We've been using three 100' and one 150' fiber HDMI cables for a year now and they have worked perfect for us. We saved money by not getting a SDI equipped camera and put money into these cables. No regrets.
The only issue I've seen with some of the cable brands is the connector housing falls apart if you don't treat them well but what I like to do is tape electrical tape around the ends to color code and label them and this prevents that from happening. Outside of that people just need to keep in mind that they are on directional. It's also worth noting that these do still work with controlling the blackmagic cameras with an atem mini!
Well, if you need bi-directional you just run 2 SDI cables if you don't want to go Witt fiber. And some fiber systems are 2 fibers in one bundle, so basically the same in that regard, just one connector though.
Hi! I've been using a number of different fiber HDMI cables on livestreams with good success for the last year! HOWEVER - cables longer than 150' have persistently had issues of ignoring camera control signals from the ATEM. The video has been totally solid but BMPCC4k cams don't reliably follow the CCU functions from the Atem mini on cables longer than 150'
Since I don’t use BM cameras unfortunately I don’t have an answer for you there. We usually bring a team of camera operators anyways so we don’t control them with the atem.
You can purchase a fiber HDMI voltage insertor for the longer runs. You only have to use it at one of the ends. I doesn't matter which one. This start happening usually with 60m and greater lengths. It's crazy that copper still carries some of the signals.
@@ernieschatz3783 copper is required to carry 5v power to the optical electronics (sensor) at the receiving end. Otherwise you’d need another 5v power source at the end.
I got to 7 minutes in this video, just where you mentioned the output and input side of optic! The site I bought from had mentioned this in its info but I had completely forgot in my haste to install it! Such an easy thing to forget but critical to get it working! thanks so much!
I see people forget it all the time but once you've done it once, you won't forget. I've started the practice now of color coding my cables with electrical tape and then on the "source" side I label it "CAM" for camera and on the "display" side I label it "OUT" for output.
"A fiber optic cable with ends terminated with HDMI cables..." There's a bit more happening than that. One side, the source, contains a tiny media converter that changes the electrical signal coming from the copper/metal HDMI connector to a light signal that travels down the fiber. The display side converts the light signal back to an electrical signal for the copper HDMI connector. Five volts DC from the HDMI ports powers the convertors. For longer runs, sometimes an addition 5V power supply is need, depending upon how stable the power coming from your ports is.
Thanks for this. The first question that came to mind is that in a real world scenario, I'd maybe lay down the cable with gaf tape and there's a real chance the cables would be stepped on now and then. Would that present an issue?
I typically would not recommend putting any fiber cables down on a path where people walk unless they are protected by a cable jacket or cable ramp like this: amzn.to/4aBuYH8 this way no one is physically stepping on the cable. Fiber cables are fragile so if we use them, we're typically taping them along the outskirts of a room along the corners of the walls. We'll try to go up and over doorways when possible too. For the most part I only use SDI now that I've moved up to the SDI switchers but if you're still using the ATEM mini pro or Extreme, this is a decent option. I'd still plan to try to work towards converting to SDI for cable runs between 25-250 feet.
Compared to typical fiber cables they’re not that expensive. We consider the cost when billing our clients so many of our pieces of gear get paid off after being used once or twice.
@@computerjantje as my workflow has evolved I share what’s working for me. There’s nothing wrong with adjusting how you operate and improving. Hence why the video is about why I don’t use HDMI fiber anymore.
Dude that's super interesting. thanks for sharing. I still prefer SDI but the listing shows it's rated for 5,000 cycles of bends. I wonder how many cycles the head is rated for for plugs and unplugs.
Yea we still like SDI for bigger runs and depending on the livestream switcher we use. Love the locking connector and using what most professionals use. Just good to know what’s out there. I’ve been liking hdmi fiber for 50-100 foot runs on smaller projects.
Useful video, thanks. What's the best way to wrap/coil these cables quickly? I was hoping a cable reel would do the job but the natural twist of the cable is not happy!
@@zephanmoses Thanks Zephan. My cable is 300' long and has a mind of its own. I tried coiling it according to its original curve from the factory, but every 10 feet or so it seems to change direction. Whatever I do seems to result in a massive tangle buildup in the next section. Being that it's 300' long it's not possible to shake out the twists. I have an idea to coil 100' at a time then velcro strap that. Then the next 100' and so on. That way, I might just get away with using the first 100'. I also tried coiling it on a reel but ran into problems of tangling very quickly. I guess I'll just use this as a last resort!
I'm seeing that a lot of these are being discontinued by a variety of manufacturers but I cant find any reason as to why. This would really ease up the system design I'm working on right now, where I was having exactly the too many converters problem you mention.
We are purchasing PTZ cameras that output 4K via HDMI Port ( but not SDI), the switcher we are purchasing receives SDI only, Do you foresee any problems running 100-300ft HDMI over Fiber to SDI converter for switcher? Have you seen this setup to get 4K?
1) is your SDI switcher 4K compatible? If so, you’ll need 12G SDI cables. If not, you’ll need to down convert the signal to HD. 2) Are your converters 4K compatible or are they going to scale the 4K down to HD before going into your switcher?
