Blackmagic Forum

I am having a really hard time getting this feature to work with our Hyperdecks. Right now we have 2 decks that are daisy-chained but no matter how I have the settings, I can't seem to get them to crash record. We are running SDI into the first one and out via the SDI loop out into the second one. We have an RS-422 controller hooked up to the first one and it will send the first one into record but not the second one.

I have enable REM on both units and tried every setting under "Trigger Record" in every combination. The manual says to simply set the "Trigger Recording" to "When SDI timecode runs." Well, which is it? The real options are "SDI in/out" or "Timecode runs." Either way, neither option works.

We plan on expanding to many more of these decks and it would only work if we could get them to all link and record at the same time with one button push.

Anybody else have this working?

Have you tried using the actual SDI out instead of the SDI Loop next to the input. The Loop connector just passes your video feed as-is so timecode won't be embedded in that signal.

I have not tried that. The manual instructs to connect the RS-422 controller to the first HyperDeck and the loop the HD-SDI signal to the other HyperDeck(s) using the SDI loop output. That doesn't mean that I shouldn't at least try the SDI out though. Most of my confusion comes from the next wording they use and whether or not this feature is a promise that BMD hasn't followed through with yet. It says to...

"Use the HyperDeck Studio Utility to set 'trigger recording' to 'When SDI timecode runs' and all the HyperDeck Studios will record the same video signal simultaneously."

The real wording under the HyperDeck utility gives three options.
1. None
2. SDI Start/Stop
3. Timecode Run

So that leaves me confused as to which option I should pick and should I just set the first unit or all the units. I've tried every combination I could think of but some clear direction would be very helpful.

why do you want to record the same signal on many hyperdecks?

We are a church with multiple locations and we use a recorded message at our other locations. We are planning on expanding beyond 2 locations very soon. Right now we record 2 at the same time and its pretty simple to push record on 2 units. Once we go to 3 or more locations, crash recording on multiple decks just makes sense. It's easier and very precise.

why not simply copy the recording made on one deck?

cheers
tom

We do the same thing with our 2x Hyperdeck's. Copying one drive to another takes time which we don't have (it could be a 20 minute drive to the other location).

@geauxdeigh: Does your RS422 controller output RP188 timecode? What model of controller are you using, and are you sure it is outputing Sony compatible commands? There are a number of controllers out there with hardcoded firmware that only works with specific VTR decks. If you have one of those and not one that supports generic Sony commands, then it may not work.

Also the first Hyperdeck should be set to "Timecode run" as the "SDI trigger" is something that certain cameras will send down the wire when their on-board record button is pushed (to trigger both an onboard and external recording device at the same time).

Tom - we could copy but our turn around needs to be pretty quick. We'd rather invest the extra $$ and have the drive ready as soon as our service is over.

Chad - We're using the Media Control Station2 made by JLCooper Electronics. Not sure about timecode. I am new to the broadcast world. Maybe thats where we are getting confused. We are not using the cameras to trigger recording. They are set up in a broadcast setting and all recording is done in our control room via the hyper deck devices. Nothing is recorded on the cameras. I thought recording on the first Hyperdeck would create the trigger and the second device would daisy chain from the first. Does there need to be a trigger device before the Hyperdeck? Other than a camera, what can create that timecode/trigger? We use multiple cameras and video feeds all mixed. We record our program out from our video switcher.

Our next best fix is a Gangway 16 port switcher that will multiply our RS-422 and we'd input individual outputs into each deck with the controller. Hoping not to spend the extra $800 but if that's our only/best option, we'll do it.

We are not using the cameras to trigger recording. They are set up in a broadcast setting and all recording is done in our control room via the hyper deck devices. Nothing is recorded on the cameras.

Right, which is why you should use Timecode run and not SDI trigger. Have you tried plugging the second deck into the output port of the first deck, instead of the loop port?

I keep on recommending this so maybe i should be getting paid by Sony for it, take a look at the NXL IP55's. If you have sufficient bandwidth, you can set them up in multiple locations and stream direct from the IP55 in your church to the other churches. That should also cut down the cost of driving etc... However, they are more expensive in the beginning.

Hmm because a gigabit lan link between remote venues is totally affordable!?!

If they wanted to do streaming between venues then using something such as the Teradek Cube into a Wowzer EC2 instance would be more appropriate and an awful lot cheaper.

You can just distribute the RS422 using something like a Kramer VS-4228 or even a BMD Studio Videohub.

I would not suggest a solution based on timecode run as you'll have to insert timecode downstream of your vision mixer and stop start the timecode to start and stop recording.

Thats a good point Tom, i do forget about that.

I work a lot in Education/Universities where the average connection is a 1GB link. It states though that you need a 1GB link, but i have done 4K transmission using IP55's using a 100MB link in two seperate IP55's at each location.

It's also 10x the cost of the teradek solution.

Cheers
Tom


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We tried using a pair of Teradek cubes to transmit to our second venue across town, but had too many dropped frames to be "acceptable" (both are a Comcast Business connection so technically they were "on net" and didn't traverse the open internet).

@Tom: according to the Hyperdeck manual, connecting a RS422 controller to the first Hyperdeck inserts the timecode and thus triggers recording via the "Timecode run" setting. The problem seems to be that timecode is not being cascaded to the second Hyperdeck despite the manual saying it should.

Are all your hyperdecks set to timecode run?
Is the timecode source set to hdsdi on all your decks?
Have you got a monitor or decklink or something you can connect to the SDI loop out of the first deck and see if it is actually sending TC?
Have you tried pushing the rem button on all the decks?


Cheers
Tom

Auto correct errors inserted by iPad using Tapatalk HD

why you don't use justmacro to send rec start/stop command to the hyperdecks over IP