1080p60

Max Capture

Loop Out

3G-SDI BNC Passthrough

0 Drivers

UVC / UAC Plug & Play

3 OS

Mac · Windows · Linux

3-Year

AJA Warranty

Most USB capture devices speak HDMI. The AJA U-TAP SDI speaks the language that broadcast engineers actually trust on set — 3G-SDI, SMPTE-259/292/424, the uncompressed lossless signal that runs through every professional camera, router, and production switcher in the business. If your sources are SDI and you need a fast, driver-free path into a laptop for streaming, monitoring, or ingest, this is the device built for that exact job.

The U-TAP SDI is a USB 3.0 bus-powered 3G-SDI capture device with one feature its HDMI sibling doesn't have: a 3G-SDI looping output. That single BNC passthrough changes everything about how you can deploy it. Plug it inline — between your camera and a monitor, between a switcher and a confidence feed, between a router output and a scope — and simultaneously capture to a laptop without interrupting the existing signal chain. One device, two jobs, zero compromises.

Like the rest of the U-TAP family, it's UVC/UAC compliant, recognized natively by macOS, Windows, and Linux Ubuntu/Rocky the moment it's plugged in. No drivers to install, no IT tickets to file, no surprises at showtime.

Note: The U-TAP SDI captures YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit SDI signals (SMPTE-259/292/424). It is the professional broadcast-native companion to the AJA U-TAP HDMI — choose based on whether your sources run SDI cable (BNC) or HDMI.

AJA U-TAP SDI USB 3.0 3G-SDI capture device with looping BNC output — professional bus-powered SDI capture for Mac Windows Linux broadcast production

Why the SDI Loop Output Changes Everything

The HDMI version of this device is a tee — you plug in, you capture, done. The SDI version is a Y-connector built into the hardware. Your incoming 3G-SDI signal passes straight through the loop BNC to whatever was already connected — a broadcast monitor, a vectorscope, a program feed — while simultaneously being captured to USB. This is the critical reason broadcast engineers reach for the U-TAP SDI over cheaper alternatives. You're not interrupting a signal chain or adding a passive splitter. You're passing a clean, reclocked-quality loop while capturing in parallel. That's not a feature, that's an architecture.

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3G-SDI Looping Output

Pass the incoming SDI signal through to monitors, switchers, or scopes via a second BNC — while capturing simultaneously. Unique to the SDI model.

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3G-SDI SMPTE Compliant

Accepts SMPTE-259 (SD-SDI), SMPTE-292 (HD-SDI), and SMPTE-424 (3G-SDI) on a standard BNC connector — the full professional SDI family.

🎥

HD/SD Capture to 1080p60

Covers the full broadcast raster set including 1080i, 720p, 1080PsF, 525i, and 625i at all standard frame rates. Level A and Level B-DL 3G-SDI supported.

🎞️

PsF Format Support

1080PsF 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, and 30 — critical for cinema-originated content and long-form broadcast workflows.

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Zero-Driver Setup

UVC and UAC compliant on macOS, Windows, and Linux Ubuntu/Rocky — appears as a native camera instantly. No installation, no configuration.

⚡

Bus-Powered via USB

5V / 4W max, powered entirely from the host USB port. One cable handles data and power — no wall adapter needed in the field or on set.

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YCbCr 4:2:2 10-Bit

Native broadcast color sampling — matches what SDI cameras and production switchers actually output, with no unnecessary conversion.

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Silent Fanless Design

No moving parts — zero fan noise bleeding into your recording environment. Critical for live broadcast, studio capture, and quiet set work.

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3-Year AJA Warranty

Backed by AJA's three-year limited warranty and their Grass Valley, CA support team — recognized as among the best in the broadcast industry.

AJA U-TAP SDI compact size compared to broadcast SDI BNC cable professional field capture

Broadcast-Grade SDI Capture. Fits in a Jacket Pocket.

At 4.1 × 2.4 × 1.0 inches and 0.3 lb, the U-TAP SDI is roughly the same footprint as a thick wallet. It rides in a camera bag, a grip case, or a laptop bag without a second thought. And because it draws its power over USB — 4W max — there's no brick to forget, no cable to manage beyond the USB-A connection to your host machine.

This matters most when you're operating lean. A one-person livestream from a news scene, a backup ISO recording running off a producer's laptop at a sports event, or a quick capture off a confidence monitor feed during a corporate event — in every one of those scenarios, the U-TAP SDI disappears into the workflow. Plug it in. The software sees a camera. Record. That's the entire operation.

Automatic video scaling means the device delivers exactly the raster and frame rate your application requests, from 1080p60 down to 176×144p, without you touching a setting.

SDI vs. HDMI: Why Broadcast Pros Reach for the BNC

Cable runs up to 100m+
SDI over coax handles long cable runs without signal degradation. HDMI tops out around 15m without active extenders.

Locking BNC connectors
SDI cables lock. They don't wiggle loose mid-broadcast. HDMI connectors are notoriously fragile in production environments.