Hi Bro Could you suggest the best Fiber optics HDMI cable in 2024 for using in livestreaming with ATEM Mini Extrema pro ISO video switcher. This video was made in 2021. So looking for the updated one on cable.
I still have plenty of the cables I used back then but you might want to see my more recent video on why I don't use HDMI Fiber anymore. I've switched to SDI.
I haven't seen any minis out in the wild. What I usually do is place a Decimator at the camera side when using a DSLR that might have a mini HDMI output. I like doing this because my EOS R only outputs 60fps and while yes, my ATEM Mini can scale it, I'd rather scale it before it hits the ATEM to take one more thing off the workload on the livestream switching side. By taking a shorter 6-10ft mini to full size HDMI cable into the Decimator, I can then run SDI or HDMI fiber cables to my switcher. I realize the downside is needing one more power outlet near the camera but it hasn't been an issue when we've incorporated it on our streams.
First timer and didn’t know, but good info. Hope you can answer this, I have an HD Camera with “standard HDMI” out with a standard HD HDMI cable to their ATEM switcher about 40 feet away. I hooked it up and in their program monitor image shows it’s blinking. I wondered if I need a “Fiber Optic HDMI” cable, will the signals read better? I also wanted to see their program monitor at my end and my monitor did the same, blinking. What I did is I ran an SDI cable from their ATEM to my monitor but with a BlackMagic converter to SDI “IN” to ‘HDMI OUT” and used a standard HD HDMI cable. I guess that too needs to be Fiber Optic HDMI cable as well. Any thoughts?
Hey Felix, typically anything over 25 feet when it comes to a basic HDMI cable is not going to work. You'd need some way to boost the signal for it to run over that length of cable. If it's blinking in the program monitor, it's more than likely that the signal is not strong enough to make it to the atem. With a Fiber Optic HDMI cable, the signal can travel a much further distance because it's using fiber optics (can travel hundreds of feet). Alternatively, as you mentioned, you could use a SDI to HDMI adapter and run SDI for the majority of the cable run, then convert it back to HDMI at the ATEM.
There are some mini to full size hdmi cables out there but if you’re doing a long run, I would get a shorter mini to full size cable and send it into a bi-directional converter to boost the signal back out over a longer hdmi fiber cable that’s full size.
@@musictravelpalawan4511 you can try. It may degrade the signal depending on how long your cable run is. Ideally I’d run it through the $60 Blackmagic SDI/hdmi converters because it will Reclock the signal and essentially boost it.
Hi! I was wondering if you found any latency difference when going over 50ft with these cables?. I’m kinda new to live event streaming and I’m doing sport events so latency is super important to me. Thank you so much for the video!
You could buy a mini hdmi to hdmi cable but the limit of a regular hdmi cable is going to be around the 25-50 foot marker. So you’ll need something that can boost the signal like the Blackmagic bidirectional SDI/hdmi adapters. They’re around $75 or decimator makes an equivalent model too.
please can you tell me if i can use ( rj45 cat6 ) ( with hdmi cat6 extender ) i hear people saying you can use them , is that correct ?? because cat6 is much cheaper and available + the adapters also not that much expensive and they can go to 300 feet , without any delay or lost of quality . ps : i want to know if i can use it with my atem mini pro or to display it from any switcher
@@MrAdel3x you can use cat6 extenders but they’re not reliable at all and I don’t recommend them. Especially not the cheaper ones. Just spend the money for hdmi to sdi converters they’re really not that much different in cost.
Great video thank you. One question, if you use HDMI fiber cables with black magic cameras, can you control the cameras over this cable? My guess is no... An tally light also will it work?
@@zephanmoses I am very surprised that it works. So you confirm that camera control and tally works on blackmagic cameras over HDMI fiber? Now we are using Gh5 cameras with BM capture card with 4 HDMI and vmix. And I am thinking to get the new BM mixer especially for the ISO record and in the future maybe get the BM cameras. I love vmix but the it lacks this one feature that is very important. One draw back for BM mixer is the limitation for HD only.
@@sergiubn with the cables linked here we had someone bring in his BM cameras and we were able to have full camera control capabilities. Yup! Can't speak as to other manufacturers cables.
@@bob76451 Yea I don't shoot on Blackmagic otherwise I'd test it out. Hoping one of these days I can get a free weekend to rent or borrow one just for testing.
Hi, I have an Atem extreme ISO. I use it with BMPCC 6k and optical hdmi. I never loose audio or video signal but I loose camera control. Do you have this kind of issues? I loose program/preview, auto stop rec
If you’re losing camera control it sounds like perhaps it’s a poor quality cable. I would try other brands and distances of cable. Fiber is fragile. It could also be damaged.
I can't find any internal specs on any cables like this. I know you're not supposed to care, but I don't want to use HDMI, I just want to know exactly what's inside these. One fiber? Four fibers? One mode? Four modes? 1550nm? I want to know!
Does this work with all HDMI Devices or could there be is issues if the 2 devices dont have the same HDMI standard? We need to hook up some Notebooks and Document Cameras to Projectors and so the distances are around 15m and more.
