Bundles
At Softron, se have gathered what we think are the highest quality hardware components in order to ensure the best experience possible with the certified bundles. The bundles are split in two categories, Software and Hardware. The S|Software bundles are put together for those who have their own hardware, and for those who want the best hardware - there is the M|Hardware bundles.
Hardware and software packaged together with you in mind.
- the M|4i and M|8i include the 4 or 8 MovieRecorder licenses on a dongle, and the Deltacast card. Ideal if you want to use the video card in a Mac Pro.
- the M|4e and M|8e adds the thunderbolt expansion chassis - perfect for the Mac Studio, MacBook, or the Mac mini.
The M|4e and M|8e, M|4eare built to be on location. The Sonnet Echo Express SEL has one of the smallest form factors for Thunderbolt expansion chassis. Perfectly fit in a backpack, with your laptop on the go.
If every second counts, and if compromise isn't in your vocabulary, then the ultimate hardware is what you need. The hardware bundles come with a high-end, low latency Deltacast card capable of up to 4 channels of UHD60p, or 8 channels of HD60p when inside a Mac Pro. The M|4e and M|8e models models come with the Thunderbolt 3 expansion chassis, which supports, in 8bit, up to 2 channels of UHD60p, or 4 channels of UHD30p, or 7 channels of HD60p, or 8 channels of HD50p... Make sure to check the tech specs section here to see what is supported.
Softron applications work with more hardware solutions from Blackmagic Designs, AJA, or IP based solutions like NDI. For that we have various combinations like the S|40E with 4 licenses of MovieRecorder Express for 4 inputs, up to the S|80R with 8 licenses of MovieRecorder AND 8 licences of M|Replay. The best combination if you need to do both kind of workflows. These bundles are provided with one single serial number holding all the licenses.
| Number of licenses |
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| S|40E | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| S|40 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| S|80 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| S|8R | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| S|80R | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| M|4i | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| M|4e | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| M|8i | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| M|8e | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Below you will find the features and tech specs for the M|Xi and M|Xe hardware bundles. These are only for the hardware itself (Sonnet chassis and Deltacast card). To check the features and tech specsof the software themsleves, make sure to check the software pages.
| Features & Hardware Specs | M|4i or M|8i | M|4e or M|8e |
|---|---|---|
| Includes Deltacast card DELTA-12G-elp-h 4c | ||
| Includes Sonnet Echo Express SEL expansion chassis (Thunderbolt 3) | ||
| Independent connectors Support either in or out, using different formats | ||
| SDI Connectors | 9 x Micro BNC (HD-BNC)4 x 12G connectors + 4 x 3G connectors + 1 x Ref/LTC input | |
| Timecode LTC input | ||
| Sync input Analog blackburst, tri-level sync (genlock) | ||
| Max Resolution | Up to 8K60 using quad link (1 Channel max) | Up to 8K30p using quad link (1 Channel max) |
| Pixel Formats | 8bit or 10bit | 8bit or 10bit |
| WideGammut Support for Rec 601, Rec 708 and Rec 2020 | ||
| HDR Support for PQ, HLG | ||
| Mix formats and frame rates on INPUT | ||
| Mix formats on OUTPUT | ||
| Mix frame rates on OUTPUT | ||
| Dimensions | Sonnet Echo Express SEL (WxDxH): 4 x 8.25 x 2.8 in. (10.3 x 21 x 7.28 cm) | Deltacast Card (Depth): 66 in. (167.65 cm) |
Important Notes
The tables below show the maximum number of channels supported by Deltacast cards used in our M|Xi or M|Xe hardware bundles. These numbers depend on whether the card is connected directly to a Mac Pro's PCIe slots (M|Xi bundles) or used in a Thunderbolt expansion chassis (M|Xe bundles).
The maximum channel counts shown are based on the hardware capabilities, but several factors can affect these numbers:
- Your Computer: Ensure your Mac can handle the workload to encode the desired number of channels in your chosen codec. If you're unsure, feel free to contact us for guidance.
- Connection Type:
- M|Xi Bundles: Cards are installed directly inside a Mac Pro, allowing higher channel counts.
- M|Xe Bundles: Cards are used in a Thunderbolt expansion chassis, which supports fewer channels due to Thunderbolt bandwidth limitations.
