ATEM Mini Pro: video offset issue

I'm currently experiencing an issue with the ATEM Mini Pro (v8.2.1) where the video from one more more sources is being offset horizontally to the right, leaving a black bar to the left and cutting off the video on the right. The attached photo has an orange rectangle around the black offset region on the left. The offset ranges in size from what's pictured to about twice that size at times. It's persistent for the duration of the video signal; i.e. the black bar doesn't change or go away while that source is getting input.

I'm able to reproduce the issue on video sources 2 thru 4, but not input 1; the first input seems to work correctly every time. Sometimes the issue shows up on a single input (i.e. 3 inputs working correctly, one offset). Sometimes it shows up on two different inputs at once. I've swapped cables and cameras numerous times testing this out in process of elimination, and am fairly confident it's due to the ATEM and not the video sources or cabling. (Cameras are GoPro HERO8 Black.)

Is this a known issue? Any suggestions or something I may be overlooking?

IMG_20200505_214500 - Copy.jpg (279.69 KiB) Viewed 4777 times

Port 1 is 'special' and what ever is plugged into it sets the standard for other ports. It sounds like you have different output settings on the different devices and the Mini is doing it's best to accommodate them all.
From the manual:

The first inputyou plug in will set the video format, so if the first video source you plug in is 1080p50, all other
inputs will automatically be converted to 1080p50.
If you want to set the video format yourself after plugging in all video sources, you can do that in the switcher settings in ATEM Software Control. You can find more information about changing the video format settings in the ‘using ATEM Software Control’ section.

Tony T

Port 1 is 'special' and what ever is plugged into it sets the standard for other ports. It sounds like you have different output settings on the different devices and the Mini is doing it's best to accommodate them all.
From the manual:

The first inputyou plug in will set the video format, so if the first video source you plug in is 1080p50, all other
inputs will automatically be converted to 1080p50.
If you want to set the video format yourself after plugging in all video sources, you can do that in the switcher settings in ATEM Software Control. You can find more information about changing the video format settings in the ‘using ATEM Software Control’ section.

Tony T

I don't believe that's the situation I'm dealing with as I am using identical camera hardware and settings for all four inputs.

I have also tried various settings for the ATEM output format, both Auto and manually specified, which makes no difference whatsoever on the offsets. (The first source only sets the output format if the ATEM output setting is set to Auto.) I'll test this more just to make sure, but I did try this already as well.

This issue may be due to the ATEM's format conversion as you suspect. As this is one of the main features of the ATEM Mini switchers, this should actually work as advertised even if the input sources are different.

Offsets like that indicate timing and pixel clock issues. Seeing the offset as far upstream as the MV is a pretty good indication of a switcher fault. Go Pro doesn’t have a “stab width” trim pot.

Good Luck

[Gary Adams]

I would be curious if an HDMI input does this that is not a Gopro. Gopros are notoriously out of frequency specifications which we cannot do anything about. One test is to put color bars on Program bus. Put the ATEM Mini in a fixed frame rate, not Auto. Take the HDMI output and connect to each input. View the Program video on the computer using the USB webcam mode. This will properly test HDMI output and all inputs without using 3rd party cameras.

Regards, Gary

I would be curious if an HDMI input does this that is not a Gopro. Gopros are notoriously out of frequency specifications which we cannot do anything about. One test is to put color bars on Program bus. Put the ATEM Mini in a fixed frame rate, not Auto. Take the HDMI output and connect to each input. View the Program video on the computer using the USB webcam mode. This will properly test HDMI output and all inputs without using 3rd party cameras.

The issue only crops up when there is more than one input source, so it won't be possible to replicate this with just the single input of self-generated color bars. I do have some other HDMI devices to test with though (PC video output, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, etc) so I'll give it a try with some other inputs (as well as the color bars) and see what happens.

I am also having the same issue, with a GoPro Hero8 on the ATEM Mini Pro.
But it is only happening with one GoPro.
My other two are just fine.
Swapping out cables and inputs, the others stay just fine and this one camera has this issue.

