7" 12G Video Assist Power

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UnixMover

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7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostMon Dec 07, 2020 7:13 pm

While I can find information on the power requirements coming into the 12v port, I have not found anything on the power power requirements going into the batteries ports. I have batterie replacements (dummies) which are powered from a LiPO battery 22.2vDC @ up to 60C burst amperage (these are 6S LiPos). I regulate the power to 7.2vDC (buck converters) and keep the amperage to less than 3,200maH (I also diode protect the circuits when running in parallel).

However the 12G reports the batteries as only having 32% power left in them. I know this is cosmetic (as there is ample supply of power from the batteries); however, since have tried a single buck converter set at 7.2vDC @ 3,000maH, and a parallel set of buck converters providing 7.2vDC @ 6000maH current. What is the 12G looking at when it determines the batteries are only 32% full. Is it the number of batteries it "sees?" Is it a voltage which is substantially more than the 7.2v offered by the NP-F570 (which I can't imagine)?

I could come in the normal 12vDC channel, except I have other products powered by the 570 and I am looking for consistency.

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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostMon Jan 25, 2021 10:58 pm

I hate to reply to my own post, but since it appears no one will answer the last Q...how about a slightly different one: What is the part number for the power plug with a barrel screw? I can order one and then adapt my own power brick to the device.
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Howard Roll

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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostTue Jan 26, 2021 1:09 am

An LPE6 is charged to a nominal voltage of ~8.5v, then the voltage slowly drops as the battery is drained, by the time an LPE6 is down to 7.2V there's ~30% left in the tank. The older BM stuff would shut off hard at 7V, the newer stuff lasts a little longer, maybe down to 6.5V which is why it's 30% and not 10%.

Ideally the buck converters ouput a nominal voltage of 8.4v that drops to and shuts off at ~6.8V.

Avoid connectors like this, the center conductor can make contact first and likely will. This cable will reliably create a fireball when tapped into a V-Lock batt.

Arc.jpg
Arc.jpg (44.26 KiB) Viewed 5234 times


Switchcraft has a new Z series which looks like a really good idea for external power solutions, they specifically address the issue of ground first safety.

https://www.switchcraft.com/productsumm ... Parent=479

Good Luck
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Håvard Njåstad

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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostThu Jan 28, 2021 7:23 am

Hi

The Video Assist Product Manager has now confirmed that the operational voltage range is still 10.8- 17volts


Regards

John

John Herbert
Broadcast Support Manager
Blackmagic Design EMEA

E: support-emea@blackmagicdesign.com
T: +44(0)1565 830 049

----- Original Message ----- Håvard Njåstad 14 January 2020 08:22 PM

And the barrel is 5.5x2.5mm
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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostSun Feb 28, 2021 3:01 pm

Håvard Njåstad wrote:Hi

The Video Assist Product Manager has now confirmed that the operational voltage range is still 10.8- 17volts


Regards

John

John Herbert
Broadcast Support Manager
Blackmagic Design EMEA

E: support-emea@blackmagicdesign.com
T: +44(0)1565 830 049

----- Original Message ----- Håvard Njåstad 14 January 2020 08:22 PM

And the barrel is 5.5x2.5mm


Thanks, 8.4v allows the device to show full batteries.
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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostSat Mar 27, 2021 8:29 pm

OK, here is another strange one: I have a Soby shotgun mic which works perfectly with multiple devices. Yet when I connect it to the video assistant I can or make it work.

I enable the xlr inputs, turn on phantom power, and test the mic...nothing. I try to record to other tracks...nothing. I change the levels...nothing.

I have the latest update installed, yet I can't get it to work. I have even reset the assistant all to no avail.

Any thoughts? I was able to get the VU meters to move by connecting a BMMCC4K via SDI, and the meters moved and I was able to record sound.

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Howard Roll

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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostSun Mar 28, 2021 1:58 am

As you have discovered, the Video Assist is not capable of functioning as a standalone audio recorder.

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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostSun Mar 28, 2021 5:14 pm

Howard Roll wrote:As you have discovered, the Video Assist is not capable of functioning as a standalone audio recorder.

Good Luck


What does this mean then:
". Audio Inputs
2 x balanced mini XLR with phantom power"
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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostSun Mar 28, 2021 10:36 pm

Howard Roll wrote:As you have discovered, the Video Assist is not capable of functioning as a standalone audio recorder.

Good Luck


After hearing the alarming news that the BMVA could not function as a video recorder, I began to search the net...and much to your surprise (I am sure) on Blackmagic's own WEB site there is this little ditty:

For connecting microphones the 7" models have 2 XLR analog audio inputs with phantom power and high definition audio sample rates of 192 kHz at 16 and 24 bit per sample. The audio meters can even be changed between VU or PPM ballistics. Blackmagic Video Assist 12G features the latest audio technology to ensure low noise floor and very low distortion so you can use it for digital cinema and broadcast work.


So back to my original question: Why does the feature mentioned on the BM Website not function on the 7" 12G model?
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Howard Roll

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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostMon Mar 29, 2021 12:35 am

UnixMover wrote:
Howard Roll wrote:As you have discovered, the Video Assist is not capable of functioning as a standalone audio recorder.

Good Luck


After hearing the alarming news that the BMVA could not function as a video recorder, I began to search the net...and much to your surprise (I am sure) on Blackmagic's own WEB site there is this little ditty:...

...So back to my original question: Why does the feature mentioned on the BM Website not function on the 7" 12G model?


No need for alarm, you weren't following along, I said audio recorder. You need to plug in a valid video signal or it's a non starter.

