SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function.

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David Schouweiler

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SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function.

PostTue Aug 03, 2021 5:15 am

I am new to the SDI to HDMI 3G and I am trying to get it to function. Presently, only the USB LED lights, not the BNC LED. I have two AVIPAS AV-1280 cameras, bought new a month apart from different vendors, both function well when sending an IP(Ethernet) video signal to a static-addressed webpage, and then simultaneously using IP to OBS Studio on same computer. These cameras send the same video+audio signal found on the IP Ethernet cable automatically/simultaneously out their SDI port, but I am unable to get my Blackmagic converter to detect the SDI signal and illuminate (or flash) the BNC LED (I've not yet seen the BNC LED illuminate). Also, while an IP video signal is present/viewable in OBS Studio, no video is visible using the SDI-to-HDMI converter on either of my two HDMI monitors (each tried at separate times). I have used both a 6-foot RCA cable with BNC adapters, and also a 25' Digikey certified SDI-3G BNC 75 ohm cable, with no results. I've tried to feed the HDMI into a CamLink4K and also a $30 generic HDMI-USB adapter, with only blank results on my Dell computer. I've used the power adapter that came with the Blackmagic converter, and also a USB cable powered by my Dell Precision M7520 computer, and both light only the USB LED, and the latter cable (automatically) updated the Blackmagic converter's firmware without issue the first time it was attached. I can access the Blackmagic application, but I cannot get my SDI-to-HDMI converter to detect either SDI signal on my two cameras. Converter serial is 8293361. What am I doing wrong?
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David Schouweiler

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostTue Aug 03, 2021 3:52 pm

I reconnected my Camera's SDI cable from the Blackmagic converter input to my 100MHz oscilloscope and took a photo (see attached). My AV-1280 camera has up to a 1080p60 mode, so it might use a 3G SDI bus, but it is probably an HD-SDI bus. Obviously 3Gb/s or 1.5Gb/s data streams will look a bit odd on a 100MHz scope, and there is little to trigger on, but it will give an idea of whether there is a proper signal coming from the camera. The photo suggests a 10X probe is attached, but no, it's just the SDI-3G certified BNC cable hooked from camera to Oscope. The Oscope is too cheap to autodetect the probe, and I don't know how to change the probe setting yet. I'm guessing the SDI signal is good and the Blackmagic module is either not working, or I don't yet know how to use it. I suspect there is nothing to learn - that this converter is plug-and-play, and that a good SDI input signal is not being recognized by this Blackmagic converter. Anyone have an opinion on this? Thanks.
SDI-3G-to-HDMI-100MHz-Oscope2.jpg
SDI-3G-to-HDMI-100MHz-Oscope2.jpg (568.32 KiB) Viewed 1955 times
Last edited by David Schouweiler on Tue Aug 03, 2021 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Andy Coulthurst

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostTue Aug 03, 2021 4:56 pm

Is this camera 3G level A or Level B sdi ? I don't see any mention on the camera product page.
Suggest you try setting the camera to a 1.5G resolution and see if that works. That should prove if the converter is okay.
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Andy Coulthurst

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostTue Aug 03, 2021 5:04 pm

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David Schouweiler

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostTue Aug 03, 2021 5:14 pm

Hi Andy. These two cameras, both AVIPAS AV-1280 models, do not state "3G" anywhere in the documentation. The available documentation is fair, not exactly great. The AV-1280 is listed as an HD camera, and has up to a 1080p60 output. I don't know what the minimum SDI spec is for that, but I suspect it is HD-SDI, though it might be the dual-link version. Yes, it might be a 3G-SDI camera, but I am sure any converter that can handle 3G-SDI can handle HD-SDI and probably HD-SDI-dual link. This is rather foreign terminology, but I am familiar with electronics, so I hope to learn quickly. Note the AV-1280 documentation says the SDI cable should be an HD-3G-SDI cable, which tells me that HD-SDI is an acceptable spec and a 3G-SDI cable is more than up to the task. I suspect this is NOT a 3G SDI bus, only an HD-SDI bus of some sort.
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David Schouweiler

