VoiceQ Pro integrates with a wide range of video hardware from Blackmagic Design. Plug-and-play output through Blackmagic hardware expands your supported output devices, removes the need for extra hardware and cabling in the studio, and significantly reduces setup time. This guide covers supported devices, setup for Blackmagic and OpenGL output, and answers to common questions.
Recommended machine specification
- Quad-core Intel i5 (2012 models or later)
- Apple Silicon devices
Originally developed and tested on the Mac mini server (2012, quad-core i7), VoiceQ Pro is optimised for the specification above. Output quality may vary depending on the overall power and current load of your machine.
MIPMAP support
VoiceQ Pro 8.0 introduced MIPMAP support for video output, letting you choose the correct font scaling for your display — larger font sizes suit larger displays depending on resolution scaling. With MIPMAP enabled you may also see improved performance depending on the graphics engine: Radeon cards see a good improvement, while Apple Silicon sees up to 10x performance even on base-level M1 devices (MacBook Air).
Compatible Blackmagic devices
VoiceQ Pro uses the latest Blackmagic Design API and supports all hardware currently endorsed by Blackmagic Design. Tested devices include:
- Intensity Shuttle for USB-C
- UltraStudio for Thunderbolt™ 4K
- DeckLink 4K Extreme card
- DeckLink HD Extreme 2, 3
- Blackmagic DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G
- Blackmagic DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K
- Blackmagic DeckLink Duo 2
- Blackmagic DeckLink Mini Recorder
- Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K Mini
Not compatible: Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro (HDMI and Analog Editing Card).
If you run into connection issues, update to the latest Blackmagic drivers first.
Visual features in Blackmagic output
- Waveform
- Rythmoband
- Ruler
- Streamers
- Visual countdown/up
- Script preview
- FN support
Later releases added a recording indicator, dynamic latency detection, and MIPMAP dynamic font scaling.
Setting up Blackmagic output
- Launch VoiceQ Pro
- Open a previous project or create a new one
- Go to Window > Video Output Configuration
- Select your Video Output Method, then adjust resolution, frame rate, buffering time and display latency as needed
Setting up OpenGL output
In addition to Blackmagic output, VoiceQ Pro supports OpenGL rendering for smoother playback:
- Launch VoiceQ Pro
- Open a previous project or create a new one
- Go to Window > Video Output Configuration
- Select OpenGL as the Video Output Method
Frequently asked questions
Video from VoiceQ doesn't appear when using Pro Tools
- Turn off the AVID video engine in Pro Tools to avoid conflicts.
My Blackmagic device stopped working after I unplugged it while connected to a display
- Avoid removing or disconnecting the Blackmagic device while the video window is visible on an external display — this can cause critical errors.
How can I improve Rythmoband playback?
- Set the frame rate to 60fps for clearer playback.
Audio playback through the Blackmagic device is distorted
- Lower the output resolution to resolve distortion.
I only see a black screen on my external device
- Set buffering time and display latency above the recommended thresholds.