[LAU] AV i/o hardware

[Simon Wise]

On 24/11/14 10:10, Len Ovens wrote:

> https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/ca/products/decklink
> cards come with a key generator on the card that can be used both with incoming
> video as well as video the computer gets from somewhere else. The page does say
> "Linux" in big letters, but I don't know if that means it works OOTB with one of
> the linux streams around or "we offer a free and open SDK so you can make your
> own SW".

Presumably not what Russell is asking for, so OT but interesting anyway ... the 
paragraph under those big letters:

"DeckLink cards are open standard capture cards and are perfect for the 
development of Linux based video applications. The availability of a free, well 
documented SDK makes it easy for you to develop specific solutions to meet your 
needs, or to work with solutions that have been developed by others. 
Blackmagic’s Design Media Express is also available for capture and playback 
when using DeckLink with Linux operating systems."

So they seem to have open low-level access. Their mixers and switchers for 
serious $$$ are built on embedded RT systems (controlled from hardware panels or 
from remote software) but they don't say what kernel they are using. Their 
colour/editing software DaVinci Resolve is available in Linux. That is exactly 
what has been very useful in the past for me ... hardware sold by a company 
which also sells commercial Linux based solutions. They are well motivated to 
maintain the drivers for the devices they use, and they have the budget and 
skills to do so. But their main customers have real budgets to, the gear is 
expensive, but these two could be useful if you have the cash:

analogue, sync, SDI, more serious multi-channel audio, keying etc: $700-ish
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/au/products/decklink/techspecs/W-DLK-12

analogue video, much more basic audio etc: $250-ish ...
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/au/products/intensity/techspecs/W-INT-01
    (the thunderbolt and USB3 versions are not for Linux, only the PCIe)

The standard log and capture and playlist software is included with the 
hardware, and is Linux compatible ...

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/au/products/intensity/mediaexpress


So all quite interesting, I haven't looked at this stuff for a while and it has 
got much much less expensive, smaller and more powerful than it was a few years 
ago (not surprisingly).



Simon