Blackmagic Forum

Hey all

The UltraStudio 4K Mini has analog audio outputs, and I was hoping to use those to route the embedded audio out to a mixer so the picture on the display connected to the UltraStudio is in perfect sync. But there's nothing coming out of them.

Even more curious is that when I send analog audio into the inputs, and set the device to analog audio input, I see nothing on the meters.

It's as if the analog I/O doesn't work at all.

Anyone using the analog audio out in this way?

thanks
-Joseph

I'm not sure I quite follow: Are you trying to inject analogue audio from your sound card/editing programme into your monitor for it sync with the desktop? If so it may never work currently as you want. On Windows audio outputs from my US 4K Mini work for all apps (for the first time with BMD hardware) but the inputs are 'unavailable' and audio is exclusively used by the US 4K when in use - meaning it would have be able to feed duplex audio back into itself - impossible as far as I am aware. In Avid the XLR mic input is working with B&B fed to both composite and ref but I have not tested the 1/4" inputs. In DaVinci/Fairlight nothing. I don't think BMD has ever really understood properly implemented audio in it's I/O devices - every other I/O device I have used can record audio separately from video.

Nevertheless you may be better, and is the standard practice in editing suites to feed audio from the editor to a full monitoring system and not use any video monitor audio. In Avid you can set a delay to bring the sound from say HDMI into sync with the desktop but that introduces a delay in the timeline. I hope I've understood you correctly.

Thanks Steve. You partially got it — I think I confused matters by mentioning the input.

All that I want to do is monitor audio from the UltraStudio instead of from my Mac directly, so that it's in sync with the video. Audio is coming into the UltraStudio via Thunderbolt along with the video from the Final Cut Pro X timeline. I can see the meters bouncing on the UltraStudio, and if I plug in headphones to the UltraStudio, I can hear it. So naturally I figured I could plug two ¼" cables into the ANALOG AUDIO OUT and patch those into my speakers. But nothing is coming out of them.

My reference to the Analog Audio Inputs was simply to say that out of curiosity I tried plugging some audio into those, but that's not showing up in the UltraStudio, even when setting the audio input to Analog on the device settings (or in the App). So it's almost as if the analog I/O isn't connected inside the box.

I don't think there's a audio delay feature in FCPX. Nevertheless what's odd is that the video coming through the UltraStudio is actually BEFORE what I'm seeing on the timeline, which is making me really unsure which one is in sync!! Hence I figured playing audio and video through the same device would mitigate that.

-Joseph

So naturally I figured I could plug two ¼" cables into the ANALOG AUDIO OUT and patch those into my speakers. But nothing is coming out of them.

That's strange Joseph. I have my 1/4" outputs directly feeding powered Yamaha monitor speakers, in the same way, with no problem. Are you sure your cables or speakers are OK? If they are then it's more than likely a faulty US.

what's odd is that the video coming through the UltraStudio is actually BEFORE what I'm seeing on the timeline

That's very strange. HDMI will always produce an output delay, SDI not. But I would say there is something not right happening with your FCPX.

Glad to hear it’s working for you, at least that’s a sign it’s SUPPOSED to work!

I’ll talk to tech support. Definitely an odd situation. And remember the INPUT isn’t working either.

Also no HDMI in the path; thunderbolt to the US then SDI to the monitor. The delay in FCPX may be due to the taxing nature of the playback I’m doing? Definitely odd though. Thanks!

PhotoJoseph wrote:Thanks Steve. You partially got it — I think I confused matters by mentioning the input.

All that I want to do is monitor audio from the UltraStudio instead of from my Mac directly, so that it's in sync with the video. Audio is coming into the UltraStudio via Thunderbolt along with the video from the Final Cut Pro X timeline. I can see the meters bouncing on the UltraStudio, and if I plug in headphones to the UltraStudio, I can hear it. So naturally I figured I could plug two ¼" cables into the ANALOG AUDIO OUT and patch those into my speakers. But nothing is coming out of them.

My reference to the Analog Audio Inputs was simply to say that out of curiosity I tried plugging some audio into those, but that's not showing up in the UltraStudio, even when setting the audio input to Analog on the device settings (or in the App). So it's almost as if the analog I/O isn't connected inside the box.

I don't think there's a audio delay feature in FCPX. Nevertheless what's odd is that the video coming through the UltraStudio is actually BEFORE what I'm seeing on the timeline, which is making me really unsure which one is in sync!! Hence I figured playing audio and video through the same device would mitigate that.

-Joseph

Hey Joseph - did you find a solution? I just got my Ultrastudio 4k Mini and I have the opposite problem. Mine is deafeningly loud. Balanced 1/4 to XLR, which plugs into a pair of ADAM A7X + Sub10. System volume on Mojave and in Resolve are deafeningly loud!

Justin Galarneau wrote:Hey Joseph - did you find a solution? I just got my Ultrastudio 4k Mini and I have the opposite problem. Mine is deafeningly loud. Balanced 1/4 to XLR, which plugs into a pair of ADAM A7X + Sub10. System volume on Mojave and in Resolve are deafeningly loud!

I have exactly this issue. I jumped out of my skin patching it directly to my genelecs.

Ive got around this by patching through my audio interface but am having issues with sync.

anyone have any steers on this?

There is a setting in Desktop video to adjust the level of analogue audio out. Use the oscillator in Fairlight to generate 1KHz tone and then also adjust your powered monitor speakers/mixer to a comfortable level. It helps also if you have an outboard level meter. I still use my trusty old PPMs (in line before the volume control) to set 1KHz @ 4PPM. The sync issue is caused by the latency in your audio interface.

Does the volume control do anything at all?

My 4K Mini has audio blasting out of it to my powered speakers, which of course have independent volume control knobs on the back of each one. Why doesn't the volume control knob on the front, ya know, control the volume?

I have a Win10 sytem and this is how I monitor audio, right from the I4K card's rca connectors to my passive speaker control to the self powered speakers. Has always worked, but I have to enable the card in Win10's settings.

cowboycoffee wrote:Does the volume control do anything at all?

My 4K Mini has audio blasting out of it to my powered speakers, which of course have independent volume control knobs on the back of each one. Why doesn't the volume control knob on the front, ya know, control the volume?

Been wondering this myself!!!

cowboycoffee wrote:Does the volume control do anything at all?

The volume control is for the headphone socket, as I said monitor level output is controlled in software, via the Desktop Video app. I don't wish to appear rude but did you read the manual?

can anyone confirm if ch1 = left and ch2 =right on the ultra studio 4k?

I can confirm that ch1= Left and ch2 = Right