Blackmagic Fiber Converter for SMPTE Glass Fiber
Extend and fully power cameras up to 2 km away using an open standard SMPTE fiber cable!

The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter and Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter convert standard television industry connections for video, audio, power, talkback, and tally into a single SMPTE fiber optic cable. This allows cameras to be placed up to 2 km away from a studio or outside broadcast truck using a single convenient and incredibly durable cable. The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter also adds familiar broadcast studio camera controls to the rear of the camera, plus additional connections so you can use it with the talkback systems and switchers you already have. The Blackmagic fiber converters feature 12G-SDI and are designed to work with all HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p60. Now you can transform professional cameras such as URSA Broadcast and URSA Mini into a complete professional studio camera with all of the features you need for high end work!

Place Cameras Anywhere
Get cameras much closer to the action!
If you’re working in a studio or out at a large sporting venue, you often need to place cameras far apart. While SDI connections are common, the limited range of SDI makes it hard to use it over long distances. Traditionally, you would need to run multiple cables and expensive extenders for power, talkback, tally, video and audio. This makes set up incredibly complex and increases the chances of a technical problem. Now you can solve this problem by converting all essential connections and power into a single convenient SMPTE fiber cable that can run incredibly long distances. That means cameras can be placed anywhere and connected back to broadcast trucks parked outside of a venue or back to a central control room in a studio. Best of all, SMPTE fiber is a global broadcast industry standard so you can use cables and connection points that are commonly available. Blackmagic fiber converters are also affordable, so traditional broadcasters, new web broadcasters, AV producers, houses of worship and educators can all use the same high end broadcast technology!

SMPTE Fiber for Industrial Strength and Safety
Built in multi layer fail safe instantly cuts power to eliminate danger!
Blackmagic fiber converters work with standard SMPTE 311M hybrid electrical and fiber optic cables with standard SMPTE 304 connectors on each end. These cables feature a 2 way fiber pair, data pair and power pair, along with a central strength member that gives it the needed durability for continuous use. Once plugged in, the Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter automatically performs safety checks and then powers up, sending an industry standard 200 volts of power over the SMPTE cable for the camera and accessories. This means you can install cameras in remote locations without having to worry about power drops over long distances. Both the studio and camera converters at each end have dedicated micro controllers that continuously monitor power status. The converters communicate with each other to ensure that both a stable optical signal is present and that the power supply is operating within safe parameters. If a damaged cable or a earth leak is detected, the power is instantly shut down to eliminate any danger to personnel.

Add Studio Camera Controls
Transform broadcast cameras into dedicated studio cameras!
Studio cameras are typically operated from the rear of the camera, but broadcast cameras usually have controls on the side of the camera. To solve this problem, the Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter adds support for SMPTE fiber to your camera along with a wide range of controls and features to the rear of the camera, transforming it into a professional studio camera. You get 2 separate broadcast standard 5 pin talkback connections, 3 return video feeds, 2 extra audio inputs, connections for PTZ and trackers, plus additional DC and D-tap outputs for powering accessories. With all these extra controls added to the rear of the camera, you can operate the camera in the same way as traditional studio cameras!

10G Ethernet for IP Video
Super fast, low latency ethernet link for video, audio and control!
The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter and the Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter use IP video because the SMPTE fiber connection is an open standard 10G Ethernet link. That means all of your video and return feeds are IP video based using high end, lossless broadcast quality 10-bit video encoding and decoding. All other connections such as talkback, tally, camera control and lens control are also converted to low latency IP so you get incredibly reliable performance and high quality. Using IP video means the Blackmagic fiber converters are future proof and ready for customization using high speed Ethernet infrastructure in future!

Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter
The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter attaches to the back of your URSA Mini or URSA Broadcast camera. In addition to converting all of the audio, video, camera control and talkback into fiber, it also adds professional studio camera controls to the back of your camera. You get control for return feeds, dual intercom controls with the ability to mix in program audio, record, focus and iris controls, headset connectors, audio and more. The camera converter also includes a VLock mount plate on the top for attaching accessories such as a professional Blackmagic Studio Viewfinder. The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter has connections for your Ultra HD camera feed, 3 HD return feeds, full remote camera control, PTZ, multiple channels of talkback, tally and more!

Dual Channel Talkback
Two dual channel talkback intercoms with backup!
The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter and Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter provide 2 dual channel digital talkback connections that are compatible with professional 5 pin XLR talkback headsets. The camera converter even has convenient controls for mixing in program return audio with your talkback headset so you can adjust the volume as needed while talking to the rest of the crew. The talkback intercoms can be used for both production and engineering. In addition, there is a backup channel available for troubleshooting in case the fiber link is down. This backup talkback channel automatically switches over and uses the data pair in the SMPTE cable if the fiber is not working. The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter also includes a standard 10 pin connection for tracker talkback, which is perfect when both headset connections are in use and you need to feed an additional talkback connection through to your crane operator.

