Tag: Streaming

BMD ATEM Mini Pro. 2 years on, still as brilliant – and cheaper. Read why YOU need one!

by davidhague178181403, posted in Features, News, News: Accessories - Audio, Gimbals, Tripods etc, Streaming, Today

Two and a half years ago I reviewed the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro. At the time, I waxed lyrical at its features and the amazing price for what you get. I later wrote a few tutorials, and these have consistently been our highest read pieces on the website. Indeed, the one entitled “Tutorial: Setting Preview and switching in Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro” has been our #1 story week after week for over 60 weeks now!

(You can read it here if you like)

I just checked out of curiosity, and the price has dropped of the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro and you can now get it for as low as $698 if you shop around (that price is at Videopro but I am sure others will price match).

For those who are not familiar with the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro here is a quick run down of what it does:

  • Allows input connectivity of up to 4 HDMI input devices
  • Allows you to connect one HDMI output monitoring device
  • Allows input of 2 x 3.5mm based audio devices with volume control
  • Allows you to switch between input devices, complete with built in dips, fades and transitions
  • Allows previews before switching so you cue up correctly
  • Lets you stream directly via Ethernet port straight to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch etc without any software intermediary
  • By attaching a camera to the USB-C port it becomes a web cam with all above controls operational
  • The built in USB-C port can have an SSD hard drive attached and streaming sessions can then be recorded for later use.

With optional (and free) ATEM Software Control,

  • Allows control of Blackmagic Cameras
  • Allows up to 20 graphics to be stored in memory (eg lower thirds, titles etc) and switch these in and out as you require
  • Allows both upstream and downstream keying
  • Has built in multiview so all HDMI input devices can be viewed simultaneously
  • Gives you an audio desk for controlling on-camera audio as well as mic input audio
  • Allows control of colour, LUMA and Chroma, plus patterns in graphic overlays

… and much more besides

If you have the slightest interest in anything the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro (or its siblings the ISO and Extreme) have to offer, I suggest you download the 180 odd page English language manual (other languages are also available in the one PDF document) to get comprehensive information. Get it here.

Be prepared to be amazed. Seriously.

For more info on the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro, see the Blackmagic Design website here.

 

 

Review: ATEN UC9020 StreamLive

by davidhague178181403, posted in Today

For our future streaming needs at Australian Videocamera I have opted to use a combination of GoPro cameras, and Thronmax mics (with Sennheiser wireless lavs when needed) and a Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro to tie it all together.

For future playback everything is also recorded via the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro to a SanDisk Extreme Pro portable US drive.

Now the main reason I went this route is simply I am PC / Windows based and of course have a leaning toward Blackmagic Design seeing as I use DaVinci Resolve, Fusion and have a Blackmagic Design Cinema Pocket Camera 6K. And for me, this combination works a treat for what I do.

But if I was Mac based and wanted portability, that would lead me in a whole other direction, that of the ATEN UC9020 StreamLive unit.

For this, all you need to start streaming on the go is an iPad to act as a monitor, a decent camera and microphone.

And voila! Fully comprehensive mixing desk suitable for anything from conferences, live event broadcasting and even commercial production purposes. The one caveat is you do need 240v power, but if you only have access to 12v, a $300 1000w pure sine wave inverter should do the trick.

Input / Output

One thing that sets the StreamLive apart is the extensive use of proper broadcast grade connections. Sure, you can use a USB mic if you wish, and admittedly they are getting better and better, but for full on production work you cannot go past XLR connectivity. All the cool kids use it.

Sadly, unlike its PC counterpart, the CamLive Pro, there are no XLR ports on the StreamLive so you have to make do with an analogue 6.5mm connection, twin RCA or the aforementioned USB.

I have no issue with a good mic running 6.5mm or even step-downs to 3.5mm (although adapting from XLR to 6.5mm / 3.5mm can get messy but is possible), I just wish the engineers at ATEN had included XLR in such a serious piece of kit.

Moving right along …

As well as the analogue audio and USB ports, you also have access to a network port, 3 HDMI inputs, a loop HDMI port and a single HDMI out port.