Good Luck
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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostMon Mar 29, 2021 1:37 am

I already have a dedicated audio device. What I need is to use a shotgun mic on the XLR 1/2 input.

I can get:
  • XLR Line with no issues
  • SDI with no issues
  • What I can't get is the XLR to us a XLR mic

What I need is a BMVA 7" 12G specialist to chime in and let me know if my XLR "Mic" is broken or it is functioning as designed. Is it possible to take a Sony shotgun XLR mic and input sound over the selected XLR channel? If it's broke I need to get it fixed before it drops out of support.

I have checked the Sony mic on a Focusrite & a XR18 Air, and it works perfectly so I know it is not the mic. I am feeding the SDI from a Blackmagic micro studio camera 4k into channel 1/2...no issues. I have tried the Sony mic XLR on every pair up to 15/16 and it does not record sound. I am also using the same cables to input from a line device and they work fine.

Broke or not...it has to be a binary result.
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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostTue Aug 02, 2022 2:25 am

Why can't I record BRAW on the Video Assistant 12G when I feed it from a UMP12K over SDI?
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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostTue Aug 02, 2022 11:43 am

UnixMover wrote:Why can't I record BRAW on the Video Assistant 12G when I feed it from a UMP12K over SDI?
The URSA Mini Pro is not capable of outputting a RAW video signal over SDI (it can record Blackmagic RAW internally instead). None of the Blackmagic cameras with internal RAW recording have any kind of support for external RAW output, so this is a limitation of the cameras rather than the Video Assist.

Since there are no standards for RAW output over SDI or HDMI, each camera manufacturer creates their own proprietary RAW packing format to send RAW sensor data (often in non-standard resolutions) inside an SDI or HDMI signal.

Blackmagic only really came up with such a RAW SDI output format for one of their cameras that I am aware of, the now discontinued Micro Studio Camera 4K, which had no support for internal recording at all: https://documents.blackmagicdesign.com/ ... 3171700000

The list of cameras that are currently supported for BRAW recording on the Video Assist are fairly well documented, both on the product Tech Specs page and in the manual. The current list is:
  • Canon EOS C300 Mark II
  • FUJIFILM GFX100
  • FUJIFILM GFX100S
  • FUJIFILM XH2s
  • Leica SL2-S
  • Nikon Z 6
  • Nikon Z 7
  • Nikon Z 6II
  • Nikon Z 7II
  • Panasonic AU-EVA1
  • Panasonic LUMIX GH5S
  • Panasonic LUMIX BGH1
  • Panasonic LUMIX BS1H
  • Panasonic LUMIX S1
  • Panasonic LUMIX S1H
  • Panasonic LUMIX S5
  • SIGMA fp
  • SIGMA fp L
Most of those cameras do not support internal RAW recording at all, making external RAW recording the only way to get RAW video out of them. I assume for Blackmagic cameras that do support internal BRAW recording (often a key selling point of those cameras), adding an external RAW output is not a priority over other possible camera improvements, since they already offer a viable RAW recording option.
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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostTue Aug 02, 2022 5:16 pm

Dave Del Vecchio wrote:
UnixMover wrote:Blackmagic only really came up with such a RAW SDI output format for one of their cameras that I am aware of, the now discontinued Micro Studio Camera 4K, which had no support for internal recording at all: https://documents.blackmagicdesign.com/ ... 3171700000


I know of this BMMSC to VA as I own one of these (which appears to not have support any more). But pushing RAW out the SDI (especially 12G) should give me the option of BRAW. I completely understand it doesn't, but we are all entitled to our opinions.

My stance is they are both BM platforms, and should be inexplicitly linked both in hardware and software.
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Howard Roll

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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostWed Aug 03, 2022 4:28 am

UnixMover wrote:My stance is they are both BM platforms, and should be inexplicitly linked both in hardware and software.


I'm guessing you mean implicitly. Irregardless, I like Inexplicitly, It's like "I don't know, but here it is!"

I agree but that ship sailed many moons ago. It was actually pretty surprising when BM released Camera Update 4.7 and gave the M4K raw output. The manual was explicit in it's text "Resolve does not support M4K raw data." Kind of a bummer but the format was never supported by anyone including BM themselves.

If you do want to record raw from the m4k, a recorder that can record uncompressed 4K QT is required. Then the data must be unpacked from the 4:2:2 stream, debayered, and rasterized using 3rd party software. None of the VAs support uncompressed because nobody records uncompressed, I don't even think any of the new Hyperdecks support uncompressed recording. Ironically Braw (and Praw) from the BGH1 is supported, I sold off my M4Ks and bought Panny's, vote with your dollar.

Good Luck

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Re: 7" 12G Video Assist Power

PostThu Aug 04, 2022 1:03 am

This is somewhat of a rant, but it ties back to an issue I took to Blackmagics' support folks. You can skip this entry if you are not interested in phantom power problems on the Video Assist 12G.

I purchased a VA 7" 12G since it allowed for multiple XLR inputs and provided phantom power for the mics. When I plugged my mic into the VA, the mic (high-end Sony) would not work. I spent days with different cables and settings; all to no avail.

I then reached out to BM support, and they told me to make sure the Sony used phantom power. I assured them I used the mic on multiple prosumer cameras and it would work when phantom power was turned on. In the end I was told to get a mic that would work with the VA. Cold, but it's their company and their support system.

Well, when i purchased the UMP12K, there just happen to be two XLR jacks for external mics. I took the mic which would not work on the VA, and installed it on the UMP12K: it works perfectly when I turn on phantom power.

So it is obvious that some part of Blackmagic has the knowhow to make a Sony shotgun mic work. Is it possible for the folks from the UMP program can help the folks in the VA program get their phantom power working on professional mics??
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