Thank you for THIS Thread! I just came here because i saw this problem and thought i was doing something wrong… but now, the ATEM Mini Pro has a bug
After reading all of it here is my conclusion (spoiler: OBS and setting input to Full Range doesn't help!)
Case: ATEM Mini Pro via USB on a Mac directly into VDO Ninja or any other Video-App The signal is clipped. Strongly clipped! Light greys are all white, dark greys are all black. Very bad.
Now searching for Solutions / workarounds…
a) ATEM -> USB -> OBS -> Configure Input to use Full RangeLooks better, but still clipped rather strong. You can check this out, if you connect a Mac via HDMI to the ATEM. Then show a Finder with Detail-View… Do you see the light-grey stripes for every other line? Chances are: No.
b) ATEM -> HDMI-Out -> Some Other HDMI-Box -> USB -> OBSSame Problem. the HDMI-Out is clipped rather strongly…
So…
b2) ATEM -> HDMI-Out -> Some Other HDMI-Box -> USB -> OBS -> Configure Input to use Full Rangea bit better. I can see the light-grey stripes of a Finder window … but … still clipped. Parts of the screen that should be a slightly bit darker grey are still nearly white or pure white (not exactly sure and i don't care
it's wrong)
Conclusion so farATEM Mini Pro is clipping the Signal. Via USB and via HDMI out. Damn!
c) Connect an external Mac via HDMI to the ATEM Mini Pro to the HDMI 1(!) Port -> user HDMI-Out of the ATEM to go into another Box -> USB -> OBS set to full range
AND SET THE ATEM OUTPUT TO "Camera 1 direct" (in the ATEM Controller Software, Menu "Output")
NOW you see the Input in full glory… unclipped
… but you don't have a HDMI switcher anymore. Damn.
d) Connect an external Mac (or a Camera) via HDMI to a cheap HDMI-USB-Interface -> USB -> OBS (set to full range)
Full glory. No clipping. But of course: No Switcher
Now, what we CAN do:
- Forget ATEM Mini (Pro)
- Instead connect a bunch of HDMI-USB-interface to the Mac … and connect Cameras and external Sources like Macs, iPhones to them
- in OBS: Build a Scene (or Scenes) for your Inputs; Set all Inputs to Full Range -> no clipping and with OBS you can switch inputs or you can build up very(!) cool PIP Scenes
- Activate OBS Virtual Cam
- Use the Virtual Cam as Input for any Streaming/Meeting App you like
Problem with that:
At least with macOS BigSur the OBS Virtual Cam doesn't show up in other Apps or in the Browser. Bummer.
There is a (very technical) workaround for this: You need to remove the Code-Signing from the App with which you like to use the Virtual Cam.
Here is a link to a solution for Discord - You can Replace the word "Discord" with the App Name… i did it for OBSN for example… but do it on your own risk and make sure you really know what you're doing and having a backup (obsproject com/forum/threads/obs-virtual-cam-to-discord.133437/ (no urls allowed so copy/paste and fix the missing dot yourself, sorry for that)
Another Problem with that:
On an intel mac the fans are going crazy with the virtual Cam … at least on my iMac 5K with i7
May not an issue on a M1 Mac though
WHAT NOW?- i wonder, if there is an alternative to the ATEM Mini (Pro)? Switching between multiply HDMI-Inputs and don't have to care about different resolutions and frame rates of the inputs - maybe some other company are sending out a correct Video-Signal via USB which can be used directly without clipping and without having to set an App to "full range" (which is not possible with Chrom and others AFAIK)
- Does anybody have a good contact to Blackmagic? I mean… if they would be really aware of this problem, they could have fixed that a long time ago, right? So it's either a hardware problem (in which case i would like to know if they offer a hardware with ATEM Mini (Pro) Features that has this fixed) or Blackmagic simply doesn't care (i hope i'm wrong with that one)
- maybe i sell the ATEM Mini Pro and get myself a dedicated machine like a MacBook Air M1 or a MacMini M1 with a USB-Hub and a bunch of HDMI-USB-Adapters and do it all myself with OBS … not sure yet …