Thanks for the info looking at setting up a multi camera stream for a local hill climb, 3 camera’s to start is the plan, any suggestions for distances greater than 100m/300 feet ?
Beyond 300 feet you’ll either need fiber or wireless. I just bought the new wireless transmitter from Accsoon that promises 1200’ line of sight but haven’t tested it yet. I’ll make a video once I do. Otherwise you’re looking at some pretty hefty expenses to get fiber cable and running that.
Good info. The BMPCC's are able to be controlled by the ATEM Mini switcher, with the one direction situation with fiber cable, can the ATEM Mini still control the functions of the camera?
If it’s a Blackmagic camera it should be able to however I use canon cameras so I cannot confirm 100%. I may add a Blackmagic camera at some point for studio usage.
Zephan, this video was great. I ordered 2 of the fiber cables you recommended. One works, the other worked for 5 minutes and then stopped working. I was able to get it to start blinking on and off but the weird thing is that if I touched the cable randomly it didn’t turn off and on which leads me to believe it’s not a short issue 😬. Any thoughts with these types of troubles?
There's always the chance with fiber that the cable is damaged. These cables were not made to bend further than 90º and it's totally possible the cable was just a dud. It could be everything from the port you're plugging it into being old, or damaged to the cable itself just plain and simple being a bad one. When you're working with chinese brands it's the risk you run.
Much appreciated! I’ve also considered that I’m running a 6ft hdmi mini to hdmi cable that runs to an hdmi coupler that then runs into the fiber 😬. Might be a little much before entering the fiber. I guess I had one working fine like that so I figured that wasn’t my issue. Thanks
@@aaronandlexitravels that information would change things! Don’t use a coupler. Use either a Decimator or Blackmagic hdmi/SDI bi directional converter it will Reclock the signal.
@@zephanmoses Oh wow! So for all the cameras that use mini to hdmi cables you can't use a female to female coupler to hook those up to a fiber hdmi cable?
Very useful and interesting. Do you know if latency through fiber optic HDMI is less than regular HDMI? I ask because syncing audio is always an issue when the video runs through HDMI. Thanks in advance if anyone can respond to this.
I always run audio through a camera via XLR and then into the atem and then I never have audio sync issues. The atem also has a delay feature if you do use the built in audio inputs. Regardless I haven’t seen any issues with delay.
The "HDMI latency" has nothing at all to do with HDMI, HDMI in itself is just as fast as any other system. It's the processing in the camera itself that creates the latency. Imagine trying to play a video or computer game over HDMI if there was a significant latency due to HDMI itself, it wouldn't work. And people do of course game over HDMI ;) Cameras with SDI are usually professional cameras adapted for broadcast, and as such probably has a lot lower processing latency compared to say a photography camera that has a MINI-HDMI connector meant for playback or an external monitor.
Question: would this type of cable survive use as a "tactical" HDMI cable, i.e., deployed to a different camera in a different location for each event and stowed away afterwards?
It honestly depends how you treat your gear. Many would argue no. I baby my equipment so I would say it can under certain circumstances. It really depends on the type of work you’re doing and if you like utterly trashing stuff. Personally I never understood the whole beat your gear up mentality thinking that it should be tough to handle everything you throw at it. I wouldn’t consider this cable tactical because it’s fiber so it’s pretty fragile. I wouldn’t toss it around like I would with SDI.
These cables are not built for rough handling. I guess that is why Pros use SDIs. We use 5 Fibre HDMIs in my church and I am always scared the cables may wear and tear quickly due to our continous packing amd unpacking.
@@easyyokemusic4613 Thanks. I agree there is potential for a failure there, but it sounds like you're getting by without in-service failures so far? My take is that these are now cheap enough to keep a spare handy just in case.
Does anyone have a solution for some type of floor cover for these cables? I want to run live streaming at weddings, but I fear that the cables could be a tripping hazard and a bit unsightly. The cover would also need to be portable, preferably something that could roll up.
Your mileage may vary as some fiber cables will support camera controls. See this article: timvervoort.medium.com/fiber-hdmi-for-bmpcc4k-bmpcc6k-atem-mini-pro-iso-bde49085b00
Since when does this device have a scaler Built-in every signal coming into this Box has to be matched for resolution and frame rate or it will not see the image that is stated in the manual it will except all kinds of different frame rates but not simultaneously you can't send an output from 24P and output from 30P in-and-out for from 60P and have the switcher see all of them they have to be the exact same. Whereas a tricaster is session dependent. So you can have mixed frame rates coming in off HDMI but the session determines the recorded signal and output and streaming so if you setup for 1080p that what you get out regardless of whats coming in. Now while you're talking about multiple points of failure between H DMI to SDI can urging the same holds true for fiber and in all these cases the devices need to be powered at each end so if you're doing field production and you don't wanna run extension cords for power, You might be better served by getting a different switcher.
Which device are you referring to that doesn’t have a scaler? The ATEM Mini Pro has scalers on all four inputs. It’s the older Atem TV models that require all inputs to be the same resolution and frame rate.
