Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Duplicator 4K now with H.264

NAB 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada - April 24, 2017 - Blackmagic Design today announced the addition of  realtime H.264 encoding to the Blackmagic Duplicator 4K. Now customers can choose to record H.264 for maximum compatibility with existing HD televisions and computers, or they can choose H.265 for delivering Ultra HD to the latest devices. Blackmagic Duplicator 1.1 update is now available as a free download from the Blackmagic Design website.

Blackmagic Duplicator 1.1 Update will be demonstrated on the Blackmagic Design NAB 2017  booth at #SL216.

The Blackmagic Duplicator 4K lets content creators dramatically increase revenue because it gives them a way to sell content right after a live event, while attendees are still excited about the performance before, and before they walk out the door. Now customers can sell concert videos to fans as they leave the venue, to parents after their children’s latest performance or recital, after sporting events, conferences, sales seminars and more.

Blackmagic Duplicator 4K makes it easy to deliver multiple copies of content to customers the moment an event is finished. Blackmagic Duplicator 4K is an SD card duplicator with built in realtime H.264 and H.265 encoding. H.264 works with the devices customers have today, while H.265 is the new standard for delivering Ultra HD. The Blackmagic Duplicator 4K is the best way to deliver Ultra HD content that customers can actually view on their 4K televisions today.

The multi rate 12G-SDI connections let customers record in all SD, HD and Ultra HD formats, up to 2160p60. H.264 and H.265 encoding produces high quality video in small files that can fit on commonly available, inexpensive SD cards. Customers can even connect multiple duplicators together to make hundreds of recordings all at once!

Featuring 25 SD card recorders miniaturized into a single rack unit, the Blackmagic Duplicator 4K uses standard, common SD cards that are readily available, super thin, inexpensive and very fast. Cards can be used for SD, HD and Ultra HD video up to 2160p60 and are compatible with Windows 10 computers. With the addition of a USB adapter, SD cards can even be plugged directly into most consumer Ultra HD televisions for immediate playback of the video.

The built in H.265 encoder is so efficient that a one hour Ultra HD program can easily fit onto a very inexpensive 8GB SD card. SD cards are also easy to label and completely re-usable so customers can reformat unsold cards and record over them again at their next event. Unlike proprietary disc based formats like Blu-Ray, customers don’t have to buy a slow and expensive player. Blackmagic Duplicator 4K is the easiest, most compatible and cost effective way to distribute Ultra HD content to consumers today.

The front panel controls are designed to make duplicating content as easy as possible and feature 6 large illuminated buttons for record, stop, lock, append, menu and remote. The lock button prevents accidental interruption of recording during an event, and the append record button seamlessly combines recordings from different parts of an event into a single file.

This revolutionary new append recording feature is perfect for events that have natural breaks, like weddings with a ceremony and reception in different locations. Append recording makes it easier for consumers to watch the final program because they only have to play back a single movie file.

The Blackmagic Duplicator 4K features advanced, multi rate 12G-SDI connections that can record all SD, HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p60. For larger events, multiple duplicators can be stacked using the SDI loop thru and RS-422 deck control. This lets customers encode and duplicate to an unlimited number of SD cards in realtime. When recording is started or stopped on the first duplicator, the others automatically follow. There is also an optical fiber SFP socket for adding an optional SMPTE compatible optical fiber SDI module when working in larger venues with long distance  between equipment. Adding optical fiber SDI directly into the duplicators could be very useful when duplicators are set up close to the merchandising stands away from the production area so that cards can be handed to customers for quick sale.

“Blackmagic Duplicator 4K makes it possible to distribute content at live events the moment they finish,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “The addition of H.264 is exciting because it makes Blackmagic Duplicator 4K compatible with even more playback devices than ever. This gives customers a larger audience for distributing and selling their content!”

Blackmagic Duplicator 4K Key Features

  • 25 SD card recorders for simultaneously recording onto multiple cards at once.
  • Realtime H.264 or H.265 encoding technology which is the standard for Ultra HD.
  • 12G-SDI input and loop thru output, along with RS-422 control.
  • Uses open standard file formats that are compatible with computers and Ultra HD televisions.
  • Records all SD, HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p60.
  • Record unlimited cards by daisy chaining multiple duplicators together.
  • Easy to use front panel controls with lock, record, append, stop and remote buttons.
  • Built in universal 110V - 240V AC power supply.

Availability and Price

Blackmagic Duplicator 1.1 Update is available now for free download from the Blackmagic Design website for all Blackmagic Duplicator 4K customers.

Press Photography

Product photos of the Blackmagic Duplicator 4K, and all other Blackmagic Design products, are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/ 

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.