Sanity Check for a VR Rig using BMMSC4K/Remote Auto-Control

Greetings,

* We are working on a VR project which is to utilize 10+x"BMMSC4K" with completely manual lenses. These cameras will capture 4K30fps and will be interfaced to a PC through several "Decklink 8K Pro"s.

* Our local representatives are very helpful and suggested us several "Teranex Mini SDI Distribution 12G"s and 1x"ATEM 2 M/E Production Studio 4K" to control camera parameters like color correction parameters, exposure time, ...

* Our configuration does have an empty SDI I/O ports on one of the above mentioned "Decklink 8K Pro"s.

For such a configuration I have couple of questions that I hope some of you can answer.

(0) SDI-out of BMMSC4K does not provide a two-way communication option, does it? We cannot get video and then set some camera parameters via a single cable, right?

(1) We have 3 options to change camera parameters, right? Through SDI-in port on BMMSC4K, through an expansion octopus cable (via LANC or S.Bus) or buttons on the camera (+ a monitor).

(2) We wish to use our own controllable camera parameters and our adaptive algorithms (i.e. auto balance, etc.) running in our PC. This eliminates buttons as an option. Does this also eliminate the solution proposed via our local representative as we only wish to set cameras through our own fully automated algorithms? (Atem control software seems to have a UI but we do not know whether it has an API or a SDK.)

(3) As we have empty SDI in/out ports in one of our capture card we plan to use an SDI switch (like VeLLBox SDI Switcher 4x1, 4 in - 1 out) to select the camera that we wish to set parameters of and send camera parameters that we wish to use through SDI-out of one of the ports of a "Decklink 8K Pro". Is this possible?

(4) I went through the documentation of Decklink SDK but I was unable to find any set/get functions for camera exposure or color correction parameters. Is there an alternative approach to follow? Am I missing something?

I am completely open to any suggestions and I do thank you for your understanding in case I have asked something quite trivial.

Best Regards and Happy Thanksgiving (to some of you),

VD

Greetings,
I have found the following document and will read it yet I'd appreciate if anyone with experience can share theirs:
"https://documents.blackmagicdesign.com/Developer/Camera/20181019-740d71/BlackmagicCameraControl.pdf" but I would still appreciate if anyone can

Best,

(0) SDI-out of BMMSC4K does not provide a two-way communication option, does it? We cannot get video and then set some camera parameters via a single cable, right?

No.

(1) We have 3 options to change camera parameters, right? Through SDI-in port on BMMSC4K, through an expansion octopus cable (via LANC or S.Bus) or buttons on the camera (+ a monitor).

Yes.

(2) We wish to use our own controllable camera parameters and our adaptive algorithms (i.e. auto balance, etc.) running in our PC. This eliminates buttons as an option. Does this also eliminate the solution proposed via our local representative as we only wish to set cameras through our own fully automated algorithms? (Atem control software seems to have a UI but we do not know whether it has an API or a SDK.)

Camera control protocol is detailed in the camera manual.

(3) As we have empty SDI in/out ports in one of our capture card we plan to use an SDI switch (like VeLLBox SDI Switcher 4x1, 4 in - 1 out) to select the camera that we wish to set parameters of and send camera parameters that we wish to use through SDI-out of one of the ports of a "Decklink 8K Pro". Is this possible?

The 8K Pro is full duplex, so you can have one input and one output at the same time. You'd have to have an application sending valid camera control signals out using the DeckLink SDK.

* We are working on a VR project which is to utilize 10+x"BMMSC4K" with completely manual lenses. These cameras will capture 4K30fps and will be interfaced to a PC through several "Decklink 8K Pro"s.

You are aware this card does only 1 input and 1 output.. Meaning you need the same amount of cards then you have cameras........

It is not a 4 channel capture card..