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ATEM 1/ME HDMI input at SD problem
Hi, I have had an ATEM 1M/E for about 6 months now. I have run into a variety of problems and had been in contact with blackmagic support for some time but got little more than we may look into this problem responses.
Let me explain. I work for a theatre group and we use the mixer on stage- we have a 4 computer plugged it and several anaologue cameras hooked up via a matrix (it distributes signals to capture cards and other devices). I have 3 computers connected by HDMI and 1 via a DVI to SDI convertor.
The biggest problem is that we work at SD Pal. Getting a signal in via SD PAL over HDMI has been quite a challenge. My responses form BMD have been that I am not outputting the correct signal. However I can connect the same sources to other blackmagic gear (HDMI capture) and it shows up perfectly, however input is difficult to achieve on the ATEM. I use a single PC and 3 macbook pros of various ages but all with mini display port and dedicated video cards. As I change the firmware I see computers that did connect fine on one version not connecting at all on another and even one machine that connected up until 2.8 perfectly, switch the red and the blue signals on all versions after 2.8. I have another machine that only gives an image after 2.8 firmware.
Most of my discussions with BMD end with, well we are concentrating on new features and HD. Other discussions concerning the HDMI inputs, (people using them cor cameras) lead to well you should get an HDMI to SDI convertor and connect via SDI if you want to use cameras for input. If the HDMI signals are not really for cameras and they are so troublesome with computers what are they for? I have noticed I get more trouble when using analogue inputs and when I have hard start (black to white) images over the HDMI.
I have gone through 2 units so far, 1 was replaced as it has a dead HDMI input and another is being replaced as it constantly drops the ethernet connection. I also have a lot of trouble with the HDMI multiview flashing and dropping out. I have of course used very short and high quality cables and done a multitude of testing. In the end I am pretty sure it is not my hardware as I get very different results from different versions of the firmware. Unfortunately the actual changes to the firmware are not documented, only new features.
I have also never successfully recorded anything via the USB output (tried mac and PC usb 2 and 3 with a qualified USB 3 systems) – does anyone have reliable working solutions for this- is it simply I have had 2 defective units?
I have seen many others posting about similar problems. I wanted to try and gauge how many others out there have trouble (it seems it does not happen at HD resolutions so much but problems to persist.) and whether I should try and return this product as it may have been released to early to market. I am waiting on another RMA, my reseller informed me there are a lot of RMA’s for this product. I can cut my losses now and look for another solution ( I know it will cost more but a useable product is important to me). As this will be my third unit and I read a lot of posts about problems here and on the ATEM user site I would love to get some feedback on anyone regularly using the unit in PAL SD and recording the output and connecting multiple computers.
Cheers
Fred
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2 Replies
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As we are shooting community sports, SD is much more reliable on the hardware side (longer camera runs, cheaper and a wider range of converters and gear) yet as it hits the Atem, it seems they do not wish to support it (HD isn’t the only answer)
The output seems to have no 16:9 option (anamorphic only in 4:3) and consequently the multi view is 4:3 images in a 16:9 box
I cannot get Mac display into the HDMI inputs in SD (tried four brands of adaptors, and standard & non standard apps to try to work around the issues), I have got a Blackmagic intensity HDMI output to work and yet I have been able to get a PC to display properly!I am otherwise happy with the 1ME, (on my second unit – network issues batch) but not being able to mix Macs in is proving to be a major problem
Keep onto them, Hopefully the promises they off will eventually work!
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I had similar trouble with the ATEM. I have had great luck with late model macs (mini display port and upwards, but not all. You will need a model with a dedicated video card also.
The problem is getting the exact signal right, you have to output a 768×576 signal refreshing at 25hz and interlaced. this is outside of what many video cards want to do. Sometimes using tools like switch resx or powerstrip will allow you to get a picture to the unit.
I had almost no luck with PC connections and blackmagic tech support have stopped responding about this issue fullstop (to me anyway).
There are definately some strange things going on with the firmware at SD, certain firmwares will give me blue and red switched for some computers and not for others, other firmwares report the edid correctly and will have computers that could not work on another version work.
Please hassle blackmagic support to sort out the SD modes! I know I ma not the only one, and I am sure a lot of the problems are with the firmware (even though they give next to no documentation on fixes and changes when they do a release) as each release behaves so differently. Anyway for Sd I am having the best luck with version 2.5-2.7
Cheers
Fred
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