Blackmagic Forum

Hello dear,
I have an issue with my Sony Anycast station and few devices from BMD.
I can get output signal to a TV/Monitor using RGB. However, if I connect the BMD analog to digital converter to feed the mini recorder using my macbook pro with sierra High latest version, I will not get a signal.
I was instructed by a tech from BMD to turn switch 1&5 ON and connect my coax to the Y port. but I haven't got any signal since then.
Please see picture attached for mere details.
Please assist if you could.
Regards

Hello Merlin. While I'm not familiar with this product, I'm looking at some specifications and I don't see an analog output. It looks to have SDI outputs. Maybe your product is different than what I am looking at, but it may not need the Analog to SDI converter.

Regards, Gary

I'd suspect that the RF connector(s) at either end of the coax cables you're using are not doing you any favors. Can you use a coax cable that has BNC connectors on both ends for both paths -- analog to converter and converter to TB mini recorder?

Looks like composite to me! Anycast AWS-G500 right?


The RF connector is somewhat disturbing.. But if seen it more.. People use convert connectors a lot.. So is this RF coaxial.. But could be the source of the trouble...

DOes the Analog to SDI converter have a led that triggers when it has a signal?

Open the blackmagic desktop video setup application, check if the mini recorder is connected.
Check the sdi input is selected

This is RF coax and I have tried 50 and 75 Ohm cable without success.
The Analog to SDI has a bright light on the Output port as well as the power side of the device.
Thank you

Xtreemtec wrote:Looks like composite to me! Anycast AWS-G500 right?


The RF connector is somewhat disturbing.. But if seen it more.. People use convert connectors a lot.. So is this RF coaxial.. But could be the source of the trouble...

DOes the Analog to SDI converter have a led that triggers when it has a signal?

Hello,
The mini recorder is well-connected to the PC and set to SDI not HDMI.
The same cable and adapter if used for input interface can successfully feed the signal into the Sony station

Is the correct input frequency set in the MiniRecorder? Are you using the MediaExpress software to verify base level connection before trying other applications?

mnguehou, you have the Sony switcher Composite output connected to thr Analong/SDI Converter, which you set to Y/C. This is your issue, either reset the Mini Converter to a Composite, or get the SVideo (Y/C) Din to BNC cable and connect the Y and C outputs to the Mini Converter.

If you like, I have the correct SVdieo Din (the round connector below the composite output you used is the SVideo Y/C port you need to used) to BNC to connect to the Mini Converter for best video quality results. PM me for details.
Cheers

No, if only switch 1 and 5 are ON it's the good position for composite




I have a question with this "The same cable and adapter if used for input interface can successfully feed the signal into the Sony station" You have a mini recorder or a mini monitor ??? Because there are not bidirectional. You need a mini recorder to input SDI or HDMI to your mac or mini monitor to output a screen to your sony (only if you have the HD SDI input card)

But if you can choice SDI or HDMI in the converter setup it's a mini recorder.
Have you a monitor with sdi input to check the output f the converter ?
Have you a picture in the rec preview of media express ?
Is OBS right configured ? like this :

PK, you are correct, should have checked my adapter, but it is at the Studio. Still, selecting SVideo over Composite will give a better signal. 1 is Processing on/off, I usually set this to off, when working with SD signals.
Cheers

Hello dear,
This is indeed the Sony Anycast AWS-G500 and once the Analog to SDI has a bright LED when the cable is connected.
Thanks you

Xtreemtec wrote:Looks like composite to me! Anycast AWS-G500 right?


The RF connector is somewhat disturbing.. But if seen it more.. People use convert connectors a lot.. So is this RF coaxial.. But could be the source of the trouble...

DOes the Analog to SDI converter have a led that triggers when it has a signal?

Roger,
I will replace that today and see how it goes.
Thank you

rogersuski wrote:I'd suspect that the RF connector(s) at either end of the coax cables you're using are not doing you any favors. Can you use a coax cable that has BNC connectors on both ends for both paths -- analog to converter and converter to TB mini recorder?

This device is set to SDI mode, not HDMI.
Thank you

Denis Streel wrote:Open the blackmagic desktop video setup application, check if the mini recorder is connected.
Check the sdi input is selected

Roger,
I haven't tried that.
give me some instruction or any documentation that supports this.
Thank you

rogersuski wrote:Is the correct input frequency set in the MiniRecorder? Are you using the MediaExpress software to verify base level connection before trying other applications?

Denis,
Thank you for your time debugging this issue
I have a mini recorder connected to my Mac. Here are few steps I used to troubleshoot this issue.
If I set my mini recorder to HDMI Input with a Camera and connect it to my TV or monitor, I get a good signal.
If I change the Output of the mini recorder and set to SDI then connect to my Camera, I get no signal.
If I connect the Camera to my Sony Switcher using SDI I get the signal on my PVW and I can get that signal to display on the output of my Sony switcher to a TV using RGB.
If I connect the "Analog to SDI" to my Sony switcher Composite Output, then turn ON PIN# 1 and 5 of the "Analog to SDI" and use the Y or NTSC/PAL I will not get a signal. P.s: the SDI out has a bright light and my mini recorder is set to: Device: AltraveStudio Mini recorder - Mode Auto - YUV Color Range: Default - Channel: 2ch, resulting still to no Picture
See Picture Below

