Blackmagic Forum

I'm just got my ATEM Mini Pro and having issues when going through a HDMI splitter.

Here are the details of the situation and what I have learned via my troubleshooting.

First I have 2 inputs - one is a AVIPAS PTZ camera and the other a computer. The output from the ATEM goes to a C2G splitter which then goes to 3 monitors.

Multiview shows all inputs on all monitors so every thing looks like its working perfect.

Once I switch out of Multiview to just display one input things get strange.

The computer, shows as expected.

The Camera, just goes to a black screen and eventually times out and the monitors/tvs give the "No Signal" indication.

Step 1 of TShooting was to change the inputs around as I heard that sometimes Input 1 caused some issues. Same Issue

Step 2 of TShoot: Test the ATEM in another environment. I took it home, hooked up a few computers and an xbox. The output was not through a splitter. This worked as expected. I did this test to ensure the ATEM was working in its most basic configuration

Step 3 of Tshoot: Adjust the Camera output to different resolutions and refresh rates. Same issue

Step 4 of Tshoot: Had a friend bring his ATEM Mini Pro over to test in my environment. Same problem. I was hoping his worked and mine did not but so I could just chalk it up to a bad device. No Dice!

Step 5 of TSHoot: Replace the ATEM with a cheap HDMI switcher. It probably 5+ years old, its like what we all used when TV came with 1 or 2 HDMI inputs. Guess what, it worked like a champ! No problem with the splitter and both inputs switch between both inputs.

Step 6 of TShoot: Go back to original setup but send signal directly to a single TV - by passing the splitter. Bingo it worked. Of course its a shallow victory as I need to get this signal to 3 output sources.

Out of all this data, the really puzzling part to me is how all sources show live in multiview but not when in "normal" view. Also why does the computer input work while the camera does not. Why does it all work with out ATEM? Why does a cheap Switcher work and ATEM does not?

Those are the details. As I researched the issue I did see many similar issues around ATEM and HDMI Splitters. I even saw where Blackmagic said they don't test with splitters, which seems strange and disappointing as I'm sure they don't want items returned when a recommendation on a compatible splitter would help their customer a lot!

So my questions . . .

Has any had a similar problem and solved it?
Any recommended 4 x 1 HDMI splitter that people have had good luck with using an ATEM Mini Pro with a Camera?
Do I have other options besides a HDMI splitter to get the same signal to multiple destinations?

I have ordered a bunch of splitters to test but if I can save some time it would be awesome!

Thanks for any help you can provide.

scottroms1 wrote:I need to get this signal to 3 output sources.

The Mini may not be the best choice for that setup. Were this me, I'd be using a larger model with multiple SDI outs.

I'm an installer. I have a church with a SVGA projector for the congregation and a ATEM Mini for the livestream. They want to send their powerpoint to both the projector and the stream simultaneously.

I am using a HDMI (1 HDMI in and 4 HDMI out) splitter.

* SVGA (HDMI to VGA dongle) works fine on its own
* ATEM mini streams fine on its own

When I plug in the SVGA (HDMI to VGA dongle), along with the HDMI going to the ATEM, the ATEM goes black. The projector works. The ATEM doesn't. In other words I can't use the two together.

I have many church and school clients that have older projectors and will want to livestream their church services or classroom instruction. I need to find a solution/interconnect that works.

If you have a solution, please share it with me.

freshwater wrote:If you have a solution, please share it with me.

I’m running into the same issue: we wanted 3 screens with our multiview: stage, switcher, and in the green room. No bueno!

The one I’ve seen mentioned a few times is to use a BMD Mini Converter to HDMI->SDI, then a SDI->HDMI in front of any HDMI splitters.

No engineer has chimed in, but what seems to be the issue is the HDMI handshake, and with the SDI converters you eliminate that from the chain since SDI is a one-way protocol.

scottroms1 wrote:Multiview shows all inputs on all monitors so every thing looks like its working perfect.

When the Multiview is connected and working through the splitter to all three displays, what is the framerate going into the screens? It may not be the same as the framerate the ATEM is set to. Some TVs allow you to see, or will show you the resolution and framerate when you first switch to the HDMI input.

scottroms1 wrote:Step 6 of TShoot: Go back to original setup but send signal directly to a single TV - by passing the splitter. Bingo it worked. Of course its a shallow victory as I need to get this signal to 3 output sources.

So if you plug the camera into the screen(s) direct, does that work? Are these all the same make and model of screen (and the same input number on each one) or are they different?

scottroms1 wrote: Has any had a similar problem and solved it?
Any recommended 4 x 1 HDMI splitter that people have had good luck with using an ATEM Mini Pro with a Camera?
Do I have other options besides a HDMI splitter to get the same signal to multiple destinations?

I have ordered a bunch of splitters to test but if I can save some time it would be awesome!

I've successfully used Portta HDMI splitters with EDID management available on Amazon, but my suspicion is that this is an issue being caused by one or more of the screens, rather than the inputs or splitter.

brockfansler wrote:

freshwater wrote:If you have a solution, please share it with me.

I’m running into the same issue: we wanted 3 screens with our multiview: stage, switcher, and in the green room. No bueno!

The one I’ve seen mentioned a few times is to use a BMD Mini Converter to HDMI->SDI, then a SDI->HDMI in front of any HDMI splitters.

