Blackmagic Design has not only been busy this year making excellent cameras but also updating their production hardware and software. Among the updates were the DaVinci Resolve 10. It now has a new tool set for sound sync. Resolve Live offers many new features including grading live from the camera. You can add as many nodes and color corrections as you like. The DaVinci Resolve allows the user to do multitrack editing with up to 16 channels of audio per clip and unlimited video and audio tacks in the timeline. It also allows the user to edit 3D projects with support for left and right eye clips. The color correction has also been upgraded. The DaVince upgrade will be available to all DaVince customers in Q3.
Blackmagic is also introducing the ATEM Production Studio 4K. This is the world’s first Ultra HD production switcher. It operates natively in Ultra HD, HD or SD. It has a total of 8 inputs, 4 6G-SDI and 4 HDMI. There are a multiple number of features that all work with Ultra HD. The switcher can monitor up to 8 sources. The user can work in Ultra HD and then down convert to a regular HD programming feed. You can do live aux switching directly from the front panel. There is an LCD for monitor the aux output.
The Blackmagic MultiDock is a solution for managing and editing media from HyperDeck disk recorders and cameras. A rack has 4 independent 2.5 inch disk docking slots. You can mount both regular hard disk and SSDS. It has its own built in power supple and a single thunderbolt connection to the computer. It has an independent SATA chip per slot for maximum speed. Disks can be stripped together for a disk array. It will be available in May for $595.
Blackmagic Design is also introducing the DeckLink Mini Recorder and DeckLink Mini Monitor. This is the PCIe plug in cards version of the UltraStudio Mini Recorder and UltraStudio Mini Monitor. It can fit into regular PCIe slots and is perfect for the PCIe slots found in rack mounts. It supports the same software for Windows, Mac and Linux that the regular DeckLink models do. It will be available in mid April for $145.00.
Blackmagic not only produces great video monitoring products but also excels in audio monitoring with the Blackmagic Audio Monitor. It is attractive with all the features that a professional needs. It has a SDI input, an LCD screen and a HDMI monitoring output built in. The SDI input can handle Ultra HD as standard. It is designed using machined metal,even the speaker grills so it not only works great but looks great. The level meters are customizable and the volume knob is contact-less so it will never wear out. It will be available in a few weeks for $1,495.
BlackMagic is also releasing a new model of their ATEM Studio Converter. It is also machine metal design. It had its own built in power supply. There are analog connections in the rear panel. It also works with the new 6G-SDI technology. There are controls on the front panel o operating the talk back. The director can talk directly to the camera operator without using headphones. There is a mic and speaker input built directly into the front panel. The ATEM Studio Converter will be available in May for $1,995.
As is expected, BlackMagic Design continues to produce quality hardware and software products for the professional in the field of audio and video at reasonable prices.
Spring is coming, which means a lot of walking outside. I like to listen to music or podcasts when I am walking. The problem I have is my ears get sweaty and when they do I have trouble keeping most earphones in. I could wear over the ear headphones, but then I can’t hear what is happening around me and since I have to walk on the side of the road that could be dangerous. When I try to wear most ear buds they are constantly falling out as I am walking. Which means I am continually trying to stick them back in or they end up dangling down in front of me and I can’t hear the music. Either way it is very frustrating. I wanted to try to find a solution for this problem before the spring weather comes into full swing and I think I have.
Monster is known for its audio cables, but the company produces other products as well. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show Product Manager Elbert Lee dropped by TPN to talk a bit about it.
Audio-Technica stopped by to visit with TPN at the recent Consumer Electronics Show and brought along a new set of headphones to show off.
Sourcetone bills itself as a “music health” business. The company classifies music into 21 different areas designed to help improve the listeners mood, activity and overall health. This was setup through research done in collaboration with places like Harvard Medical Center which collected data from test groups of people in an effort to find out how different music made each individual feel.
Blue Microphones, or 