If you look at the bigger picture of these ports allied with the mixing control panel, you can switch and mix between multiple video and audio sources. Including using an integrated a transition T-Bar for scene switching including fade-in/fade-out effects.  “Luminous” panel keys are easily identifiable and used for audio level monitoring and scene mode switching.

A groove in the top of the UC9020 is designed to securely hold the iPad when in use and on the right hand side is a headphone port and USB link. The left contains a security Kensington Lock node.

Due to a fanless cooling system, the UC9020 is quiet in operation and even in days of 38 degree plus it didn’t miss a beat or hiccup in my tests.

So in a single compact box, you get 1080p video capture, video switching, a streaming encoder, video converter, video splitter, and audio mixer all in one.

A live streamer’s delight, and like the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro replaces – or more correctly has allowed to be developed from – technology that only a decade or so ago would have cost 5 to 10 times the $1900 or the ATEN StreamLive costs today.

The associated app, called OnAir (incidentally the name of an album by arguably the world’s best audio producer, Alan Parsons who did Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and the Beatles Abbey Rd among many others) supports preview and program monitoring, changing the video layout with full screen picture-in-picture, image and subtitle overlays and screen transitions.

The inbuilt encoder bypasses the need for the computer to do that heavy lifting and so out of the box you can directly connect to Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, Livestream or indeed ATEN claim, any custom RTMP destination in full HD (but no, not 4K).

Conclusion

Having a background in commercial video and radio, I understand the necessity of, and the skillset needed for good, really good, production values. It really is the difference between a jam in the garage with your mates and a Pink Floyd concert.

If you are doing it for fun, then all power to you, but if you are serious about your live streaming and other productions, you need the correct tools to do it properly, and also take the time to fully learn those tools to totally exploit the edge they give you.

If you are Mac based with an iPad, then the StreamLive HD is hard to go past to reach those goals. If you marry it with a decent camera – GoPro Hero 10 or if you want something a little more flexible then perhaps a mirrorless from the Panasonic GH range – and mic (we cannot go past Sennheiser here for the best of the best, but RØDE also make some very good units).

It is easy to set up, easy to learn and contains all the technical goodies you need. No, it is not “cheap”, but good stuff never is. What it is though, is the perfect tool for the job and what price perfection?

You also need content of course, and if you are REALLY serious, some voice and on-camera training never hurts (start with a mirror and record your voice).

ATEN CAMLIVE™ PRO Wins Best Choice Award at Computex

by davidhague178181403, posted in Audio, Press Releases General, Streaming, Today

ATEN Australia and New Zealand told us today that its UC3022 CAMLIVE™ PRO has been awarded Best Choice 2021 Category Award in Peripherals & Accessories, making this is the fourth consecutive time that ATEN has won a Best Choice Award. It is one of the honours at Computex, and the judging process consists of three stages that focus on product functionality, innovation, and market potential.
 
“This award is an acknowledgement of ATEN’s persistent efforts in innovation,” Nicholas Lin, Senior Vice President of ATEN told me.  “Our core philosophy is to change the world with continuous innovations and make it a better place through limitless design. We have been implementing design elements into every aspect of our products and solutions, and we will continue to stick to our beliefs especially during difficult times.”

Providing a fluid video streaming workflow for dual camera / single operator setups, CAMLIVE PRO is a video capture and switch device that can turn any professional 4K camera, camcorder, or GoPro into an HDMI video source for a computer or mobile device to stream, coupled with its incredibly feature-rich DVE (Digital Video Effect) options and chroma keyer. It’s completely plug and play and compatible with most streaming software and social media platforms, such as Skype, Teams, Zoom, OBS, YouTube, and Facebook, and is especially suitable for streamers who want to make interviews, presentations, or even live events.
 
