The ATEM Mini Pro from Blackmagic Design is a a powerful four-input live production switcher designed for seamless multi-camera streaming in HD. Ideal for live broadcasting from gaming consoles, corporate presentations, or HD cameras, this switcher integrates a comprehensive control panel for effortless management. Enhancements over the original Mini model include live stream data rate and status monitoring, an integrated hardware encoder, and the ability to record simultaneously to USB drives. With features like drive hot swapping via the Blackmagic MultiDock, dedicated record and stream buttons, stream caching, a timecode generator, program preview multiview, tally support, and compatibility with the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K and 4K, the ATEM Mini Pro ensures a robust and versatile broadcasting experience.
The ATEM Mini Pro maintains the familiar rear-panel layout with four HDMI inputs, each supporting up to 1080p HD video. It also features an HDMI output for connecting to a projector or for multiview monitoring, a USB Type-C port for recording HD video directly to a computer, and an RJ45 10/100/1000 Ethernet port for live streaming, system management, remote control, and firmware updates. The ATEM Mini Pro allows you to adjust the frame rate based on your streaming quality needs and eliminates the need for additional streaming software thanks to its integrated hardware encoder.
The ATEM Mini Pro’s control surface retains the intuitive, backlit buttons that make it easy to select camera inputs, manage transitions, keyers, settings, and the DVE. New additions include a quick record button on the right side for instantly recording your live stream to a connected USB drive or hot-swapping drives with the Blackmagic MultiDock for rapid editing. Dedicated On-Air and Stream buttons let you start and stop your stream directly from the panel. Additional Video Out buttons provide program previews for each source, ensuring everything is prepared for broadcast.
The ATEM Mini Pro also includes the same upstream and downstream keyers, advanced chroma keyer, two linear/luma keyers, and DVE transition keyer as its predecessors. It features a pattern generator, color generators, and media player support for up to 20 fill and key images in formats such as PNG, TGA, BMP, JPEG, and TIFF.
Transitions
- Cut: Instantly switches from your current program source to the preview source with a single press. Cuts can be executed either by directly selecting sources or by using the cut button to switch to the next source.
- Mix: Also known as a dissolve, this transition smoothly blends one source into another. You can customize the timing for a gradual blend.
- Dip: Similar to the mix transition, the dip transition creates a gradual blend between two sources, but includes an intermediary element like a solid color, graphic, or another clip. Common dips are to black or white, but you can also use logos or sponsor graphics.
- Wipe: Offers a variety of built-in wipe patterns such as circles, diamonds, and squares. These patterns can be inverted, softened, and customized with colored borders.
- DVE: The Digital Video Effects processor (DVE) allows for dynamic transitions such as pushing, spinning, squeezing, or swooshing between live video sources. DVE transitions can be flipped and reversed for even more creative options.
Upstream Keyer
Enhance your live production by layering video over other sources or graphics with the Upstream Keyer. Choose from a variety of keying methods:
- Luma Key: Ideal for high-contrast images, such as white elements on a black background. This method uses contrast to replace the black background with live video or graphics.
- Linear Key: Achieve precise, high-quality results by using two separate sources for fill and keying. The fill signal provides the video to overlay, while the key signal, a grayscale mask, defines the area to be replaced.
- Chroma Key: Commonly used in TV for weather forecasts, chroma keying allows you to combine live images with virtual backgrounds. The keyer removes a specific color (usually green or blue) to overlay the live footage onto another image or graphic.
- Pattern Key: Combine live images with built-in wipe patterns, such as geometric shapes. Customize the softness, symmetry, size, and position to create unique picture-in-picture effects that can be transitioned seamlessly.
Downstream Keyer
The ATEM Mini Pro features one downstream keyer, enabling the addition of high-quality graphics like logos, bugs, and titles over the live stream output. Positioned as the final layer of keying, it overlays graphics on all video content switched to the main program output.
Monitor Output
The HDMI monitor output allows you to see your sources, graphics, preview, and program output on a single screen.
Media Player
Streamline your production by storing up to 20 broadcast-quality RGBA graphic files directly in the media pool, eliminating the need for external character generators. The media player appears as an input source on your switcher, allowing you to transition to graphics as full-frame video or overlay them using the keyers. It supports popular image formats including PNG, TGA, BMP, GIF, JPEG, and TIFF.
Webcam Option
If you’re streaming, then all models use USB as a webcam. The ATM Mini Pro connects via its USB-C to a computer, and your computer will recognize ATEM Mini Pro as a webcam and you can then select it as the webcam source in your streaming software, such as Skype.
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