You bring up good points. For professional setups we don’t recommend HDMI, it’s SDI or now IP or PoE setups. Most of all new PTZs and pro camera’s have them. In fact, a majority of it will ethernet and then SDI. I think it comes down to investment, time, and commitment to ensure its good. ATEM mini’s are great, i love them, however, we now need to make sure we don substitute quality over cost. HDMI isn’t good for anything over 50ft. Fibre works great, but again, you would run via converters then DA out to cameras
It’s outputting the camera feed to the switcher that’s why I chose out. If I were labeling it on the switcher perhaps I would label it in because the hdmi port on the switcher is an input. But technically the cable is outputting a signal to the input port of the switcher. To each their own it’s really whatever helps you remember.
I'm surprised that you wrapped that fibre cable so tight. Wrapping any sort of electrical cable, especially long lengths, into a small roll is inviting problems down the line. I had to laugh at the 'I'll be stress testing' comment and never allowing fibre cables on set, without saying why. If something works, then it works. I hope that same person doesn't just leave cables all over the set because they have been stress tested.
Anyone who brings these fiber HDMI cables to my production set will be going home with broken cables, because I will be stress testing them to see if they are as durable as SDI cables before I allow them on set. We run SDI cables with SDI hardware or SDI cables with converters. End of argument. Wireless transmission is another story. The only fiber HDMI cable we would ever allow would be this: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1264784-REG/kramer_cp_aoch_xl_33_plenum_rated_active_fiber_optic.html
On bigger projects we use SDI cables because we use livestreaming units like a Tricaster TC1 and TC2 that need SDI. For smaller in studio setups these HDMI cables are great. It’s a shame that you felt the need to spark an argument and bring negativity into the conversation. We’re simply educating people about possible solutions for their needs. We still believe that HDMI fiber cables have a place in a pro-sumer market. That negative attitude wouldn’t make it very far on our sets.
@@zephanmoses Very defensive attitude. It's not coming off very negative at all. It sounds like a professional that is trying to add another perspective to the conversation. Learn to try not to take things personally.
We've been using three 100' and one 150' fiber HDMI cables for a year now and they have worked perfect for us. We saved money by not getting a SDI equipped camera and put money into these cables. No regrets.
which brand? amazon? bh?
awesome. please tell us what brand you bought? thanks.
I just started using AFO hdmi cable. it works flawlessly. it's unbranded but works just the same and built quality is top notch.
I have been waiting for someone to talk about fiber hdmi. We use them at our church and they have no issues at all.
The only issue I've seen with some of the cable brands is the connector housing falls apart if you don't treat them well but what I like to do is tape electrical tape around the ends to color code and label them and this prevents that from happening. Outside of that people just need to keep in mind that they are on directional. It's also worth noting that these do still work with controlling the blackmagic cameras with an atem mini!
Good video. Quick correction: live sports typically use triax or SMPTE fiber. They need to be bidirectional and SDI can't do that.
Good call!
Well, if you need bi-directional you just run 2 SDI cables if you don't want to go Witt fiber. And some fiber systems are 2 fibers in one bundle, so basically the same in that regard, just one connector though.
@@Robinlarsson83 That's what triax and SMPTE fiber do, plus carry power.
Hi! I've been using a number of different fiber HDMI cables on livestreams with good success for the last year! HOWEVER - cables longer than 150' have persistently had issues of ignoring camera control signals from the ATEM. The video has been totally solid but BMPCC4k cams don't reliably follow the CCU functions from the Atem mini on cables longer than 150'
Since I don’t use BM cameras unfortunately I don’t have an answer for you there. We usually bring a team of camera operators anyways so we don’t control them with the atem.
You can purchase a fiber HDMI voltage insertor for the longer runs. You only have to use it at one of the ends. I doesn't matter which one. This start happening usually with 60m and greater lengths. It's crazy that copper still carries some of the signals.
@@ernieschatz3783 copper is required to carry 5v power to the optical electronics (sensor) at the receiving end. Otherwise you’d need another 5v power source at the end.
I got to 7 minutes in this video, just where you mentioned the output and input side of optic! The site I bought from had mentioned this in its info but I had completely forgot in my haste to install it! Such an easy thing to forget but critical to get it working! thanks so much!
I see people forget it all the time but once you've done it once, you won't forget. I've started the practice now of color coding my cables with electrical tape and then on the "source" side I label it "CAM" for camera and on the "display" side I label it "OUT" for output.
Always a huge help! The world of cables runs deep, thank you for being the sherpa haha
Sherpa Zephan Moses at your service! Parting the red sea since 1989.
"A fiber optic cable with ends terminated with HDMI cables..." There's a bit more happening than that. One side, the source, contains a tiny media converter that changes the electrical signal coming from the copper/metal HDMI connector to a light signal that travels down the fiber. The display side converts the light signal back to an electrical signal for the copper HDMI connector. Five volts DC from the HDMI ports powers the convertors. For longer runs, sometimes an addition 5V power supply is need, depending upon how stable the power coming from your ports is.
Not many people realise that HDMI like USB1 carries 5v power.
I think these cables should have second port for additional USB power if required.