Key features include:

  • Mix and capture two non-HDCP 4K live videos at 1080P UVC format on a PC or mobile device via USB 3.x interface with seamless transitions
  • Free ATEN OnAir Lite App for controlling wirelessly, editing in real-time, and arranging multi-elements into program mix with continuous feature updates
  • Intuitive Android / iOS app control – set up your camera gear behind the camera and direct your livestream from anywhere
  • Supports real-time HDMI program video preview
  • Provides audio mixer with additional dual analog audio inputs
  • Easily identifiable chroma keys – can make it appear as if you are anywhere by changing the background

The UC3022 costs $540 and more inmfo can be gained at https://www.aten.com/au/en/products/usb-&-thunderbolt/content-creation/uc3022/

 

Review: Blackmagic Design Web Presenter HD

by davidhague178181403, posted in News, Reviews, Streaming, Today

I had to do something I have never done before the other day. I had to connect some devices together via SDI.

Now to most in the broadcast arena, this probably has caused a shrug of the shoulders and a “so what” response, but to the rest of us who mainly deal in the consumer world of HDMI and USB, this was something of a novelty.

So for those not aware of SDI (and a quick straw poll shows that is quite a few people), it stands for “Serial Digital Interface” and uses BNC cabling albeit with special connectors.

Its main advantage over HDMI is the ability to transmit up to 100 metres without any amplification, as against HDMI which needs amp-ing after about 15 metres.

This also makes it far less expensive than HDMI of course.

The downside is that to use SDI, unless you want to employ converter boxes, then your camera(s) must have an SDI output.

And this brings me neatly to the latest gadget from Australian company Blackmagic Design – the Web Presenter HD.

Unlike its previous piece of wizardry, the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro series of switchers which use HDMI, the Web Presenter  HD uses SDI cabling (except for monitor output which is HDMI).

So, of course, when my review unit of the Web Presenter HD turned up from Blackmagic’s Australian distributor, New Magic, as my two “broadcast” cameras – a Panasonic X1 and Panasonic PV100 – don’t support SDI, only HDMI, this caused a bit of a dilemma.

Thankfully New Magic saved the day by shipping me an SDI -> HDMI converter box and so I was able to get the Web Presenter HD set up and running.

So what does it do?

In simple terms, it gives you an easy way to live stream to platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Restream.io, Twitter and Periscope. You can also use it to control Skype and Zoom for video conferencing, with these applications seeing the BMD Web Presenter HD as a web cam.

A more technical explanation is that it converts and SDI feed to H.264 for live streaming and also point to point for transmission of video to remote locations using the internet as the carrir.

There is no messy external software to install and come to grips with; simply supply power via a standard “kettle” plug cord (or there is also an option 12v port if you are going rogue), connect a camera, a network cable that has ‘net access and that is pretty much it.

Oh, you will have to supply a power cord as one does not one in the box oddly. I guess supplying one type for each country is a bit of a nuisance, and anyway, you can get one for about $15 at Jaycar.

There are a couple of USB-C ports there too, ostensibly for extra setup / update duties via a download, but also letting you connect a smartphone and use its internet hotspot facilities when no ethernet is available.

On the front panel of the Web Presenter is an LCD panel showing the live feed content complete with audio meters, readouts for the data rate, duration and the amount of internal cache being used. Various icons in different colours signify the type of internet connection and whether it is live or not.

To the left are buttons for On Air, Off, Menu, Lock and Call.

The majority of these are self-explanatory; Call is however at this stage not implemented and slated for a “future update” according to the documentation.

To change settings in the BMD Web Presenter HD, press the Menu button and then choose what you want and press Set, make any changes using the rotary dial followed by pressing Set again.

The Lock button, well, locks the panel so changes cannot be made inadvertently while on air. It is unlocked by pressing Lock again and holding for 2 seconds.

If you have an external monitor plugged in, output to this includes video input, audio levels, on air status, data rate and cache levels, plus technical information about the SDI input including Colourmetry, Closed Captions, SMPTE 292 error checking, Luminance Y Bits and Chroma.

In-depth audio technical data is also available.

Similar to the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro software from Blackmagic Design, there is also a Web Presenter package letting you control your Web Presenter remotely. With Blackmagic Web Presenter Setup, you can access the same controls and settings that are available on the unit’s front panel.

Other Connectivity

Cleverly, the BMD engineers have also allowed for connectivity to other BMD products including the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro Streaming Bridge and Teranex Mini Rack Shelf as well as making developer information available.

