Blackmagic Design debuts the new Atem Television Studio HD, described by the company as a broadcast-quality live production switcher designed for both broadcast and professional AV applications. The Atem Television Studio HD features eight inputs, multiview, aux, and program outputs, analog audio inputs, built-in talkback, two flash-based media players, a suite of creative transitions, a DVE for effects etc.
Blackmagic says the Atem Television Studio HD is available now for $995 from Blackmagic Design Resellers worldwide.
The new Atem Television Studio HD replaces the original Atem Television Studio. It features four 3G-SDI and four HDMI inputs so customers can connect a total of up to eight different sources such as professional SDI broadcast cameras, consumer HDMI cameras, computers and even video game consoles. According to a company announcement, Atem Television Studio HD is compatible with all SD and HD formats up to 1080p60. There are two channels of analog audio in, RS-422, Ethernet and a built in IEC power supply, along with program and auxiliary outputs. Customers also get both SDI and HDMI multi view outputs so they can monitor all sources, preview and program outputs, along with labels, audio meters and more, all on a single big screen television or broadcast monitor.
The Atem Television Studio HD is designed for everything from professional broadcast studio shows and broadcast sports, to customers working on video blogs, gaming videos, internet talk shows, churches, weddings, concerts, seminars and more. It also features resynchronization on every input so switching is designed to be glitch free. That means customers can even use it as a front-end controller for AV systems and cleanly switch between sources with the press of a button.
Featuring a new portable design, the Atem Television Studio HD is the world's smallest all-in-one broadcast switcher according to the company. It's only ⅔ of a rack space wide and comes with high-end broadcast features designe to create an entire live switched program, complete with effects and transitions, right from the front panel. The front panel features eight large buttons for switching between sources, along with corresponding audio buttons, down stream keyer, fade to black, media player and cut buttons. There's also a built in LCD screen, spin knob and additional buttons for menus and to adjust settings like transition and effect parameters. Customers simply press the button for the source that they want to see next in the program, then hit the cut or auto button to switch sources, add effects, or even key in graphics.
For complete creative control, the Atem Television Studio HD also includes a free software control panel for Mac and Windows. The software control panel features an intuitive interface with different pages for switching, managing media, mixing audio, and remote controlling and color correcting cameras. The switcher page is modeled after a physical hardware control panel making it fast and easy for customers to switch between sources, adjust transitions, add upstream and downstream keyers, and more. The media page lets customers drag and drop up to 20 RGBA graphics into the media pool and automatically upload them to the switcher's flash memory so they can be recalled and used in real-time during a live program. The software control also features a 20 channel audio mixer that can used to adjust and balance levels from all inputs, including the analog audio inputs. The audio mixer displays meters, has sliders for adjusting levels, and controls for turning channels on or off, using the audio follows video feature and more.
The new Atem Television Studio HD software control also has a complete camera control section for remotely controlling cameras over the SDI program return feed. Blackmagic Studio, Micro and URSA Mini cameras are all compatible with the SDI control protocol. These cameras also feature built-in DaVinci Resolve primary color correct that can be remote controlled, making it possible to balance camera color and create unique looks, all from the switcher. In addition, customers can adjust focus and iris on compatible lenses, change camera settings, and even remote control PTZ heads.
The most exciting thing about the free software control panel, according to Blackmagic Design, is that multiple users can be connected at the same time. That means customers can have one person switching the program while another mixes the audio, and another uploads or changes graphics, while another person remotely color balances and controls the cameras.
Atem Television Studio HD is designed to give customers true broadcast quality transitions, effects and graphics. Using transitions such as mixes, wipes and dips are done by simply pressing a button on the front panel. The 18 included transitions give customers massive creative options because they can customize things such as border, border color and width, position, direction and more. In addition, there's a built in 2D DVE for adding digital video effects that can position, resize and scale live video, all in real time. That means customers can create professional picture-in-picture effects, use DVE powered transitions like squeeze and swoosh between sources, or create graphic wipe transitions with their own graphics.
Atem Television Studio HD has a built-in media pool that can store 20 graphics that can be used with the two built in media players. The media pool uses flash memory, so images are saved even after the power is turned off. That means customers can create completely custom graphics to use in their own programs. In addition, there is an upstream keyer with full chroma keying for green screen shots so customers can add weather maps, graphics, or even virtual sets. The upstream keyer works with chroma, patterns, shapes and linear keys.
The new Atem Television Studio HD also features two downstream keyers for adding graphics, logos and bugs to video. Customers can even install a HyperDeck Studio Mini in the rack right next to Atem Television Studio HD and use it as a source for ProRes 4:4:4:4 motion graphics files with alpha channels. That means customers can get fill and key graphics composited over live video, or they can use motion graphics with alpha as transitions between sources, all in real time.
Atem Television Studio HD from Blackmagic Design also includes a built-in talkback converter for SDI cameras. The talkback information is sent back to the camera via the SDI program return feed on the rarely used SDI audio channels 15 and 16. When working live with a reporter in the field, there can be a slight delay that causes them to hear themselves as an echo in their headset. Atem Television Studio HD includes a new mix-minus feature that sends back all the program audio except their own voice, so they don't hear a distracting echo of themselves while reporting.
“The original Atem Television Studio has been a huge hit and is extremely popular with our customers,” says Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design's CEO. “The exciting thing about new Atem Television Studio HD is that it has even more inputs and more features than before, but now makes it possible for customers to create an entire HD program right from the front panel! When it comes to creating HD programs from live events, there simply is no faster, simpler or more affordable way to do it!”
Atem Television Studio HD Features
Four x 3G-SDI and four x HDMI inputs for a total of eight inputs, all with auto re‑sync.
Supports all video formats from SD to 720p, 1080i and 1080p HD up to 60fps.
1 x built in multi view for eight sources, as well as preview and program.
Built-in media pool graphics storage for 20 RGBA stills.
Built-in DVE with 3D borders and drop shadow.
Transitions include cut, mix, dip, SMPTE wipes and more.
One upstream keyer including chroma keyer plus two downstream keyers.
One auxiliary output with front panel aux switching buttons and LCD screen for viewing.
Built-in audio mixer live mixes embedded audio from all video inputs and independent audio inputs.
Balanced XLR stereo analog audio inputs .
Internal sources include black, color bars, two color generators and two media player outputs.
Ethernet connection for computer connection. Mac and Windows control panel software included.
Compatible with all Atem Broadcast Panel control panels when hardware panel is required.
Black Burst and HD-Tri-Sync genlock input for integration into large systems.
Compact ⅔ rack unit size is perfect for when in a portable solution is required.
Desktop or rack mountable using the optional Teranex Mini Rack Shelf.
