Blackmagic Forum

Hi,

Just new to the forum. We use an ATEM 2M/E 4K together with Studio Converter and Camera Converters.

I love this config with the fiber runs and everything I need included but I wonder why BMD choose the "exotic" intercom headsets connections instead the 4 or 5 pin XLR standard in this business.

I have two questions for you:

1.- ¿Specs for the headset and mic on the Camera Converter? I found that the ones that runs OK are the Apple iphone earbuds with mic, but those are not well suited for noisy environments so I would like to adapt it to a standard headset but found that the audio you get in the headphones is very low, it seems the amplifier inside the Converter is made to feed a very low impedance headphone and as you raise the impedance you loose power... Same goes to the mic, I can't find a professional headset that feeds the mic line OK, I get distortion or saturation pops or low audio...

2.- ¿Specs for the headset and mic on the Studio Converter? Same thing here, less problems with the headphones in this case as the internal amplifier seems to be more powerful but the XLR mic input needs to be feed right to work as I have almost the same problems that on the Camera Converter, very low audio or very saturated with lot of pops, etc.

If you have any advice about a more or less standard headsets that work fine with these units, please let me know

Many thanks and have a nice year!

You could get one of these:

https://www.amazon.de/Universal-Microph ... +converter

And add a simple headphone amplifier. Put all into a box, add a XLR4 or 5 Pin socket and make sure to get power for this setup anywhere. That should do the trick.

Cheers

Robert

I just wish they would stick to one format of plug

Camera converter uses 1/8 inch stereo connectors
The studio fiber converters use 1/4 inch and aviation connectors or an 3 pin xlr
The new cameras use 4 pin xlr

Now I have to make adapters to make one headset to work on different equipment

Kevin McGrath wrote:The new cameras use 4 pin xlr

This is Industry standard for broadcasting.. The whole 3,5mm headset connection was a decision to keep the costs low for new users wanting to have talkback but do not want to spend tons of money into headsets.. A cheap headphone would work.

But was totally not use-able for all broadcast parties that use Heavy duty headsets like Clark, Peltor, Beyer..

Hi everyone,

Thank you for the answers, although the adapter Robert propose could work fine,

Robert Betzner wrote:You could get one of these:
iRig PRE

And add a simple headphone amplifier. Put all into a box, add a XLR4 or 5 Pin socket and make sure to get power for this setup anywhere. That should do the trick.

I would like to develop the thing myself and all that I need are the specs of the mic and headphones the BMD stuff are wating for.

And Kevin, yo're right, I can't see the need for all those different plugs.

Kevin McGrath wrote:I just wish they would stick to one format of plug

Camera converter uses 1/8 inch stereo connectors
The studio fiber converters use 1/4 inch and aviation connectors or an 3 pin xlr
The new cameras use 4 pin xlr

Now I have to make adapters to make one headset to work on different equipment

XLR 4 or 5 is standard for broadcast business as Xtreemetec says,

Xtreemtec wrote:

Kevin McGrath wrote:The new cameras use 4 pin xlr

This is Industry standard for broadcasting.. The whole 3,5mm headset connection was a decision to keep the costs low for new users wanting to have talkback but do not want to spend tons of money into headsets.. A cheap headphone would work.

But was totally not use-able for all broadcast parties that use Heavy duty headsets like Clark, Peltor, Beyer..

And I can see the idea behind the 3,5mm jacks on the Camera converters, make them cheaper, but they made them very "bloody" because not every headset works the same, some of them I tried on the Camera Converters are unusable becasue you get the earphone volume so weak that render them useless; some of them work more or less right but it's difficult to choose one that both mic and phones work fine, other units tend to saturate mic very soon, and last, but not least important, as all this kind of stuff are made for domestic use they break sooner or later (sooner normally) and you need to begin again the search for a unit that works more or less fine.

Al most 30 years in broadcasting and never have had so much problems with an intercom... Interfaced 2 to 4 wires, clearcom to rts, etc. all with success but this "special" mic pre and phone amp form BMD inside the Camera converters are driving me mad...

All the best!

hello, I have an atem studio television pro hd + 2 camera bmg studio ultra hd and I bought a 1/4 headphone but in the microphon it enters the input in smaller than 1/4 and bigger 3.5mm. I would like to know what it's called

you must use low impedance (10-20 ohms) of headpdones and semi high (1-2 khoms) impedance of microfone

Details on the TVS talkback connectors and how to adapt for 4-5 pin XLR headset with dynamic microphone. https://ianmorrish.wordpress.com/2017/03/30/headset-adapter-for-the-tvs-hd/

cerocuol wrote:hello, I have an atem studio television pro hd + 2 camera bmg studio ultra hd and I bought a 1/4 headphone but in the microphon it enters the input in smaller than 1/4 and bigger 3.5mm. I would like to know what it's called

Hi cerocuol,

This kind of connector is the general avion headset connector for mic. It's a 0.206 inch/5.23 mm diameter plug, type PJ-068 and mates with a JK-33 jack (Switchcraft C-12B), very simmilar to WE-109, it's easy to make an adapter atking into account that the tip in this connectors is not used by ATEM, only ring and sleeve.

And Ian, thank you so much for the link, it describes the issue in detail and drives to a interesting solution that I'll try for sure