IBC 2017, Amsterdam, Netherlands - September 15, 2017 - Blackmagic Design today announced Ultimatte 12, a new realtime hardware compositing processor that’s perfect for broadcast quality keying, adding augmented reality elements into shots, working with virtual sets and more. Ultimatte 12 is available immediately from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide for US$9,995.

Ultimatte 12 will be demonstrated at IBC 2017 on the Blackmagic Design booth in Hall 7, Stand 7 H.20.

The all new Ultimatte 12 is more than the world’s best keyer, it’s an advanced real time compositing processor designed for the next generation of broadcast graphics. Ultimatte 12 features entirely new algorithms and color science, incredible edge handling, greater color separation, amazing color fidelity and better spill suppression than ever before.

The advanced 12G-SDI design gives Ultimatte 12 customers the flexibility to work in HD today and switch to Ultra HD when they are ready. Customers get sub pixel processing for amazing image quality and textures in both HD and Ultra HD. Plus it’s compatible with virtually all SD, HD and Ultra HD equipment, so customers can use it with the cameras they already have.

Ultimatte 12 can create incredibly life like composites and place talent into any scene, working with both fixed cameras and static backgrounds, or automated virtual set systems. Imagine presenting the weather, sports, news and entertainment in a cinematic quality environment, all composited in real time. Ultimatte 12 is also perfect for on set pre visualization in television and film production because it lets actors and directors see the virtual sets they’re interacting with while shooting against a green screen.

Ultimatte 12 is designed to be affordable, so customers can use it on even more cameras to increase production quality. For example, when working on live shoots with multiple cameras shooting from different angles, it’s common for the green or blue screen to suffer from variations. The keyers built into live production switchers use the same keying parameters for all cameras, which complicates keying and image quality because each camera sees the green screen a little differently. Ultimatte 12 eliminates this problem with incredible new technology at an affordable price so it’s now possible to add keyers to every camera for the highest possible quality keys. With the power of a dedicated keyer on every camera, Ultimatte 12 is perfect for live broadcast news, weather, sports, virtual studios and more!

Augmented reality is becoming more and more popular. On air talent now interacts with glass like computer generated charts, graphs, displays and other objects with colored translucency on virtually every broadcast television show. Adding tinted translucent objects is virtually impossible with a traditional keyer and the results customers see on television don't look realistic. That’s because when blue or green is subtracted out of a semi-transparent tinted object, it changes the object’s original color. Now, with Ultimatte 12, customers get a revolutionary 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 colors seen through it. Talent can even walk behind it and the tinted colors are accurately preserved, making the shot look completely realistic.

Ultimatte 12 also features one touch keying technology that analyzes a scene and automatically sets over a 100 parameters so pulling great keys is easy without having to do a lot of extra work. Of course, customers still have to ensure the scene is well lit and the cameras are properly white balanced. One touch keying is dramatically faster and helps accurately pull a key with minimum effort, leaving operators free to focus on the program with less distractions, while Ultimatte 12 takes care of the rest.

The incredible new image processing algorithms, huge internal color space, and automatic internal matte generation lets Ultimatte 12 work on different parts of the image separately. It’s like having the power of multiple Ultimatte keyers all working together on the same image. Fine edge detail is preserved where it’s needed the most, like on hair, and transitions between colors or other objects in the scene is completely smooth. Everything is handled by new math and sub pixel processing that’s designed for incredible quality and clarity in both HD and Ultra HD.

When it comes to color handling, Ultimatte 12, has new flare, edge and transition processing to remove backgrounds, without affecting other colors. The improved flare algorithms can remove green tinting and spill from anything, even dark shadow areas or through transparent objects. This means Ultimatte 12 can retain and faithfully reproduce colors that are impossible on other keyers, such as a bright yellow dress in front of a green screen. Unlike other keyers, Ultimatte 12 delivers crisp clear, photorealistic images with vibrant colors that pop!

Ultimatte 12 is controlled via Ultimatte Smart Remote 4, which is a touch screen remote that connects via Ethernet. Up to eight Ultimatte 12 units can be daisy chained together and connected to the same Smart Remote, so customers don’t have worry about adding a video router or hub. Smart Remote 4 features physical buttons for switching and controlling any attached Ultimatte 12. There are also buttons for quickly loading and saving presets, along with a touch screen that provides total control over every parameter. Customers can also create their own custom control solutions because Ultimatte 12 uses a simple, open text based protocol. Simply Telnet into Ultimatte 12, to start developing and testing custom solutions.

“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!”

Availability and Price

Ultimatte 12 is available now from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide for US$9,995. Ultimatte Smart Remote 4 is also available now from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide for US$3,855.

Press Photography

Product photos of Ultimatte 12, Ultimatte Smart Remote 4 and all other Blackmagic Design products, are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/media/images.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.