Blackmagic Forum

Please reply to this thread if you would like BMD to implement level A and Level B support across their product range.

Currently the devices are B only which annoyingly is the less common of the standards and is not supported by a significant number of devices.

Please add a +1 if this matters to you, or you think that it may do in the future.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMPTE_424M explains the different levels if you have not heard of this yet.

cheers
tom

+1

Richard

Big Plus 1.

+1


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

+1

+1 from me.
Hopefully by update, not only for new devices.

+1

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+1 !!!

+1

I know no one from bmd has weighed in on this but do we know if this is technically possible with their hardware ... ?? one would assume so but then again you know what you get when you assume !!

The following was posted on ATEMUser.com...

From opgenorth


The good news is that the 3g-SDI chip BM uses in the 4k ATEM (probably a Semtech GS2972, or GS3490) can do both levels A & B, so it'd be a firmware only fix for them to implement this.

This sounds promising as does the info which was posted on this forum by someone at BMD who talked about how their devices used to be level A only and then they switched to level B.

I'd be a bit concerned by the 'Probably' statement, which implies they have no idea what's inside it

I think they probably mean its one of these 2 chips but they are not sure which one. But whatevers you can look inside a switcher and find out if you are that bothered about it.

The point is that blackmagic can probably fix this with a firmware update. If they need to make a hardware revision too then that would be sad, but it is still a vital thing that they do it. They have backed the wrong horse with 3g and it makes their products a lot less attractive than they would otherwise be. The next vision mixer i buy will be purchased with the specific need of 3g support. I would love it to be an ATEM, but unless it supports level A then I will have to select something else.

+1 please

+1

+1

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Do it now. I can't use any new Atem with my TV One stuff, and it sux.

+1!

+1
I suspect this would be an FPGA firmware rev

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New Desktop Video 10.4 adds Level-A to Decklink 4K Extreme and same series of cards.

+1
Decklink SDI 4k working good with Level A, after update Desktop video.

Please fix ATEM 1 ME 4k and Hyperdeck SSD........ Please, please.....

Thanks!

+1

+1 from me.

This 3G SDI Level A vs. B stuff has been driving me nuts for months now. I have Blackmagic gear that is Level B only and cameras and other gear that is Level A only, and I have yet to find a converter between the two that costs less than $500. Not to mention that it's a pain to have to use a bunch of extra converters for this (especially if it's one per camera).

In addition to the ATEM line, it would be great if the Mini Converters and HyperDeck Studio Pro also supported Level A. For the Mini Converters it could be an option configureable over USB.

Dave Del Vecchio wrote:In addition to the ATEM line, it would be great if the Mini Converters and HyperDeck Studio Pro also supported Level A. For the Mini Converters it could be an option configureable over USB.

I believe all mini converters have extra micro-switches that aren't used for anything

+1

+1. This would be huge.

+1

+100, this is essential, and makes no sense that it isn't already implemented.

+1

This is Huge! Not having Level A capability turns the Production Studio 4k into a 1.5G SDI switcher in the real world where we have to deal with a mix of sources. I've discussed the problem with a really sharp electronics engineer, who's designed his own digital video converters & scalers. He confirmed that this would be a firmware fix on the 4k, based on the SDI decoder & driver chips that BM is using.

+1 - this is vital to my productions, and to the choice of what equipment my company will be buying in the future to support our business.

+1 at least for distribution gear (Videohub, DAs)!!
In my opinion they should transparently pass anything thats 3G (either Lv A, B, or even BarcoLink..)

ATEM, Miniconverters and the like would great as well to at least recognize one standard or be systemwide switchable. Thanks.

+1,000,000,000,000

Level A compatibility is critical in this industry.

+1!

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Keep it coming +1, also +1 for rec2020 support on 4k products

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looks like this is coming...

What's new in Teranex Utility 4.2
Teranex Express now supports Level A for 3G-SDI 1080p signals

Teranex Mini - 12G-SDI to Quad SDI
Teranex Mini - Quad SDI to 12G-SDI
Includes 12G-SDI loop through and support for both Level A and Level B 3G-SDI equipment.

Starting with Desktop Video 10.4 the DeckLink 4K cards also have an option to set the 3G SDI output to Level A.

So there has at least been some progress. Hopefully 3G SDI Level A support makes its way into more products as time goes on.

+1
if Black magic wants to go seriusly with biger Cams, they needs both!
in one bigger production bm fiber tx rx was canceled. becaus of no suport of 3g levelA

As a work around for the time being I have started using the Decimator MD-HX which with the new firmware supports level A and B as an output and supports level A or B as an input. Started using these with a mix of BM gear successfully last week

This needs to happen ASAP, problems like this is part of what gives BMD a bad reputation.

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