4K System Output

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4K System Output

davidmartinjr

What's the process or hardware needed to output live 4K video to the internet? Is it best to downgrade to 1080p then output to internet destinations? Do I need a 4K encoder?

In summary, what's the best way to get live 4K video (from the switcher) to a standard that I can distribute online?

Gear:
(3) BMPCC 6K
ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K

Thanks!

joelwsmith

davidmartinjr

Hey David. Welcome to the community and thanks for reaching out!

Unfortunately, all of the current BMPCC models only output a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 up to 60 fps. So with your current system 4K will not be possible throughout your signal chain.

With that in mind, I would suggest sticking to a 1080p format for your switcher and encoder.

davidmartinjr

joelwsmith that’s super helpful to know. I haven’t purchased any of the gear yet, so I can switch some things up. Would an URSA Mini Pro 4.6K work for that? I could find a used G1 for a similar price.

joelwsmith

davidmartinjr

The URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G1 and G2 will both definitely give you 4K output over SDI.

I'm curious what your end goal and expectations with the system are? Not many people are streaming in full 4K right now because a vast majority of viewers don't get that benefit.

davidmartinjr

joelwsmith okay, cool

I’m wanting to create a system that prioritizes quality and can last for a minute. Nothing is future-proof, I’d just love to get something I can use for a few years and not feel rushed to upgrade. I know most platforms won’t even do 4K, but I’m trying to plan for what will be happening soon. I think 5G will potentially change the game on streaming quality. It’s not there yet, but I see a looming trend

I’m also planning to use the cameras for other video projects that are pre-recorded. If I can get a consistent 4K for live and other projects, I’d feel good about that

joelwsmith

davidmartinjr

I don't know your full circumstances, so I'm just going by my experiences in many of these conversations.

No doubt 4K is definitely growing and will become more common, but keep in mind another trend is that people are watching more and more content on smaller screens. Unless you're doing really creative/dramatic content, 4K rarely provides enough return to justify the cost and other requirements. So with that said, unless you're spending quite a lot of money then I believe that (typically) a really solid 1080p system will do you better than a mediocre 4K system.

What type of style and content are you shooting? What would you say is your budget range? What all does that budget need to cover? Do you want/need servo (motorized) zoom?

davidmartinjr

joelwsmith mmm that's a good point

I'm going for a cinematic look. During the music, I'm want to get a handheld look for the feed. For the speaking portion, it'll be steady and fixed on the speaker

3 cameras

2 of the cameras will be on tripods in the room
1 of the cameras will be wireless. During the music, it will be on stage. During the speaking, it will return to the back of the room beside one of the other cameras

Budget is variable, but preferably under $15K. I'm looking into used gear that will make the money go further. That budget is for the entire system. For two of the cameras, I was looking at Canon lenses with servo

I'm a big fan of Blackmagic because of the value and flexible ecosystem. I'd also like for these cameras to be used for music video and interview style videos outside of the live feed

joelwsmith

davidmartinjr

Awesome. That's great info, thank you.

You can definitely get a good cinematic setup in that budget, but it will take some prioritizing and management of expectations.

Given that budget and the fact you would like 3 cameras...

1080p for the stream would be my recommendation. That will help you get a better product with everything that comes before encoding/streaming.
Any kind of cine-servo lenses are probably going to be out of budget, unfortunately. A bare minimum for a Canon lens with proper servo zoom is $5,000 USD new, so 2 of them will eat up 2/3rds of your budget right away. And that is before you get accessories like zoom and focus controllers too. You can possibly find Canon cine servos used, but those lenses are pretty popular so you may not save that much money by going that route.
Blackmagic Design is a good option for this situation, so I agree with you on the value and ecosystem part.
If it were me, I would consider the BMPCC 6Ks with an ATEM Mini Extreme, or an ATEM Television Studio HD with a Web Presenter HD. That will open up your budget for some good lens options and all the required accessories.

davidmartinjr

joelwsmith thank you for that info! I really like your recommendation and will probably move in that direction. It seems like the best fit. I've been reading your blog posts religiously, so I kinda knew you were going to recommend that, haha

I'd love to send you some of the content when it gets finalized. Thank you for the support and advice

joelwsmith

davidmartinjr

Always happy to help! 😀

Definitely hit me up if you have further questions. And I would love to see some content once you get it all up and running!