Blackmagic Forum

I haven’t seen this question and it’s something that I’ve not been able to resolve.

The Camera Control feature which allows to control the color and tally lights of ours BMPCCK4k in the ATEM Mini it’s awesome. BUT when I try to split the HDMI signal so I can connect and external monitor and still send another HDMI cable to my ATEM, the signal doesn’t carry that info anymore. The screen of this camera is big and nice but our eye-level must be at the same height of the camera in order to see it and that’s a problem.

I just want to know if I’m not using the right cables or if when I split that HDMI signal it will never allow to use the camera control.

Thanks!

HDMI splitters do not generally pass the camera control information (HDMI CEC data). The reason for this is that the camera control information flows in the opposite direction from the video output signal being split.

With HDMI connections, there is a source device (which generates a video signal) and a sink device (which receives a video signal). So the video goes from source -> sink, but the CEC data (camera control commands in this case) goes in the reverse direction, from sink -> source.

When using an HDMI splitter you end up with multiple sink devices; with 1x2 signal splitter, there are two sink devices that are receiving the video signal that could be sending HDMI CEC commands back to the original source. With a 1x4 splitter, there are 4 sink devices. Which sink device commands should the HDMI splitter pass back to the source device? From sink device 1? Sink device 2? All of them? What if they conflict with each other?

Anyway, since this is difficult to resolve most HDMI splitters just punt on this issue, and don't pass these signals at all.

If you search the forum you will find other people with similar results with HDMI splitters and the Pocket Cinema Cameras 4K and 6K.

You could try to seek out an HDMI splitter that claims to support CEC and ARC, and if you do find one that works with the ATEM Mini, be sure to report back as I don't think anyone in the forum has found a model that works for this yet.

I will say there are splitters that support CEC on output 1 (not on any others). While I cannot recommend, I have a few that do work this way. They can also be useful in blocking the CEC (output 2 to ATEM) to non Pocket Cameras that react to this signal from the Mini.

Regards, Gary

Gary Adams wrote:I will say there are splitters that support CEC on output 1 (not on any others). While I cannot recommend, I have a few that do work this way. They can also be useful in blocking the CEC (output 2 to ATEM) to non Pocket Cameras that react to this signal from the Mini.

Regards, Gary

Gary would you mind sharing with me ones that do work? I have purchased a couple with no avail even after they claimed. I’m working in an academic setting and we would greatly benefit from a working HDMI splitter that would allow control over a split hdmi signal. Please private message me if that’s more politically correct for Blackmagic.

Thanks,
Barry

Gary, I also have the same question as Barry. Do you mind PMing me also with the splitters that have this CEC passthrough functionality? Thanks!

Clayton

Word on the street is this should work.
Revesun 1x2 HDMI Splitter CEC on Output 1

bis01005 wrote:Word on the street is this should work.
Revesun 1x2 HDMI Splitter CEC on Output 1

Has anyone tried this with success?

I'm working on using a BMPCC4k with a mounted DJI RSC 2. The raveneye system requires HDMI loopthrough, and ideally I would like to be able to retain CC from my ATEM. This is the missing piece!

I would use the HDMI out from the 3G Bidirectional mini-converter, but that will always be the program feed instead of a loopthrough of the HDMI.

Google "middlethings"

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk

Would love a splitter as well, that would enable us to split the camera signal before entering the ATEM while maintaining camera control & tally. Has anyone found a splitter that worked?

If your monitor has SDI input you can use a BM BiDirectional SDI/HDMI converter by the camera. I run the HDMI in from camera, HDMI out to ATEM Mini and take the SDI out to feed the Camera moniter. CCU works well in this configuration.

Hello all and (hopefully) hello Blackmagic!
I have been using BMD products for the past decade and since the beginging I am a really big fan. I own many parts and use them on a daily basis.