HOWEVER...putting this camera on Input 1 somehow fixes it.
Every other camera is fine in every input.
But this ONE camera is offset on all other Inputs, except 1.

Does anyone have any idea what's going on here?

Yes, it is a Gopro issue, input 1 can take a RGB and computer inputs also and auto correct them to display properly. Seems the input 1 is correcting whatever issue the GoPro is creating. Personally, I would be looking for better cameras to use.
Cheers

I'm experiencing the exact same issue here, but I have some more details that might be useful for Black Magic fix it with a Firmware update.

The setup:
- 4 GoPro Hero 7 black
- Atem Mini Pro ISO (set manually to 1080p25)
- All of them connected via HDMI to SDI black magic converter and then back to a SDI to HDMI converter
- I have also a ATEM Production Studio 4K connected to the same cameras as backup option

*This error cannot be a GoPro issue, as my ATEM Production Studio 4K shows all inputs without any offset.

Here is a temporary solution I found:
1- Connect all cameras and turn on Atem Mini
2- Wait until everything is running and turn off Atem Mini only
3- Wait for about 30 seconds
4- Turn Atem Mini back on

After doing that all inputs are perfectly centered.

I really hope they fix it with a Firmware update though. It is a bit annoying having to do that everyday.

Hi there,

I experienced the same issue on a Atem Mini Extreme Iso and I suspect the blackmagic SDI to HDMI Converters (the model I use is "Micro Converter BiDirectional SDI/HDMI 3G")

The sources are 4 Sony FX6 cameras with the same exact settings...

When I cut the power of the converter and put it back on, generally, the offset disappears. That allows me not to turn off the ATEM but some time later, the offset appears from time to time. Very annoying...

The firmwares of the converters and the ATEM are up to date.

Any solution ?

Thanks

Axel

Hi all,

I spotted this same issue with my Atem Mini Extreme ISO. I did loads of testing and narrowed it down quite specifically, along with the most simple workaround.

The setup:

- ATEM Mini Extreme ISO
- HDMI port 1 has a Micro SDI to HDMI converter on it
- HDMI port 2 has a Micro Bidirectional SDI to HDMI converter on it
- HDMI port 3 has a Micro Bidirectional SDI to HDMI converter on it
- HDMI port 4 has a Micro SDI to HDMI converter on it
- HDMI port 5 has a Micro SDI to HDMI converter on it
- HDMI port 6 is simply not connected.
- HDMI port 7 is HDMI only
- HDMI port 8 is HDMI only

Cameras tested:

- Sony Z5E (using Micro HDMI to SDI converter)
- Sony Z7E (using Micro HDMI to SDI converter)
- Canon C100 Mk2 (using Micro HDMI to SDI converter)
- BMD Studio 4K Pro (using SDI output)

The test:

Really simple. Just plug in a camera to any port and switch the ATEM multiview output to that camera so that you can see it full screen. The ATEM is set to manual / 1080p25. All of the testing I did was with a single camera plugged into a single HDMI port.

The Sony cameras are probably pushing out 1080i25 because both no longer have working memory batteries and always default all settings when switched off and then back on. The C100 Mk2 is set to output 1080p50. The Studio 4K Pro I'm not sure about, but some flavour of 1080, because they are all 3G Micro Converters.

The results:

- The problem is intermittent. However, it does happen with ALL cameras. Even the Studio 4K Pro which is not using an HDMI to SDI converter at the camera end
- I couldn't get the problem to occur on port 1 or port 2
- I couldn't get the problem to occur on port 7 or 8 and these ports do not have Micro SDI to HDMI converters on them

The workaround:

Simply unplug the camera SDI cable and plug it back in. The problem generally goes away and I've not noticed it creeping back during a shoot. So as long as one checks carefully before starting the job and does the workaround at that time, this problem shouldn't rear its head.

