Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

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Wayne Richmond

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Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostTue Jan 19, 2021 5:34 am

Hi,

The video from my ATEM Mini Pro ISO coming in to my computer via the USB-C cable always has a slight delay to it. This is annoying enough but the real problem is that every now and then the delay increases to 2-3 seconds! This delay shows up in both Zoom and FaceTime regardless of whether I'm actually connected to others over the Internet or not. If I switch to my MacBook Pro's internal camera the delay disappears - it only happens with my ATEM Mini. Unfortunately I don't have an external web cam to try. My ATEM Mini is connected to my MacBook Pro directly (not via a USB hub) using a quality 2m cable (I've tried two different ones) and the problem occurs with all of my cameras and HDMI cables so I don't think the problem is there.

This demonstrates what I am experiencing:


It would be reasonable to assume that the delay is being caused by the computer being overtaxed with other processes except that:
    My Mac is a powerful (maxed out) 16" 2019 MacBook Pro (2.4 Ghz 8-Core i9, 64GB RAM & 8TB int SSD)
    The problem occurs even when there are few other applications open.
    According to Activity Monitor there is little going on with the CPU or network.
    As you can see in the video, rebooting doesn't fix it (nor does powering down the ATEM, by the way)
Eventually the problem just goes away by itself reverting to the 'normal' (but usable) slight delay.

This problem makes my otherwise much loved ATEM Mini Pro ISO virtually unusable as a web cam! :-(

Any suggestions as to what might be causing this and what I can do to make it go away will be greatly appreciated!

Wayne
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Wayne Richmond

Humph Hall
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jallen0

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Re: Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostMon Feb 22, 2021 8:21 pm

I see that you received no answer to this. I am also experiencing the same issues. Did you ever get to a solution?
2019 MacPro OS 12.1, 3.2GHz 16 Core, 160GB Mem, 4TB Drive, 8TB Internal Sonnet Raid, Dual Radeon Pro W5700X 16GB
LG UF 5k, 27" Tbolt Display, 55" LG C8
Resolve Edit Keyboard, Mini Panel, US 4K Mini
Resolve Studio Ver. 17.4.3
Desktop Video 12.1
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Wayne Richmond

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Re: Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostMon Feb 22, 2021 9:10 pm

Hi JallenO,

I'm afraid I haven't found a solution.

I did manage to borrow a friend's webcam and initially it worked just fine but then it experienced some delays (much smaller, mind you) as well. Unfortunately I had to give the camera back before I was able to experiment further.

Once, when the delay was really bad during a Zoom session, I switched over to my computer's internal camera for a few minutes and then switched back to my ATEM Mini and it was back to normal - just the usual short delay! I thought I might have come across a sort of 'fix' but on future occasions switching to the other camera has had no effect! :-(

Blimey I hate inconsistent problems . . . SO HARD to sort out!

Are you on a Mac or a PC? What have you tried?

Any ideas as to what is going on?


Wayne
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Wayne Richmond

Humph Hall
85 Allambie Road
Allambie Heights
NSW 2100, Australia

+61 2 9939 8802
(0400) 803 804
Skype: waynerichmond
Web: humph.org
YouTube: waynerichmond
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jallen0

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Re: Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostTue Feb 23, 2021 12:19 am

I am on a mac and using the Video Assist monitors to feed into the computer. I also tried the ATEM Mini and it seems with every single Blackmagic product I have I get this delay. Tomorrow, instead of being able to use professional gear for the conference, I am using webcams and Zoom. I also sent an email to support 36 hours ago and have heard nothing back.

It will be awhile before I can trust Blackmagic products.
2019 MacPro OS 12.1, 3.2GHz 16 Core, 160GB Mem, 4TB Drive, 8TB Internal Sonnet Raid, Dual Radeon Pro W5700X 16GB
LG UF 5k, 27" Tbolt Display, 55" LG C8
Resolve Edit Keyboard, Mini Panel, US 4K Mini
Resolve Studio Ver. 17.4.3
Desktop Video 12.1
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Wayne Richmond

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Re: Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostSun Mar 28, 2021 8:52 am

Hi again JallenO,

I am convinced now that the issue is not restricted to the ATEM Mini as the same problem has occurred with other 'USB camera's (which, of course, is what the ATEM Mini appears as when connected to a computer via USB-C).

Have you tried other USB webcams? Have you had any problems with these or has it only been when using the ATEM Mini?

Are you using a Mac or a PC?


Wayne
================================================
Wayne Richmond

Humph Hall
85 Allambie Road
Allambie Heights
NSW 2100, Australia

+61 2 9939 8802
(0400) 803 804
Skype: waynerichmond
Web: humph.org
YouTube: waynerichmond
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JP Good Shepherd

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Re: Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostMon Jul 19, 2021 1:00 am

2019 MacBook Pro, 2.3 GHz, 8-core i9, 32GB RAM. Setup: iPhone thru HDMI dongle into ATEM. USB out of ATEM into OBS on Mac. OBS Virtual Cam out to Zoom. Audio comes into Mac into OBS and runs parallel from there out to Zoom. Nasty video/audio mis-match - video lags by ~800 msec. However in same setup, also run USB webcam directly into Mac/OBS and there is no video lag. FWIW am using iPhone apps "Camera Vision" and "AirMix Solo" to generate clean HDMI, with same results.