No HDCP complications
SDI carries no copy-protection scheme. Every professional camera, router, and switcher output is capturable without restriction.

The signal infrastructure already exists
Studios, OB trucks, broadcast facilities, and FOH positions are already wired in SDI. The U-TAP SDI connects directly — no adapters needed.

SMPTE-standardized timing
SDI carries embedded timing that professional broadcast gear expects. It integrates cleanly into sync-locked environments.

Tally, intercom, and metadata paths
In larger broadcast setups, SDI infrastructure often carries ancillary data alongside the video signal that HDMI simply cannot.

Works With the Software Already on Your System

UVC/UAC compliance means any application that accepts a video camera input will recognize the U-TAP SDI immediately — no integration work required.

OBS Studio Wirecast vMix Zoom Microsoft Teams Adobe Premiere Pro DaVinci Resolve Final Cut Pro AJA Control Room Skype XSplit ProPresenter

Who Deploys the U-TAP SDI

Broadcast Engineers

Tap an SDI feed inline without breaking the signal chain. Ideal for confidence monitoring, ISO recording, and remote stream contribution from existing infrastructure.

Live Event & Sports Production

Run a backup capture or web stream off a program SDI output from the OB truck or broadcast mix position without touching the primary signal path.

Houses of Worship

Pull the SDI program feed from an existing video switcher and stream to YouTube or Facebook Live — while the loop output continues feeding the in-house display system.

Studio & Facility Teams

Bring an SDI router output into an NLE workstation for spot-monitoring or clip ingest without a dedicated PCIe capture card or additional rack hardware.

News & ENG Crews

Laptop-based ingest from a professional SDI camera in the field — bus-powered, driverless, and small enough to live permanently in a kit bag.

Remote Production (REMI)

Convert a local SDI source to a USB camera for software encoders at the venue, contributing a clean feed over IP back to a central production hub.

Supported SDI Video Formats

Format	Resolution	Frame Rates	Signal Standard
3G-SDI HD Progressive	1920×1080p	50, 59.94, 60 (Level A or B-DL)	SMPTE-424
HD-SDI Progressive	1920×1080p	23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30	SMPTE-292
HD-SDI PsF	1920×1080PsF	23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30	SMPTE-292
HD-SDI Interlace	1920×1080i	50, 59.94, 60	SMPTE-292
HD-SDI 720p	1280×720p	50, 59.94, 60	SMPTE-292
SD-SDI PAL	625i	50	SMPTE-259
SD-SDI NTSC	525i	59.94	SMPTE-259
Scaled USB Output	176×144p – 1920×1080p	7.5, 15, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60	USB UVC

Color sampling: YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit throughout. Host system performance governs available formats.

Full Technical Specifications

Specification	Detail
Video Input	3G-SDI, SMPTE-259/292/424, YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit (1× BNC)
Video Loop Output	1× 3G-SDI (1× BNC) — passthrough of the incoming SDI signal
Audio Input	2-channel, 24-bit SDI embedded audio at 48 kHz
Capture Video	16 bits/pixel YUV (truncated as required)
Capture Audio	2-channel, 16-bit at 48 kHz
Device Interface	USB 3.0 (USB 3.2, Gen 1) — UVC/UAC compliant
Host Interfaces	USB 3.0 (5 Gbps), USB 3.1 (10 Gbps), USB 3.2 (20 Gbps), USB 2.0 (reduced performance)
OS Support	macOS, Windows, Linux Ubuntu / Rocky Linux
Power	5V USB bus-powered — 4W max
Dimensions (W×D×H)	4.1 × 2.4 × 1.0 in (104.14 × 60.96 × 25.4 mm)
Weight	0.3 lb (0.2 kg)
Operating Temperature	0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F)
Storage Temperature	-40 to 60°C (-40 to 140°F)
Humidity	10–90% noncondensing
Operating Altitude	<3,000 meters (<10,000 feet)
Warranty	3-year AJA limited warranty

U-TAP SDI vs. U-TAP HDMI — Which One Do You Need?

Feature	U-TAP SDI	U-TAP HDMI
Input connector	BNC (3G-SDI)	HDMI 1.4a
Loop / passthrough output	✓ SDI BNC loop out	None
Color sampling	YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit	YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit + RGB/YCbCr 4:4:4 up to 12-bit*
PsF format support	✓ 1080PsF	No
Max cable run (lossless)	100m+ coax	~15m (passive)
Locking connector	✓ BNC threaded lock	No
Body size	4.1 × 2.4 × 1.0 in	3.3 × 2.4 × 1.0 in
Power draw	4W max	3.5W max

*HDMI model 4:4:4 support is raster and frame-rate dependent.

Ready to Add Pro SDI Capture to Any Laptop?

The AJA U-TAP SDI is in stock at Coremicro. Our AV specialists can help you confirm compatibility with your SDI infrastructure, camera outputs, or streaming software setup before you order.

Talk to an AV Specialist View U-TAP HDMI Instead

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