Should you record on the ATEM Mini or use an external HDMI recorder?

When recording ISO's and the program feed does your program recording have any digital block dancing artifacts on the left edge of frame? I'm using the Mini Pro SDI ISO model and when I record at 29.97 Hyperdeck high or medium I get dancing digital blocks along the whole left edge. Strange thing is the ISO records are perfectly clean. Blackmagic support told me my 2TB Samsung T5 SSD wasn't fast enough so I bought a 1TB SanDisk Extreme Pro 2000MB/s drive and it does the same thing. Blackmagic wants me to just record my program feed at the 6-9mbps streaming setting. If that's the only solution. That's a HUGE miss on Blackmagic's part. Who wants high res iso recordings with a defective program recording. That you MUST re-export out of resolve if you want a full res program record.

how to make sure the program output is the highest quality?

@Aron - super informative video - thank you! Can you share your thoughts on getting redundancy into the records of the ISO extreme when running long events? Much appreciate your time and knowledge sharing!

Upon my research, the iso file are recorded up to 70mbs separately from the streaming files.

Does any of these switchers record in 4k? I’m planning on using it not to stream but to live switch and record my podcast

HI - When we do the record, how to access the software while the USB-c port is busy? If it is not possible, how can I see in some videos that it switches between SSDs?

Do Record limits still exist with mirrorless cameras with the ATEM mini?

I always learn so much from watching your videos. Thank you.

What is the recommendation if we are using both USBC outlets already to link to other computers that connect to multiple zoom accounts that are hosting and projecting the feed to people around the globe in different languages. Also, we use a sound board. Our goal though is to record the video and sound directly from atem iso mini extreme

I've searched and searched and still haven't found the answer to the question. How do I record to an external hard drive and still use the software controller at the same time? It seems you can only do one or the other. If I connect my mac to the ATEM I have to use the usbc, if I want to record to an external hard drive I have to use the usbc. Am I missing something? Make a video on that please.

thanks very helpful

Thanks so much! This was exactly what I was looking for!

Does the Atem Mini Pro ISO record both cameras onto one hard drive? If so what does it look like when you see it in the file? Is it separate files?

Q how can I record audio only out of my ATEM mini extreme, into my hard drive

Wouldn't it be nice if the bottom section of the Atem Mini holder had a holder for the battery and the Atem Mini ran on that battery? Some kind of 3D printed holder for 18650 batteries.

Any solution for 4K recording?

Hello! Thank you for your videos! I would like to know if I have the option of switching the USBC webcam output to HDMI and connecting it directly to a TV. Thank you from URUGUAY!!

Great overview and answered lots of questions.

What a fantastic overview! I've had the ATEM Mini (the base one) for a while and just started using it again. Hadn't been crazy with the video recorded in some online software and was really looking into using an external recorder. Lots of great info to think about. Thanks!

Thank you very much for the review, it really helped me to choose what to buy.

Just make sure you thoroughly test whatever SSD drive you record onto on the ISO models. I just had a situation where I had to record ISO for hours at a time and the recording stopped every half hour. This was on my "trusty" Samsung T5. I then bought a San Disk Extreme, which stops recording at 10 minutes and also sends the ATEM crazy. I have done tests and talked to BM, who say my ATEM is fine and that drives can be unreliable, even if on their list of approved drives. I've had to buy a Wise drive (the ones BM use) which are more expensive, but I am hoping this will work....we shall see.

on atem mini extreme can the 2 usbs be connected to 2 different computers...i have a mac and pc and would love to share the webcam feature with 1 device

@Aaron Parecki What do you think about using the very ATEM (ISO version) to record the better version by setting the HDMI 2 output to Program and connecting it to let's say Input 8 of the ATEM.
Yes it'll show an infinite loop in M/V if input 8 is shown...but besides that do you see any problem with that? Thanks!

I'm lost very bad explication

I cannot recommend this product, the ATEM mini series. The HDMI output has a history of failing. I bought a unit a year ago and the HDMI output had gone bad after a dozen or so uses. Then recently I bought another one. This brand new unit out of the box had the same problem after a single day – I sent it back to B&H this morning. Next, I was getting some equipment at a broadcast rental house in Tempe Arizona and my sales contact had an ATEM Mini on his desk with the same problem. To top it off, my video engineer had an ATEM Mini that was flickering on the HDMI yesterday – he told me these ATEM Minis are prone to this problem. I'm moving to another manufacturer, probably Roland. Not worth the risk using ATEM products. They will go down for sure.