Quick video showing the testing, in action:

Note that the video shows something plugged into HDMI port 1. I cannot remember if there was anything on the other end of that SDI cable at the time. But it makes no difference. I can recreate the problem with just one camera into ports 2 to 5 which all have some kind of SDI to HDMI convert on them, but not ports that are just HDMI. The video was done right at the end of my testing, just to document the issue and the workaround. Most of the testing was done with just one camera tried in each port, one at a time.

Hi,
I am experiencing the same bug. Did you find some solution? It happens on all inputs excluding 1 and 2.

My signal chain is:

Camera (Sony A7III) ->
HDMI ->
Micro HDMI to SDI converter ->
SDI ->
Micro SDI to HDMI converter ->
HDMI ->
ATEM extreme ISO

The last time it happened on inputs 3-8. All other inputs (1 and 2) were fine (the same setup).

Here also same bug..
We have Antilatency floor in green screen studio with Blacmagic cameras connected to Micro converter SDI to HDMI Ultimatte 12 hd connected to Micro converters SDI to HDMI 3G connected to Atem Mini Pro ISO, and sometimes black bar is visible.

Same issue with a Mini Extreme ISO, but primarily with laptops as sources. As soon as an HDMI>SDI and SDI>HDMI conversion is introduced, this issue pops up. Have tried both with the bidirectional mini converters and with an UpDownCross converter at the laptop side of things. Any thoughts from anyone at Blackmagic? I am a bit worried that this is apparently an issue that has been popping up for 6+ months without a fix, even though it is easy to reproduce.

Did more testing. I specifically have this issue with laptop sources, my cameras seem to be fine, but that can potentially be explained by the mitigations below. I tested below with 2 camera brands and 3 laptops on an Atem Mini Extreme ISO, firmware up to date. For HDMI/SDI conversion, I used the BMD Micro Convertor Bi-directional SDI/HDMI as well as the Mini Converter UpDownCross HD.

The problem does not occur

• on any port using direct HDMI connections between source and Atem
• on port 1 and 2 with HDMI/SDI converters

The problem does occur on port 3-8 with HDMI/SDI converters.

Mitigation
I have found 2 things that work:

• turning the Atem off, wait roughly 10 seconds, and turning it back on. This only works if the sources are already connected.
• unplugging and re-plugging the HDMI cable going into the Atem. This forces a new HPD (Hot Plug Detect) event that fixes the issue.

What does not work (for me):

• forcing a HPD event further upstream, i.e., nearer to the source. So, re-plugging SDI cables has no effect, and neither does re-plugging the laptop cable
• changing framerate settings on the laptops connected
• using different converters

Why my cameras work but my laptops do not (conjecture)
The cameras are typically already plugged in when I turn on the Atem in my Studio, whereas laptops are usually brought in by talent later during the day. I run a lot of events with people connecting their laptops during a session, so turning off the Atem mid-session is a no-go, and re-plugging HMDI cables while live is also not my idea of a good time.

I've just sent my ATEM Extreme ISO to the BlackMagic repair center in UK. So I am curious if they can fix it.

The only workaround I found was to unplug HDMI input on ATEM and plug it back. But it is not always possible.

Thanks for the update, very interested in the outcome! Found the same, my current workaround is to use HDMI 1 & 2 for laptops, but now my camera numbers do not match the switcher. Please keep us posted.

I've just sent my ATEM Extreme ISO to the BlackMagic repair center in UK. So I am curious if they can fix it.

The only workaround I found was to unplug HDMI input on ATEM and plug it back. But it is not always possible.

Any update on this?

Interested to see if theres a fix for this?

ATEM Iso Extreme (HDMI)

Having Video offset issues with Laptop soruces. Adds a black bar on the left or right of the image - 2 Different laptops with 2 differnet resolutions (16:9 (1080) + 4:3(1280x960) )

Dissconnect and Reconnect works intially but it gets worse over time. Looks bad in supersource.