ATEM mini level & format conversion

[revbobuk]

Folks - I need to interface an ATEM Mini Pro to an X32. Which means converting +4dB nominal to -10dB, balanced to unbalanced, and TRS (stereo) 1/4" jack to 3.5mm minijack. What's the least complex setup to do that? Anyone recommend a particular box? (Edited to add:) I'm thinking the Radial SB-5 used backwards, with the 3.5mm jack being the output instead of the input. It's a passive device, so ought to be fine being used that way? Edited August 25, 2020 by revbobuk

[ninjadingle]

I was going to suggest the Art CleanBox Pro, but it's balanced inputs are on XLR. That work for you?

[timsabre]

Unless you run into major earth loop problems (not impossible with HDMI etc in the setup) then you ought to be OK just with a simple cable like this

https://uk.farnell.com/pro-signal/jr8007-2m/lead-3-5mm-jack-2x6-35mm-jack/dp/4256608

 

[revbobuk]

I was going to suggest the Art CleanBox Pro, but it's balanced inputs are on XLR. That work for you?

That will do nicely. Cheaper than the Radial as well!

 

Unless you run into major earth loop problems (not impossible with HDMI etc in the setup) then you ought to be OK just with a simple cable like this

https://uk.farnell.com/pro-signal/jr8007-2m/lead-3-5mm-jack-2x6-35mm-jack/dp/4256608

I suspect you are correct, but with all the connections to PCs, HDMI and the rest, I just don't want to have to troubleshoot ground loops as well, and the simple cable solution also doesn't handle the 14dB level shift, and the Cleanbox does. It may be overkill, but with the whole setup costing ~3k anyway, £60 for a DI box is worth it just to deal with a couple of potential problems. I'm having enough headaches anyway - the ATEM Mini Pro is really fussy about which monitors it will work with - works fine with a Hanns-G, won't work with a very similar Acer. No coincidence it is made by a company called Blackmagic!

[sandall]

Unless you run into major earth loop problems (not impossible with HDMI etc in the setup) then you ought to be OK just with a simple cable like this

https://uk.farnell.c...jack/dp/4256608

 

Alternatively CPC do an XLR - mini-jack ground-loop isolator lead (AV25544) for about a fiver & TRS - XLR adaptors for peanuts. I suspect there is no attenuation (mine is still in its plastic bag), but there's plenty of space in an XLR for a 2-resistor pad.

 

E2A: If you don't need the transformers they do 2x 1/4" jack - mini-jackleads (AV18942 - AV18945) for a pound or two.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2020 by sandall

[Simon Lewis]

....the simple cable solution also doesn't handle the 14dB level shift

 

Just to be utterly pedantic, -10dBV to +4dBu is 11.8dB difference

 

More seriously, the reported fussy-ness about connected monitor is a little concerning... could you expand a bit more or do you know of any particular (say) 27" monitors that do work? We are probably buying a Pro plus monitor fairly soon!

Edited August 26, 2020 by Simon Lewis

[revbobuk]

....the simple cable solution also doesn't handle the 14dB level shift

 

Just to be utterly pedantic, -10dBV to +4dBu is 11.8dB difference

 

More seriously, the reported fussy-ness about connected monitor is a little concerning... could you expand a bit more or do you know of any particular (say) 27" monitors that do work? We are probably buying a Pro plus monitor fairly soon!

My Hanns-G HS271HPB works perfectly. I've ordered another Hanns-G in the hopes it will also work, and I'll report back later this week with the results.

[timsabre]

Is the monitor problem on the multiview output? or on the main output?

[revbobuk]

It only has one hdmi output, in addition to a USB out which can feed video to a computer and a network feed for streaming. The single hdmi can be program out or multiview, and that's the hdmi that has the issues. Mostly to do with frame rates I think, but I'm not really sure.

[timsabre]

It only has one hdmi output, in addition to a USB out which can feed video to a computer and a network feed for streaming. The single hdmi can be program out or multiview, and that's the hdmi that has the issues. Mostly to do with frame rates I think, but I'm not really sure.

 

Ah didn't realise that, I thought it had a separate multiviewer out. I haven't seen the mini pro in real life. It is probably frame rate or resolution ... some monitors consider a 50Hz frame rate too slow and won't display it.

[Peter F]

It only has one hdmi output, in addition to a USB out which can feed video to a computer and a network feed for streaming. The single hdmi can be program out or multiview, and that's the hdmi that has the issues. Mostly to do with frame rates I think, but I'm not really sure.

 

The output HDMI will be whatever you have set the video standard of the switcher to. Some broadcast monitors with HDMI inputs will not like non-broadcast frequency/resolutions, some computer monitors are also similarly picky about what they will accept.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[revbobuk]

It only has one hdmi output, in addition to a USB out which can feed video to a computer and a network feed for streaming. The single hdmi can be program out or multiview, and that's the hdmi that has the issues. Mostly to do with frame rates I think, but I'm not really sure.

 

The output HDMI will be whatever you have set the video standard of the switcher to. Some broadcast monitors with HDMI inputs will not like non-broadcast frequency/resolutions, some computer monitors are also similarly picky about what they will accept.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

You would think that was the case. But the monitor I was using would happily display the signal straight from the camera's hdmi out, but wouldn't display the ATEM output, even when that was set to just show the camera input. Allegedly the hdmi output can be set to a different rate to the input, but I'm not sure that's working properly. You can choose 'auto' - which sets the output rate to match input 1 - or a specific rate. My monitor will happily handle Full HD at 60Hz, but setting the rate to 60Hz still resulted in a blank screen when the Atem was plugged into it. It's made more confusing by the fact that the control software is common to all the Blackmagic range, with options greyed out that don't work with the Mini Pro, rather than being specific to a particular model.

[dosxuk]

There are also issues with computer monitors not liking YUV format pictures (vs RGB). I've seen plenty of computer monitors that don't work, but never a TV that won't display a picture from an Atem output.

 

With regards to the audio level shift, Atem's always seem to be a bit quiet, so the level difference may not actually be that much of a problem. I've given up on the built in metering and use a proper loudness meter on it's output to get a proper idea of levels.

[paulears]

The inputs on the ATEM are pretty sensitive, and the outputs on the X-32 somewhat potent - all my direct attempts with 3.5mm to jack into the various outs did not work well at all. In the end, used a DI box with the XLRs wired to 3.5mm and unbalanced. The ATEM seems to compress hot signals quite aggressively but doesn't distort them that much, which is a little odd. Tried the Behringer jack outs very low, but the noise between signals seems to be brought up randomly.

[djw1981]

....the simple cable solution also doesn't handle the 14dB level shift

 

Just to be utterly pedantic, -10dBV to +4dBu is 11.8dB difference

 

More seriously, the reported fussy-ness about connected monitor is a little concerning... could you expand a bit more or do you know of any particular (say) 27" monitors that do work? We are probably buying a Pro plus monitor fairly soon!

We bought an amazon BenQ and it worked fine with that and the Samaung 40 inch LED screen (used for 'training' our video ops.