How to make Blackmagic Video Assist full screen on Canon 5D3

Getting started with a Blackmagic product? Ask questions here about setup and installation.
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Joey06

How to make Blackmagic Video Assist full screen on Canon 5D3

PostMon Mar 14, 2016 5:26 am

Hi, I got a Blackmagic Video Assist a few days ago and I can't seem to be able to make the whole screen be used up when I connect it to my 5D3 via HDMI.

Can anyone help me with this?

Cheers
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Denny Smith

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Re: How to make Blackmagic Video Assist full screen on Canon

PostTue Mar 15, 2016 5:33 pm

The Canon camera output is not full scale HD, so you are seeing what the camera is outputting. What,resolution are you setting in the camera? Some monitors and EVFs, like Zacuro" did "auto scaling" to correct this, and fill the screen with the smaller imag.
Denny Smith
SHA Productions

Joey06

Re: How to make Blackmagic Video Assist full screen on Canon

PostWed Mar 16, 2016 12:39 am

Ah okay, the resolution I am recording at in camera is 1920x1080p 24fps. I am only planning to use the Video Assist as a monitor. I have seen reviews of the Video Assist where the screen is full from a Canon 1DC, 7d Mark II and C100, so it must be possible on the 5DIII as well.

Also, what firmware version does the Video Assist ship with? Where can I find out what version I am running?
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Denny Smith

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Re: How to make Blackmagic Video Assist full screen on Canon

PostWed Mar 16, 2016 4:50 pm

With a Canon, the shooting resolution does not always equal the camera's output resolution, etc. Hook your camera up to a TV monitor and turn it on, you will see the output resolution on the top cornner of the monitor, or press "info" on the TV remote to see the signal setting. Check your camera HDMI setting in the menus also. Also are you using a new high res. HDMI cable, a low bandwidth cable could cause issues also. If your camera is a 5D Mark 3, then it should output a 1920x1080 interlaced signal, if HDMI settings are correct. Also turn off HDMI control, this is to control camera with TV remote.

Some Canon cameras did not output full resolution setting, so auto scaling was developed to rescale the signal back to what the monitor was looking for to fill the screen. The Video Assist does not do auto scaling. What you see is what the camera is outputting (an interlaced 2/3 pull down signal).
The latest firmware is available from BM Support site. You can download Ver1.2 ( latest), has only been one update so far. Once downloaded, connect VA to your computer and run the update utility in the firmware (once it is installed on your computer), and it will tell you if VA is UHD to date, or load the Ver 1.2 firmware. This is a nice update, but does not address image scaling issues.
Last edited by Denny Smith on Wed Feb 13, 2019 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Denny Smith
SHA Productions

Joey06

Re: How to make Blackmagic Video Assist full screen on Canon

PostThu Mar 17, 2016 11:07 am

I have updated my Canon 5D Mark III to the latest firmware and the Video Assist is now full screen. My VA shipped with firmware version 1.2. Everything is working fine. Very happy so far with the Video Assist.
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Denny Smith

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Re: How to make Blackmagic Video Assist full screen on Canon

PostThu Mar 17, 2016 3:59 pm

Good Joe, glad you got it sorted. Cheers
Denny Smith
SHA Productions

Joey06

Re: How to make Blackmagic Video Assist full screen on Canon

PostFri Mar 18, 2016 3:41 am

Thanks Denny, appreciate your help.
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beeebeee

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Re: How to make Blackmagic Video Assist full screen on Canon

PostWed Feb 13, 2019 10:05 am

Hi Joey,
I have this problem too. I've added the latest firmware to my canon 5D and the BM video assist but still can't get the output picture to fill frame. Could you let me know all your HDMI / camera settings in case I'm missing something. Many thanx, bb

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