The MOTU HD Express Video Interface w/ PCI Express Card is a high-definition video and audio capture and monitoring device with support for Final Cut Pro (Mac) and Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 (Windows). The HD Express connects to your desktop computer by filling an open PCI Express slot. The PCIe card then connects via the included HDMI cable to the main 1RU, half-rack-wide I/O interface.
The HD Express features HDMI input and output, for both capture and monitoring of HDMI-conveyed video and its eight embedded channels of audio. The HDMI input enables you to directly connect an HDMI-capable camera and capture full-raster, uncompressed HD video straight from its image sensor(s), before it's processed and recorded. The video interface's HDMI output enables monitoring on any modern flat-panel monitor or projector with a corresponding input. Resolutions up to 1920 x 1080 are supported.
For import to the nonlinear editor, select the supported codec of your choice for the video you capture with the HD Express, and the video interface will support it for monitoring output. By importing the video directly as a supported codec (such as Apple ProRes or ProRes HQ in Final Cut Pro) from the HD Express, you eliminate unnecessary compression stages that might result from copying wrapped video files to the desktop.
The HD Express also supports broadcast-quality SD video capture and monitoring for both PAL and NTSC regions. The device features connections for component HD/SD, composite, and S-Video in 10-bit 4:2:2.
Perhaps owing to MOTU's technological heritage, audio is well-served by the HD Express interface. Besides embedded audio channels from the HDMI connections, there's also S/PDIF in and out, stereo RCA analog audio input, and eight channels of RCA analog audio out, for monitoring on 5.1 or 7.1 surround-sound speakers. The interface supports all standard audio sample rates from 44.1 to 96 kHz.