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Blackmagic Cameras SDI Control

Generic informations can be found in the global Blackmagic guide

Wiring CI0-BM​

Wiring RSBM​

note

If using a RSBM on a CI0, the CI0 will simply replace the RIO in the pics above. And as usual, a CI0 only works on LAN. While a RIO works on LAN and WAN.

Simple SDI control​

  • In your RCP/RIO web UI
  • Click on + in the Camera section
  • Enter a number and a name
  • Select brand Blackmagic
  • Select model SDI
  • If you're using CI0-BM, select the CI0 port 3
  • If you're using RSBM on a RIO, select the port on which the RSBM is plugged
note

Here, I used an RSBM on a CI0 (serial: CI0-20-36), on port 2

Once properly configured, it should look like this:

note

By default we use the cam ID 1, if you want to use another ID, refer to the bus setup below

Bus control​

  • In your RCP/RIO web UI
  • Click on + in the Features section
  • Select Blackmagic : SDI Bus
  • Click on the new block that just appeared
  • 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):

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:

Troubleshooting​

Camera is green but I have no control of anything​

If the camera is green, it means that the RCP/RIO/RSBM are properly communicating.

Check wiring:

  • SDI should be in the middle SDI on your RSBM/CI0-BM
  • and in SDI input on your camera

Each camera has an ID, usually it's 1 and if you configure your camera without a "bus", that what we use. So double check the config of your camera and RIO to ensure ID's are matching.

Iris values are not matching​

We control the lens through the camera protocol and it's unidirectional (no read back values).

So we need to cover a wide range, but don't know what the actual lens supports and the camerca can't tell us the actual range. So you could totally have 1.8 on your RCP and 4 on your lens.

But except from these extremums, if your lens goes from 4 to 22, then values should be "close" , but not perfect (maybe we can set 5.8 and your lens only support 6)

My camera stays RED​

The camera protocol is unidirectionnal, so there is no real check link.

But if the camera is RED, it means that the link between RIO/RSBM, or RCP/CI0-BM is broken.

Check wiring and that's probably the SDI board that's dead.