Blackmagic Video Assist with BMPC 4K question

Hi folks,

Newbie SDI question here. I have the BMPC 4K and looking at a cheap-ish monitor so the Blackmagic Video Assist (not the 4K one) looks decent for what I need. The question is what SDI cable do I need so that I can shoot UHD internally on the BMPC and output HD onto the VA. I don't think the VA comes with any cables and I can't find much info online. Any help with where to order from in the UK would be a bonus as I have a shoot next month I'm prepping for.

Best

Kevin

Pretty sure you just need this SDI cable.

https://www.amazon.ca/Smallrig%C2%AE-Assist-Cable-Blackmagic-Video-1717/dp/B01B2IMPNS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1463614970&sr=8-2&keywords=smallrig+cable

Thanks Chris

I would like to add that, as of the BM Camera 3.3 firmware and the BM VA 2.1 firmware, the BMPC 4K is not able to trigger the VA 5", which is a total bummer- especially since the problem appears to lie within the BMPC, which has not had any update in over a year. It just doesn't seem to be an issue that the BM engineers are willing to fix...
If this pairing worked as it should -and as advertised-, you hit the record on the BMPC 4K to record 4K RAW DNGs and the VA automatically records 1080p ProRes footage, at the same length- down to the frame- as the camera, making it incredibly easy to match up the ProRes proxies with the DNGs in post, so you can edit with the light files and color with the RAW...
Unfortunately this is lacking up to today a solution or workaround from the engineers. They know about this, but allow this "embarrassing" lack of compatibility exist between their own products...
My hope is that the BMPC will be un-orphaned for the next firmware in order to address this issue, because none of us is robotic enough to push record on both the VA and the BMPC at the same time consistently...
If there is a workaround or some inexpensive LANC cable that triggers both simultaneously that I am unaware of, please let me know...
Thanks, and as always I am loyal BM user, just disappointed in this overlooked feature.

ProAV in the UK have the SDI cable you need:
https://www.proav.co.uk/proactive-10-23 ... -bnc-cable

Yes, and that is a better quality cable than the previously referred Small Rig cable.
Cheers

I find it very disappointing what Blackmagic makes here. I own a BMPC 4K and a Video Assist 5 ". And you can not really use together these two products of BM.
I'll think carefully whether I again buy myself a product of BM.
The update policy in the hardware sector is horrible if you look at the competitors.
Actually very unfortunate.

I would like to add that, as of the BM Camera 3.3 firmware and the BM VA 2.1 firmware, the BMPC 4K is not able to trigger the VA 5", which is a total bummer- especially since the problem appears to lie within the BMPC, which has not had any update in over a year. It just doesn't seem to be an issue that the BM engineers are willing to fix...
If this pairing worked as it should -and as advertised-, you hit the record on the BMPC 4K to record 4K RAW DNGs and the VA automatically records 1080p ProRes footage, at the same length- down to the frame- as the camera, making it incredibly easy to match up the ProRes proxies with the DNGs in post, so you can edit with the light files and color with the RAW...
Unfortunately this is lacking up to today a solution or workaround from the engineers. They know about this, but allow this "embarrassing" lack of compatibility exist between their own products...
My hope is that the BMPC will be un-orphaned for the next firmware in order to address this issue, because none of us is robotic enough to push record on both the VA and the BMPC at the same time consistently...
If there is a workaround or some inexpensive LANC cable that triggers both simultaneously that I am unaware of, please let me know...
Thanks, and as always I am loyal BM user, just disappointed in this overlooked feature.

FYI: The most current firmware for the "Blackmagic Production Camera 4K" (BMPC-4K) is version 2.4 available from the support page:
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/suppor ... al-cameras

-

I find it very disappointing what Blackmagic makes here. I own a BMPC 4K and a Video Assist 5 ". And you can not really use together these two products of BM.

Me too.

Yes, BM needs to add T/C out to the Production camera, but since it hasn't happened yet, and they were looking into it (confirmed by BM), I am thinking it is more of a hardware issue. It would make more senses to have the BMPC output T/C rather the the Cinema camera, given the Peoduction camera was aimed at broadcast production applications as one of its uses.
Cheers

I am considering using a BMPC 4K with the 5" BM Video Assist. I'll be recording UHD in the camera and just using the VA as a monitor. That should work, right? I'm a little confused by the comments regarding them not being compatible.

BM have now added record triggering to the SDI output in the latest firmware:
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/suppor ... al-cameras

As well as T/C out the SDI, way to go BM!