Decklink Extreme 3D not capable of recording Voiceover thru XRL input

Blackmagic Design

Decklink Extreme 3D not capable of recording Voiceover thru XRL input

Posted by Chris W. hill on January 12, 2013 at 2:33 am

I’ve discovered something really annoying about using the Blackmagic Decklink card. The inputs only work when your’e sending in a video source.
I was trying to set up my Avid so that I could record VO and loop dialouge using a mic going in XLR to the breakout cables.

I ran the mic thru my mixer and got no levels. Eventually I read that you need a sync ref, so I plugged in an old beta sp deck sync ref, and composite cable and tried again. This time I got the SD picture and I did get my mic audio just fine. But obviously I can’t use that setup in a 1080 project so I bought a Blackmagic tri sync and set it to 23.98 to get my mic to work in a 1080 project. No dice, no levels with just the BM Tri sync plugged into the sync ref breakout cable.

I used my laptop’s HDMI out, plugged that in to send a 1080/ 24p picture to the declink, still with my mic plugged in XLR. I set the appropriate settings in the decklink control panel and that worked. I even unplugged the sync gen and it still works. But only in 24, not 23.976, and the sync gen does nothing to activate the inputs, only an actual video signal seems to do it.

I’ve already experimented with this for a full week and can say with 99% certainty that the blackmagic card cannot be used to record VO unless you have an active video source plugged into it running at the same frame rate as your project. Sync Gens won’t fix the issue. It sucks.

What I would have hoped for an expected was to get audio into my Avid via XLR, with the MB Sync Generator sending enough of a signal to get the whole thing to work. Doesn’t work though. I don’t think the card can do it.

And yes I’m sure I set up my sync gen correctly. Even though the dip switch setup is totally obscure.

Chris W. hill replied 13 years, 8 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
2 Replies

Juan Salvo
January 12, 2013 at 7:12 am

You are correct that the card can’t do this without input video. Might I suggest looping the output video into input, or alternatively purchasing an inexpensive USB audio preamp and using that.

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Chris W. hill
January 14, 2013 at 10:35 pm

Thanks so much for the response and advice. I really appreciate it!!!!!!:)

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