No engineer has chimed in, but what seems to be the issue is the HDMI handshake, and with the SDI converters you eliminate that from the chain since SDI is a one-way protocol.

Anyone tried successfully this recommandation "BMD Mini Converter to HDMI->SDI, then a SDI->HDMI in front of any HDMI splitters.", is it working ?

thanks in advance!

After testing more than 6 splitters with a MacBook Pro

I can finally recommend this splitter Satechi - USB C auf Dual HDMI Adapter. The funny thing is that I originally did not test this one, because it was the most simple and the less expensive!

Just one disclaimer note, I haven't tested it yet for a long period of time, so fingers crossed!
https://satechi.net/fr/products/type-c- ... 6054654040

Hi! I managed to solve the issue, sort of. I recently had an issue with a Swissonic HDMI splitter. I wanted to use the ATEM Mini Pro to switch between two laptops and output it to a monitor and a projector, but it wouldn't work through a splitter. Then I found out that most newer splitters contain the Macrosilicon MS933x IC which is for some reason incompatible with ATEM output. Then I tried another splitter, Manhattan Compact 4K 4-Port splitter and it worked! But then I wanted to add a confidence monitor and used the Swissonic splitter after the Manhattan splitter, and it failed (the "good" splitter doesn't make the signal compatible). Basically, you need to find a splitter that doesn't contain the aforementioned IC. Manhattan Compact 4K works for me. I'm also going to try a horrible thing, converting HDMI to VGA and then back to HDMI, to see if that makes the signal compatible with problematic splitters. I've heard converting to SDI and back to HDMI also works.

Cheers!

tomtuks wrote:I'm also going to try a horrible thing, converting HDMI to VGA and then back to HDMI, to see if that makes the signal compatible with problematic splitters.

It didn't work because the cheapest VGA to HDMI converter didn't like the 1080p25 signal, and it's understandable since this is a very strange frame rate / refresh rate for VGA. I'm gonna try with a better converter.

freshwater wrote:I'm an installer. I have a church with a SVGA projector for the congregation and a ATEM Mini for the livestream. They want to send their powerpoint to both the projector and the stream simultaneously.

I am using a HDMI (1 HDMI in and 4 HDMI out) splitter.

* SVGA (HDMI to VGA dongle) works fine on its own
* ATEM mini streams fine on its own

When I plug in the SVGA (HDMI to VGA dongle), along with the HDMI going to the ATEM, the ATEM goes black. The projector works. The ATEM doesn't. In other words I can't use the two together.

Hi, I know it's 4 years too late, but it might help someone else. The HDMI 1 input on ATEM Mini is different than other inputs in the way that it can handle more formats (including RGB). Cameras usually output YUV and the Atem Mini expects it. When you plug in your PC into Atem, the Atem tells the PC "send me YUV" (this is called the EDID handshake), and the PC does, because it can output both YUV and RGB. But when you connect a projector (or in this case a converter dongle), it reinitiates the EDID and tells the PC "send me RGB", and then you lose the picture on Atem. Try plugging the splitter output to HDMI 1 and see if this solves your issue. If you have Atem Mini Extreme, both inputs HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 accept RGB signals.

For converting RGB to YUV, you're gonna need Decimator MD-HX. You have to get the HX version, because on LX you can't set YUV as the output.

jperakis wrote:

brockfansler wrote:

freshwater wrote:If you have a solution, please share it with me.

I’m running into the same issue: we wanted 3 screens with our multiview: stage, switcher, and in the green room. No bueno!

The one I’ve seen mentioned a few times is to use a BMD Mini Converter to HDMI->SDI, then a SDI->HDMI in front of any HDMI splitters.

No engineer has chimed in, but what seems to be the issue is the HDMI handshake, and with the SDI converters you eliminate that from the chain since SDI is a one-way protocol.

Anyone tried successfully this recommandation "BMD Mini Converter to HDMI->SDI, then a SDI->HDMI in front of any HDMI splitters.", is it working ?

thanks in advance!

According to this thread viewtopic.php?f=18&t=185507#p967932
the UpDownCross converter does do something to the signal, namely, it converts RGB to YUV. This might solve the issue. The culprit here is the PC which outputs RGB instead of YUV. All cameras usually output YUV.

tomtuks wrote:Hi! I managed to solve the issue, sort of. I recently had an issue with a Swissonic HDMI splitter. I wanted to use the ATEM Mini Pro to switch between two laptops and output it to a monitor and a projector, but it wouldn't work through a splitter. Then I found out that most newer splitters contain the Macrosilicon MS933x IC which is for some reason incompatible with ATEM output. Then I tried another splitter, Manhattan Compact 4K 4-Port splitter and it worked! But then I wanted to add a confidence monitor and used the Swissonic splitter after the Manhattan splitter, and it failed (the "good" splitter doesn't make the signal compatible). Basically, you need to find a splitter that doesn't contain the aforementioned IC. Manhattan Compact 4K works for me. I'm also going to try a horrible thing, converting HDMI to VGA and then back to HDMI, to see if that makes the signal compatible with problematic splitters. I've heard converting to SDI and back to HDMI also works.

Cheers!

I was having issues with ATEM Mini Pro using an iMac. After trying several HDMI splitters, this Manhattan splitter solved it! CAM 2 would not display at all so we couldn't switch from CAM 1 to CAM 2. It wouldn't even show up in Multiview. But, it's working now.

Thanks for the information!