help setting up an ATEM 1 system

Questions about ATEM Switchers, Camera Converter and everything live!
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Simon de Swardt

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help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostThu Feb 28, 2013 12:57 pm

I am on the verge of purchasing a multi-cam system for use with the ATEM 1 and would love some advice. I am putting together a system to cover live events - primarily concerts. These are my thoughts based on the research I have done.

The switcher will have five sources: four cameras (sony EX1) and a PC running CasparCG.
The switcher will be connected to a Macbook Pro via ethernet. The Macbook Pro will connect via displayport adapter to a separate HDMI screen of high enough resolution to run the interface. I will also connect usb mouse and keyboard to the Macbook Pro so that I can have the keyboard and mouse in front of the screen. (thought - will the ipad app be useful here? )

4 Cameras will input to switcher via HDSDI cables, Camera operators and vision mixer will communicate over double muff headsets.

For media server I will use a PC running CasparCG via HDMI. Can I just output via the HDMI on my quadro fx 1800? Do I need to go through a decklink card? Which would also add to the cost as I would need a couple more HDSDi-HDMI convertors.

Audio will input from sound desk.
Switcher will output via HD-SDI to projector.
Switcher will output via HDMI to a source monitor and a preview monitor.
Switcher will output via HD-SDI to a hyperdeck shuttle 2 to record in ProRes (and will delay audio later in post)


At the projector end I am looking for ideas - the client has a couple of fairly powerful vivitek projectors which are a bit old. They have DVI inputs as well as the common analogue ones. What is the best/cheapest way to get the HD-SDI signal from the switcher into a DVI input? I am hesitant to invest money in analogue equipment unless absolutely necessary.
Also what would be the best way to split the signal to the two projectors?

What else have I missed?

Anything I should look out for?

What about latency? I intend to run everything at 720p50, but the projector's native resolution is XGA so not sure if there is anything I can do to mitigate latency problems on scaling?

Any advice and help appreciated.
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Brian Hancock

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostThu Feb 28, 2013 2:45 pm

you could get a mini converter sdi to hdmi and get a cable adapter hdmi to dvi ...

note of caution though !!!

some dvi equipment is only rgb color space and this has got me before since the blackmagic mini converters are only yuv sooooo to be safe i'd go sdi to analog and run 3 short jumpers at anything below 10 feet you won't notice a difference in quality at all !!

another option would be to see if your projectors have an input option card for sdi ?? although i would imagine this would be quite a bit more expensive
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Daniel Knoche

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostThu Feb 28, 2013 10:06 pm

Another possibility might be run Hd-SDI to a HDLinkPro DVI then DVI out to the projector. The HDLinkPro also has SDI out so you could run HD-SDI to a second HDLink Pro and then 2nd projector.

As Brian said, make sure the projector can handle what you intend to throw at it
Daniel
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Daniel Knoche

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 3:55 am

Apologies, though "normal" operation is done via ethernet, some set up components can be done via usb as Sharyn pointed out in another post

Sorry put this in the wrong spot! (Which is why contextually it doesn't make sense!)
Last edited by Daniel Knoche on Mon Mar 04, 2013 10:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Daniel
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sharyn

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 6:25 am

My suggestion on the projector side of things is to just run sdi to the HDLINK which converts to DVI.
I have found that ATEM is pretty sensitive on a DVI device and the HDlink if you get is set up does the trick. (I have a HP dvi monitor, and if I try use any connection without th HDlink it will not work )

Sharyn
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Simon de Swardt

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 8:25 am

Thanks for your replies. I will look into the HDLink.
Anyway, after reading the manual I also see that there are composite and component outputs on the switcher? Is that right? Is the downconverted SD composite output working yet? Won't it make sense for me to just run cable from component out to the projector?

Is the component output YUV or RGB?

At a push can I use the SD composite out? (I realise we will lose the HD signal but the projector's native resolution is not even HD anyway.)

And a really basic question from someone new to live production: can I use the same video coax I am using for HD-SDI - Belden 1694A - for the component and the composite cables? As the data rate will presumably be lower, can I use a lower quality video coax? Is there a cable primer online anywhere - I really need to learn about this.
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sharyn

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 11:54 am

Re Cable, you can use the SDI cable for Composite, for component you are looking at typically a 5 wire cable solution .

I would check the specs on the projector and what it can accept on the dvi connection, IMO that is the best way to go for the best quality on a single cable run

Sharyn
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Simon de Swardt

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 12:54 pm

Thanks Sharyn, I have been trawling the net trying to work this all out. Sadly, it appears the projector is RGB only for DVI.
So I will need to go either component, composite or hd-sdi>analog at the projector end.

A question about component - I see that most component cables are 5 channel like you say, and the projector has 5 inputs for component - but it seems the switcher outputs 3 channels on component? Does that present an issue?
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sharyn

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 2:55 pm

the HD link will work to do the conversion to the RGB.
There are two different color sync system for Component, you might check to see if the projector does both. As I said my troubles went away when i just added a HDlink and got it set up to work
I have one of the older small units instead of the hdlink pro

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blackmagic-HDLi ... 3f22abd00d

Sharyn
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Liam Kennedy

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 3:51 pm

funkfather wrote:A question about component - I see that most component cables are 5 channel like you say, and the projector has 5 inputs for component - but it seems the switcher outputs 3 channels on component? Does that present an issue?


5 cable component includes 3 cables for the video plus 2 for the audio (L/R). Typically audio is not needed when you connect to a projector... so you'll only need the three for video.
ATEM 1/ME, TVS, Hyperdeck Studio, Fujitsu Lifebook NH751 USB3
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Brian Hancock

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostMon Mar 04, 2013 5:49 pm

The projector most likely has support for rgb / yuv ... And rgbhv which would be an all together different color system however most projectors can take any of the above by simply changing settings in the projector ... Analog is fairly tolerant of different coax at short distances so you should be fine there.

You will definitely notice a difference between the composite feed vs the HD feed either dvi or component.
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Simon de Swardt

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Re: help setting up an ATEM 1 system

PostWed May 15, 2013 2:33 pm

Just an update...
Having received all the equipment and run it here in Harare, I am pleased to say that I managed to get everything working. A few points:
1) I connected the switcher to the projector via component cable. Worked perfectly
2) The resolution on my MacBook Pro is beneath the advertised minimum resolution for the software control panel. I bought a 23 inch screen to solve this issue but subsequently discovered that the software panel still works and is totally usable even if your screen resolution is lower than the advertised minimum. So I did not need to use a second external screen to run the software panel.
3) I had one problem with a HDMI-SDI convertor not working, which I will post about elsewhere.
Thanks everyone for your help and advice...
S

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