Thanks for this. The first question that came to mind is that in a real world scenario, I'd maybe lay down the cable with gaf tape and there's a real chance the cables would be stepped on now and then. Would that present an issue?
I typically would not recommend putting any fiber cables down on a path where people walk unless they are protected by a cable jacket or cable ramp like this: amzn.to/4aBuYH8 this way no one is physically stepping on the cable. Fiber cables are fragile so if we use them, we're typically taping them along the outskirts of a room along the corners of the walls. We'll try to go up and over doorways when possible too. For the most part I only use SDI now that I've moved up to the SDI switchers but if you're still using the ATEM mini pro or Extreme, this is a decent option. I'd still plan to try to work towards converting to SDI for cable runs between 25-250 feet.
Yes, i have one HDMI Fiber optical cable 50 metters and is good, but this cables are pretty expensive
Compared to typical fiber cables they’re not that expensive. We consider the cost when billing our clients so many of our pieces of gear get paid off after being used once or twice.
What type of HDMI Cable I need to get for this?
HDMI Fiber cables. They're available on Amazon and I linked to them in the description below the video.
Thank you@@zephanmoses
Ironic that with even more enthousiasme Zephan is now saying fiber cables are crap while keeping this video on-line :)
@@computerjantje as my workflow has evolved I share what’s working for me. There’s nothing wrong with adjusting how you operate and improving. Hence why the video is about why I don’t use HDMI fiber anymore.
Dude that's super interesting. thanks for sharing. I still prefer SDI but the listing shows it's rated for 5,000 cycles of bends. I wonder how many cycles the head is rated for for plugs and unplugs.
Yea we still like SDI for bigger runs and depending on the livestream switcher we use. Love the locking connector and using what most professionals use. Just good to know what’s out there. I’ve been liking hdmi fiber for 50-100 foot runs on smaller projects.
Great tip about the one directional cable! I got that black screen and did not know what the problem was.
Useful video, thanks. What's the best way to wrap/coil these cables quickly? I was hoping a cable reel would do the job but the natural twist of the cable is not happy!
Over under for the win! I just over under and wrap a velcro strap around them and toss them in a Husky Bin from Home Depot
@@zephanmoses Thanks Zephan. My cable is 300' long and has a mind of its own. I tried coiling it according to its original curve from the factory, but every 10 feet or so it seems to change direction. Whatever I do seems to result in a massive tangle buildup in the next section. Being that it's 300' long it's not possible to shake out the twists. I have an idea to coil 100' at a time then velcro strap that. Then the next 100' and so on. That way, I might just get away with using the first 100'. I also tried coiling it on a reel but ran into problems of tangling very quickly. I guess I'll just use this as a last resort!
AWESOME!!! What adapters would you recommend? I have various cameras, some with mini HDMI, some with Micro, etc. Any ideas on good adapters?
For mini or micro I tend to buy a cable that goes mini or micro to full size then use an adapter to boost the signal to a fiber cable.
@@zephanmoses Any specific brands? There's a ton of knock off or random ones on Amazon and it's so hit or miss
@@westleyleonstudios yea I typically rely on anything that B&H photo sells first over the Amazon brands. I usually get Pearstone.
Thanks for a great video. I'm wondering if tally and on air works with fiber hdmi?
Hdmi fiber does have the ability to return data to the camera from what I tested but not all brands will work. Your mileage may vary.
I'm seeing that a lot of these are being discontinued by a variety of manufacturers but I cant find any reason as to why. This would really ease up the system design I'm working on right now, where I was having exactly the too many converters problem you mention.
Global pandemic lead to computer chip shortage and shipping problems and these are mostly manufactured abroad.
I’ve had really good luck with wireless HDMI too. Crystal Video Swift 800. A little more expensive, but easily goes 800ft. Close to 0 lag as well.
That’s awesome. I’ve used the Hollyland Mars before but don’t own any. Might have to add it to the list.
Hardly no latency? Really? How does it work through walls, or in a room full of people?
We are purchasing PTZ cameras that output 4K via HDMI Port ( but not SDI), the switcher we are purchasing receives SDI only, Do you foresee any problems running 100-300ft HDMI over Fiber to SDI converter for switcher? Have you seen this setup to get 4K?
1) is your SDI switcher 4K compatible? If so, you’ll need 12G SDI cables. If not, you’ll need to down convert the signal to HD.
2) Are your converters 4K compatible or are they going to scale the 4K down to HD before going into your switcher?
Hi Bro Could you suggest the best Fiber optics HDMI cable in 2024 for using in livestreaming with ATEM Mini Extrema pro ISO video switcher. This video was made in 2021. So looking for the updated one on cable.
I still have plenty of the cables I used back then but you might want to see my more recent video on why I don't use HDMI Fiber anymore. I've switched to SDI.
Do they make any hdmi mini fiber optic cables? Mini on one end (camera out), regular hdmi on the other?
I haven't seen any minis out in the wild. What I usually do is place a Decimator at the camera side when using a DSLR that might have a mini HDMI output. I like doing this because my EOS R only outputs 60fps and while yes, my ATEM Mini can scale it, I'd rather scale it before it hits the ATEM to take one more thing off the workload on the livestream switching side. By taking a shorter 6-10ft mini to full size HDMI cable into the Decimator, I can then run SDI or HDMI fiber cables to my switcher. I realize the downside is needing one more power outlet near the camera but it hasn't been an issue when we've incorporated it on our streams.
