Re: XLR Audio to SDI AES/EBU on ATEM Television Studio

Bob's approach will indeed work, but so will using the Blackmagic Audio to SDI miniconverter. The upside of using Bob's method is that is injects the audio into the ATEM, and if you're using their software to record the ATEM's H.264 feed, it gets the audio into the recording.

There are several downsides, though. One is that some people refuse to buy Behringer products on the basis of quality and on their business practices. There are other products that convert analog audio to AES; Rane, for example, makes the very versatile and well-made ML1.

One advantage to the miniconverter is that it can be used as a standalone device: if you only need a single camera for a project, it will embed audio into the video without your needing to set up the ATEM, a multiviewer monitor, and control computer.

Another plus for the miniconverter is that it can insert four analog channels, or four AES stereo pairs, into the video; going through the ATEM limits you to one stereo pair.

Tradeoffs!

Jeff Hartman
Engineering Project Manager
Newport Television, Northeast