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostTue Aug 03, 2021 5:49 pm

Hi again Andy. Your link to the SDI configurations is eye opening. I have a bunch to study. I am presently operating in 1080p30.00 mode, so I'm not over-stressing the SDI bus, whichever configuration it ends up being. I'll also review the Blackmagic documentation to learn what SDI configurations are permitted. I did watch a youtube video long ago that, I believe, use this Blackmagic converter with this exact camera, but I'll look again. Here is the link, and I see at 3m:16s into the video the 3G converter version was not used, only the non-3G version. I'll watch the whole video again to see the details:
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Andy Coulthurst

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostTue Aug 03, 2021 5:59 pm

Anything more than 1080p30 requires 3G datarates. The camera does have a CCTV "feel" about it , and there is a problem with many 3G capable CCTV cameras as they don't use a licensed 3G chipset which includes the correct broadcast signaling. 1.5G datarates should be fine no matter.
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David Schouweiler

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostTue Aug 03, 2021 6:05 pm

I just now visited the website of a major seller of these converters and they advise the old SDI-to-HDMI converter is discontinued, and that the converter I have, the SDI-to-HDMI 3G is the recommended replacement for it. The description shows my converter handles 1x SD/HD/3G-SDI Inputs. This is logical, as it suggests this new converter is backward compatible with HD and SD (not dual-link, but we are fortunately not dealing with a dual-link camera - thanks to just now learning this from Andy's link). I sense this SDI-to-HDMI-3G is supposed to be plug-and-play, and it is not working, so I presently suspect I have a bad converter. I'll study this further today and will visit here to learn more.
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David Schouweiler

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostTue Aug 03, 2021 7:39 pm

Hi Andy. I think SDI-3G Level A and Level B selection was removed from the Blackmagic configuration options for this converter, as it is probably now done transparently/automatically. I do see that ver 1.1 of the configuration (in the Blackmagic Converters Manual) offered the Level A/Level B choice, but ver 7.5.1 (which I have) does not.
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David Schouweiler

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostWed Aug 04, 2021 8:40 pm

I phoned the Blackmagic tech line and was advised to try different resolutions and different frame rates, to see if any of them function. I am unable to do this now, but will try it out in the next couple days. I was also advised to upgrade from application ver 7.5.1 to 7.5.2.
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David Schouweiler

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostThu Aug 12, 2021 4:28 am

As a follow-up, I've learned the SDI to HDMI 3G converter works with my AV-1280 camera in all 1080 modes and in 720 modes at 50.00 and above. Not ever in 720 mode at 30.00 or below. I did discover I have only had the 7.5.2 software installed, but this software states "7.5.1" on a status screen and "7.5.2" on the Help screen. I have purchased a second SDI to HDMI 3G module to verify consistent behavior. It is consistent. I will be reconfiguring my two cameras to operate at either 1080P29.97 or 1080P30.00, allowing these converters to function (I haven't yet decided framerate because my Vegas Pro 18 software oddly doesn't appear to offer a 30.00 or 60.00 render option using their AVC/AAC MP4 template).
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David Schouweiler

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Re: SDI to HDMI 3G only lights the USB LED, doesn't function

PostSat Aug 14, 2021 9:34 am

As another follow-up: I'd initially been running my cameras at 720P30, as this is my facebook live stream limit. I've since switched my cameras to 1080P30, and am reducing in real time to 720P30 in OSB Studio. As a newby, I knew this was an option, but had not yet tried it. There are inconsistencies/incompatibilities regarding both my AV-1280 camera and also my Vegas Pro 18 video editor, and further experimentation will teach me whether 29.97 or 30.00 is my preferred frame rate. My guess and hope is for 30.00, but I only follow live-stream science - I don't create it.

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