Ultrastudio Mini Monitor HDMI Output Flashes

Hey gang. I have a 27" iMac, the generation just prior to the current ones(without being at studio can't look at system profiler right now) running Mavericks and I'm outputting my signal from FCP X through an Ultrastudio Mini Monitor to a BM Smartview HD monitor for the HD/SDI output and. Brand new Panasonic plasma TV TC-P50S60. The BM Smartview HD gets a clean signal but the plasma will periodically flash a red or green static. Sometimes it does it and sometimes it doesn't. It does it when I pause as well as during playback. I tried the output straight out of the iMac from the T bolt port via an mini display port to HDMI adapter and the signal does not flash. I also have a BM HDMI to SDI converter that I use with the Smartview when shooting with my GH2. Tomorrow I will use the HDMI out of the Mini Monitor into it and see if the same flashing happens when view it on the Smartview. Any thoughts on why this is happening? It seems that the longer I run it the less frequent the flashing occurs but it doesn't flash at all when coming straight out of the iMac.

Thanks for your help in advance.

This is an oldish post, but I am going through this same problem right now, and I'm hoping that you found a solution.

I see that you have posted another thread where it looks like you are successfully monitoring with the Ultrastudio Mini Monitor going out to the TC-P50S60 over HDMI.

Did you have to change a setting anywhere in the TV menu? Or something in the BlackMagic system preferences?

I would greatly appreciate any insight you have on this.

Thanks,
-Will

I wonder if this might be jitter in the line, which will create green flashes and break-up with HDMI. HDMI is a very fragile connection at its best. Try a different cable and see what happens.

Thanks for your reply, Marc. I guess I should have provided a list of the things I have already tried:

•Different HMDI Cable

•Different HDMI port on TV

•Different ThunderBolt Cable

•Different ThunderBolt Port

•Different Computer with Thunderbolt port

•Different Monitor

The other monitor that I tried was absolutely fine, with none of that red and green static I saw on the plasma.

Oddly, last night while I was trying to do some color work in Resolve, I found that image was relatively stable on the plasma if there were consistently bright images on the screen. If a black signal was sent to the screen, the static would begin again. When a bright image came back on the screen the static would begin to die down, and eventually go away completely. However, the static would occasionally pop up again even with bright images, although with much less intensity.

Any ideas? I would love to hear from Dave on this, since I have a feeling our issues are closely related.

Hi Will,

No problem. That’s why we post stuff on these forums

I had the problem and it cleared up after the plasma TV stayed on for a while. It seems as if there was some sort of time period where it needed to adjust to the signal or something. How long have you had the Panasonic? Is it new?

Actually, I just went back to the post and read it again. I noticed that I stated it didn’t flash when I came straight out of the iMac. To be honest, I never found a solution other than time. I forgot that I even had the problem until now It appears to have been the Ultra Studio Mini Monitor HDMI output since it didn’t do it out of the Mac and I’ve never had a problem with the signal out of the HD/SDI.

Sorry I couldn’t be more help. Let me know what happens and if you fins a real solution other than “time”.

HD-SDI really is a much more reliable connector, and I wish more monitors supported this connection. When Panasonic was making pro monitors, I know many facilities were frustrated by the fact that the monitors were $3500+ and the HD-SDI connection board was optional and cost $2000 (!!!). One wonders why...

Hi all,

I have this problem with my Panasonic plasma. It is new, so I will try using "time" to let it adjust itself to the incoming signal. Anyway, I have talked to the technician at the Blackmagic call center, he said the plasma tv does not support the colorspace that sent from Ultrastudio Mini Monitor. I wonder why! because, before I get this Ultrastudio, I used the Intensity Pro with HDMI output and connect to this Panasonic plasma, there was no problem at all. Then, I checked and compare the tech spec of Ultrastudio and Intensity Pro, I found that the colorspace output are different. Ultrastudio use REC while Intensity Pro use YUV. So, I am thinking about getting the mini converter that convert SDI to HDMI (Blackmagic) because its colorspace is YUV, the same with Intensity Pro and it should work. What do you think?

Cheers,
Tum Poonyayant
Bangkok, Thailand

Naw, I'm using a Blackmagic Mini-Monitor with a Panasonic plasma and it's fine. You can always use the Blackmagic Media Express utility and the test patterns provided on the DVD-ROM and see if that can confirm that the connection to your monitor is valid. I bet this might be a problem with a cable or a connector.

How long is your HDMI cable?

Thanks to all!

My cable is 3 meters long and I have already tried different cable, it's still flash and the problem wasn't solved.

Then, I went to the Blackmagic dealer and borrow them the mini converter from SDI to HDMI. It works! the problem is solved now, but I have o buy the mini converter to connect with the Ultrastudio.

Then, I went to the Blackmagic dealer and borrow them the mini converter from SDI to HDMI. It works! the problem is solved now, but I have o buy the mini converter to connect with the Ultrastudio.

Ah, my bet is that there was jitter in the connection and somehow the conversion is reclocking the sync or otherwise stabilizing it to the point where now the monitor can live with it. Glad you found a workaround.