SDI Card Support and Selection (Model‑Agnostic)
Reading time ~5 minutes
General SDI Card Selection and Support Guidance
Cinegy Multiviewer v25.12 supports SDI input via professional SDI capture hardware from a finite, explicitly supported set of vendors:
Compatibility is defined by vendor, driver version, and signal characteristics – not by individual card models.
Cinegy Multiviewer support is defined at the vendor and driver version level only. The selection of a specific SDI card model, verification of its capabilities, and confirmation that it is supported by the hardware vendor with the specified driver version are the responsibility of the customer or system integrator. Cards that cannot operate with the specified driver version are not supported, regardless of brand or nominal capabilities.
SDI Signal Parameters
Cinegy Multiviewer accepts standard broadcast SDI signals when delivered by supported hardware and drivers:
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SDI standards:
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SMPTE 292M (1.5G)
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SMPTE 424M (3G)
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SMPTE ST 2081 (6G)
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SMPTE ST 2082 (12G)
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SDI level: Level A
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Color coding: 10‑bit YCbCr
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Link configurations:
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Single‑link SD/HD/3G
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Quad‑link SDI for UHD (vendor‑dependent)
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6G / 12G single‑link UHD (vendor‑dependent)
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2SI for UHD where supported by the vendor implementation
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Support for specific link modes and maximum raster sizes depends on the SDI hardware and its driver implementation. Cinegy Multiviewer does not impose additional format restrictions beyond those defined by the SDI standard and the card driver.
Selecting an SDI Card
When selecting an SDI card for use with Cinegy Multiviewer:
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Determine the SDI formats and link rates required by your production (HD vs UHD, single‑link vs quad‑link, frame rate).
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Select a card from one of the supported vendors.
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Verify on the vendor’s website that the card is supported with the exact driver version listed by Cinegy.
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Confirm operating system compatibility for that driver.
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Install the driver and reboot the system before configuring Cinegy Multiviewer.
The responsibility for verifying that a specific card supports the required SDI formats and the required driver version lies with the system integrator.
Before installing or upgrading SDI drivers, all Cinegy services must be stopped and the system rebooted after installation.
AJA
Supported Driver Version
Cinegy Multiviewer v25.12 supports AJA SDI hardware when operated with:
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AJA Driver & Tools version 15.5.3
Cinegy Multiviewer support is defined at the vendor and driver version level only. The selection of a specific AJA SDI card model and verification that it is supported by AJA with this driver version are the responsibility of the customer or system integrator.
Operational Notes
AJA cards rely on both driver and firmware compatibility. In some cases, particularly after Cinegy or operating system upgrades, an AJA firmware update may be required to ensure that all SDI inputs are correctly exposed to the application.
If fewer SDI inputs than expected are visible after an upgrade, firmware compatibility should be verified using AJA’s tools.
No other AJA driver versions are specified or supported for Cinegy Multiviewer v25.12.
Blackmagic Design
Supported Driver Version
Cinegy Multiviewer 25.12 supports Blackmagic Design SDI hardware when operated with:
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Blackmagic Desktop Video driver version 11.6
Cinegy Multiviewer support is defined at the vendor and driver version level only. The selection of a specific Blackmagic Design SDI card model and verification that it is supported by Blackmagic Design with this driver version are the responsibility of the customer or system integrator.
Operational Notes
Some Blackmagic SDI hardware has inherent hardware limitations that affect SDI metadata handling. In particular, VANC data in UHD modes may not be supported on all Blackmagic hardware, depending on the card implementation.
Blackmagic SDI cards are more sensitive to host system configuration and PCIe topology than other vendors’ hardware. For 24/7 or mission-critical environments, full workflow and stability testing is strongly recommended prior to deployment.
No other Blackmagic driver versions are specified or supported for Cinegy Multiviewer v25.12.
Deltacast
Supported Driver Versions
Cinegy Multiviewer v25.12 supports Deltacast SDI hardware when operated with the following specific driver packages:
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Deltacast driver package 6.19 – required for SDI boards limited to lower link rates (up to 1.5G / quad‑link HD use cases).
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Deltacast driver package 6.20 – required for SDI boards supporting 3G SDI link rates and higher‑bandwidth capture scenarios.
The driver package used is determined by the SDI link rate and capabilities of the hardware. Cards supporting 3G SDI operation must use driver package 6.20; cards limited to lower link rates must use driver package 6.19.
Only Deltacast cards that are supported by the vendor with these exact driver packages are supported for use with Cinegy Multiviewer.
Operational Notes
Deltacast UHD support is implemented using quad‑link SDI or 2SI, depending on the board and driver capabilities. 2SI support is available on Deltacast hardware where implemented by the vendor driver.
Some Deltacast cards rely on passive cooling. Adequate chassis airflow must be ensured to maintain stable operation.
No other Deltacast driver versions are specified or supported for Cinegy Multiviewer v25.12.
DVS
Supported Driver and Firmware
Cinegy Multiviewer v25.12 supports DVS SDI hardware when operated with:
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Driver version 4.3.5.18
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Firmware version 5.4.1.5_5.2.7
Only DVS cards that are supported by the vendor with this exact driver and firmware combination are supported for use with Cinegy Multiviewer.
Operational Notes
Driver and firmware versions must be kept aligned. Mismatched versions may result in missing inputs or unstable operation.
Support for UHD formats is dependent on the DVS hardware implementation and the SDI link configuration used.
No other DVS driver or firmware versions are specified or supported for Cinegy Multiviewer v25.12.