The Magewell Pro Capture Dual SDI 4K Plus is a professional two-channel PCIe capture card engineered for high-density 4K SDI acquisition. Simultaneously capturing two independent SDI sources at up to 4096×2160 (DCI 4K) and 60fps, it is designed for broadcast, live production, medical imaging and multi-camera workflows where uncompromising signal quality and reliability are essential. The card supports single-link 12G-SDI, dual-link 6G-SDI and quad-link 3G-SDI — automatically detecting the input format and adapting seamlessly to your existing SDI infrastructure.
Core Functions & Capabilities
- Dual-Channel 4K Capture: Simultaneously captures two independent SDI inputs at up to 4096×2160 (DCI 4K) at 60fps — both channels fully independent with their own resolution, frame rate and processing settings.
- Versatile SDI Connectivity: Each input supports Single-link 12G-SDI, Dual-link 6G-SDI or Quad-link 3G-SDI with automatic format detection — fully compatible with both current and legacy 4K broadcast infrastructure.
- FPGA-Based Video Engine: Two independent onboard hardware pipelines deliver 10-bit video processing including scaling, cropping, de-interlacing, colour space conversion and aspect ratio conversion — with zero CPU usage on the host system.
- Pro Audio & Metadata: Captures up to 8 channels of embedded SDI audio per input at 48KHz, with support for Time Code, Closed Caption extraction and SMPTE 352 payload identifiers.
- Unlimited Stream Replication: A single input channel can be routed to multiple software applications simultaneously, each with its own independent resolution, frame rate, colour format and OSD settings.
- Ultra-Low Latency Mode: Dedicated low-latency mode reduces processing delay to just 64 video lines — essential for live switching, IMAG and real-time broadcast monitoring.
- Superior Signal Integrity: Integrated cable equaliser supports long SDI cable runs — up to 230m for HD-SDI signals — maintaining full uncompressed signal quality across large installations.
- PCIe Gen2 x8 Interface: High-bandwidth host connection delivers approximately 1,600 MB/s DMA throughput per channel — sufficient for uncompressed dual 4K60 capture without dropped frames.
Key Features
- Universal OS Support: Compatible with Windows, macOS and Linux — including x86, x64 and ARM architectures. Supports Windows Server, macOS and all major Linux distributions.
- Broad Software Compatibility: Works with OBS Studio, vMix, Wirecast, Adobe Premiere, Zoom, Teams, Webex and 50+ professional streaming, production and conferencing applications.
- Multi-Card Scalability: Multiple Pro Capture Dual SDI 4K Plus cards can be installed in a single host system to scale up to high-density multi-channel capture environments.
- Rotary Card ID Switch: Onboard rotary switch assigns a unique device ID to each card — enabling reliable identification when multiple cards are installed in the same system.
- Safe Firmware Upgrade: Firmware can be updated without system shutdown in most cases. If power loss occurs during upgrade, the card automatically restores to the previous firmware version.
- 24/7 Continuous Operation: Designed and tested for round-the-clock operation in permanent broadcast and production installations.
- GPU Direct Support: Supports DirectGMA for AMD and GPUDirect for NVIDIA — enabling direct video capture to GPU memory for accelerated processing workflows.
- Magewell Capture SDK: Full SDK available for Windows, macOS and Linux enabling custom integrations, direct API access and OEM development.
Ideal For
- Broadcast Master Control: Simultaneous dual-feed capture from studio cameras or switcher programme outputs for confidence monitoring, recording and IP distribution.
- Live Production & IMAG: Dual 4K camera capture for live event switching with ultra-low latency mode ensuring zero perceptible delay for operators and talent.
- Medical Imaging & Surgical Recording: High-fidelity dual-channel capture from surgical cameras, endoscopes and diagnostic displays for procedure documentation and telemedicine.
- Sports Production: Capture two independent 4K camera angles simultaneously for sports analysis, highlights production and multi-angle replay workflows.
- Post-Production Ingest: Dual-channel 4K ingest from cameras or tape decks for simultaneous colour grading and archiving with dedicated local monitoring per channel.
- Multi-Camera Streaming: Route both SDI inputs to multiple streaming software applications simultaneously — ideal for multi-source live production and broadcast contribution.
Magewell Part Number: 11270. Full technical specifications are available on the Specifications tab above. Compatible with all Pro Capture family accessories and mounting options.
