12-Bit 4:4:4 Support Is a Good Match for ARRI's Alexa, Canon's C500 and Sony's F3

A free v3.0 firmware update to the PIX 240 and PIX 240i production video recorders now enables 330 Mbps Apple ProRes 4444 recording from sources that send 4:4:4 RGB or YCbCr over 3G SDI.

The new capability makes the recorders an especially good match for the Canon C500, which outputs 12-bit 4:4:4 RGB. The ARRI Alexa and Sony PMW-F3 both output 10-bit 4:4:4 RGB.

Other features available in the new firmware include timecode and recording status displays on the unit's SDI and HDMI outputs, adjustable audio delay (up to 500 ms), and selectable 4:4:4 or 4:2:2 video output. 

"The additional color accuracy available in a 4:4:4 environment reinforces that the PIX recorder is a master-grade production recorder suitable for the most demanding production applications," said Sound Devices Technical Development Manager Paul Isaacs in a prepared statement. The 240i, announced at IBC last year, refined the original design of the PIX 240 recorder with a five-inch IPS LCD panel boasting more accurate color and wider viewing angles.

For more information, visit the Sound Devices website.