Blackmagic Design UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G

The Blackmagic Design UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G is a compact, single-cable Thunderbolt 4* capture interface that brings broadcast-quality 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 video into your Mac, Windows, or Linux computer — no external power supply, no rack required. It connects over one Thunderbolt cable, draws 15W from the bus, and captures Ultra HD up to 2160p60 from cameras, switchers, broadcast decks, and game consoles alike.

Whether you are archiving from legacy broadcast decks, capturing a live switcher feed, streaming with OBS or Wirecast, or pulling AI-processed video into DaVinci Resolve — the UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G handles it all from a device small enough to fit in a shirt pocket.

* Requires a computer with a Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port.

Blackmagic Design UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G — 12G-SDI + HDMI 2.0 capture via Thunderbolt 4

Why Broadcast Engineers Choose the UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G

Capture from Cameras, Decks, Switchers and Game Consoles

The UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G is the input-only model in the UltraStudio Mini 12G family. It captures from 12G-SDI and HDMI in SD, HD, and Ultra HD — making it ideal for live streaming using software like OBS or Wirecast, archiving from legacy broadcast decks, or ingesting from cameras and game consoles into popular editing software. The included Blackmagic Media Express software gives you immediate capture capability without purchasing additional tools.

For AI image processing and live streaming workflows, the compact form factor and Thunderbolt 4 bus power mean you can set up a professional capture chain anywhere — at front-of-house, in a fly pack, or at a remote broadcast position — with a single cable from your laptop.

Extremely Fast Thunderbolt 4 Connection

All UltraStudio Mini models include fast Thunderbolt 4 with video capture plus power — all over a single cable. Thunderbolt 4 provides massive data speeds, delivering enough bandwidth to handle high resolutions, deeper bit depths, and advanced frame buffer formats including 4:2:2:4 and 4:4:4:4.

UltraStudio Mini uses the DeckLink API, so almost all professional video and streaming software works natively without configuration. Just install the Blackmagic Desktop Video driver, open your application, and your capture inputs are live.

Get True 10-Bit Broadcast Video Quality

UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G is designed to support the highest quality video capture. Most software supports capture to all popular video formats — Apple ProRes, DNxHD, and 10-bit uncompressed — so you are never locked into a single file format. 10-bit is the most commonly used television standard because colors can be represented with four times the precision of 8-bit video.

Working in 10-bit uncompressed ensures every captured frame is a perfect pixel-for-pixel clone of the original source — giving you the sharpest green screen keying, seamless VFX compositions, and superior color correction results in post.

Use Powerful Broadcast Graphics Tools

When creating broadcast graphics and titles, you will want to use the same tools graphic designers are already familiar with — so you get maximum creativity with no retraining required. The UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G works with Fusion, the visual effects software integrated directly into DaVinci Resolve, as well as Adobe After Effects and Photoshop. Fusion Studio is a powerful node-based compositing and VFX tool with full 2D and 3D environments, hundreds of effects, and deep integration with the DaVinci Resolve workflow. You can download and use Fusion free of charge inside DaVinci Resolve.

The included Blackmagic Media Express software lets you capture video directly into files that can be loaded into Fusion, After Effects, or Photoshop — giving your graphics team a clean, lossless source straight from the 12G-SDI or HDMI input.

Compatible Software Applications

The UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G works natively with leading editing, live streaming, and ingest applications via the included Blackmagic Desktop Video driver.

DaVinci Resolve

Color / Edit / Ingest

Final Cut Pro

NLE / Editing

Adobe Premiere Pro CC

NLE / Editing

Avid Media Composer

Broadcast NLE

Fusion

VFX / Compositing

Adobe After Effects CC

Motion Graphics

Also compatible with: Wirecast, vMix, OBS Studio, Zoom, Cinegy Capture Pro, DevTek EasyMediaSuite, Glookast Capturer, Metus Ingest, Softron MovieRecorder, ToolsOnAir just:in, Burst Video WebClip2Go and [REC]Marker. Third-party support may vary — verify with your software vendor.

Who the UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G Is Built For

Supported Codecs — Capture from 12G-SDI and HDMI

Full Technical Specifications — Blackmagic Design UltraStudio Mini Recorder 12G

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