UpDownCross HD No Output

Hi Everyone, I need some help on this one.

Trying to get Propresenter to show up on my ATEM Television Studio HD. I'm going from an iMac to VGA (800x600) to HDMI (800x600) to the UpDownCross HD. I need the cross to convert from HDMI 800x600 to HDMI 1080p 59.97.

The funny thing is sometimes it works but most of the time no picture is shown on the ATEM. If I remove the input from the UDC and plug it into a monitor everything is displayed properly. If I reconnect the input and plug the Output of the UDC into the monitor the screen stays black (but syncs at 1080p 60hz.

What am I missing? I just can't get this UDC to convert.

Help, Thanks
Larry

P.S. The switch settings are 1458 on and 2367 off.

Hi Larry,

I'm fairly sure that the UDC doesn't do VGA as it's analogue. It does definitely support DVI though so if you can get a Mini DVI/MiniDP (depending on how old your iMac is) converter you might get much better results as that will be digital all the way.

The problem is your input resolution!!

The UpDownCross does not handle well resolutions that are outside the broadcast resolutions. Because it does scale. But it does not do a lot of pixel pulling and aspect ratio conversions.

I would recommend IF you really need VGA input. To get a VGA to SDI converter with build in scaler.
Roland VC-1 or Datavideo DAC 70

It might not be too happy about that resolution but if it says it's supported then it should at least give you something, even if that something isn't amazing.

It might not be too happy about that resolution but if it says it's supported then it should at least give you something, even if that something isn't amazing.

That's what I'm thinking. No distinctions are made for analogue vs digital in the manual. And it has worked sometimes and not others.

I will, however, look at how best to add another converter scaler or upgrade our projector res to 1080p (if possible).

Thanks for the input fellas.

P.S. I did really think that the UDC/HD would do the trick. Is there any input available from BMD support folks on this forum?

No distinctions are made for analogue vs digital in the manual.

It does specifically state 'DVI' on the spec sheet for the resolution you want to use and the only other inputs are HDMI and SDI, all of which are digital formats.

I will reiterate though that if you can get a digital signal out of the iMac then that would solve your problems quite cheaply.

Ok, I got it working...kind of. There were two missing pieces to the puzzle. Screen resolution and power on sequence.

Screen Res. Originally, the iMac was set to 800x600 res on second screen (plugged into the Thunderbolt 1 port. This needed to be changed to 1024x768. I don't know why. Once this change was made the input would show up on the ATEM more frequently but still intermittently. Enter problem 2.

VGA to HDMI Adaptor. This adaptor is powered and it appears to be essential that this device be powered on AFTER the iMac has booted. If not, you can power cycle the adaptor and boom, the iMac screen appears in the preview window!

If i switch the iMac back to 800x600 it simply does not work (even though I think it should).

Thanks for your help everyone. It is great to be able to pass this along to the media team and start using the switcher for it's intended purpose.

Larry

Thanks for the update, I'm glad you got it working!

If I might ask (as I'm still curious) what is the purpose of the VGA to HDMI converter in the chain? If you have TB1/MiniDP then are you converting MiniDP to VGA just to convert it back to HDMI?

Thanks for the update, I'm glad you got it working!

If I might ask (as I'm still curious) what is the purpose of the VGA to HDMI converter in the chain? If you have TB1/MiniDP then are you converting MiniDP to VGA just to convert it back to HDMI?

What iMac is it? Is it actually old enough to have a VGA port right on the iMac (did they ever have those)?

There is no indication here of which model it is.

If the iMac has some flavor of TB then I agree it is kind of silly to go through VGA to reach HDMI - should convert from TB to HDMI directly. That might also help to eliminate the power cycle requirement with the adapter being used.



As a side note, with an appropriate UltraStudio combined with the SDI and Alpha Keyer add-on modules for ProPresenter, separate fill and key signals can be sent to the switcher to give a superior option for layering of the media over top of other video signals using one of the keyers (obviously this would require two SDI inputs on the switcher instead of the HDMI one), if that is something of interest. This would also replace all of those adapters, though it would cost a fair bit more.

Hi frlawton and Frank,

The Mac is a 2012 iMac (i5) with one TB1 port. It runs pro presenter 6 to a projector and 2 computer monitors through a coupled of old switchers that don't support HDMI. VGA or RBG, no problem.

So part of the solution that was chosen was a TB1 to VGA adaptor. Since the ATEM TVS HD support HDMI and SDI inputs split VGA output from the iMac and went with a VGA to HDMI adaptor to feed the ATEM.

This is just a quick fix for a until the new year when we will be getting a pair of laser projectors that support SDI (not VGA). We'll then start using the ATEM as the primary switcher between 4 cameras and at least 1 computer. Then we can use a TB1 to HDMI adaptor on the iMac and stay digital. I'll then have the UpDownCross to use for another application.

We're looking at laser projectors that support SDI.

We're looking at laser projectors that support SDI.

WHY bother to spend a LOT more money for a High grade machine just because it has SDI.

Get the laser beamer that fit's your needs. Every laser beamer has a HDMI input!! Look for it that it also has a USB connector where you can plug in a usb stick. Put a BMD Micro SDI > HDMI with velcro on top of the beamer. Plug the USB cable into the USB socket of the beamer. 99% of the time there is a 5V power on that usb. Even if you do not have that source selected.

Now you have a SDI beamer for $40 extra. A SDI capable beamer will at least be $1000 more then other laser beamers out there.. As SDI is still a feature that is often only found on the high end range beamers..