Blackmagic

A Blackmagic screen sends its picture out of a Blackmagic DeckLink card or UltraStudio, over SDI or HDMI, straight into a hardware switcher such as an ATEM. It is free, and counts as one screen like any other.

What it needs

Blackmagic’s Desktop Video driver, version 12 or later, from blackmagicdesign.com. Without it, the destination list shows a greyed Blackmagic (SDI/HDMI) line saying what is missing, with a link to the download.

Adding one

On the Screens page, press Add screen and pick the output by name, DeckLink Duo (1) or UltraStudio Mini, from the destination list. Each output takes one screen: one another screen already uses is marked in use. One held by another program, vMix for instance, is marked busy in another app; BibleLook takes it over once that program lets go.

Then pick the video format. It has to be the one your switcher runs at, or the switcher shows nothing: 1080i50 or 1080p25 in most of Europe, 1080i59.94 or 1080p29.97 in North America. The list holds only the formats the card can send, and the screen’s size follows the format.

Fill and key

Pick Transparent under Behind the theme on a card with a keyer and it sends two signals: the picture (fill) on one connector and its shape (key) on the next. The switcher puts the words over a camera with them.

On an ATEM, set up a luma key with the fill and key inputs, and turn on Pre Multiplied Key. Without it the edges of the letters show a dark fringe.

On a DeckLink Duo 2 or Quad 2, pick a profile in Blackmagic’s Desktop Video Setup that pairs SDI 1 and 2 for fill and key, and use the first of the pair in BibleLook.

A card with no keyer sends the theme over black, and the screen’s form says so.

What the tile tells you

If the output is unplugged, the driver is missing or another program holds it, the tile says so. An unplugged output starts again by itself when it comes back: BibleLook finds it again by its name.

Blackmagic screens carry no sound, and need hardware acceleration on, as NDI screens do.

Blackmagic Design, DeckLink and UltraStudio are trademarks of Blackmagic Design Pty. Ltd.