Blackmagic PYXIS SDI Port - How To Safely Use It (12G SDI Protocol)

[@initialfocus]

"LAST ONE IN, FIRST ONE OUT" the ultra basic SDI protocol saying I was taught 😂 great video!

[@robinprobyn1971]

Last on , first off, I found to be the best way to remember this . D tap power is the main culprit too. Two positives touch for a millisecond , circuit is completed down the SDI / HDMI ,and good night that port . Same can happen when taking off power cables.

[@DavidEllsDP]

Great video! I’m totally with you on isolators. Someone was trying to make the case for them to me and it just feels like a step backwards from just following the protocol. I’m sure it helps protect the SDI port when not connecting or disconnecting power but in the meantime you’re having to mount it and power it somehow.

[@AkaBull]

Hey Josh, can you make an APP video. I'm interested in how the Pyxis connects via Bluetooth to the Apple or Android and what features are available via the blackmagic app or third-party apps.

[@Josh_Sattin]

I’ll put it on my list. I believe as of now the Blackmagic app is only available for tablets. I have been using the Bluetooth+ app on my phone. It works decently well but not perfect.

[@AkaBull]

@Josh_Sattin interesting. Looking forward to the video...

[@TLFILMS]

thx for the reminder always good

[@theflyinggrip]

Just curious how everyone gets around without powering down? Been on plenty of sets in my time, and cams don’t turn off, battery hot swaps are the norm. Did everyone just change up the routine or ignore the “protocol”? This never seemed to be an issue until the last few years. Seems to me, it’s a constant design failure, is there no way to implement a system to protect from such events actually occurring?

[@alexandrumoraras]

Thank you so much for the info, didn't know about this and the protocol is easy enough to understand and follow, but man to need to unplug a cable because it can damage a port, where technology is at nowadays, seems way dated.

[@izanmgfilms]

Thank you for the video. I wanted to ask if, in the case of using an SDI-to-HDMI bidirect converter for video transmitters, the same procedure should be followed or if there could be any issues. Thank you.

[@Josh_Sattin]

You're welcome. Yes I still do the same procedure with converters.

[@pasegers]

great video ! but was there not something with the new core SWX batteries and there new connector that also prevent / protect the SDI port ? from what i saw on a video during NAB

[@Josh_Sattin]

Thanks! I'm not sure if you are thinking about their new PD Pro ports? They are locking USB-C connectors so they will help maintain continuous power from the battery to your accessories. This will help protect your SDI port because if the power gets interrupted to your accessories you could have a problem.

[@pasegers]

@@Josh_Sattin yes, i was talking about the PD Pro connection , i forgot the exact name 😇

[@Redm0ndFilms]

Yes I’m waiting for them to add PD pro to there nano x battery, currently they only have it on one new model. The one that magnetically connects to each other but personally, I don’t see a use for that.

[@Redm0ndFilms]

Yes I’m waiting for them to add PD pro to there nano x battery, currently they only have it on one new model. The one that magnetically connects to each other but personally, I don’t see a use for that.

[@elcasanelles5806]

Dumb question, but does this mean that if the battery dies port is doomed?

[@paulengle5784]

Forgive my ignorance, but when you mentioned everything being turned on before you connect the SDI, I believe you mentioned making sure everything was grounded. What does that mean and how does one accomplish that?

[@Josh_Sattin]

Basically everything needs to have a solid electrical connection (positive and negative connections). When power is connected (or disconnected) one of the pins can make contact before the other. If the SDI cable is connected it will try to complete the circuit through the SDI cable, which is where the problem happens. If all of the devices are properly powered up then it is completing the circuit in the device and the power supply attached to it, not through the SDI cable. We are talking about low voltage DC circuits here so the negative is also the "ground".

[@candyartstv]

Isn’t the SDI problem primarily caused by connecting power cables? Since you’re powering each device with its own battery, that shouldn’t be an issue, right?

[@ghospod]

USB C - HDMI doesn't work even with the cable you mentioned. Do you know what may be the solution?

[@Josh_Sattin]

Oh no! I'm sorry they aren't working. I use those two cables with my SmallHD monitors and they work.

[@ifionu]

What happens when the battery dies while still shooting? Is there still risk of damage?

[@Josh_Sattin]

I’m not sure but I try to always swap out batteries and do the protocol before the battery dies.

[@wallenboeckfilms]

thats also what im wondering all the time. i do really not mind doing the protocol everytime bec that just becomes muscle memory. but i hate the fact that this still can happen even when u did everything right but the batterie suddenly dies. just a couple of days ago i had a bpu battery, that was newly bought and from a (then) trusted brand, die on 18%. luckily i wasnt using sdi on that shoot. that could have easily already been a dead sdi port. that is what is frustrating me about that whole sdi thing not that u have to connect everything the right way, this is easy to do.

[@ifionu]

@@wallenboeckfilms exactly, following the protocol is easy, but in situations where the battery dies you might still be at risk of a burnt out sdi port. It’s really a hard pill to swallow

[@robinprobyn1971]

Why would a dead battery fry your SDI / HDMI .. ? it will screw with your clip on some cameras . specifically MP4 files I believe .

[@yavor0012]

What if vmount dies but have a bpu backup on camera?

[@porgevermtz6083]

Great Info man!

[@Josh_Sattin]

Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@absolutelyeverything]

Hey, Do you mind if I ask what lens is mounted on the camera in this vid? Thanks!

[@dam55ian]

semms like an zeiss classic series lens in ef

[@absolutelyeverything]

@ yep, that seems to be it. Thank you for your help!

[@tomostudio9062]

What about if there is sony battery and v mount battery plugged in, and swap the v mount? It does not shut down the anything so it shouldn't fry the SDI?