Hi Aaron thx for the video. when I push the record button to record to my Samsung ssd card it does not work. What should I do?. Also do i necessarily have to dowload the ATEM software control for the switcher to work?

Thank you in advance.

Q.. Great video. Really glad i found it. How does recording on a SSD card works? Do you just plug it in and that's it?

Anticipate thx

Thanks Aaron thank was really helpful mate :)

Thanks

Really good video, thanks! In general I'm not a fan of cutting between different angles on a single subject talking. I've never understood why it's so popular, because I always find it jarring and unnatural.

God this is by far the best video I´ve seen so far, so great explained, now i finally feel like I found what I´ve been searching for

Do you Davinci Resolve to edit the individual camera views or can I use something like final cut?

Can I both record and stream at the same time on the ATEM Mini Pro from the USB C output? Do I need a device like the "Anker USB C Hub, 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1)" to do this?

Very Interesting - Thank you!

I a using my Atem Mini PRO as Webcam Interface via USB for Zoom and Teams Meetings. How I can connect a recorder on the Atem Mini Pro?

So talking with Blackmagic support I've found this to be a bit disturbing.
Whenever the media is removed from the ATEM Mini xxx the drive is still mounted.
Meaning the data could possibly become corrupt or even damage the drive. I haven't 
used the unit long enough to determine that this could be a problem but I'm sure it would be.
I've only been in the computer business for 30 years but I do see this as a problem.

Hey Aaron thanks for your sharing. It's really helpful for a newbie like me. Totally understand what you saying but I got s question about Atem Mini Pro: does that HDMI Port output program or multiview only? So if I'm connecting atem mini to my Mac through usb-c and I use video assist to record program. Then I don't have the option for multiview? Is that right?! Thanks again 🙌

The plain Mini was the only model within budget. Still unclear on its recording capability.

Can I record via:
1) The USB-C output port?
2) The HDMI output port?

If "yes" to either, can I record to:
1) An SSD external flash drive with USB-C input port?
2) A Ninja (with an HDMI-to-Micro HDMI cable)?

This is the video I was looking for. Thanks SO much for breaking this down!

Great explanation!

Can you use an HDMI splitter from the HDMI out on the Atem??

How are you recording your audio? Do you audio into the ATEM mini? I went from a zoom h6 line out into my atem mini during a multi cam interview I just shot and the h6 feed was clean but as soon as it went into the ATEM it clipped severely. I didn't have any control over the ATEM as I just recorded into a USB-C SSD hard drive connected to the ATEM. I should have probably connected it to a computer via USB and adjusted the audio in the control app... luckily i have the PRO ISO and was able to use one of the audio feeds in one of the cameras which sounded much better but still because it's a camera mic, is not ideal either..

Another advantage of the Atem ISO route is when you use BlackMagic cameras it is supereasy to replace the recordings with 4k BM Raw. They are auto synced. Camera recording is triggered through the Atem. And you just copy the raw files in the iso folder, open Resolve, en click one button in Resolve to tell it to use the raw files.

On the ISO models, the individual ISO recorded files are at the highest quality at all times, its only the mix that is recorded at the higher compressed streaming quality. So you can stream at a low quality, while still retaining the high quality to edit later.

Aaron, when you are recording your ISO's what preset do you normally use?

Great video! My biggest questions still—and maybe you can help clarify—1) how do you record through an HDMI out? (Would that be through an Atomos Ninja or something?) and 2) how do you record through the HDMI if you need that slot to control and connect to a MacBook Pro? I currently have the ATEM Pro Mini.

I love the rig you set up for the mini. Could list the items to buy?

¡Gracias!

425 / 5.000
I'm from Germany and I have a question. Can you get a true 4K signal with Blackmagic Design Video Assist on the ATEM mini Extreme ISO program out? That would be really great to always record a track separately in much better quality. You can decide spontaneously during live editing which camera should go into the program out. Thanks very much. By the way: Very good article. Like and subscription are set.

@aaron PK, thanks for this insightful information.
Q: I noticed my second HDMI output on my ATEM Extreme stop displaying PG out or Multiview when plugged into an external monitor,
do you have an idea of what i can do to fix it,
Is it a hardware-based issue or software, if I can update the firmware

Can you take the CAT 5/6 out of the Mini Pro ISO and send that to a laptop to see the multi view in the ATEM control software? Then you can view the program out via the single HDMI out to a monitor.