Blackmagic Desktop Video User Manual Using UltraStudio 4K Mini’s Front Control Panel

On UltraStudio 4K Mini, most of the settings that can be changed in the Desktop Video Setup utility are also available via the LCD menu on the front panel. To navigate through the settings, press the ‘menu’ button to open the menu, then scroll through the options using the settings knob. To enter submenus and confirm a setting, press the ‘set’ button.

To exit the menu, keep pressing the ‘menu’ button to step back through the menus and return to the home screen.

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TIP You can also navigate directly to the video or audio settings by pressing the ‘video’ or ‘audio’ buttons. This lets you go directly to the relevant settings without scrolling through the settings list, which can save time.

Use the LCD menu on UltraStudio 4K Mini’s front panel to change settings

Audio Settings

UltraStudio 4K Mini also has additional audio settings in the LCD menu. These settings let you change the type of audio meters displayed on the LCD during capture and playback. The two audio meter types are VU and PPM.

• VU
  The VU meter, or ‘volume units’ meter, averages out short peaks and troughs in your audio signal. If you are using VU metering, adjust the output levels of your source so that the meter peaks at the 0db indicator on the audio meter. This maximizes the signal to noise ratio and ensures your audio is at the highest quality. If your audio peaks beyond the 0dB indicator there is a high risk of sound distortion. If you are using the analog audio inputs of the UltraStudio 4K Mini, the input levels can be adjusted in the LCD menu or setup utility.

• PPM
  PPM meters, or ‘peak programme meters’, display a ‘peak hold’ feature that momentarily holds the signal peaks with a slow fall back so you can easily see the audio level at which your audio is peaking.
  
  Both VU and PPM meters can be set to use reference levels of -18dB or -20dB so you can monitor your audio to suit different international broadcasting standards.

SD Card Slot

UltraStudio 4K Mini’s front panel also features an SD card slot that reads and writes files when the unit is connected to a Mac or Windows computer. This slot can be used just like a typical SD card reader or writer and is detected by your computer as another drive. This means you can quickly import clips from your camera’s SD card or set Media Express to capture a clip to portable media.