Instruction manual

Blackmagic Design Applications

Using Blackmagic Disk Speed Test to check your disk (PC)

If you want to check your disk array speed, Blackmagic Disk Speed Test can be run to check the array speed,

and to provide the results in video frame rates. This makes it much easier to understand how various disk

arrays will handle video capture and playback at various video resolutions and frame rates.

Disk Speed Test provides more accurate results for large disk arrays, as often the manufacturer provided

speed results only check small data blocks; so you only get an indication of the cache speed of the disk and

not the sustained data rate of the disk. Video uses sustained data rates and only Disk Speed Test provides

a long burst of data for more accurate results.

Please see the seperate Disk Speed Test Manual for detailed information about using Blackmagic Disk

Speed Test. The manual is a PDF ﬁle and can be found on the installation CD or in the downloaded

software package for your capture hardware.

Building uncompressed disk arrays (PC)

If you intend to run your disk array as a software stripe, you will need to make sure that ‘host RAID’ is

disabled. Use the “Disk Management” tool in “Computer Management” within Windows

™

to set up your

software RAID, or refer to third party instructions when using pre-conﬁgured hardware RAIDs.

Further information can be obtained via the Windows

™

Help and Support. Search and review the

section on “Dynamic Disks”. This section will provide you with information on how to convert a basic

disk to dynamic disk and conﬁguration steps on striping your disk array.

Disk Management.

Blackmagic Disk Speed Test.