The Blackmagic Web Presenter Ethernet Protocol is a line-oriented, text-based protocol to control a Web Presenter. The Blackmagic Web Presenter Ethernet Protocol is available for Blackmagic Web Presenter HD. Lines from the Web Presenter server will be separated by an ASCII LF sequence. Messages from the user may be separated by LF or CR LF. TCP port 9977 is used for connecting.

The manual gives you full information on how to take advantage of this.

In Use

I had a sample Live Facebook streaming session up and running within 10 minutes of having the Web Producer HD out of the box. And considering I had never done a Facebook stream before, this is testament to how easy it is to set up.

I would have doine a YouTube stream as well, but you have to wait 24 hours to get a streaming key, so that is for another day. I will have a crack at a Restream.io connection though, and possbly Twitch and report back. If they are easy as Faceboook once, they will be a doddle.

Conclusion

Of course the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro can do most of this, albeit only via HDMI. But the Web Presenter HD does fill in important niche due to that SDI connectivity and I can see a lot of broadcast folk grabbing these with glee.

At AUD$789 (the same price as the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro) it is a bargain.

More info at www.blackmagic-design.com.au

 

 

 



 

 

 

Tutorial: Streaming Setup Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro Part 1

by davidhague178181403, posted in Audio, Features, News, Today, Tutorials

Introduction

Before we start, for those new to this,  let’s look at what the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro is.

In simple terms, the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro is a broadcast switching panel letting you input video streams from up to 4 HDMI sources (cameras, computer output etc) and switch between them with the push of a button.

2020-12-01_11-36-06

Additionally, you have two audio inputs so you can say, have one for a microphone for dialogue and the second for music. Alternatively, you may wish to use 2 mics – one for you, the host, and one for a guest, either locally or remotely.

Finally, there is a single HDMI out port letting you plug in an external monitor to view exactly what your camera(s) are “seeing”.

In its basic configuration, your PC will see the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro as a simple webcam that you can use for Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc, or, by adding the free ATEM Software Control,  you can turn the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro into a complete very powerful broadcast panel with overlay graphics, titles, effects and automation using macros, as well as having a sophisticated audio mixing system.

Part 1 – Setting up the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro as a webcam

Setting up the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro to act as a sophisticated web cam system is simplicity itself.

First off, connect all your cameras to the HDMI ports (1-4) and any mic(s) or other audio devices you want to use to the mic 1 and mic 2 port(s). If you have an external monitor, attach this to the HDMI out port. Make sure on the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro the M/V (Multiview) button is on.

When all the cameras are running, pressing the respective button on the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro (1-4) will switch seamlessly between cameras.

Next, you want to connect your computer to the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro by using the USB port. Once connected, your PC will automatically see the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro as a webcam.

To test this, we’ll use Skype.

Fire up the Skype application, click on the three dots as shown, and choose Settings.

2020-12-01_11-38-20

Scroll down to the Audio & Video section and on the top right, click the drop-down menu and select Blackmagic Design.

2020-12-01_11-39-27

2020-12-01_11-42-21

The image from whichever camera is selected on the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro panel should now display in the viewing window of Skype. If you wish, you can also select a custom background at this time.

You’ll now want to select the microphone to use by scrolling down a little further. You can either choose the default PC mic, or whichever device you have plugged into the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro mic port(s).

Transitions and Cuts

You can switch between cameras with a straight cut – a “jump from one camera’s image to the next. But the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro has some built in transitions you can also use such as push down, push right and so in. You can also choose whether to dip, mix squeeze and other effects during the transition. All of these buttons are above the AUTO button which is used to actually perform the transition.

mini-and-pro-2 TRANS

Picture in Picture

Many people like to stream video with the main image being their gaming experience and smaller video superimposed being their own image. This is called Picture-in-Picture – or PIP – and is very easy to do with the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro.

mini-and-pro-2 PIP

Let’s say that HDMI port 2 has a feed from your computer of your game play. To enable your camera feed – your image – to superimpose over this, make sure it is connected to HDMI 1 – this is the port the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro uses via its built in digital effects processor (DVE) to create a PIP.