One very specific and probably very easy to solve problem has occured lately and is adressed in this rather old post:

PLEASE make an update to the bidirectional converters so it is possible to configure a FORCED HDMI LOOPTHROUGH. SDI loop would be nice too, but I don't see any use case at the moment. Especially in combination with a BMD Camera and the ATEM with the Raveneye of the DJI Gimbal that would make great sense since it needs the camera feed and not the ATEM PGM feed. I use the middle things hardware in between aswell and that would add even more functionalities. Also as mentioned in the comments - it would be great to hook up a monitor between the camera and the ATEM and be that not destroying the ability of the Camera control via ATEM through a splitter.

Since the converters have the ability to act as a loop through if there just one input signal is connected I can only assume that it is just the ability of the software making the converter able to force the loop if needed, rather than detecting it by itself and deciding for you.

I am a bit desperate but maybe maybe we will all get lucky and my request from Austria reaches out to Australia! =)

All the best,
Matija

Just sharing some splitters here that WORK and DON'T WORK, to save others the questions and hassle of ordering and testing!

To summarize, you can put a splitter at the point of a BMD camera, in order to send the camera's HDMI signal both to the ATEM and "something else" (in my case, a Raveneye transmitter). However, in order for the ATEM to continue to have Camera Control over the camera (including Start/Stop recording along with other controls), the splitter needs to have CEC passthrough on one of the splits.

These splitters do:

gofanco Prophecy Intelligent 4K 120Hz 1x2 HDMI Splitter
$119.99
https://a.co/d/eZ8IjWO
(I've tested. This splitter successfully gets camera control to the camera from the ATEM on Output 2, but not on Output 1)

gofanco 8K 60Hz 1x2 HDMI Splitter
$64.88
https://a.co/d/8SjAXwK
(I've tested. This splitter successfully gets camera control to the camera from the ATEM on Output 1, but not on Output 2)

This splitter does not work:

Monoprice 4K 1x2 HDMI Splitter
$17.12
https://a.co/d/1VwpYjC
(In spite of it stating CEC passthrough, it does not. In fact, output 2 doesn't work at all. Summary: garbage)

Here is a photo of the two that work. The one listed as 8k is smaller/lighter (better for camera rigging), and uses USB-C to USB-A for power (typically easier to replace in a rig than a barrel adapter), so it's got my vote. I'm not sure how or if the other specs (such as 60Hz vs 120Hz) will affect long term usability. Someone else might be able to dig in further. I can confirm that these both send camera control on one output though.

mertman88 wrote:The one listed as 8k is smaller/lighter (better for camera rigging), and uses USB-C to USB-A for power

Have you tried powering it off the USB-C on the camera?

Blair Christensen wrote:

mertman88 wrote:The one listed as 8k is smaller/lighter (better for camera rigging), and uses USB-C to USB-A for power

Have you tried powering it off the USB-C on the camera?

I haven't tried that, but it might work.

That said, I learned from a mistake (hopefully I can save someone else the hassle/loss with this comment): If you swap out the power supply of an HDMI splitter, MAKE SURE you're sending the correct voltage it requires. If you accidentally send the wrong voltage (say, accidentally sending 12V instead of 5V), the excess power will travel up the connected HDMI cables and immediately will fry the HDMI ports of whatever expensive devices you've connected to the splitter! I did this to an expensive transmitter. Point being, make sure you're sending the correct voltage to the HDMI splitter. They're not able to handle too much power. I'm not sure what voltage a BMD camera sends out its usb-c port.

Samermachine wrote:I haven’t seen this question and it’s something that I’ve not been able to resolve.

The Camera Control feature which allows to control the color and tally lights of ours BMPCCK4k in the ATEM Mini it’s awesome. BUT when I try to split the HDMI signal so I can connect and external monitor and still send another HDMI cable to my ATEM, the signal doesn’t carry that info anymore. The screen of this camera is big and nice but our eye-level must be at the same height of the camera in order to see it and that’s a problem.

I just want to know if I’m not using the right cables or if when I split that HDMI signal it will never allow to use the camera control.

Thanks!

Why don't you just get a bigger monitor for the MultiView and control the camera from the ATEM?
I am a one man crew and control my remote cameras with a motorized remote control base and hand held WiFi device. I also use Castr to split my LiveStream to YouTube and FaceBook. You can view the full screen image they receive on the second HDMI out of the ATEM mini Extreme or on your Web browser.