How-to Embed audio to SDI w/ 'Audio to SDI 4k and Hyperdeck

You have a 16 channel multi track audio recorder built into your Blackmagic Hyperdeck SSD recorder. The existing HD-SDI signal will hold 16 audio channels in the engineering standard SMPTE 292M. Sound recorded live will start and stay in sync for your later editing efforts because they were recorded live, together. Here is how to put them there when recording live on location:

Recording audio along with the video signal is called "embedding" the audio. Like how your camcorder does it for two channels, but we need more on location for other microphones

How to set up the "Audio to SDI 4k Mini Converter" (this is an embedder that can put 4 audio channels into your video signal recording signal. I just got off the phone with Blackmagic Technical Service and am pleased to share this answer.

In order to embed multiple audio channels into the HD-SDI signal output from your Blackmagic Video Switcher you can use the Mini Converter "Audio to SDI 4k". SDI video signals have room for 16 audio channels in the original specification and recording in ProRes you can record all 16 if needed.

Put 4 channels into your SDI video signal recording:
Signal Path: HD-SDI video out from Blackmagic Switcher in HD-SDI -- to SDI input on the " Audio to SDI 4k" embedder set with all switches UP ( this places the four audio channels onto tracks 1,2,3,4 )- -- send output to your Blackmagic Hyperdeck SSD recorder. Your live switched show recording has 4 audio channels, in sync with the original event and that recorded file is ready to drag and drop into your non linear editing machine where you can mix the audio. NO time wasted sync-ing audio files to your switched video. Wow.

So, lets stack 4 "Blackmagic Mini Converters Audio to SDI 4k" embedders - each will add four audio channels, and you get 16 embedded audio channels. We set each one so they record on a new set of 4 audio tracks than the one before it.

Signal Path: Video out from Blackmagic Switcher in HD-SDI -- to SDI input on the FIRST "Audio to SDI 4k" embedder set with all switches UP ( this places the four audio channels onto tracks 1,2,3,4 )----to SDI input on the SECOND "Audio to SDI 4k" embedder with only switch 5 DOWN and all other switches UP ( this embeds audio onto tracks 5,6,7,8 ) -- - to SDI input on the THIRD "Audio to SDI 4k" embedder with only switch 6 DOWN and all other switches up ( this embeds audio onto tracks 9,10,11,12 ) ------to SDI input on the FOURTH "Audio to SDI 4k" embedder set with only switch 5+6 DOWN and all other switches UP (this will embed 4 channels of audio onto tracks 13,14,15,16 )---then this output goes into your digital video recorder like a Blackmagic Hyperdeck SSD recorder.

-- -- -- To review :
With the "Audio to SDI 4k" switches UP position is OFF (the opposite of most every light switch )

Embed onto channels 1,2,3,4 you need NO, zero, switches pushed down - all switches UP
Embed onto channels 5,6,7,8 you need switch 5 down ONLY and all other switches UP
Embed onto channels 9,10,11,12 you need switch 6 down ONLY and all other switches UP
Embed onto channels 13,14,15,16 you need switch 5 DOWN and switch 6 DOWN and all others UP

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Replacement power supply for the BlackMagic Audio to SDI 4k is made by Phihong in Taiwan, search it up for replacement wall prongs or the entire unit.

My embedders were purchased used and did not come with the instruction sheet. The instruction printed on them seemed quite different from the instruction I received and shared today from the Black Magic help line man. ( Tuesday, April 9, 2019 ) One more caution: some instructions are written with switches in the order of 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 and the switches on the unit are numbered 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 FYI.

Best Regards
Tim Greenwood
Magnolia Street Productions, Los Angeles

You forget to mention that every embedder added to the chain adds 1 frame delay. So between the first and last embedder is 3 frames delay.. Run 1080P50 that is 3x 20ms = 60ms audio difference
Have fun with that one