Looking for audio specifications

I recently purchased several BM devices to be used in a small, corporate production environment. Among the items I am integrating are the DeckLink HD Extreme 3D, Intensity Pro, Intensity Shuttle and an UltraStudio Pro. All of these devices will be used with Windows based computers and Premiere CS5. Despite looking through the BM website, I have been unable to find comprehensive specifications regarding signal levels (input and output) for both audio and video.

For the moment, I'm specifically interested in the analog audio outputs of the UltraStudio Pro. After preliminary installation, it would appear the USPro is configured to a high-impedance, +4 level (or thereabouts) which makes sense since it seems to be designed to mate with a broadcast video recorder. In my case however, I would like to monitor the audio output through an analog mixer. After connecting the USPro and making attenuation adjustments in the BM control Panel, I noticed the audio is incredibly "hot". I had to add a level matching interface between the USPro and the audio mixer to pad the signal. So although I have a working configuration, I would like to know the specific I/O specifications.

I've read through the USPro production information and searched the support area but have yet to find any particulars. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Joshua Helling]

Are you using a balanced mixer or an unbalanced mixer. You mentioned you're coming in hot, so I'd assume it's unbalanced. In which case you can go to the Blackmagic Control panel, go to the audio tab and put a check in the "Use HiFi levels" box. That will set the output to unbalanced -10.

Hi Joshua, thanks for your reply. I'm using a professional audio mixer that has balanced inputs. As you suggested, I "checked" the "HiFi Levels" box in the BMD Control Panel - in fact I did that before I started this thread. Despite that, the signal was still "hot" enough that I inserted a Level Matching Interface (Valley HH2X2B) that is designed to convert a balanced +4 signal to an unbalanced -10 signal. So between the BMD Control Panel HiFi setting and the Level Matching interface, the signal has essentially been "reduced" twice.

Even with all that, after setting up my mixer and monitoring the input pre-fader-level, the UltraStudio Pro's audio signal is unusually strong. As I mentioned, it's manageable, but more than what I'm used to when working with broadcast equipment.

Does BlackMagic Design offer a specification white paper (or other documentation) regarding the input and output levels their various products? By knowing the engineered parameters it makes it much easier to determine if a particular device is functioning correctly or if I need to reexamine my set-up...especially since I have not owned, or worked with, any BMD equipment before now.

Thanks.

[Joshua Helling]

We do not offer those specifications in any sort of downloadable format. But the audio should not be that hot. It should be properly at +4 if you are set for balanced. But if it's still hot, I might suggest something is wrong with the unit and we should probably take a look at it here.