First timer and didn’t know, but good info. Hope you can answer this, I have an HD Camera with “standard HDMI” out with a standard HD HDMI cable to their ATEM switcher about 40 feet away. I hooked it up and in their program monitor image shows it’s blinking. I wondered if I need a “Fiber Optic HDMI” cable, will the signals read better? I also wanted to see their program monitor at my end and my monitor did the same, blinking. What I did is I ran an SDI cable from their ATEM to my monitor but with a BlackMagic converter to SDI “IN” to ‘HDMI OUT” and used a standard HD HDMI cable. I guess that too needs to be Fiber Optic HDMI cable as well. Any thoughts?
Hey Felix, typically anything over 25 feet when it comes to a basic HDMI cable is not going to work. You'd need some way to boost the signal for it to run over that length of cable. If it's blinking in the program monitor, it's more than likely that the signal is not strong enough to make it to the atem. With a Fiber Optic HDMI cable, the signal can travel a much further distance because it's using fiber optics (can travel hundreds of feet). Alternatively, as you mentioned, you could use a SDI to HDMI adapter and run SDI for the majority of the cable run, then convert it back to HDMI at the ATEM.
@@zephanmoses oh thank you so much for replying, I will definitely get those fiber optic hdmi.
What Adapter can someone use if your Camera has a hdmi Mini
There are some mini to full size hdmi cables out there but if you’re doing a long run, I would get a shorter mini to full size cable and send it into a bi-directional converter to boost the signal back out over a longer hdmi fiber cable that’s full size.
Great. Which adapter do you recommend for converting full hdmi to mini or micro HDMI?
I typically use a shorter hdmi mini to full hdmi cable and then run it into a Decimator or Bi-directional converter to the hdmi fiber cable.
@@zephanmoses Hi! Can i use a simple hdmi to mini hdmi adapter?
@@musictravelpalawan4511 you can try. It may degrade the signal depending on how long your cable run is. Ideally I’d run it through the $60 Blackmagic SDI/hdmi converters because it will Reclock the signal and essentially boost it.
Hi! I was wondering if you found any latency difference when going over 50ft with these cables?.
I’m kinda new to live event streaming and I’m doing sport events so latency is super important to me. Thank you so much for the video!
@@chillitz3667 nope. They’re fiber optic. No layency.
@@zephanmoses Thank you!
Could you recommend them for location streams? Years ago they were said to be super fragile. Has that changed?
Nice! What's possibly another workaround instead of buying 4 decimators to run mini-hdmi to hdmi connections??
You could buy a mini hdmi to hdmi cable but the limit of a regular hdmi cable is going to be around the 25-50 foot marker. So you’ll need something that can boost the signal like the Blackmagic bidirectional SDI/hdmi adapters. They’re around $75 or decimator makes an equivalent model too.
please can you tell me if i can use ( rj45 cat6 ) ( with hdmi cat6 extender ) i hear people saying you can use them , is that correct ?? because cat6 is much cheaper and available + the adapters also not that much expensive and they can go to 300 feet , without any delay or lost of quality .
ps : i want to know if i can use it with my atem mini pro or to display it from any switcher
@@MrAdel3x you can use cat6 extenders but they’re not reliable at all and I don’t recommend them. Especially not the cheaper ones. Just spend the money for hdmi to sdi converters they’re really not that much different in cost.
@@zephanmoses thank you so much
Sorry to bother but my question is can I use a hdmi splitter with my 200ft hdmi cable for my canon mini hdmi ??? Need to know thank you!!
Is it an hdmi fiber cable? Most hdmi cables are useless over 25-50ft. For a cable run that long I would use SDI or fiber.
Great video thank you. One question, if you use HDMI fiber cables with black magic cameras, can you control the cameras over this cable? My guess is no... An tally light also will it work?
Hey there! We actually tested this and yes it works! You can control the BM Pocket cameras!
@@zephanmoses I am very surprised that it works. So you confirm that camera control and tally works on blackmagic cameras over HDMI fiber? Now we are using Gh5 cameras with BM capture card with 4 HDMI and vmix. And I am thinking to get the new BM mixer especially for the ISO record and in the future maybe get the BM cameras. I love vmix but the it lacks this one feature that is very important. One draw back for BM mixer is the limitation for HD only.
I am also hopping that BM will make a new mixer, 4k and possible features from atem mini, sdi + HDMI.
@@sergiubn with the cables linked here we had someone bring in his BM cameras and we were able to have full camera control capabilities. Yup! Can't speak as to other manufacturers cables.
Thank You for the Heads Up on the
Amazon Basic Fiber Optic HDMI 150’ WOW this is the Best
Again THANK YOU!
The one fly in the ointment I see is if you’re using Pocket Cinema Cameras. The ATEM has bi-directional communication with them.
Many of the HDMI Fiber cables are actually compatible and still send the signal back.
