There are BMD microconverter mounting racks at the Pingnow store. The 1U rack unit can hold up to 8 microconverters and the 2U rack unit holds up to 14 microconverters. The microconverter SDI and HDMI connections are possible from the back panel. It comes with a single power supply for all the microconverters.

Converters like this exist. OpenGear Enclosures like the AJA Open Gear Frame feature 20 Slots for converters in a 2U Rack Frame.

Lynx Technik YellowBrik makes great converters and they offer a rackmount option with a single power supply. I have used them for years and they are rock solid.

Absolutely agree. As someone who does mostly pop-up cinema in medium-size halls, I have a bunch of converters, SDI audio breakout to XLR, and separate audio delay for lip-synch. A horrible mess of boxes, cables and adaptors.

During the Covid years setting up livestreaming for a small church - BLEW my mind no one had made a rack unit or something with multiple converters. Felt so ridiculous having these BM/Aja boxes with their own power supplies dangling at every spot. I can see heat dissipation would be the issue, but it's 2024 - we can engineer around that. The BM Atem Mini is proof the market exists for built in conversion solutions

I would definitely buy a dedicated replay box, if the price was right. Right now they are way too expensive. Great video with even greater ideas BTW.

Agreed. A 8 input rack mount recorder with input pass through ports would be ideal just from a small footprint redundancy perspective.

When I entered the world of video and live streaming I was utterly surprised how limited hardware devices are compared to what could be easily done with software. I'm a physical knob person, so I'd love to have hardware for everything, but... It's really hard to wrap my head around the fact that some simple features seem to be very costly or unattainable when it comes to hardware video gear.

I've got to believe that these devices are coming soon... they are so obvious and their is a need. Whoever does it first is going to make some bank too. Great list, Aaron!

100 percent agree with these, especially the "multi-camera input hyperdeck" recorder and the rack mount SDI/HDMI converter! I was literally just asking our AV integrator the other day if they knew of anything that could record multiple camera inputs, but alas we are stuck with climbing up ladders and recording to SD cards for each camera! Please make this and take my money already, Blackmagic!

I power all of my Bidirectional and other converters from a USB hub. It saves so many power outlets!

Theatrixx does produce a rackmount for up to eight converters.

Grant Petty actually said something really interesting near the end of the Blackmagic livestream during NAB that caught my ear, and I'm not sure why no one else talked about it yet. I thought he said something like 'We're also working on an 8K Hyperdeck extreme with multichannel 4K recording, so keep an eye out for that' I'm pretty sure he mentioned it somewhere in the 3 hour keynote.

Regarding the HDMI length limitations, I've been using exclusively AOC HDMI cables for the last year or so, and they are fantastic, haven't had a single issue with them up to 100m. They are so much lighter and more flexible than 12G SDI cables. I still MUCH prefer the BNC connector, but at least the length issue is essentially solved

I'm still waiting for the Sting button on my ATEM Mini Extreme to do something, anything. 😊

Aaron, you are absolutely right, I just did a 4-camera stream ISO and all, I used my Extreme SDI and I really needed this. Two Mac minis pro persenter and all that jazz out to house large Leds. I need a pelecan case just for all the converters.............

(First Device Suggestions) The best workaround for your bnc on the inside, and hdmi on the outside, get a 1U server rack with Keystone sockets, and get bnc passthroughs, and short bnc cables inside your case. Super professional, comes with a hinged openable version, and the best fix I found for this, and Cat5 ports for the hdmi over cat5 extenders to/from TVs.

Yes! This exactly. I've wanted this for at minimum, 3 years!

I’ll take 2 of each immediately! Great suggestions Aaron

Yes, you are right, for many days we have been searching for the devices that u mentioned (multi-device converter and multi-device recorder)

I 100% agree with the need for a multichannel recorder. I've been looking on and off for over a year and there just aren't many options outside of broadcast quality, which I don't need most of the time. Loop-through is a must, and if you really want to make me happy, put a converter on each channel so that you can do HDMI or sdi in to HDMI or sdi out. And...if you could start/stop recording on each channel separately, I would be a lifelong fan.

Fun video, thanks for sharing your ideas. We might need to start a kickstarter for some of these!

Thinking about the converters - the idea of having all the ports on one side is if you want access to both the inputs and outputs.... But, if you have either an HDMI switcher or SDI switcher (which is why you need the converters) then you can arrange it do the output of the converter is pointed at the switcher in the rack and then you only need access to the input side. Just flip the converter to the input side you need, and the output will be facing the switcher, in the rack. For instance, in a home rack, I want an ether ent switch, but I do not need to see the ports because I set it up once and will never touch it except for that rare occasison I change something. But I DO want to see the lights indicating that it's working correctly, so I want lights on the front and the ports on the bac, so all the gear in the rack connects to other gear in the rack, without poking back outside the rack. THis includes power. So on most every basic ethernet switch, I need to have both the power jack and all the ethernet cables facing outside the rack, and all the cables circling back into the rack, just so that I have the ability to see that it's powered up, POE is active, what ports are passing data, etc. Very annoying and cluttered.

