HDLINK PRO 3D - Quick Review

[Jose Lomeña]

Quick review about HDLINK PRO 3D

My Setup:
2x REDONE Beta31
1x AJA GEN10
1x HDLINK PRO 3D Display Port V3.4
1x Samsung Led 3d7000
1x Cable Converter Display Port to DVI
1x Cable converter Display Port to HDMI


The only way that it work for me is:
Use converter Display Port To DVI and to DVI input of Samsung. (HDMI converter didn't work)
AJA GEN10 is essential. Without it all time one camera only (SDI 1)

All working now, and I can see 3D with my setup.

Problems:
1. Resolution output only 1280x720 side by side. No 1920x1080. Big deception.
2. 50Hz output is bad. A lot of artifacts. You need to out 59.97 from red.
3. When you play a clip with red it work, but when exit from playback you need to reset gen10. And push 3d mode in samsung.
4. Some times HDLINK go black and return after 2 second. In this case you need to push a new time 3d mode in the samsung because a fault in the signal. This is the worst problem.
5. You can't use Luts of HDLINK to only one camera.

My recomendation:
Don't buy HDLINK PRO 3D for 3D with REDONE... it work perfectly with only one input, but both input is a continous problem.


I have other system TVONE 1T-C2-750. This is what i can do with it:
2x DVI (digital or analog component) inputs. No SDI input.
1x DVI output (digital or analog)

720p or 1920x1080 50p out side by side with redone at full screen (open gate work perfectly)
Possible to move horizontal or vertical one or both cameras
Possible to zoom or flip.
10xPresets
Perfect with 50Hz or 60Hz. No artifacts.
No delay. No fan. No hot. 12v power. Small like HDLINK.
Buttons, you don't need a computer.
You don't need Gen10
Always output is stable. No problem with samsung
I think that anagliph is possible. (i didn't test it because i don't need it)
Price 800$


Note:
I don't work for AJA, DECKLINK, TVONE or RED. I'm only an end user and very disappointed with HDLINK 3D.


Saludos,

Jose Lomeña.

[Eli Jarra]

Thanks Jose.
We ran some tests on our end as well. Pretty disappointed overall with the box as well. I am hopeful the new AJA box coming will play nice with my Reds :)

[Jason Goodman]

Get a Davio, works great, support is great and it lets you apply image offset.

[Jose Lomeña]

Get a Davio, works great, support is great and it lets you apply image offset.

Jason what's the price of Davio?, is possible to power it with 12v?

thanks,

Jose.

[Gunleik Groven]

Also curious about the current price of Davio...

[mikeburton]

This box is a piece of shit! Worst thing I ever purchased for two reasons;
1. It doesn't work! I bought the Display port box and after getting two of them neither worked with an Display Port to HDMI adapter making the whole point of the HDLink 3d worthless to me.
2. Blackmagic support sucks! When you call regarding hardware issues Blackmagic representatives straight up tell you they don't test the boxes before shipping them out the door. No QC whatsoever! No wonder it's so damn inexpensive, cause it doesn't work and they don't stand behind their product. I was told to try a specific adapter. Did that on both units and nothing. Then i was told to send the box back but if Blackmagic found the box to be functional they would just ship it back to me.

Bottom line, I've never had good experiences with Blackmagic hardware nor their support. I have a Kona 3 and HI-5 and they both work great!

Blackmagic HDLink 3D = Epic Fail!

[Jose Lomeña]

Mike my unit work.

I'm a decklink user since 2003. I have a decklink HD working since 2003 every days 24/7 and never had a problem. I have multibridge and other 2 blackmagic cards and no problem with any of them. In the other part I have an AJA IO HD, and lot of problem with it, lot of dropped frames and playback artifacts problems.

Maybe you can test it with display port to DVI converter to DVI input monitor. My HDMI converter didn't work.

For me HDLINK PRO 3D work, but, lot of issues with the unstable signal in/out.
Maybe with firmware update they can fix it, but at this moment I prefer other solution like c2-750 that is stable all the time because don't need any genlock. And a 1080p output is necessary for me. 720p is so low quality for side by side with 50" monitor.


Saludos,

Jose.

[Jason Goodman]

Davio is definitely much more expensive than the HDLink 3D but I can't recall the actual price, $5 grand or so. It's a lot I know, but this is an extremely solid piece of gear and it is also extremely flexible. It uses "packages" that are basically OSes that allow it to do everything from 3D manipulations, to color manipulations to format conversions, lots of stuff. It's like a Swiss army knife and has saved us in many situations. I encourage you to contact Cine-Tal and get more info. Additionally, the service and support from Cine-Tal are worth the price alone. I've gotten tech support return calls from guys on their cell phones at night on a Saturday and they've uploaded files and given me input that have saved us in the field. I can't praise this device enough.