@@zephanmoses Interesting. I’ll have to give one a try. Thanks.
@@bob76451 Yea I don't shoot on Blackmagic otherwise I'd test it out. Hoping one of these days I can get a free weekend to rent or borrow one just for testing.
@@zephanmoses Where are you located? If you're close I can swing one by.
@@bob76451 Baltimore
Hi, I have an Atem extreme ISO. I use it with BMPCC 6k and optical hdmi.
I never loose audio or video signal but I loose camera control.
Do you have this kind of issues?
I loose program/preview, auto stop rec
If you’re losing camera control it sounds like perhaps it’s a poor quality cable. I would try other brands and distances of cable. Fiber is fragile. It could also be damaged.
I can't find any internal specs on any cables like this. I know you're not supposed to care, but I don't want to use HDMI, I just want to know exactly what's inside these. One fiber? Four fibers? One mode? Four modes? 1550nm? I want to know!
Good bro. have any fiber HDMI cable for connecting the computer to the computer?
Do you mean computer to atem? Why would you connect a computer to another computer?
connect server (NAS) to computer's@@zephanmoses
@@durainova a server would be connected via Ethernet. Not hdmi. I’m not sure this video is relevant to your question.
Does this work with all HDMI Devices or could there be is issues if the 2 devices dont have the same HDMI standard? We need to hook up some Notebooks and Document Cameras to Projectors and so the distances are around 15m and more.
Typically the HDMI standards are backwards compatible so I don’t think you’ll have an issue.
Thanks for the info looking at setting up a multi camera stream for a local hill climb, 3 camera’s to start is the plan, any suggestions for distances greater than 100m/300 feet ?
Beyond 300 feet you’ll either need fiber or wireless. I just bought the new wireless transmitter from Accsoon that promises 1200’ line of sight but haven’t tested it yet. I’ll make a video once I do. Otherwise you’re looking at some pretty hefty expenses to get fiber cable and running that.
SDI?
Good info. The BMPCC's are able to be controlled by the ATEM Mini switcher, with the one direction situation with fiber cable, can the ATEM Mini still control the functions of the camera?
If it’s a Blackmagic camera it should be able to however I use canon cameras so I cannot confirm 100%. I may add a Blackmagic camera at some point for studio usage.
they won't do CCU operations, they are not bidrectional and BM use a proprietary way to send signal on reverse on some of the HDMI pins
@@alain99v6 Thanks.
@@alain99v6 that's not 100% accurate. Check out this blog post: timvervoort.medium.com/fiber-hdmi-for-bmpcc4k-bmpcc6k-atem-mini-pro-iso-bde49085b00
This was exactly my question. I would hate to lose camera control. If it works with this, I’m pulling the trigger. Thanks!
Very good solution. Great video.
Zephan, this video was great. I ordered 2 of the fiber cables you recommended. One works, the other worked for 5 minutes and then stopped working. I was able to get it to start blinking on and off but the weird thing is that if I touched the cable randomly it didn’t turn off and on which leads me to believe it’s not a short issue 😬. Any thoughts with these types of troubles?
There's always the chance with fiber that the cable is damaged. These cables were not made to bend further than 90º and it's totally possible the cable was just a dud. It could be everything from the port you're plugging it into being old, or damaged to the cable itself just plain and simple being a bad one. When you're working with chinese brands it's the risk you run.
Much appreciated! I’ve also considered that I’m running a 6ft hdmi mini to hdmi cable that runs to an hdmi coupler that then runs into the fiber 😬. Might be a little much before entering the fiber. I guess I had one working fine like that so I figured that wasn’t my issue. Thanks
@@aaronandlexitravels that information would change things! Don’t use a coupler. Use either a Decimator or Blackmagic hdmi/SDI bi directional converter it will Reclock the signal.
Thanks so much Zephan!
@@zephanmoses Oh wow! So for all the cameras that use mini to hdmi cables you can't use a female to female coupler to hook those up to a fiber hdmi cable?
Thank you!!! Great video.
Very useful and interesting. Do you know if latency through fiber optic HDMI is less than regular HDMI? I ask because syncing audio is always an issue when the video runs through HDMI. Thanks in advance if anyone can respond to this.
I always run audio through a camera via XLR and then into the atem and then I never have audio sync issues. The atem also has a delay feature if you do use the built in audio inputs. Regardless I haven’t seen any issues with delay.
The "HDMI latency" has nothing at all to do with HDMI, HDMI in itself is just as fast as any other system. It's the processing in the camera itself that creates the latency.
Imagine trying to play a video or computer game over HDMI if there was a significant latency due to HDMI itself, it wouldn't work. And people do of course game over HDMI ;)
Cameras with SDI are usually professional cameras adapted for broadcast, and as such probably has a lot lower processing latency compared to say a photography camera that has a MINI-HDMI connector meant for playback or an external monitor.
Question: would this type of cable survive use as a "tactical" HDMI cable, i.e., deployed to a different camera in a different location for each event and stowed away afterwards?
It honestly depends how you treat your gear. Many would argue no. I baby my equipment so I would say it can under certain circumstances. It really depends on the type of work you’re doing and if you like utterly trashing stuff.
