atem mini pro manual

ATEM Mini Pro⁚ A Comprehensive Guide

The Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro is a versatile and powerful live production switcher designed for a wide range of applications, including live events, presentations, and online content creation. Its compact size, user-friendly interface, and advanced features make it an ideal choice for both beginners and experienced users. This comprehensive guide will cover everything you need to know about the ATEM Mini Pro, from setting it up to utilizing its advanced capabilities.

Introduction

The Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro is a compact, yet feature-packed live production switcher that revolutionizes the way individuals and small teams create professional-quality video content. It’s designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced videographers, streamers, and content creators. The ATEM Mini Pro offers an array of powerful features, including multiple HDMI inputs, a USB webcam output, a built-in Fairlight audio mixer, and advanced capabilities like picture-in-picture, transitions, and chroma key. This makes it a versatile tool for live streaming, recording, and creating professional-looking productions.

This comprehensive manual aims to guide you through the intricacies of the ATEM Mini Pro, from its basic setup and operation to its advanced functionalities. You’ll learn how to connect your cameras and other sources, control the switcher, utilize its audio mixer, and master its special effects. Additionally, this manual will explore the world of live streaming and recording with the ATEM Mini Pro, equipping you with the knowledge to create engaging and high-quality content. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your journey into live production, this manual will serve as your essential companion, empowering you to unlock the full potential of the ATEM Mini Pro.

Key Features

The ATEM Mini Pro is packed with features that make it a powerful tool for live production. Here are some of its key highlights⁚

• Multiple HDMI Inputs⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro offers 4 HDMI inputs, allowing you to connect up to four cameras, computers, or other HDMI sources. This provides flexibility for multi-camera productions and allows you to switch between different sources seamlessly.
• USB Webcam Output⁚ This feature allows you to use the ATEM Mini Pro as a high-quality webcam for live streaming and video conferencing. It’s compatible with popular platforms like Zoom, Skype, and OBS, making it perfect for online presentations, webinars, and remote meetings.
• HDMI Output⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro features an HDMI output that allows you to connect to a monitor or projector for live viewing of your production. This is essential for monitoring your program feed and ensuring everything is running smoothly.
• Fairlight Audio Mixer⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro includes a built-in Fairlight audio mixer with EQ and dynamics. This allows you to control audio levels, apply equalization, and adjust audio effects, giving you professional-grade audio mixing capabilities.
• DVE for Picture-in-Picture⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro’s DVE (Digital Video Effects) feature allows you to create picture-in-picture effects, overlaying one video source on top of another. This is ideal for interviews, presentations, or adding visual interest to your productions.
• Transition Effects⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro offers a variety of professional transition effects, including cuts, fades, and wipes, to enhance the visual flow of your productions and create a more polished look.
• Green Screen Chroma Key⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro’s chroma key feature allows you to remove a green screen background and replace it with another image or video source. This is widely used for creating virtual sets, adding special effects, and enhancing the visual impact of your productions.
• 20 Stills Media Pool⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro includes a media pool that can store up to 20 still images. These images can be used for titles, logos, or other graphics, adding visual elements to your productions.
• Free ATEM Software Control⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro comes with free ATEM Software Control, a powerful software application that allows you to control the switcher remotely from your computer. This provides a more comprehensive and detailed control over your production workflow.

Hardware Overview

The ATEM Mini Pro is a compact and portable live production switcher, designed for ease of use and portability. Here’s a closer look at its physical layout and key hardware components⁚

• Front Panel⁚ The front panel of the ATEM Mini Pro features a row of buttons for each input source, allowing you to select and switch between them quickly and easily. You’ll also find buttons for transitioning between sources, controlling the DVE, and accessing the media pool. The front panel also includes a multiview display that provides a visual overview of all your input sources, program output, and preview output.
• Rear Panel⁚ The rear panel houses all the necessary connections for your production setup. This includes four HDMI inputs, an HDMI output, a USB-C output for webcam functionality, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an Ethernet port for connecting to your computer for remote control via ATEM Software Control.
• Power Supply⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro is powered by a 12V DC power supply, which is included with the unit. It’s designed to be compact and lightweight, making it easy to transport and set up wherever you need it.
• Dimensions and Weight⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro measures 237.5mm wide, 103.5mm deep, and 35mm high. It weighs approximately 550 grams, making it incredibly portable and easy to transport in a standard camera bag or carrying case.

The ATEM Mini Pro’s compact design and intuitive layout make it easy to set up and operate, even for users new to live production switching. Its robust construction and durable components ensure that it can withstand the rigors of everyday use.