[mikeburton]

Mike my unit work.

I'm a decklink user since 2003. I have a decklink HD working since 2003 every days 24/7 and never had a problem. I have multibridge and other 2 blackmagic cards and no problem with any of them. In the other part I have an AJA IO HD, and lot of problem with it, lot of dropped frames and playback artifacts problems.

Maybe you can test it with display port to DVI converter to DVI input monitor. My HDMI converter didn't work.

For me HDLINK PRO 3D work, but, lot of issues with the unstable signal in/out.
Maybe with firmware update they can fix it, but at this moment I prefer other solution like c2-750 that is stable all the time because don't need any genlock. And a 1080p output is necessary for me. 720p is so low quality for side by side with 50" monitor.


Saludos,

Jose.

DVI doesnt carry a 10bit signal through to the plasma. If it doesn't allow Displayport - HDMI then it's useless to me for my purpose.

[Jose Lomeña]

DVI doesnt carry a 10bit signal through to the plasma. If it doesn't allow Displayport - HDMI then it's useless to me for my purpose.

Sorry my ignorance mike, but, why 10 bit?. My HDLINK 3D is very noisy in shadows, maybe the problem is REDONE signal, but it is very noisy. For me, 10 bit is useless with SDI redone output.

But, for postproduction room, you are right, 10 bit is necesary, like promised HDMI 1.4 full resolution, that they say in HDLINK page. I'm thinking to return the box to my dealer, because deceptive publicity.

"HDLink Pro 3D DisplayPort — $495
The world’s first SDI monitoring solution for deep bit depth DisplayPort monitors now supports full 3D stereoscopic and HDMI 1.4! Get the highest quality in both 4:2:2 and 4:4:4."


saludos,

Jose.

[Alex Carr]

Take into consideration that Newer Black Magic products support only 3G SDI signals, the Red uses a 1.5G signal. So in order for the Hdlink or the BlackMagic 3D card the signal needs to be re-clocked to 3G. That will stop the 2 second drop outs, I bought the Redbyte 1-6 DA. I'm waiting to see how well it works. Currently I have to loop the signal through a monitor first... Which doesn't work well for 3D, but it does work for my Pci-e BlackMagic 3D card.

[Kristian Lam]

Take into consideration that Newer Black Magic products support only 3G SDI signals, the Red uses a 1.5G signal. So in order for the Hdlink or the BlackMagic 3D card the signal needs to be re-clocked to 3G. That will stop the 2 second drop outs, I bought the Redbyte 1-6 DA. I'm waiting to see how well it works. Currently I have to loop the signal through a monitor first... Which doesn't work well for 3D, but it does work for my Pci-e BlackMagic 3D card.

Hi Alex,

The RED camera's output is marketed as a preview output only and suffers from really bad jitter that is out of SMPTE specification. This is why the signals have to be reclocked before it will play nice with HDLink Pro. You'll find that is not isolated to just the HDLinks but other SDI products in the market as well when dealing with the SDI output from the RED camera.

[Kristian Lam]

This box is a piece of shit! Worst thing I ever purchased for two reasons;
1. It doesn't work! I bought the Display port box and after getting two of them neither worked with an Display Port to HDMI adapter making the whole point of the HDLink 3d worthless to me.
2. Blackmagic support sucks! When you call regarding hardware issues Blackmagic representatives straight up tell you they don't test the boxes before shipping them out the door. No QC whatsoever! No wonder it's so damn inexpensive, cause it doesn't work and they don't stand behind their product. I was told to try a specific adapter. Did that on both units and nothing. Then i was told to send the box back but if Blackmagic found the box to be functional they would just ship it back to me.

Bottom line, I've never had good experiences with Blackmagic hardware nor their support. I have a Kona 3 and HI-5 and they both work great!

Blackmagic HDLink 3D = Epic Fail!

Hi Mike,

I understand your frustration however what you've been told is not true. All products are tested before they leave the factory. If you can drop me a PM about who you spoke to, I'll appreciate it.

We did run into some issues with compatibility with DisplayPort to HDMI adapters but that has been resolved with a firmware update.

[Alex Carr]

I can confirm that this works when routed through a DA first.