Broadcast and Studio Video Capture: 4K, SDI, and HDMI Workflows

SDI vs HDMI in Broadcast

SDI is the broadcast standard: locking BNC connectors, cable runs of hundreds of metres, embedded audio, and error detection. HDMI is increasingly present but SDI dominates camera infrastructure. The Pro Capture SDI range covers single through quad-channel 3G-SDI with loop-throughs, and the SDI 4K Plus extends to 12G-SDI for 4K broadcast workflows.

High-Density Ingest

For multi-camera ingest, the Pro Capture Quad SDI provides four independent 3G-SDI channels with loop-throughs on a single full-height PCIe x4 card. Four camera feeds, four independent FPGA channels, all captured simultaneously without mutual interference.

NDI in Broadcast

NDI is increasingly used alongside SDI in broadcast facilities, particularly for contribution over IP. The Pro Convert SDI TX bridges SDI cameras at camera positions to NDI on the network, feeding production systems like vMix, TriCaster, or custom software. The Modator system provides the density needed for large NDI installations.

Software Compatibility

Magewell Pro Capture cards are compatible with the full range of broadcast production software via DirectShow (Windows), V4L2 (Linux), and AVCaptureSession (macOS). vMix, Wirecast, OBS, Adobe Premiere, and broadcast compliance recording platforms all work with Pro Capture hardware.