Blackmagic Design Micro Converter BiDirectional SDI/HDMI 3G wPSU (with power supply)

Camera control and tally over SDI

ATEM switchers send camera control over SDI and the converter passes it to the camera over HDMI. Connect the converter SDI output to a switcher input, the switcher program output to the converter SDI input and HDMI to a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. Once the camera number is set, you control color correction, tally and recording from the switcher.

Bidirectional 3G conversion in detail

The new Micro Converter 3G converter family lets you connect HDMI equipment to professional SDI devices. The new models use custom hardware developed by Blackmagic Design and offer features previously found only on top-of-the-range converters. Compared with the previous generation, the Micro Converter 3G models offer wider format support, 3D LUT support and data transfer for remote camera control.

The new Blackmagic Micro Converter 3G models are compact yet highly durable and feature a 3G-SDI interface supporting all standard SD and HD formats up to 1080p60. The converters can be powered via USB-C – directly from televisions or laptops – and are available with or without a universal power supply. The electronics ensure full compatibility with modern television standards, and future updates are a matter of course.

They turn any monitor, television or projector into a high-quality display suitable even for studio use. Thanks to their high image processing quality, they can be used for live broadcasts, in post-production studios and in other demanding environments. They can, for example, connect computer outputs (presentations, animations and so on) to professional SDI equipment or extend signal runs over longer distances using SDI cabling.

Top-quality hardware
Unlike most competing compact converters, Blackmagic Micro Converter models feature high-quality hardware and software and a very rugged metal body. Each converter has high-quality SDI and HDMI connectors, a USB-C interface for power and configuration via the macOS and Windows utility, and LED indicators for power and video status. If required, a set including a universal 100–240 V power supply with four socket adapters is available.

Blackmagic Micro Converter models offer high-quality signal processing, very low SDI jitter for reliable transmission over longer distances, and support for 8 and 10-bit RGB or YUV formats up to 1080p60, including the 1080p24, 1080p47.95 and 1080p48 film rates. Embedded audio and timecode are of course supported.

Settings can be changed and the software updated via USB-C with the free utility for macOS and Windows. The software lets you change the converter’s internal name and the level A or B of the 3G-SDI output and, on the bidirectional model, set the camera number within the production infrastructure.

3D LUT correction
The Micro Converter SDI to HDMI 3G also offers 3D LUT correction for a color-accurate video preview. Users can apply their own corrections, for example when previewing footage on location. LUTs can also be applied to the 3G-SDI output, so the Micro Converter SDI to HDMI 3G can work as a 3D LUT processor. The feature can also be used to color calibrate the target monitor or for creative work with the image. 3D LUT files are easy to create with the primary color corrector in the free version of DaVinci Resolve, for example to emulate the look of film stock.

Remote camera control
The Micro Converter BiDirectional SDI/HDMI 3G supports camera control data, so it can be used with Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera models and ATEM SDI switchers. ATEM switchers send camera control commands over SDI, and the converter can replicate this data on HDMI. Once the converter, switcher and camera are connected, you set the camera number in the utility and can then remotely control the camera’s color correction, the tally light and recording. The reverse also works: SDI cameras can be connected and controlled from HDMI switchers such as ATEM Mini.

Wide standards support
The advanced features of the Micro Converter 3G converters include timecode support in SD and HD, conversion of timecode from HDMI devices to SDI, reclocking on the 3G-SDI output and, of course, full compliance with SMPTE 259M, SMPTE 292M, SMPTE 296M, SMPTE 424M and SMPTE 425M level A and B.

The converters support all common SDI formats, including 525i59.94 NTSC, 625i50 PAL, 720p50, 720p59.94, 720p60, 1080p23.98, 1080p24, 1080p25, 1080p29.97, 1080p30, 1080p47.95, 1080p48, 1080p50, 1080p59.94, 1080p60, 1080PsF25, 1080PsF29.97, 1080PsF30, 1080i50, 1080i59.94, 1080i60, 2Kp23.98 DCI, 2Kp24 DCI, 2Kp25 DCI, 2Kp29.97 DCI, 2Kp30 DCI, 2Kp47.95 DCI, 2Kp48 DCI, 2Kp50 DCI, 2Kp59.94 DCI, 2Kp60 DCI, 2KPsF25 DCI, 2KPsF29.97 DCI and 2KPsF30 DCI. Supported HDMI standards include 525i59.94 NTSC, 625i50 PAL, 720p50, 720p59.94, 720p60, 1080p23.98, 1080p24, 1080p25, 1080p29.97, 1080p30, 1080p50, 1080p59.94, 1080p60, 1080i50, 1080i59.94 and 1080i60. 3G level A and B are also supported.

Key features of the Micro Converter 3G range

• Miniature design
• Software updates via USB
• 3D LUT correction on the SDI to HDMI model
• Camera control data from ATEM switchers
• Timecode support on 3G-SDI and HDMI
• 3G-SDI technology with output reclocking
• Support for all common NTSC, PAL, 720p HD and 1080 HD standards
• Available without a power supply or in a set with a power supply