I have been dreaming of an affordable, multi-device rack mount solution for converters. It would be excellent to have several swappable options. SDI>HDMI/HDMI>SDI (this could be one unit with selectable conversion), SDI>analog audio demux, Up/Down Cross scaler, etc. Perhaps a Blackmagic frame that has power distribution built in. You could plug in a bunch of short micro USB/USB-c cables and remove all those stupid warts. It could use the existing mini and micro converters. Of course, this doesn't solve the inputs/outputs on both sides problem, but it would clean things up dramatically.

Aaron is right. We need these devices

AJA has a rack for their converters. Also, Open gear cards. not sure if that fits your converter idea. Also, Datavideo had the ability to connect their converters together. Then they passively cool. just some thoughts/ideas. The BM 8K hyperdeck can do 4 channels. The AJA KiPro go and new go2 can do 4 channel. The Pearl 2 can do 4 channel. These are not inexpensive like you mentioned. Not sure what the price point would be for the 4 channel recorder.

+1 for the AJA cards and an open gear frame.

Thanks, i absolutely subscribe your suggestions.

100% need rack mount bi-directional converters. Also the multi-channel recorders is a great idea so we can ditch the ATEM mini double up.

I've been wanting the multi channel HDMI/SDI converters for years! Would clean up so much rack mess, surprised black magic has not done this already. Blackmagic did mention in their last livestream that a multi-channel 4k recorder is still too expensive to make, I wish they talked about that more.

For the graphics overlays, I've found a simple Raspberry Pi with H2R Graphics works a dream. It can do dual 4K output (key + fill) or single output (luma), and can be trivially remote controlled on the network (or direct input). Staple in my setup now.

For your first problem, this is the reason I prefer the older TV Studio over the new ones!

I agree!! Should be quite easy. They already have videohubs for SDI. The older ones you could change the the cards for a mix but those are real legacy today. Problem here is that we mix non-broadcast equipment with now cheaper broadcast equipment. But I agree all connectors except power on one side.

The affordable, compact and presumably high volume sale items, such as ATEM Mini series, have many useful features. When we step up to more professional options suddenly we need a load more gear, patch cables, adapters and cases, etc. Cost is always a factor, but it also means extra volume of gear, more weight, a less integrated solution, etc. Racks of gear and fewer single points of failure has its place, but less so when wanting the functionality discussed here. Integrated comm's and PTZ camera option / control would also be nice. As would consistency of professional connectors, such as XLR

AJA used to do a multi input card for the Mac that would record multiple live streams in to Final Cut (pre X days) and that would be a multicam feed you could start cutting straight away on the timeline as it still recorded

A 1 M/E ATEM Constellation with at least 1 x HDMI Input, the Multi-view Output in HDMI and with Supper-source. It could be a full 1 RU instead of 2/3 RU. It would be perfect if the audio inputs are in XLR

Just had a thought. On a previous live stream you talked about how the atem can now have a multiview out with no boarders. Could that be used for instant replay. Send that 4 camera feed to something like the yolo then you could zoom into the segment on the multiview that has the camera you want. That way you don’t need the hdmi pass through. I know it won’t be HD but it would save you outputting 4 cameras

This perfectly shows what the problem of the 'hardware bubble' is for everything/anyone that is not a really big network TV-station. You make it really complicated to keep up-to-date with current wishes and possibilies becasue you just can't get yourself to use software. Where it all happens in a heartbeat. And the software-side in terms of users will keep growing (it's not only the gamers/youtubers anymore) and will develop new features that are impossible to get into 'pure hardware' for any decent price, if you can get them at all. Really: just go for software. The downsides diminish fast and more then half of the time I think it's just ego that gets in the way of such a decision. We all wanne play 'tv station' with al the fancy hardware, but in the meantime you get overtaken by all the software development.

Aaron’s wishlist: 00:46 Rack mounted HDMI to SDI converters 03:01 Multi-channel instant replay device 05:58 Hardware based graphics device 08:23 Multi-channel video recorder (affordable)

I'd like to see a BlackMagic router that has built in NDI encoding/decoding and output to SDI.

Agree with you on everything. BMD Needs to create a PTZ Camera.

About the replay, did you catch the recent atem iso updates that included "support for live editing of recorded files"? Looks like you should be able to access the iso files as they're being recorded and run through the replay system, yeah?

I use envelop holders for my converters

My Custom Shop do rackmount brackets for Blackmagic mini converters; I know you said that's not ideal but you could use it with a set back adapter so both sides of the converter are inside the case, and a USB splitter cable to address the power supply issue.

