After announcing its acquisition of Ultimatte at last year’s IBC, Blackmagic Design has used the year’s show to launch the 12G-SDI UHD ready Ultimatte 12, a new realtime hardware compositing processor that’s built for broadcast quality keying, adding augmented reality elements into shots and working with virtual sets.

Ultimatte 12 has new algorithms and colour science and Blackmagic says the update means better edge handling, colour separation, colour fidelity and spill suppression. It will sell for just under $10k and Blackmagic says the price will mean broadcasters will be able to use it on more cameras to avoid variations to the green or blue screen on multi camera set ups.

The new version will work more smoothly with ‘glass like’ computer generated charts, graphs, displays and other objects with coloured translucency. Ultimatte 12 has a new “realistic” layer compositing mode that can add tinted objects on top of the foreground image and key them correctly. This means that the object properly transmits the colours seen through it. Talent can walk behind it and the tinted colours are preserved, making the shot more realistic.

Ultimatte 12 also features one touch keying technology that analyses a scene and automatically sets over a 100 parameters so pulling keys will be much easier and faster, says Blackmagic.

Ultimatte 12 is controlled via Ultimatte Smart Remote 4, which is a touch screen remote that connects via Ethernet and up to eight Ultimatte 12 units can be daisy chained together and connected to the same Smart Remote.

“Ultimatte has been the world’s highest quality broadcast keyer for 40 years,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “We’re excited about taking this incredible technology to the next level! Ultimatte 12 is no longer just a simple keyer, it’s an Ultra HD realtime compositing engine designed specifically for the needs of today’s live broadcast, television and film production needs!”

Ultimatte Smart Remote 4 is available from Blackmagic Design resellers for US$3,855.

Staff Reporter

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