Roland XI-SDI SDI Expansion Interface

The Roland XI-SDI is an expansion interface card designed to add professional Serial Digital Interface (SDI) video input and output capabilities to compatible Roland video switchers and production systems, such as the V-1600HD or V-800HD models. This card enables these systems to natively accept and switch broadcast-standard SDI video signals, which are the cornerstone of professional television, live event production, and broadcast facilities. By installing this card, users can seamlessly integrate SDI sources like professional cameras, graphics servers, media players, and recorders directly into their Roland switcher, expanding its connectivity and making it a more versatile hub for complex video production workflows that require mixing between both HDMI and SDI sources.

The interface typically provides multiple SDI inputs and outputs, supporting standards like HD-SDI and 3G-SDI for high-definition video up to 1080p resolution. It handles the digital video signal along with embedded audio, timecode, and ancillary data, ensuring a robust and integrated signal path. The card is designed for internal installation into a dedicated slot on the compatible host device, maintaining a clean, rack-mounted system without the need for external converters or messy cabling adapters. This integrated approach preserves the switcher's form factor and centralizes control, allowing operators to switch between all connected sources—both HDMI and SDI—transparently from the main control panel.

Installation of the XI-SDI card enhances the professional utility of the Roland switcher, bridging the gap between pro-AV environments (which often use HDMI) and broadcast or high-end live production environments (which rely on SDI's long-distance, locked-audio reliability). It is an essential upgrade for production companies, mobile broadcast trucks, worship venues, and corporate AV teams that need to future-proof their systems and ensure compatibility with a broad range of professional video equipment, all while leveraging the powerful switching, effects, and streaming features of their Roland video production core.