HDLink Now Available for Intel-Macs

by James Murray
Published on Feb 23, 2006 12:00 PM



February 23, 2006 - Blackmagic Design has announced this week the release of Universal version 2.1 software for their HDLink monitoring converter. The HDLink system will now be able to run on Intel and PowerPC-based Macintosh, providing users with the same HD monitoring capabilities possible on the Windows platform.

According to Blackmagic CEO Grant Petty, the development of Universal software support “for the HDLink was incredibly easy, and we are passing along this newly-added Universal support in a way that couldn’t be simpler for our customers.”

The HDLink is a compact conversion device that allows for postproduction quality SDI to be directly routed to DVI-D based LCD monitors for true HDTV resolution. With HDLink technology editors and animators can digitally map every pixel of HD-SDI video onto a 1920 x 1200 display for “digital-to-screen pixel for pixel HDTV monitoring.”

The features list is substantial. The HDLink utility offers an intuitive structure for matching LCD display colorimetry and calibration; as well as adjustment of lift, gain and gamma, and pre-loaded lookup tables for “CRT-look” and Panasonic™ Cine-gamma and Thompson’s Viper cameras.

HDLink is able to automatically move between HD and SD formats and handles 4:2:2 and Dual Link 4:4:4 video quality. In addition to this support the HDLink also has a USB connector for computers running Mac OS® X or Windows XP™ platforms and two unbalanced audio outputs for studio monitoring. The software can immediately detect DVI-D or HDMI display types and has improved its compatibility with 24 PsF mode or HD 720p/50 support.

Registered HDLink users may download the immediately available Universal version 2.1 software for free. New users can purchase the HDLink software for $695. For more information or to download the software go to the Blackmagic Design website.