Blackmagic Forum

Hi all,

I'm new to the world of cameras and got a large Blackmagic Video Assist device for Christmas, to go with my Ursa Pro 4.6. I've plugged it in via SDI ports with a cable I grabbed from Amazon just to see if it was working okay or there was anything else I needed (why can't they include everything in the box and just charge a slightly higher price?!) but the picture is still black on the display. Is there anything else I need to do on the camera itself to get it talking to the device? Going through the instructions it looks as though it should just work.

I have no memory plugged into the device or the camera because I am not recording - I just wanted to make sure the picture came through properly and the device worked with regards to the touchscreen side of things.

Should it just work or do I need to set up memory cards as well?

Any advice gratefully received, I am a proper noob when it comes to this. Truth is, I only own all this because I am directing two features this year and it worked out cheaper to buy everything than keep renting it!

Assuming you have hooked up the correct inputs/outputs, it may be that you are sending a signal the VA does not support. Try setting the SDI output format to 1080p and check again.

Probabbly had the camera set up for 4K.. Which on the Ursa does output 12G-sdi. While the VA 4K only support up to 6G-sdi..

Change output settings or hook it up to the front SDI port (Which is 1080P max)

Thanks, I am pretty sure I tried all that but i have a camera guy round tomorrow so I will get him to double-check. The cable I got was quite cheap and I have been told they're temperamental so, if he has no joy (he uses this camera) then I'll try that next.

The cable could be the issue. You need at least a 3G SDI cable, not the old SD coax cables. It also needs to have real 75-ohm BC connectors. Some cheep cables through 52-ohm com BC connectors on, which will also prevent it from working.
Cheers

Denny, if the cable is under 2 meters.. As long as the connectors have a solid connection.. Even 3G will pass trough it fine..

Got old 1,5G cable from 10 years back here.. Length of 4 meters tested fine with 12G-sdi on the Phabrix QX. Eye opening is good enough to add another 5 meters to it.

After 10 meters comes the real trouble..

But try to avoid 50 Ohm connectors.. These tend to have thicker pins which can damage your BNC connectors on your gear.

Yes, Daniel I agree. I have older 2 and 3-meter patch cables from 1.5G days, that work in HD under 1080p30. Once you go past 1080p60, I found these older cables less reliable, and in one case a new, older HDMI design cable, did not pass 1080p60 from a camera to my monitor. I rep,aced the cable with a newer high bs width cable, and all was good. So when someone has an issue, like the OP’s issue with cheep Cables, I look at the Cables first, as a general starting point. So as long as you are buying new cables, might as well get some that will be compatible down the road with 12G looming around the corner.
Cheers

Older HDMI cables completely different story.. They don't run fine.. Even cheap HDMI 1.4 cable brand new out of the blister sometimes fails..

But sdi cable and short cables are very forgiving..