Blackmagic Mini Converters

[JoshGuerette]

I'm looking at an all HD-SDI input switcher, so I'm obviously going to need to convert a few of the inputs. From all my internet searching, the mini converters from Blackmagic seem to be the most affordable and popular choice. Most reviews I've read are just people using them to monitor DSLRs or something, not running in the recording chain. I am curious, however, is it ok for me to use a whole bunch of them and rely on them for conversion all the time? I want HD conversion, but I just don't have the budget to do rack-mount dedicated converters or anything like that.

[petereit]

Instead of looking at converting a bunch of stuff, you might want to consider rethinking what you're connecting and why.

One example: We thought we'd need a converter for our DVD player -- we found it made much more sense (and worked MUCH smoother) to just rip clips and play them right out of ProPresenter.

What all are you trying to connect?

[JoshGuerette]

All the inputs are going to be going to a live switcher for recording/broadcast. The 3 cameras will be HD-SDI. After that will be each of our sanctuary screens (we have a 3 screen setup) so we can show message stuff and anything else on the main screens (videos, lyrics if we wanted to, etc.). We'd also have a DVD player hooked up for looping info screenshots (for beginning and end of broadcasts). We'd also probably have a PC/Mac hooked up for CG/titles.

I was originally going to go with the multiformat V-1600HD from Edirol, but JVC's KM-H3000 is basically half the price and has equal if not more features. With a $7k savings on a switcher, it'd be worth for us to just convert half of the inputs to HD-SDI. Plus, this gives us available inputs for easily connecting more cameras in the future.

[Gracetech]

As far as switchers, you might want to take a look at Panasonic"s offerings. I just put together a system with Panasonic's AW-HS50 and i was floored by the quality. I'm running HD/SDI into the switcher from 3 cameras and one computer. Another computer is being feed into the DVI input. I then have the Multiviewer output hooked up to a monitor for the switcher operator and a larger Program monitor overhead.

I'm using a few Blackmagic converters. So far i've been impressed by the converters but i ran into some trouble using one of them. The problem wasn't so much with the converter but more with how things work together. I was trying to use a DVI Extender to covert the output of a Mac with ProPresenter to a HD/SDI signal. The problem was that Macs don't play nice with TV standards on their graphic outputs. The DVI Extender doesn't act like a scaler so what goes in comes out the other side with just a difference in carrier signal. This gave me headaches until i hooked my Windows laptop up to the DVI Extender and figured out what was going on. Now from what i hear the newer Graphics cards on Macs are supposed to support this but i haven't been able to test it on anything newer than a 3 year old Mac and a 4 year old Mac. Just thought i would give you a heads up.

Disclaimer: Every conversion cost you time and possibly quality. Be careful not to throw too many conversions in line. Try to plan out your setup the best you can to keep conversions to a minimum or atleast a minimum between analog to digital or vice verse.

I think if you look out their you will find a Switcher that better suits what you are trying to do and will require less converters. Also having a SDI Matrix is worth it's weight in gold. You might want to keep that on your wish list. Blackmagic has a great and affordable SDI matrix btw.

crt

[petereit]

As long as you keep your conversions completely digital, you shouldn't suffer any loss of quality (unless you scale down then back up.) in he digital realm, it's latency that gets added with too many conversions.

We use BlackMagic converters at our projectors and at the Geffen HDMI 1:10 distribution hub that feeds live video to the HDTVs in all our nurseries. AJA also makes quality mini-converters. Our rule of thumb is to convert everything to SDI and run everything over Belkin 1594. SDI lets us run cable to 300 feet without any signal degredation and practically impervious to any interferance.

[JoshGuerette]

Originally Posted by petereit

As long as you keep your conversions completely digital, you shouldn't suffer any loss of quality (unless you scale down then back up.) in he digital realm, it's latency that gets added with too many conversions.

We use BlackMagic converters at our projectors and at the Geffen HDMI 1:10 distribution hub that feeds live video to the HDTVs in all our nurseries. AJA also makes quality mini-converters. Our rule of thumb is to convert everything to SDI and run everything over Belkin 1594. SDI lets us run cable to 300 feet without any signal degredation and practically impervious to any interferance.

That's what I had planned as well. The cameras would run HD-SDI straight in with no conversion, and therefore as little latency as possible. Anything else (generally PC/Mac inputs, maybe a couple component) would be converted once, to HD-SDI. Once is not a whole lot of conversion, and latency is not really a factor for these types of inputs. The V-1600HD would be fine, but it's twice as much and doesn't have the keying options or multiviewer that JVC's switcher does. A multiformat multiviewer alone is going to cost at least $2k.