[@Josh_Sattin]

If your monitor is be powered with a source other than the V Mount then you should be okay. As long as powered is constantly being powered to the camera and all of the accessories you should be good.

[@tomostudio9062]

@@Josh_Sattin Right...BM cameras sometimes suddenly shuts down on its own so trying to think of ways to avoid it all when it is not powered through AC.

[@princeg88]

you connect ur sdi cable and its just a black screen? I do not see any video being displayed. Thats literally my issue. How do i get the video to display on my blackmagic video assist 12g monitor?

[@Josh_Sattin]

Maybe check the output resolution on the PYXIS for your SDI output and make sure that the monitor is set to SDI input.

[@AllTheBeef]

If you power everything from a vmount, you can still fry the usb-c port, so it's better to use batteries on the monitor

[@AkaBull]

❤❤

[@AkaBull]

It's funny I haven't seen any professional working DPs complaining about this camera, just KZbinrs. The rolling shutter, IBIS, autofocus, STI are KZbinr issues.

[@hhankx]

KZbinrs aren’t really camera operators. Very few actually work in the industry as a professional. It’s comical

[@Artfulscience1]

Word

[@BryanKeithPhoto]

SDI is a KZbinr issue? lol man do you hear yourself.

[@AkaBull]

@Artfulscience1 Bird, bird, bird. Birds the word!

[@AkaBull]

@@BryanKeithPhoto No I didn't actually. I typed it.

[@mtscott44]

I appreciate the vid, but it's quite frustrating that no one actually KNOWS for sure if the port will get fried. It's always "sometimes it can happen", or "it's always best to do this, just in case". Why on earth isn't there a definitive set of circumstances to know and work around / adhere to? I'm not trolling, but am I a guy who likes to know, rather than pray.

[@Josh_Sattin]

From Arri: "This damage to the SDI connection can occur when connecting an unshielded power cable to an accessory that is already connected to the SDI output of the camera. If the plus pin is contacted before the negative pin, the BNC cable will close the current circuit resulting in a fatale damage of the included SDI driver chip which itself is not designed to handle such high currents. This problem can also occur when disconnecting an unshielded power cable of an accessory that is still connected to the SDI output of the camera with a BNC cable. Damaged or low quality BNC cables are more prone to cause this problem." www.arri.com/resource/blob/194752/26e7a4ca07e7a8f0ce038b23109b216c/download-technical-information-data.pdf

[@danbrockettDOP]

All you need is the most basic, basic knowledge of how electricity works and it makes perfect sense. There is no mystery to this and this isn't anything new, if you don't connect and power in the right order, sooner or later you will experience a ground event and fry your camera and or monitor/transmitter. As Josh says, the problems come from newbs who know literally nothing about electricity and what a ground is and know nothing about using a professional camera. And this doesn't only apply to SDI, it also applies to HDMI, ground seeking is ground seeking regardless of cable type.

[@mtscott44]

@@danbrockettDOP Ohhhhhh.....gotcha! I must be so, so, SO stupid then. It's just the "sooner or later" part that isn't making perfect sense to me. You know, like if you're NOT so unlearned about basic electricity and such, you "can" and "might" fry your SDI port, OR HDMI port. I'm not sure you really understood my OP.

[@mtscott44]

@@danbrockettDOP Okay, so I learned the basics about grounding now. Also, I'm not a newb anymore either, just went pro. Just wondering if you can help. Why doesn't my professional camera's SDI port fry when I DON'T adhere to these basic electronic principals you're talking about? You can't answer that with any certainty. Neither can anyone. That's my point. It's all "just in case", "it's best practice" and "I would never".....which don't get me wrong (you already did) is good advice, but it's not provable, predictable, repeatable results, kinda advice.

[@danbrockettDOP]

@@mtscott44 It doesn't fry because you didn't accidentally plug in a two pin power connection, preventing positive or negative from making a connection at the same time. It's provable and predictable within the unpredictability of when you might accidentally do that. In other words, if you do that, somehow insert the positive or negative NOT at the same time, you will fry something or at the very least cause a ground loop/power surge that may or may not fry something that particular time. It's not 100% guaranteed if you heed this powering order rule that you will never fry anything but you've probably decreased your chances of frying something by, wild guess, 95%? We're talking a bit of basic electrical theory but mixing it with real world variables and application of those variables. I have plenty of DTAP cables and devices and the variability of those connections is kind of scary, some plug in one direction, some of the same brand and model, the other direction. It's all plastic, it's all Chinese mass produced, some are super snug, some are loose and sloppy, a lot of variables in the quality and fit too.

[@6wop]

Last in, First out

[@Miniaminism]

Linking to Amazon europe, that 12G sdi cable is 242euros ahah ! 300$ Curious to see how much is it in US ;)

[@ОлегАлександрович-ю9н]

This is an engineering mistake. It's easier not to buy cameras with sdi. Thanks for the information.

[@danbrockettDOP]

The exact same issue with HDMI, does that make you feel a little less safe? It would be nice if all video cabling connections had an integrated ground system but two pin power connections like DTap and Lemo have been around for many decades so that's what we're stuck with. It's like examining HDMI. It's a great signal with a horribly designed connection that wears out after a couple of hundred insertion cycles. But because it is so ubiquitous, we're stuck with it, even for professional gear although not for the Pyxis.

[@blahblahblah2243]

these kind of problems are what keeps this camera from being taken seriously and on professional sets.

[@theothermarkwilliams]

This issue has nothing to do with the Pyxis in particular - it is also the case with RED cameras and Arri cameras. And anything that uses 12G SDI. And it can even happen with HDMI connections, for that matter.