- Expansion Chassis: If you’re using a Thunderbolt chassis, ensure it’s PCIe 3.0 and has sufficient bandwidth. For example, the Sonnet Echo Express SEL we provide meets these requirements.
- Bundle Version: The M|4i or M|4e bundles include 4 MovieRecorder licenses, limiting you to 4 channels unless you purchase additional licenses.
| Maximum Number of channels *for a Deltacast card (used inside a Mac Pro - M|Xi) |
8bit
|
10bit
|
|---|---|---|
| HD - Up to 1920x1080 p 60 | 12 ** | 12 ** |
| 4K (UHD) - Up to 3840x2160 p 50 | 6 ** | 5 ** |
| 4K (UHD) - Up to 3840x2160 p 60 | 5 ** | 4 |
| 8K - Up to 7680x4320 p 60 | 1 | 1 |
| Maximum Number of channels *for a Deltacast Card (used in a Thunderbolt chassis - M|Xe) |
8bit
|
10bit
|
|---|---|---|
| HD - Up to 1920x1080 p 30 | 12 ** | 12 ** |
| HD - Up to 1920x1080 p 50 | 9 ** | 7 |
| HD - Up to 1920x1080 p 60 | 7 | 6 |
| 4K (UHD) - Up to 3840x2160 p 25 | 5 ** | 4 |
| 4K (UHD) - Up to 3840x2160 p 30 | 4 | 3 |
| 4K (UHD) - Up to 3840x2160 p 50 | 3 | 2 |
| 4K (UHD) - Up to 3840x2160 p 60 | 2 | 1 |
| 8K - Up to 7680x4320 p 25 | 1 | 1 |
| 8K - Up to 7680x4320 p 30 | 1 | 0 |
| 8K - Up to 7680x4320 p 60 | 0 | 0 |
| Bundle Versions | First Supported Drivers | Last Supported Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Bundles sold between September 2019 and 2022 (Using Deltacast 12G/2C or Deltacast 12G/4C) | macOS 10.15 or later: 6.19 | macOS 10.15 or later: latest |
| Bundles sold between 2013 and August 2019 (Using Deltacast HD cards (not 3G)) | Up to macOS 10.14: 5.17 macOS 10.15 or later: 6.13 | Up to macOS 10.14: 6.11 macOS 10.15 or later: 6.19 |
WARNING:
- Make sure to also check the Deltacast driver required for your Softron application. You can find the info on the page of the software you use in the tech spec section
- Apple Silicon computers require drivers 6.19 or later
- You should only download the Deltacast drivers from our website. Indeed we validate them with our applications before putting them online.
We know that some of our users can not upgrade their macOS very often. This is why Softron tries to maintain compatibility with older versions of macOS as much as possible, but it is not always possible to achieve. Because Operating Systems are usually significantly improved over previous versions, Softron must use many of the more capable built-in functionalities inherent in Apple's latest OS releases. Failing to do so would mean that Softron software would essentially be blocked from using the new Frameworks provided in the OS. For this reason, Softron's free support is provided only on the current and previous macOS versions. Also, most of our tests will be done on these macOS versions, and only basic tests will be done on the previous OS. We will always try to help, but in some cases, the best solution is to upgrade your macOS to a more recent version.
Softron does not warrant that these recommended configurations will always meet specific user requirements. They are intended as guidelines and are based on extensive testing that Softron has done, they can be changed without notice. Hardware, drivers, software and operating systems change regularly and we advise users and prospective users to evaluate their requirements in their specific environment/workflow using Softron demo licenses that are available for downloading from Softron's web site.
Deltacast Drivers
Version 6.21
|
Download |
Useful Resources
- M|8e Quick Setup Guide
- M|8i Quick Setup Guide
- M|4e Quick Setup Guide
- M|4i Quick Setup Guide
- Help Center: Includes a lot of useful information, sometimes not available in the user manual. Including how to upgrade the Firmware of a Deltacast card.
- YouTube Channel
Installation instructions
Once downloaded, unzip the file, and inside the folder double-click on the installer and follow the instructions.
If a Firmware upgrade is required, make sure to check the following article in our help center.