No extended desktop to SD monitor via SDI – Set up for Multibridge

[Luke Maslen]

Hi Daniel,

When you install Multibridge Pro or Multibridge Extreme, the extended desktop will default to the highest resolution supported by that device. That would be 1920×1080 for Multibridge Pro or 2048×1556 for Multibridge Extreme. Neither of these desktops will be compatible with your standard definition SDI monitor which is why you can’t see the desktop via SDI. To resolve the problem, you need to change your desktop to an SD format by following the steps listed in the support note Can a SD monitor be used with DeckLink HD and Mac OS X?.

Go to the Dock, open the System Preferences and select Displays. Ensure that Show displays in menu bar is enabled.

Click on the Displays menu (near the top right of your computer monitor) and set Number of recent items to 10.

Now click on the Displays menu again and you should see all the resolutions of your DeckLink HD series card. Set the appropriate resolution and Hz rate for your broadcast monitor, eg 720 x 486 and 29 Hz for NTSC, or 720 x 576 and 25 Hz for PAL.

The same note is applicable to your Multibridge. It is often a good idea to set your extended desktop to the same format as the video you are editing in Final Cut Pro so that you can instantly switch between the desktop and Final Cut Pro without having to wait for your external monitors to change formats and this can also avoid an audio “pop” on your speakers.

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Daniel5000]

Thanks for responding Luke

Unfortunately after following the instructions I still only get options for HD no SD resolutions appear.

All SDI in put and output connections are going through channel A.

Also in the BlackMagic DeckLink preferences under the Change Video and Audio Connections, I only see two options for output:

SDI & NTSC/PAL & Y,R-Y,B-Y and SDI & NTSC/PAL & S-Video
However the manual says that it should be set to a third option

[Luke Maslen]

Hi Daniel,

[Daniel6500] “Unfortunately after following the instructions I still only get options for HD no SD resolutions appear.”

Does this mean that you do not see any SD resolutions listed under your Displays menu? If so, you must have a Multibridge Extreme and it supports more than 10 resolutions and so that’s why you can’t see the SD resolutions. Sorry about that but that’s a limitation of the Displays menu and you have to be a little unlucky to encounter this problem.

The solution is to again go to the Dock, open the System Preferences and select Displays. You will see the Display panel for your computer monitor. Click on the Gather Windows button. This will move the “Television” Display panel for your SDI monitor on to your computer screen but it will be hidden behind the first Display panel. Drag the main Display panel to one side to reveal the Television Display panel for your SDI monitor. Set the resolution to 720×486 and 29 Hz (or 720×576 and 25 Hz for PAL) and then quit out of System Preferences.

Now can you see the NTSC desktop on your SDI monitor? If you are using a PAL-only SDI monitor, make sure that the desktop is set to PAL otherwise you won’t see it. Similarly, if you are using an NTSC-only SDI monitor, make sure the desktop is set to NTSC otherwise you won’t see it.

If this still doesn’t work, try connecting the component analog ouputs of the Multibridge to the component analog input of your SDI monitor and see if that works.

Can you please specify which model of Multibridge you are using?

All outputs of the Multibridge are active and that means all the digital and analog video and analog outputs are active all the time. S-video uses two out of the three component analog outputs so that’s why you need to make a choice and choose between component or S-video output.

Regards,

Luke Maslen
Blackmagic Design

[Daniel5000]

Hello

Yes I have a Multibridge Extreme. Sorry about any confusion.

OK you suggestions work