ATEM Network Connection Limits

I want to understand completely the connection limits and the network limits of the ATEM switchers. We are using the TVS HD, running 2x instances of JustMacros, 1 laptop (for managing media pool), and Cuebi wireless tally lights.

I understand there is a maximum 5 connection limit, but the resources online seem limited in explaining in detail.

Firstly - each Cuebi tally connects wireless to the switcher. I'm assuming they are therefore each a client connection?

Secondly - I've read a bit about clients disconnecting and reconnecting and the ATEM adding to the client count. So if a tally light disconnects and reconnects later, it counts as an additional client. Meaning we run out of clients very quickly.

Our wireless network is made up of 2 access points as we're covering a large area. Each time a tally light (on a wireless camera) moves between an access point, it's adding a client.

The last posts I've seen about this were in 2013/2014. Does that mean people have come up with a solution or it's been fixed? We're running the last firmware before v8 and it's still happening.

Main question being, is there a way to reset the client count? Or have clients reconnect with the same client ID and therefore not add to the client count? All clients have static IP's.

Thanks

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There are some other more recent threads about issues with connections to the switcher over wi-fi:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=68718

I think the issue may be that it takes some period of time before the switcher treats the original connection as closed. So with wi-fi devices that frequently disconnect and reconnect it's easy to run out of connections quickly.

One alternative approach for a wireless tally system is that rather than connecting each tally light directly to the switcher, have a single piece of software on the wired network that connects to the switcher and have it send tally information to each of the lights. Not sure if the Cuebi lights support this kind of configuration. You might check with Cuebi support to see if they have experience with using a larger number of their tally lights with an ATEM and see what they recommend.

If you are looking for an alternative tally system, I've had pretty good luck with the Cerevo FlexTally system. This has a single hardware master station that connects to the ATEM and sends tally information to the lights using 433 MHz frequencies (rather than wi-fi). The tally lights themselves are larger than the Cuebi ones (in part because they have an internal battery), but they can also be powered by an external USB power source. Range is about 100 meters (328 ft.).

Yes .. For TALLY is better to master module is connected into switcher and sending data to receivers .. I was maded similar modules on 433 Mhz .. I had never problems with my atem switchers .. Its because only BMD Tally module is connected with ATEM ..

http://tally.pytkin.sk

Yep, AFAIK that's still the case.
a dropped connection still holds as 'reserved' even though it's dropped.
Once they're all occupied/ reserved only a restart will make all the connections available again.

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Terrific - thanks all for the help.
We've purchased a FlexTally to solve the tally issue. Would still be great for Blackmagic to allow some more flexibility with disconnecting clients.

Or maybe we can come up with an app that acts as a middle man for connections. Bridges many connections into one to connect to the ATEM.

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If that is the case, a connection limit of 5 is very low.

At a minimum the connections should automatically release after a timeout.

I agree, Frank. I believe the TVS HD is 5, other models are slightly higher but still very low.

It definitely needs some attention from Blackmagic.

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Hi guys. Can you direct me where I can read information about the number of connections? This information is very important to me, but it is not in the official sources.

If the connection drops and the tally reconnects again with the same ip adress. Why should this be treaded as a new connection?

If the connection drops and the tally reconnects again with the same ip adress. Why should this be treaded as a new connection?

This is how it should work YES, But we have seen a lot of issues with wireless where the Atem starts a Session with a client device, ( Exchanging info back and forth about the deivce, clock, and session numbers.) Then when the wifi is getting unstable packets might drop or be incomplete and discarded.
Due too the nature of the BMD protocol UDP traffic ) There is a whole system in place that checks every response of each client which has a timer and incremental number inside.. If there is some packet missing the atem will try to recover traffic and negotiate with the client to get everything straight again.

If in that moment the wifi drops completely it might be that the atem still tries to recover the session and still trying to communicate with that client.
While a "new client" is already asking for a new session.. ( Same Tally light but since it lost complete comms it restarts negotiation from start ) Resulting in a new session and another slot taken..

The Atem will find that the old session is dead as the Client does not respond anymore and will time out. Killing that session. So basically the mechanism works.. BUT

With unreliable Wifi or interference this new session issue might happen a few times fast after eachother creating the perfect storm and in the end locking up the Atem as it runs out of available slots / sessions...


As for how many session which device can handle. BMD never gave an official statement about it, nor does the manual explain you anything about it.

I know the smaller atems and older atems will do about 5-6 sessions. The bigger 2/4ME switcher will do about 8 sessions..

Maybe the new Atem Constellations do more or less?? I dont know. All depends what else is communicating with the Atem.. Let say you also have 4 hyperdecks connected it will have a lot more traffic then just 4 Clients will do.. Also the Constellations allow now for AUX control from BMD Videohub panels. This will also take up room in the Network capabilities..

As for myself: My OBV is running a Constellation 8K with
1x 2ME Advanced Panel
1x 1ME Old Control panel
1x Atem Camera Control Panel
1x BMD Atem Software
2x Companion
2x Videohub Panel for Aux rails for Production and for Light Tech

So that is 8 slots in Total!
Also our Atem connections are in a seperate VLan As we see since the FW 9.x the Atems have much more issues with disconnecting clients in larger networks. So it has a tougher job with more traffic in the network.. Resulting in disconnecting control panels for a few seconds.. Software going offline for a minute.. Or even hanging up the Atem..

Our older 4ME Broadcast atem which runs FW 8.x does not have these issues. So it looks like FW 9 has some network traffic issues all together..