SDI to Thunderbolt capture using Ultrastudio

So I have a Sony DSR-2000 and want to capture some dvcpro tapes. The dsr has sdi output. Would the best way to do this be to buy the ultrastudio mini recorder and an sdi cable to transfer video signals from the drs via the ultrastudio and to the mac and media express with the thunderbolt cable? I have an old iMac 27" with the old thunderbolt, not the new one but the Itensity Shuttle works though. What abaout the sound in this capture? Thanks!

It is probably the least expensive option and should work just fine - assuming the DVCPro tapes all work well with the Sony deck. DVCPro-50 recordings might not play well. Also, you'll need hard drive space and the hope that your mac is pushing the data through reliably.

Audio should end up embedded into the SDI signal, and should be in your recording.

Optionally, you might consider a Hyperdeck of some kind if you have lots of these tapes to do. With a dedicated deck doing the recording, you can set it up independent of any computer or converters, and just hit play and record like a straight dub. Then you'll have the file on a tangible piece of media that you can do whatever you like with. More expensive, but it can be more convenient and reliable if you are going through a bunch of tapes. It's an option worth considering, anyway.

Thanks! I have only 5 tapes and I don't know if they are 50 or 25 recordings. Hard drive space I have lots of. Krossing my fingers on this one

For 5 tapes, it might be worth a shot to try the ultrastudio mini recorder. If your tapes turn out to be DVCPro50 recordings or for whatever reason will not play in the Sony deck, you might just consider sending it out to a facility that does these transfers.

DVCPro25 was essentially the same basic format as DVCAM. Compatible enough, anyway. But DVCPro50 is recorded at twice the bandwidth, and won't play in that deck. The deck does have standard analog video outputs as well as component and s-video. So, as long as it plays, you could record it using the Intensity shuttle you already have. Or at least play it back into a monitor or something to see if it even plays, before buying the Ultrastudio mini.

(If you see a bunch of evenly spaced horizontal bands across the video, it is probably "50".)

I discarded our old 1" and 3/4" tape machines, but I do maintain a working Sony BetaCam and a Panasonic DVCPro50 deck just in case I need some archived video. (DVD and VHS as well.) I usually route them to a Hyperdeck for recording. Then will do some simple color correction if needed and transcode them from ProRes down to an h.264 for distribution. I'll also sometimes upscale them a little in the process. Increasing resolution isn't gaining much, since the original is standard def, but I like to get it into square pixels for future use, so I typically convert it to 720p. I often do that transcode to 720p in hardware during the transfer. Or sometimes not.

This reminds me, I have a couple of Beta tapes sitting on the shelf I have been forgetting to digitize for some time.