Think this rules out Mac bandwidth. Think this also rules out USB webcams. It's some combination of the iPhone - iPhone app - HDMI dongle/converter - ATEM Mini video chain.

Any other ideas?
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fortyfoxes

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Re: Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostMon Jul 19, 2021 1:57 pm

I get the same intermittent issue. These are my thoughts:

- USB3 output is thinking it is usb 2
- Problem with multiple hdmi sources of different quality?

Turning everything off and on again solves the issue fir a few minutes. Apparently using the hdmi out and a good capote card would fix the delay? Would be good to figure this out as I was thinking of upgrading to a bigger Atem but need to make sure I fix the intermittent delay first.
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Wayne Richmond

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Re: Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostMon Jul 19, 2021 8:41 pm

Hi Fortyfoxes,

As I have said previously, I am now totally convinced that this issue has nothing to do with my ATEM Mini.

As a result of numerous experiments (including with external USB webcams directly) and hours of consultation with high level Apple Support people I have concluded that the issue has something to do with me using an external monitor.

I have a huge 43" HP monitor (HP Z43) connected with HDMI via a hub (thank you Apple!). I bought the monitor because it was supposed to work with USB-C but it doesn't!

What I've discovered is that if I disconnect the external monitor when the delay is occurring then after about 5-10 seconds the delay goes away and stays away. And if I plug it back in again it comes back! Furthermore the other day I was working in Final Cut Pro when everything started really slowing down with a spinning wheel after every action. (On reflection this has quite often happened to me and I remember thinking that it really shouldn't be considering it was not a demanding task (4 camera HD edit) and I have a maxed out 2019 MacBook Pro!) Anyway, on this occasion it occurred to me to try disconnecting my external monitor and guess what? After about 5 seconds everything speeded up to what it should be. I then reconnected the monitor and the delay came back again!

When this problem first occurred the Blackmagic Design support person commented that the delay would be caused by the CPU being flat out doing other things thus preventing it from keeping up with the frame rates coming from the ATEM. At the time this made sense to me but I couldn't see what was using up the CPU. However now it seems that it has something to do with it trying to feed my external monitor.

I then thought that perhaps the problem is my particular HP monitor which was the only monitor of its size available when I purchased it last year that supposedly did work with USB-C. However, when I looked again last week I discovered that LG now have a USB-C 43" monitor. I figured, since Apple sells LG monitors, that surely there wouldn't be any issues about it working with my MacBook Pro so I purchased one. But, would you believe, it doesn't work with USB-C either and, furthermore, all of the above delay issues occur with it the same as they did with the HP! :-(

We (Apple Support and me) are still working through the USB-C issue but, as the delay problem only occurs when I have an external monitor plugged in I have no choice but to conclude that it has something to do with that and certainly not my ATEM Mini (which I have upgraded to the wonderful ATEM Mini Extreme Pro, by the way).

I'd be very interested to know whether the rest of you experiencing a similar problem also have an external monitor plugged in and, if so, whether you find disconnecting them makes the problem go away for you as well.

Wayne
================================================
Wayne Richmond

Humph Hall
85 Allambie Road
Allambie Heights
NSW 2100, Australia

+61 2 9939 8802
(0400) 803 804
Skype: waynerichmond
Web: humph.org
YouTube: waynerichmond
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r.navarroz

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Re: Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostThu Aug 12, 2021 11:58 pm

Hi my friend, i have the same problem with atem mini and my mac :(, i dont get the solution yet and i am sure that mac is the problem, because i used the same configuration with a laptop windows and work excelent, so, my mac is a retina i7 16gb ram with big sur, all updates, obs clean and diferent combination of configuration but the problem persist, i try changing cables usb, hdmi too and nothing, the same delay 2 at 5 second. Now i try resinstall SO in my mac, I think that Catalina can be the solucion, but i dont believe that is the solution.

Thanks for u answer
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Don Morris

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Re: Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostMon Oct 25, 2021 6:07 pm

In my testing, it appears this has nothing to do with Mac hardware. I've upgraded to Catalina. Although I have an older Mac mini (2012), it's specs should be more than adequate, with a new SSD and 16GB of memory. Two different webcams have worked beautifully for extended periods of time — only the ATEM Mini Pro produces a video delay.
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kpgalligan

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Re: Video delay with ATEM Mini Pro ISO

PostSat Jan 01, 2022 1:50 am

I was using the ATEM Mini Pro with Lumix GH3 for a lot of 2021 as a webcam. The issue is intermittent, but unless its something with the cable or the ATEM is sending out a really weird video signal, it's not the mac. I've used various USB web cams, cheap to expensive, and I've never seen this kind of delay.

I upgraded the camera recently (Lumix GH5). I had assumed maybe the GH3 was the cause, but apparently not so. I would have upgraded anyway, but still kind of a bummer.

I assume no word from Blackmagic and no fix. I'll try other cables. In theory USB cable shouldn't matter much, but bad cables can have issues. More with power than signal I guess, but I'll give it a shot.

I didn't have any issues with streaming or local recording, which is why I bought this originally, but webcam became the main way I used it. I have had to switch to mac laptop cam occasionally, and it's a *very* noticeable quality difference, but the lag is crazy when it happens.

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