Conclusion

So there you have the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro acting as a sophisticated webcam using Skype. The setup for other apps pretty much follows the same steps, but half the fun is seeing what happens after setup and trying out the various buttons on the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro.

In the next tutorial, I’ll introduce the ATEM Control Software that gives you infinitely more control.

 

 

GoPro Hero 8 Black Now A 1080p Wide Angle Webcam

by davidhague178181403, posted in News, News: Camera Hardware, Press Releases General, Streaming, Today

It seems to be all the rage at the moment – giving a camcorder the status of also being a webcam. Odd isn’t it; wasn’t that long ago that dedicated webcams were seen as “inferior” to a “proper” camera, and now they all want to be one!

The latest off the block is the venerable GoPro Hero 8 Black. Apparently all you need for the HERO8 Black to work as a durable, mountable, ultra-high-quality webcam is a beta camera firmware update, the new desktop utility and a USB-C cord—no third-party accessories required.

There is a step-by-step guide here along with all the necessary downloadable files.

The GoPro Webcam desktop utility is currently available for Mac OS users with support for Windows in development.

HERO8 Black and the GoPro Webcam desktop utility are currently compatible with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Discord and BlueJeans as well as Webex, Skype, Facebook Rooms, Facebook Messenger and Slack when accessed via a Google Chrome Browser on Mac OS.

HERO8 Black can also be used for live streaming to YouTube and to start a new movie recording in QuickTime.

And, for those looking to live stream to viewers from a cord-free perspective, GoPro HERO8 Black , HERO7 Black and MAX cameras live stream direct to Twitch (most recently) as well as YouTube, Facebook profiles and Facebook pages. Via RTMP, users can live stream to Vimeo,
Facebook groups and Workplace by Facebook.

Editor: Sadly, the much touted GoPro Mods – light, external audio ability and HDMI output etc are STILL not available in Australia despite being announced in December last year.

C’mon GoPro, get the act together and play the game!

Additionally it always baffles me why Mac is often first off the block when they are the smaller – allegedly – market. Maybe Mac users complain less when Beta stuff doesn’t do what it is told, or there are less complaints due to the samller market)?

DH

Panny Adds Live Streaming to LUMIX

by davidhague178181403, posted in Press Releases General, Streaming, Today

If you own a Panasonic LUMIX DC-GH5, DC-G9, DC-GH5S, DC-S1, DC-S1R or DC-S1H and woke up this morning thinking “As a Windows user, I REALLY wish I could use my camera for live streaming”, then you are in luck!

Panasonic has just announced a beta program called “LUMIX Tether for Streaming” under the Windows platform givin an additional display option for instances where this software is used for live streaming. It has been developed to boost user convenience as self-streaming opportunities grow.

As “LUMIX Tether” is a software program originally designed for tethered shooting, GUIs such as a focus area mark as well as control panels, are displayed with live view images on the PC monitor during USB tethering.

However, these graphic items become a hindrance when the software is used to capture a camera view for live streaming. In response to customer requests, LIVE VIEW mode has been added on “LUMIX Tether for Streaming (Beta)”. It enables display of the camera view only, making it easy for separate streaming software to read it. Users can choose to show or hide these graphic items during USB tethering according to their requirements.

The LUMIX Tether for Streaming (Beta) web page with download link is available at https://www.panasonic.com/global/consumer/lumix/lumixtether.html

“LUMIX Tether for Streaming (Beta)” is provided as a pre-release version that is currently still under development. Please note that this software is not eligible for operation warranty and customer support. Compatible LUMIX models are: DC-GH5, DC-G9, DC-GH5S, DC-S1, DC-S1R, DC-S1H.

Panasonic is at pains to remind that “LUMIX Tether for Streaming (Beta)” is provided as a pre-release version and is currently still under development.

Please note that this software is not eligible for operation warranty and customer support. 

LUMIX Tether for Streaming (Beta) Operating Environment

 

OS

Windows 10 (32bit/64bit

CPU

Intel CPU of 1 GHz or higher

Display

1024 x 768 pixels or more

RAM

1GB or more (32bit), 2GB or more (64bit)

HDD

Free space of 200 MB or more for installation

Interface

USB 3.0/3.1

・Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.