Better Streaming Sessions Part 3: The ATEM Streaming Bridge

July 1, 2021

Learn how to set up and use an ATEM Streaming Bridge to create a high quality, color accurate and low latency video link over the internet


Series

The Last Piece of The ATEM Puzzle

In this series – I’ve shown you how to use ATEM Switchers to add production value to live streamed sessions. Then in part two, we got more advanced with macros and remote control.

Finally – using a new feature in Resolve 17 – I explained how you can now control a remote Resolve system with your panel.

All of this adds up to some really powerful remote workflow possibilities – but up until now, they have all relied on substandard and/or color inaccurate ways to display video. From live streaming with Zoom or other conferencing services – to using web based solutions on computer monitors, these solutions simply don’t offer a color accurate SDI video signal.

Streaming Bridge To The Rescue

For a long time, a color accurate SDI stream over the internet has been the exclusive domain of services that charge by the hour and need expensive hardware. Well, last year Blackmagic came out with a solution to this: the ATEM Streaming Bridge.

The ATEM Streaming Bridge is a low cost, broadcast quality TCP/IP based streaming device. Image courtesy Blackmagic Design.

Using any of the pro level ATEM switchers (the Mini Pro, Mini Pro ISO, Extreme, or Extreme ISO) you can connect your output to a streaming bridge anywhere in the world. The Streaming Bridge will output a high quality, color accurate and low latency video signal to either an SDI or HDMI output.

In this Insight I’ll walk you through setting up and using an ATEM Streaming bridge, including:

  • Network setup
  • Port Forwarding
  • Verifying connectivity
  • Exporting streaming settings and importing them to an ATEM switcher
  • Live streaming and controlling with a stream deck or the ATEM panel

As always leave any comments or questions below!

Joey


 

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Comments

Homepage Forums Better Streaming Sessions Part 3: The ATEM Streaming Bridge


  • Evan A
    Guest

    As always, great insight! I need to get mine setup now.


  • Mel M
    Guest

    I would love to see someone do a test of the “color accuracy” of the ATEM Streaming Bridge output vs things like Streambox or Setstream.io. This looks utterly amazing, but I’m still skeptical about the claims of color accuracy without actual published comparison tests.


  • Joey D’Anna
    Guest

    So I did a test with the following signal path:

    Mac Pro with decklink HDMI output -> atem mini pro -> streaming bridge -> SDI out to an input on my XM310K.

    I toggled between the SDI input 1 which was the decklink SDI output, and SDI input 2 which was the streaming bridge – and it was dead on.

    I did find that if i output full range levels from Resolve – the streaming bridge clamped them at legal range code values – so i think it only works in legal range (unless theres a setting i don’t know about)


  • Mel M
    Guest

    That’s great to know, thanks Joey!

    I think you’re singlehandedly responsible for helping me set my credit card usage on fire this month. I just took delivery on a Mini Pro and Streaming Bridge yesterday, and can’t wait to start playing with it!

    This looks like a pretty cool Mini Pro stand as well, which I may need to hide from my wife if I buy it, so she doesn’t accuse me of buying more “toys for my toys”:


  • Joey D’Anna
    Guest

    Hah! I tend to have that effect on people! That stand does look awesome and i love the little monitor. I’m using an Elecrow 10″ 1920×1080 monitor for mine, but the unit is in the machine room so i never actually touch the ATEM itself.


  • Willian Aleman
    Guest

    Joey, thanks for the great insight.

    Does the client at the other end need to have the BMD Streaming Bridge too?
    Does the Streaming Bridge outputting Resolve Viewer, in other words, the MacOS color management?


  • Willian Aleman
    Guest

    I just found out that OBS does allow to change the video level range of the signal.
    It’s under YUV Color Space tab. This might solve the video range discrepancy.


  • Joey D’Anna
    Guest

    The client end would need the streaming bridge – the sending end would be an ATEM mini pro. The streaming bridge is only a receiver. As long as you feed the ATEM that is doing the encode a clean HDMI out from your decklink – it will be accurate as it wont be using the OS color management.


  • Willian Aleman
    Guest

    Hi Joey,
    Good to know it. Thanks for the helpful response.


  • Joseph B
    Guest

    Question: If I’m remoting into a machine using Resolve, do I need to configure the port forwarding rule on the router in the remote location or on my local station that is connected to the streaming bridge?


  • Joey D’Anna
    Guest

    For the streaming bridge you would set up port forwarding at the side that is viewing. So wherever the broadcast monitor is – thats where you would forward ports to the streaming bridge, and make the XML to use on the ATEM on the transmit end (the resolve workstation location)


  • jøsh blackman
    Guest

    Hi Joey, thanks for another great insight. I was curious if there is a upload bandwidth benchmark that you would say is necessary for this setup and running remote sessions? My home ISP at the moment maxes out around 30 Mbps up, do you think that would be sufficient?


  • Joey D’Anna
    Guest

    Thanks!
    Ive seen good streams in the 7-15mbps range so i think 30mbps could be good enough. The only problem is while 30 may be your peak – that doesn’t give you a lot of overhead if your connection goes up and down in speed at all during the day. Might take some testing to figure out the optimal bitrate.

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