Trouble using UltraStudio Mini Recorder on iMac.

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biohutch

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Trouble using UltraStudio Mini Recorder on iMac.

PostTue Jun 12, 2018 8:16 pm

Bought this product to use with my Sony α6000 on a Trinocular microscope to develop on line learning for High School Biology studying populations using among other organisms, the Paramecium.

I have it all set up with a micro HDMI to full sized HDMI connector from the camera, to a six foot HDMI to HDMI cable to the input of the US Mini Recorder. From there out on 0.5 m Thunderbolt 2 cable into an Apple MMEL2AM/A, Thunderbolt 3 (Usb-C) To 2 Adapter into my 2017 iMac. Initially I used iMovie 9.09 (couldn't get iMovie 10 to download). My 3.4 Ghz iMac. Initially everything was working superbly. Imovie would first select the Mac's built camera, but, the US Mini Recorder was there to be selected and I have gotten an hour of footage after editing.

Then for some reason I would select the camera icon and the built in camera would again be selected, but then when I selected the US MR the screen would be black. Switched back to built in Camera and that would be black.

Restart iMovie and try again and sometimes US MR would work, other times not. Continued to get worse. Tried Apple's Photo Both and would occasionally work, then not. Restarted the computer and iMovie would work some/some not. Now I only get with iMovie the built in camera, but when I switch to US MC the internal camera blanks on, then off to black.
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Tried Blackmagic Media Express and while it shows checked as the Device UltraStudo Mini Recorder it doesn't do anything when Log and Capture is selected. Once it flashed the picture, but then went black again. Tried all the connections and they all seem tight. I know it isn't the camera as I can still record to its flash card.

Could it be something wrong with the Mini Recorder?
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Tony Rivera

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Re: Trouble using UltraStudio Mini Recorder on iMac.

PostTue Jun 12, 2018 8:50 pm

If the Mini Recorder is being detected by the Mac and Media Express, the clues point to either the cable from the device or the output of the device not matching the specs supported by this product. Please check the outputs of the device and compare them to the tech spec page of the UltraStudio Mini Recorder.
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biohutch

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Re: Trouble using UltraStudio Mini Recorder on iMac.

PostWed Jun 13, 2018 8:19 pm

OK, I have tried everything I can think of to get this to work. What I don't understand is that for the first two weeks of using this device without me doing anything other than downloading the provided software from Black Magic Studio. I was able to use iMovie to capture really nice 15 minutes of edited files over two weeks.

I never changed any of the settings. Then it started to get tricky with it working some of the time and not others. I was able to use it with quickTime Player 7, Photo Both, Blackmagic Media Express, for a short time, etc., but randomly they all either required closing and restarting, or even restarting the computer, but now I can't do any recordings at all no matter what I try. I have noticed when I use Desktop Video Setup it shows Video In as HDMI, but blank for Output Format. I have tried all four conversions but no change.

I have pulled all the cables apart and reset them several times. Other than replacing them all (an expensive choice for me, let alone the Apple Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter at $43 alone) and they all were working fine when I bought them new for this project, how can I test them? Please help as I have purchased an expensive microscope and other equipment for this project and it is no good to me now in this situation. Perhaps a replacement UltraStudio Mini Recorder to test. I suppose I could simply return it to Amazon and try another model from another company.
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Tony Rivera

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Re: Trouble using UltraStudio Mini Recorder on iMac.

PostWed Jun 13, 2018 9:55 pm

iMovie is not an application supported for use with our product so the fact that it was recognized there is news. Media Express is our application and should work without issue. If it's shutting down on you, it could be resource issues or that your system does not have sufficient resources to capture footage. It could also very well be that the source isn't outputting a format supported by our product but just happened to see it. With it working for a certain time period but now doesn't points to some change on the computer side of things. This could be updates to the OS or potentially settings being changed.
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biohutch

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Re: Trouble using UltraStudio Mini Recorder on iMac.

PostThu Jun 14, 2018 2:55 am

Here are the details on my computer. Mac OS 10.13.5
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017)
3.4 GHz Intel Core i5
8 GB 2400 MHz DDR4
Radeon Pro 570 4096 MB

Unfortunately it doesn't work with your application, Media Express. I did upgrade on June 11, but it was having its troubles before then and I haven't changed any of the settings as it was working so well until the problems started. If you can't do anything to help me, will you accept my returning the module?
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Tony Rivera

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Re: Trouble using UltraStudio Mini Recorder on iMac.

PostThu Jun 14, 2018 10:32 pm

You can contact the support office in your region to go through additional troubleshooting steps however, we do not handle any exchanges or refunds for our products. That would be directed toward the reseller the product was purchased from and subject to their return policy.
Support: http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/support
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