Capturing MacBook output into BlackMagic Shuttle

[videoswitchboard]

After much research and a lot of money spent on various VGA>HDMI converters, HDeeCP strippers and VGA>Component scalers (as well as BM shuttle), it seems that the Blackmagic intensity shuttle Thunderbolt is NOT CAPABLE of capturing sources from a mac laptop via minidisplay/VGA (rgb) or ipad (VGA/HDMI) through either its HDMI or component input. It only seems to work at HD resolution with video cameras with HDMI outputs (yuv colour space), or at SD res via composite/ s-video... booo.

can anyone who successfully captured the output of a macbook or ipad into resolume with intensity shuttle TB make themselves known?

thanks.


dav

[Joris]

I regularly capture the output from a MacBookPro into a BlackMagic Shuttle via HDMI at 720p50p.

I think the problem might be that you're trying to go VGA>HDMI. Why not use a miniDP>HDMI directly?

[videoswitchboard]

Hi Joris,

thanks for the quick reply, this is good news
I have just bought a MDP>HDMI adapter and will report as soon as it gets to me.

would you be able to shed some light as to why i can't seem to get a signal from an ipad via 30pin>HDMI cable though (2 different types of cables tested)?

also, i am quite keen to capture VGA sources as it is still the most widespread type of signal of a decent resolution that can be transmitted over long distances (typically, an AV act on stage sending their content to the Front of House over 50m away). I was hoping that either a VGA>component or VGA>HDMI scaler would have given me a satisfactory result.
No luck with either.
Do you have any idea of why this is?

thanks

dav

[Joris]

Well, Resolume just grabs the signal of whatever the box is currently capturing. When that box is not able to capture something ( as you mention in your VJforums post it doesn't work in BM's own software either ), it's out of our hands as to why that happens.

Native supports means that you can access the settings from within Resolume, and that you can get the signal with minimal latency. It doesn't mean we can magically make something appear that's not there to begin with.

If I had to guess, I'd say the BM boxes need to receive a signal compliant with the HDMI/component protocol. Once you start recreating that signal with analog to digital converters, you're running the risk that you're not fully matching the protocol that they need.

But you're better off asking BM directly about this.

[videoswitchboard]

@ Joris

thanks for the reply, this all makes sense. I'm on the BM forums too regarding this and they seem to point to the same direction. Unfortunately, the answer seems to lie in buying converters many times the price of their capture card-
I shall dig further and report.

cheers

[joshuadmello]

Did any of you guys have luck with this?

I just got one. Im havng the same issues.

Im going direct

MBP - Mini dp to HDMI - BMI - MBP

[VJ_Lazershaft]

I've always had success with this actually, wish I could offer some advice other than to check your BMS with another MPB to check its not an internal issue.

Also, do you about syphon recorder? Not ideal if you're in the middle of rinsing your machine but if you're looking to record out bits and pieces at home...

http://syphon.v002.info/recorder/

[Zo_Loche]

This is a bit of a late response; but i've gotten this kind of setup to work multiple times with Arena 4 and the Bm Shuttle, Intensity pro, and pocket studio recorder.
To get this to work make sure that the black magic software is set to HDMI and HDMI audio or HDMI and Rca audio. Then make sure the Bm device is set to 1080i60.
In Arena/Avenue make sure that on the clip properties for the input are set to Hdmi, 1080i60, and de-interlace.
On the mbp side i used an application called switch res X. It allows you to set the resolution of outputs and your laptop screen to anything that you want. It's not free, but after trial ends. res will default after a reboot. [it works just fine].
Go into OS X display options and enable mirroring [If you want to be able to preview content]. And then in SwitchresX change the output of the hdmi to 1080i60 and your display will automatically conform to proper res and resolume will see it.
For windows computers with nvidia graphics cards you can set up custom resoloutions in the advanced options. Make a 1080i60 option and it should work just fine.
I'm not entirely sure why it works with 1080i60 and nothing else. It won't take progressive from either of my laptops.
I recently used this setup on a contest gig with a 40ft edge-blended dual projector screen. A previous winner was called on Skype form another state to announce the winners. [To do audio with video, we found the best option was to not send audio over Hdmi, but rather send it from laptop's output and add a delay. For our computer speed and amount of effects we were pushing; we found that 80ms of delay was enough to correct for the frame lag coming from resolume for the audio to sync with Skype.] I'll update this post with pictures once I get some.

I hoped this help and let me know if you need further clarification.