Blackmagic Atem Mini Pro - with MS Teams

adilyoosuf
MCT
Dec 10, 2020
Hi Dschwieder

It is recommended to use your Blackmagic device only for mixing audio and video. You can share your slides on a Teams Meeting or Live Event from your computer. Microsoft is continuously improving Teams with new features and performance improvements.

Regards,
Adil Yoosuf
- MatHaldimann
  Copper Contributor
  Jan 31, 2021
  adilyoosuf While waiting for MS Team to offer a real solution to this problem, I use the following workaround when I need to share Atem Mini's output in fullscreen and high resolution:
  You use the Atem Mini as an input source to a streaming software like OBS Studio.
  You use OBS Studio's "full screen projector" feature to output this content to one of your screens.
  In MS Teams, you share this screen.
  With this method, you get the high resolution that Teams does allow provide for screen sharing, but also the low frame rate it uses for screen sharing. This is definitely not ideal, but in my view much better than the high framerate at the cost of poor to very poor resolution and random cropping and scaling that Teams applies to webcam signals.
  - aconniff
    Microsoft
    Mar 24, 2021
    This is what we are doing as well since we share a lot of PPT - I am looking at getting the Extreme version and moving all the graphics to the atem - and keep the GPU/CPU tax as low as possible - In OBS its just a single video capture and then all the magic happens in the ATEM (Using external cameras)
Jayfield
Copper Contributor
Nov 27, 2020
How are you outputting your signal? USB (as a webcam) or HDMI?

If you’re outputting via USB then you’ll be doubly compressing the image. Once out of the USB (as MJPEG) and then again as it’s encoded for transmission.

I noticed the quality improved a lot when I output over HDMI into the computer. You will require a HDMI input solution however.

Also, I don’t think you can expect the quality to match that of sharing your screen. I assume Teams will treat any primary video input as though it’s a webcam and always prioritise the quality of screen sharing over that.

I also noticed in my tests last night that audio from my HDMI inputs was horrendous. The audio over the line in/mic sounded great however.

Teams really isn’t setup to accommodate live switches. Which is a shame.
- robert_rudolph
  Copper Contributor
  Nov 27, 2020
  JayfieldHi, thanks for checking and the interesting input.
  
  We're using notebooks, so HDMI unfortunately is not an option. In particular, with the audio issue you mentioned. It's quite convenient to to mix audio and have one channel for video and audio to the notebook. I think I'll have to find alternatives for one-to-many webcasts for paying participants.
  
  Appreciate your contribution!
  - Petri Ruotsalainen
    Copper Contributor
    Dec 02, 2020
    robert_rudolphI am trying to solve the very same problem. I believe there will be solutions as the market for online lectures grows, but all tips and tricks at the moment are welcome.
Jukkapni
Copper Contributor
Nov 19, 2020
Dschwieder We are having the same exact issue. Our Atem output is clear 1080p on Windows camera app and Teams preview, but Teams attendees are getting 720p at best. We had a lot of complaints at last night's hybrid meeting about blurry slides, however I think some of the problems were on the attendee's side.

Does Teams process "web cam" inputs and document sharing differently? Shared slides are crystal clear, whereas Atem input is blurred. Our network is 1gbps up 800 down measured.

Are there any alternatives or fixes to this problem? A lot of our clients want a camera or two and the desktop view to Teams, and since our events are large it's not practical for us to use document sharing and webcams etc.

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Blackmagic Atem Mini Pro - with MS Teams

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