industry by storm. It was, and still is, used extensively throughout the industry for everything from shooting Vlogs to filming big budget movies as a B-camera. Whether stripped back for use in-car, or rigged with follow focus, matte box, external monitors and battery systems on-set, the Pocket Cinema Camera with its RAW and ProRes recording capabilities established a new benchmark for the industry. The revolutionary new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is the...

G-Technology recently produced a quick animated video showing the barebones basics of RAID. If you missed it, check out the video below: https://youtu.be/guNXlbG_294 Now, they aim to quickly recap that video and take you on a slightly deeper dive into which RAID levels might be best for your needs and how to implement them on your G-Technology storage enclosure. By the time you've finished reading, you’re going to know: How different RAID levels are suited to different workflowsHow switching between RAID levels is probably easier than you thinkHow to change RAID levels on the fly with a G-Technology storage enclosure RAID...

The Ultimate Guide to External Hard Drives External Hard drives have massively increased in popularity in this digital age, whether it's for simple back-up purposes, additional storage or the need to transport large digital files from one location to another.  Often, modern day laptops and notebooks ship with a Solid State Drive (SSD), partly as the smaller size (2.5”) allows the manufacturer to keep the size and weight down, and partly because they are blazingly fast compared to their full size (3.5”) spinning cousins.  However, the smaller size and increased performance comes at a cost and not just in pounds...

For the dedicated audio engineer or music producer, studio monitors are an essential part of your setup. In previous generations, a high-quality finished piece of audio could only be achieved at a professional studio, but thanks to the wonders of modern technology it’s now possible to enjoy professional results in the comfort of your own home – and studio monitors are key to making the most of your recording space. Unlike standard speakers, which are designed to enhance the sound of recordings, studio monitors aim to provide an accurate reproduction of the original recording – by giving you a ‘warts...

In years gone by, a dedicated audio engineer would have had to visit a professional studio to guarantee their productions were of the highest quality. But the lightning pace of technological improvement has ensured that, nowadays, creating a studio in the comfort of your own home is no longer an impossible dream. Starting from just a couple of hundred pounds, you can install reliable studio monitors which will allow you to create high-quality recordings with a minimum of fuss – but with normal speakers available at a much lower price, you may be wondering whether the extra outlay for studio...

If you’re a budding audio engineer, you’ve probably heard of studio monitors - but you might not know exactly what they are, and what they do. To the naked eye, a studio monitor can look much like any other type of speaker, but they offer a very different set of features – in fact, in many ways they’re the exact opposite of speakers, fulfilling very different requirements. We’re here to give you a rundown of everything you’ll need to know to get the most out of your studio monitor. Producer or consumer? Where your average speaker is designed to make...