Denis Streel wrote:No, if only switch 1 and 5 are ON it's the good position for composite

The attachment mini-converters-analog-to-sdi@2x.jpg is no longer available

I have a question with this "The same cable and adapter if used for input interface can successfully feed the signal into the Sony station" You have a mini recorder or a mini monitor ??? Because there are not bidirectional. You need a mini recorder to input SDI or HDMI to your mac or mini monitor to output a screen to your sony (only if you have the HD SDI input card)

But if you can choice SDI or HDMI in the converter setup it's a mini recorder.
Have you a monitor with sdi input to check the output f the converter ?
Have you a picture in the rec preview of media express ?
Is OBS right configured ? like this :

The attachment Capture d’écran 2018-05-10 à 10.27.25.png is no longer available

Hello Gary,
What could be the issue here if I can get signal once the device is set to HDMI input?
Thank you

Gary Adams wrote:Hello Merlin. While I'm not familiar with this product, I'm looking at some specifications and I don't see an analog output. It looks to have SDI outputs. Maybe your product is different than what I am looking at, but it may not need the Analog to SDI converter.

Regards, Gary

Hello Merlin. Sorry this takes so long to troubleshoot. While I am not familiar with the Sony switcher, I see from your picture you are connecting a Composite output to the Analog to SDI which is correct. What we do not know is if the Composite output is working. Do you have a monitor that you can connect this signal directly to see if it is outputting? What signal are you feeding through the switcher? Something like color bars for testing? If you have a composite source other than the switcher can you feed that directly to the converter? Thinks to note that the signal going into the Analog to SDI converter must be a standard broadcast composite signal and it must be stable, meaning no VHS or Beta machines connected directly.

Regards, Gary

Gary,
Thank you for your input.
I will try to connect the Sony Composite output to a monitor to see if it reflect the PGM running, that PGM can be Internal to the switcher, or PC or event cameras connected to the Inputs interfaces of the switcher.

Another test I've is to have the Video from a camera using the video RCA connection directly to the Mini recorder,( bypassing the switcher) and I cannot get a signal, but if I change the input to be HDMI from the camera and also from the BMD desktop utility, then I get a perfect signal.
P.S: once using the composite RCA cable I also use an adapter RCA-to-coax to allow the connector to fit the SI port of the mini recorder.

Thanks

Gary Adams wrote:Hello Merlin. Sorry this takes so long to troubleshoot. While I am not familiar with the Sony switcher, I see from your picture you are connecting a Composite output to the Analog to SDI which is correct. What we do not know is if the Composite output is working. Do you have a monitor that you can connect this signal directly to see if it is outputting? What signal are you feeding through the switcher? Something like color bars for testing? If you have a composite source other than the switcher can you feed that directly to the converter? Thinks to note that the signal going into the Analog to SDI converter must be a standard broadcast composite signal and it must be stable, meaning no VHS or Beta machines connected directly.

Regards, Gary

Hello Merlin. If the connection on the camera is an RCA connector, then the video is probably Composite (analog) and not digital (SDI). Connecting this to the Mini Recorder will not work because it expects a digital signal. Maybe connecting to the Analog to SDI converter will work. (Maybe that is what you meant). Remember adapters are just pieces of metal that let you connect things. They cannot convert the signal.

Regards, Gary

mnguehou wrote:If I set my mini recorder to HDMI Input with a Camera and connect it to my TV or monitor, I get a good signal.
If I change the Output of the mini recorder and set to SDI then connect to my Camera, I get no signal.
If I connect the Camera to my Sony Switcher using SDI I get the signal on my PVW and I can get that signal to display on the output of my Sony switcher to a TV using RGB.

I can't understand your test. If you set your mini recorder to HDMI or SDI it's impossible to have a good signal in your TV or monitor, because the only output available is the thunderbolt for your computer.
You can not change the output because you have only input in your micro recorder.
Have you a camera with sdi output ? If yes, plug in in your mini recorder, switch it to sdi and check with OBS if you have a picture.

Denis,
Sorry that was misleading. I would had say I will have a signal on my laptop via OBS
Once camera is connected to hdmi on my mini recorder there is no problem, if I connect the camera to the SDI interface of the mini recorder using the RCA adapter I see no picture and I believe it’s because the signal expected by the mini recorder is Digital while RCA on my camera offers analog signal.

Denis Streel wrote:

mnguehou wrote:If I set my mini recorder to HDMI Input with a Camera and connect it to my TV or monitor, I get a good signal.
If I change the Output of the mini recorder and set to SDI then connect to my Camera, I get no signal.
If I connect the Camera to my Sony Switcher using SDI I get the signal on my PVW and I can get that signal to display on the output of my Sony switcher to a TV using RGB.

I can't understand your test. If you set your mini recorder to HDMI or SDI it's impossible to have a good signal in your TV or monitor, because the only output available is the thunderbolt for your computer.
You can not change the output because you have only input in your micro recorder.
Have you a camera with sdi output ? If yes, plug in in your mini recorder, switch it to sdi and check with OBS if you have a picture.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yes SDI is digital and not analog.
If you can not find a camera or a recorder with sdi output to test the SDI input of the mini recorder we have difficult to make more test.


Can you print screen of your "desktop video setting" app when only your thunderbolt is connected (nothing in BNC or HDMI) Normally you have this :