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Blackmagic Cameras Control

This guide will cover the different way you can control your Blackmagic cameras using Cyanview. This is compatible with all the Blackmagic camera (URSA, Pocket, Micro Studio, etc.).

There is multiple ways to integrate your camera with Cyanview

  • Using an ATEM over ethernet
  • Using a CI0:
    • if you don't have an ATEM
    • if you want to control a BM camera over WiFi
  • Using a RIO to control it over 4G

Setup with an ATEM​

Wiring​

The RCP will control the camera through the ATEM (Ethernet/IP). Then all camera will be linked to the ATEM:

  • SDI out for video output
  • SDI in for control

Note for ATEM mini:

  • You can control Pocket Cinema Camera
  • Then control is done through the HDMI

Camera setup​

You need to asign a camera ID to be able to distinguish each camera. You can follow this guide, search for Studio Settings, then in this paragraph you can see the Camera Numer menu.

Note for ATEM mini:

  • You can't setup an ID in Pocket Cinema Camera
  • The ID is then the HDMI port of your ATEM

Configuration​

You first need to add your ATEM in your configuration. You just need the Blackmagic ATEM block and IP configured, the rest is for switching and tally. You can follow this guide.

If you need to change your IP configuration to reach your ATEM, you can follow this documentation

You should have this block configured and green:

Then you can add your cameras:

  • Click on the + in the camera block, a new panel will appear on the right
  • In General Configure a Numer and a Name
  • Select Blackmagic for the brand and Atem as the model.
  • Then select in the interface drop-down list your ATEM and camera ID

If your ATEM has the IP 10.192.1.3 and your camera the ID 1:

  • The camera setup:

  • The camera block:

Setup with CI0-BM and RIO+RSBM​

This is only compatible with Blackmagic cameras that have a SDI input. So if you have a Blackmagic Pocket, your only solution is to use it with an ATEM.

Wiring​

CI0-BM​

The SDI output on the CI0-BM is the one in the middle. This SDI goes into the SDI input on the camera.

RIO and RSBM​

The RIO has no specific BM version, but you can add the SDI BM control using our CY-RSBM accessory.

The cable between the RIO and the RSBM module is the CY-CBM-6P-ST-15

The SDI output on the CI0-BM is the one in the middle on the RSBM. This SDI goes into the SDI input on the camera.

Note : this CY-RSBM module is also compatible with CY-CI0 if you don't have a CI0-BM.

Configuration simple​

  • Your camera should have the ID 1
  • Click on the + in the camera block, a new panel will appear on the right
  • In General Configure a Number and a Name
  • Select Blackmagic for the brand and Studio camera as the model.
  • If you have a CI0/RIO + RSBM, select the serial and the port on which the RSBM is plugged (1 or 2)
  • If you have a CI0-BM, select the serial and the port 3 (which is the SDI output).

If your CI0 has the serial CI0-12-36, the RSBM is plugged into the port 2 and your camera has the ID 1:

  • The camera setup:

  • The camera block:

Configuration bus​

If you want to control multiple BM cameras on the same CI0, you need to setup a bus.

Setup the bus:​

  • Ensure all your camera have different ID
  • Click in the Features block on the + and select Blackmagic : SDI Bus
  • Click on this new block:
  • And select your CI0 (port 3 for a CI0-BM, and 1 or 2 if you're using a CI0/RIO+RSBM) in the first select box
  • Ensure to adapt the IDs range based on your setup (here we handle the cameras from ID 1 to 8):
  • Don't touch any other parameter except if you know what you're doing

Setup the camera on the bus:​

  • Click on the + in the camera block, a new panel will appear on the right
  • In General Configure a Number and a Name
  • Select Blackmagic for the brand and Studio camera as the model.
  • Then select in the interface drop-down list your CI0 serial and camera ID.
  • Here, my CI0 is CI0-20-36, I have an RSBM on the port 2 and on the bus, my cam has the ID 1:

Your camera should be green and working:

Blackmagic WiFi​

Above sections described how to setup camera control:

  • using the ATEM
  • using a CI0-BM or RIO+RSBM, when you don't have an ATEM

CI0 and RIO don't have embedded WiFi. But you can use TP-link nano router to add WiFi capabilities. This way you will be able to control your BM cameras over WiFi

You can mix everything together:

  • ATEM
  • CI0-BM over WiFi
  • RIO + RSBM over 4G

Troubleshooting​

The first thing to note about blackmagic control is that it is not a "bidirectional" communication. The RCP (Cyanview or Blackmagic or ATEM software) sends commands to the camera, but the camera doesn't send any feedback to the RCP. So you could have a lens opening at 4.5F and the RCP will still show 2.8F. This is normal and applies to every parameters the camera has.

The control, even if it can be IP (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, 4G), is in the end connected to the SDI input port of your Blackmagic camera. So if you have a problem with the SDI input, you will have a problem with the control. Check the SDI cable and the SDI input port of your camera.

If you have a problem with the control, you can try to use the Blackmagic software to control your camera. If it works, then the problem is in Cyanview. If it doesn't work, then the problem is in the SDI input port of your camera.

The blackmagic protocol over SDI allows a bus mode where each camera has its own ID. By default we use the ID 1. So double check in your camera if its ID is 1. If not, you can change it in the camera menus. Or setup a bus in Cyanview to allow you to chose the camera ID by following this link.