Connecting Inputs and Outputs

Connecting your video sources and outputs to the ATEM Mini Pro is straightforward, thanks to its well-designed rear panel. Here’s a breakdown of the connections and how to utilize them⁚

• HDMI Inputs⁚ The ATEM Mini Pro features four HDMI inputs, allowing you to connect a variety of video sources, including cameras, computers, and media players. Each input is automatically standardized, meaning you can connect devices with different video resolutions and frame rates without any issues. The inputs are labeled 1 through 4 and correspond to the buttons on the front panel.
• HDMI Output⁚ The HDMI output allows you to send your live program feed to a monitor or projector for viewing during your production. This output displays the live output, which is the same signal you are recording or streaming.
• USB-C Output⁚ The USB-C output on the ATEM Mini Pro is the key to its webcam functionality. When connected to a computer, it allows the ATEM Mini Pro to act as a high-quality webcam, enabling you to use it with popular video conferencing and streaming software like Zoom, Skype, and OBS Studio. This feature is incredibly useful for live events, online presentations, and even remote interviews.
• 3.5mm Headphone Jack⁚ The 3.5mm headphone jack provides audio monitoring for your program output, allowing you to hear what is being broadcast or recorded in real-time. This is essential for checking audio levels and ensuring a professional-sounding production.
• Ethernet Port⁚ The Ethernet port is used for connecting the ATEM Mini Pro to your computer network, enabling you to control the switcher remotely using ATEM Software Control. This allows you to adjust settings, switch between inputs, and manage various aspects of your production from your computer.

Once you have your video sources and outputs connected, you can start using the ATEM Mini Pro to create your live productions. The intuitive layout and straightforward connections make it a user-friendly experience, even for those new to live production switching.

Using the ATEM Software Control

The ATEM Software Control is a powerful tool that unlocks the full potential of the ATEM Mini Pro, offering comprehensive control and customization options for your live productions. It allows you to manage all aspects of your switcher, from basic switching to advanced features like transitions, DVE, and chroma key, all from the comfort of your computer.

To use the ATEM Software Control, you need to connect your ATEM Mini Pro to your computer network via Ethernet. Once connected, download and install the ATEM Software Control from the Blackmagic Design website. This software provides a user-friendly interface with various panels that allow you to control every aspect of your switcher.

The main panel of the ATEM Software Control displays a live preview of your program output, allowing you to see what is being broadcast or recorded in real-time. You can also monitor the audio levels of each input source, ensuring optimal sound quality for your production. The software also features dedicated panels for managing transitions, DVE, chroma key, and other advanced features.

One of the key benefits of using the ATEM Software Control is its ability to create and manage custom transitions, giving you complete control over the visual style of your productions. You can choose from various built-in transition effects, including cuts, fades, and wipes, or even create your own custom transitions using the software’s intuitive tools.

The ATEM Software Control is a powerful tool that provides a professional level of control for your ATEM Mini Pro, allowing you to create engaging and high-quality live productions. Its user-friendly interface and extensive features make it a valuable addition to any live production workflow;

Setting Up for Live Streaming

The ATEM Mini Pro is designed to make live streaming effortless. It features a built-in streaming engine that allows you to broadcast directly to popular platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch. To set up live streaming, you’ll need to configure the streaming settings within the ATEM Software Control.

First, connect your ATEM Mini Pro to your computer network via Ethernet. Then, open the ATEM Software Control and navigate to the “Streaming” panel. In this panel, you’ll find options to configure your streaming destination, including selecting the platform you want to broadcast to, entering your streaming key, and choosing the streaming resolution and frame rate.

The ATEM Mini Pro supports various streaming protocols, including RTMP and SRT, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of streaming platforms. You can also customize the streaming settings to optimize the quality and performance of your live broadcast. For example, you can adjust the bitrate, frame rate, and resolution to match your internet connection and streaming platform requirements.

Once your streaming settings are configured, you can start your live stream directly from the ATEM Software Control. The software will provide you with real-time feedback on your stream, including the status and quality of your connection. You can also use the ATEM Software Control to monitor the live stream from your computer, ensuring everything is running smoothly before going live.

The ATEM Mini Pro’s built-in streaming engine simplifies the process of live broadcasting, enabling you to reach a wider audience with your live events and content. With its comprehensive streaming settings and user-friendly interface, the ATEM Mini Pro makes live streaming a seamless and efficient experience.

Recording to USB

The ATEM Mini Pro offers a convenient way to record your live productions directly to a USB drive. This feature is perfect for creating high-quality recordings of live events, presentations, or any other content you want to capture. To record to USB, simply connect a formatted USB drive to the dedicated USB port on the rear panel of the ATEM Mini Pro.

The ATEM Mini Pro supports recording in H.264 format, ensuring high-quality video files that are compatible with most video editing software. You can choose to record the program output, which is the live feed that is being switched, or you can record individual inputs, allowing you to capture separate recordings of each camera angle. This multi-recording feature is especially useful for post-production editing and creating different versions of your production.

The ATEM Software Control provides intuitive controls for managing your USB recordings. You can start and stop recordings directly from the software, and you can monitor the recording status to ensure that your recordings are being captured successfully. The software also displays the remaining recording time on your USB drive, so you can keep track of your storage space and avoid running out of recording time.

The ATEM Mini Pro’s USB recording feature is a valuable addition to its live production capabilities. It allows you to create high-quality recordings of your productions, which can be used for a variety of purposes, including sharing online, creating archives, or editing for post-production. With its simple setup and convenient controls, the ATEM Mini Pro makes recording your productions a seamless and efficient process.