Personally I never understood the whole beat your gear up mentality thinking that it should be tough to handle everything you throw at it. I wouldn’t consider this cable tactical because it’s fiber so it’s pretty fragile. I wouldn’t toss it around like I would with SDI.
These cables are not built for rough handling. I guess that is why Pros use SDIs. We use 5 Fibre HDMIs in my church and I am always scared the cables may wear and tear quickly due to our continous packing amd unpacking.
@@easyyokemusic4613 Thanks. I agree there is potential for a failure there, but it sounds like you're getting by without in-service failures so far? My take is that these are now cheap enough to keep a spare handy just in case.
@@gracenotes5379 Update. 2 out of 5 of the fibre cables have failed
@@EasyyokeFilms Not encouraging at all. Thanks for the info.
Thank mate cheers great lesson life is all about live & learn.
Does anyone have a solution for some type of floor cover for these cables? I want to run live streaming at weddings, but I fear that the cables could be a tripping hazard and a bit unsightly. The cover would also need to be portable, preferably something that could roll up.
Cable ramps: amzn.to/3HkFmFB
Thanks great info
Awesome! Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
One directional? this means you cant control your Blackmagic camera via Atem software. Right?
Your mileage may vary as some fiber cables will support camera controls. See this article: timvervoort.medium.com/fiber-hdmi-for-bmpcc4k-bmpcc6k-atem-mini-pro-iso-bde49085b00
I don’t use the BM cameras with my switcher so I can’t confirm the model cable that I used. I’ll try to get a hold of one to see.
It supports Camera control
Since when does this device have a scaler Built-in every signal coming into this Box has to be matched for resolution and frame rate or it will not see the image that is stated in the manual it will except all kinds of different frame rates but not simultaneously you can't send an output from 24P and output from 30P in-and-out for from 60P and have the switcher see all of them they have to be the exact same. Whereas a tricaster is session dependent. So you can have mixed frame rates coming in off HDMI but the session determines the recorded signal and output and streaming so if you setup for 1080p that what you get out regardless of whats coming in.
Now while you're talking about multiple points of failure between H DMI to SDI can urging the same holds true for fiber and in all these cases the devices need to be powered at each end so if you're doing field production and you don't wanna run extension cords for power, You might be better served by getting a different switcher.
Which device are you referring to that doesn’t have a scaler? The ATEM Mini Pro has scalers on all four inputs. It’s the older Atem TV models that require all inputs to be the same resolution and frame rate.
You bring up good points.
For professional setups we don’t recommend HDMI, it’s SDI or now IP or PoE setups. Most of all new PTZs and pro camera’s have them. In fact, a majority of it will ethernet and then SDI.
I think it comes down to investment, time, and commitment to ensure its good. ATEM mini’s are great, i love them, however, we now need to make sure we don substitute quality over cost.
HDMI isn’t good for anything over 50ft. Fibre works great, but again, you would run via converters then DA out to cameras
Bravo!! Thanks.
Thank you!
No links visible
Links in the description worked for me. Let me know what links aren’t working.
Shouldn’t it be labeled “in” to switcher instead of “out”? “Out” goes to the monitor, etc... just saying....
It’s outputting the camera feed to the switcher that’s why I chose out. If I were labeling it on the switcher perhaps I would label it in because the hdmi port on the switcher is an input. But technically the cable is outputting a signal to the input port of the switcher. To each their own it’s really whatever helps you remember.
FHDMI Fiber cable is not available ;-)
Everyone bought it 🤷🏼♂️
I'm surprised that you wrapped that fibre cable so tight. Wrapping any sort of electrical cable, especially long lengths, into a small roll is inviting problems down the line. I had to laugh at the 'I'll be stress testing' comment and never allowing fibre cables on set, without saying why. If something works, then it works. I hope that same person doesn't just leave cables all over the set because they have been stress tested.
It actually came that way and this example cable was fresh out of the box.
@@zephanmoses Fair enough. I guess the supplier was trying to save space, but I wouldn't leave it that way.
Dante, anyone?
The video equivalent would be NDI or Blackmagic's new 2110 Protocol.
Anyone who brings these fiber HDMI cables to my production set will be going home with broken cables, because I will be stress testing them to see if they are as durable as SDI cables before I allow them on set. We run SDI cables with SDI hardware or SDI cables with converters. End of argument. Wireless transmission is another story.
The only fiber HDMI cable we would ever allow would be this:
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1264784-REG/kramer_cp_aoch_xl_33_plenum_rated_active_fiber_optic.html
On bigger projects we use SDI cables because we use livestreaming units like a Tricaster TC1 and TC2 that need SDI. For smaller in studio setups these HDMI cables are great. It’s a shame that you felt the need to spark an argument and bring negativity into the conversation. We’re simply educating people about possible solutions for their needs. We still believe that HDMI fiber cables have a place in a pro-sumer market. That negative attitude wouldn’t make it very far on our sets.
@@zephanmoses Very defensive attitude. It's not coming off very negative at all. It sounds like a professional that is trying to add another perspective to the conversation. Learn to try not to take things personally.
@@grumblemarv sounds good.