I'd love to see a 4 and an 8 input SDI to HDMI bidirecontal rackmount adapter. I can think of several situations where I would use it.

A 4k atem mini pro iso would be a dream

Blackmagic could release alternate firmwares for the ATEM Extreme ISO to enable them to work as a multi channel recorder with all of the other unnecessary features removed and a printed overlay for re-mapped button functions. The same for instant replay firmware too.

+1 to rack mounted converter box, especially if the converters can also scale.

Hey, what do you use for a mic?

I would love an Iso Recording Box for the Constellations. My dream would be A 1U Unit that just plugs into the constellations via a high bandwidth link and automatically records also Inputs and Outputs. No matter how you change them around. And theN creates the DaVinci File for you like the Atem mini Iso Models. Would be great for a conference.

My request is an internal UltraStudio. I would love to be able to plug a USC-C from my computer into my switcher and have the key & fill channel routed internally, no extra box or SDI cables taking up two channels/Inputs. Just clean graphics from one of the many apps (Propresenter, TitlerLive or OBS).

New ATEM update allows ISO models to send 4 channels to Resolve over SMB for Instant Replay. Granted it's H264(or 5?) 8-bit but it's a great tool to dodge the Hyperdeck price tag.

I want something similar to a blackmagic quad pcie recorder built into an atem type controller allowing the input of multiple sources to be used in software like vmix without it being limited to just what gets switched at the switcher level with one feed input

Can we get template letters to request these from the various manufacturers? 🤣 Cause yeah I basically need almost all of these things too

… well, the first device you mention is already existing. As always - it's a question of your budget. AJA OpenGear Frame with HDMI SDI OG-Converter Cards is doing exactly that. You also got a redundant power supply as well as the option to control all devices through Ross Dashboard. .... for the 2nd one - why not using vMix just as a dedicated replay device and still use the hardware of the the switcher? - even the high-end systems such as EVS are built around software/hardware combinations. So - Cameras to a crosspoint - and from there to the switcher AND to the replay system. From there again - the replay channels you need to your switcher. Low price tag, reliable and high value. The most "costly" part is actually a proper replay controller.

I would like an easy option to have an HDMI video splitter that can allow one HDMI output to split into 3 or 4 HDMI outputs so I can have monitors mirroring the same image for my podcast guest to view. These seem hard to find. Every one I’ve bought doesn’t work and only allows me to chose what output I want to view at a specific time. Any ideas?

Combined sdi hdmi converter/splitter with internal ISO recorder would be extra nice if damage to my budget is at bearable level.

Most large replay systems use inputs from a router. They don’t loop through.

For the graphics solution- how about a pc with dual output BM SDI card. CasparCG (free software) renders the html using its Chromium engine. Even fancier using Bluefish SDI cards which have better processing.

I'm still looking for one that can host Zoom natively without an UVC cable. Just call on the Zoom API internally and yourein the meeting

Haven't Blackmagic just done that with their latest release of ATEM software 9.5 offering 8 channel recording and replay on Extreme Iso and lower devices as part of their Replay system? Pretty amazing I think!

Sounds to me it’s time for Aaron the make some tools!! AaronP Rack Convertor AaronP Rack Replayer “……” Web Graphic Player “…….” And so on!

OSEE GoStream Duet. SDI+HDMI. You don't want to name it but you have it.

I really want to see a video delay device. I’m not seeing instances where audio is delayed enough because of effects (ie, vocal tuners) that the video needs to be delayed and there are zero reasonably priced solutions.

Zeplay is a 4 channel replay system

How does one contact you regarding these?

Much of these problems are solved if you use NDI but Black magic aren’t going to turn into that in the near future I suppose.

For converters, a solution would be NDI devices

SDI is losing traction among professional broadcasters. It's slowly being replaced by NDI and some cases SRT. Often combined with Dante or Madi for audio. Some are even going ABV for both audio and Video. The accessory device I would like to see would be a box that connects to a network switch then outputs to 4 or 8 HDMI or SDI outputs. Maybe even selecting between both. Most prosumer cams don't offer SDI, you're stuck with HDMI. Most PTZ cams offer both including multiple forms of IP formats. Better still would be a switcher that connects to a network switch then let's you assign the IP to the input you want. There are a couple of the ATEM mini knock offs adding support for one or two IP based cams and some even offering UVC for webcams. None the less IP seems to be the way the industry is moving.

I hate videos like this because it reflects how little knowledge of the technical challenges of video "livestream" people possess. If you want features, you have to stop relying on throwdowns as main signal conversion.

A router usually has all inputs and outputs on the one side and us rack mountable. I'd rather have a router with both SDI and HDMI ports over rack mount converters. You can't route converters whereas with a router, you could send one HDMI source to multiple destinations, be they sdi or hdmi.