Designed for High End Broadcast
Durable metal design, high end components and professional connections!
The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter features an extremely durable all metal design that perfectly matches URSA Broadcast, URSA Mini cameras or any camera that supports a standard battery plate. It’s built to withstand the harsh demands of outdoor field production and 24/7 operation. The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter features full size standard television industry connections with dust caps, along with an integrated VLock mount plate on top for adding a studio viewfinder. The Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter is designed so that you can fit two of them side by side in a standard equipment rack using the optional rack mount kit. The optical fiber connector on the Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter is conveniently located on the front panel, right next to the built in 5 inch LCD, so you can plug remote cameras in and instantly see the feed!

Delivery content
1x Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter
1x Mounting Bracket and screws for attaching to URSA Mini and URSA Broadcast cameras
3x Short 12G SDI cables for SDI In and Out 
1x SD card with software and manual

Technical Specification

The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter and Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter convert standard connections for video, audio, power and communications into a single hybrid electro-optic interface. This allows cameras to be operated up to 2 km away from the overhead or transmission truck using a single cable!

The ability to operate a camera workstation at a greater distance from the overhead is a must for live production, whether it's studio work or outdoor filming. SDI is commonly available, but its range is limited. And power can be unavailable in some cases anyway, such as in large sports halls or larger theatre venues. Using multiple cables for power, communications, signaling, and video or audio signals often requires expensive equipment. In addition, the use of signal amplifiers can lead to a technically very complex and therefore less reliable solution



Range 2 km!
The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter and Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter products solve this problem by using a single hybrid SMPTE Fiber interface that allows camera stations to operate up to 2 km away from the overhead using a single cable. The converters therefore turn URSA Broadcast or URSA Mini cameras into a complete studio solution! One of the converters is placed on the camera, the other in the studio or in the transmission truck. This is the ideal solution for news broadcasts, interview filming, series production or sports broadcasts. What's more, this solution is orders of magnitude cheaper than comparable offerings from the competition! This puts the professional electro-optical SMPTE interface within reach of webcasters, schools, etc



SMPTE 311M
The hybrid cable connecting the camera station to the overhead is compatible with the SMPTE 311M standard and also uses standard, ruggedized SMPTE 304 connectors. The cable includes a fiber optic line pair, a data pair and a power pair along with a center conductor to increase its strength. The Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter unit offers a standard 200V power supply for the camera converter, camera and its accessories. Both studio and camera converters are equipped with electronics to continuously monitor the power supply and disconnect it immediately in the event of a failure. The high supply voltage is only connected after all safety tests have been successfully completed. The Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter and Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter are therefore fully compliant with SMPTE standards and offer maximum operational safety



Converters
The camera converter then provides normal 12V power for the camera and its accessories. It connects to the rear panel of URSA Mini and URSA Broadcast cameras and converts video and audio interfaces, remote control commands, communication and signal lines and power to standard hybrid SMPTE wiring. And because studio cameras are almost exclusively controlled from the rear camera position, the converter also offers standard studio camera functions. Preview lines from overhead, intercom (two independent sets), record triggering, aperture and focus can all be controlled. There is also a V-Lock interface on the top of the converter for other accessories such as the Blackmagic Studio Viewfinder professional monitor

The Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter is designed to be mounted in studio or transmission truck cabinets and is used to re-convert SMPTE Fiber interfaces to standard types that can then be connected to camera control panels, directors, mixing consoles, etc. Both converters feature standard controls that experienced camera operators will appreciate



Standard interfaces
The converters honor common TV standards including the latest 12G-SDI interface to support all HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p60 resolution. They offer Ultra HD output, three independent HD links from overhead, remote camera control, PTZ protocol and Ethernet interface. Communication is provided by a two-channel intercom with standard 5-pin XLR connectors for connecting professional headsets. A backup intercom is also available in case of failure of the optical interface. The camera converter also offers a 10-pin connector for the crane operator - in case both headsets are already in use - as well as a signal output

Communication between the two converters is handled by conventional 10Gb Ethernet. The IP video technology used uses professional 10-bit video quality with lossless compression. All other interfaces - communication, signalling, remote control - also use the IP protocol. Both converters are very fast and have a latency of under one frame!



Rugged design
The Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter has a very robust metal body and a design that perfectly matches the URSA Broadcast camera. Of course, there are dust seals on the connectors or a top quality V-Lock interface for connecting the Blackmagic Studio Viewfinder monitor. The Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter studio model is designed to be rack mounted in a standard width rack (using an optional adapter) and hosts both a camera connector and a 5" LCD display on its front panel for instant signal preview



Accessories
Blackmagic Design offers professional products that form a complete studio solution, including the new ATEM Camera Control Panel (on sale from 6/2018) for remote control of up to four URSA Broadcast, URSA Mini, Blackmagic Studio or Blackmagic Micro Studio cameras at once. The panel is fully compatible with the ATEM series of directories and features a large LCD display as well as high-quality joysticks and buttons that allow a single operator to control and change a large number of parameters such as gain, color balance, shutter speed, etc. This will free up the hands of camera operators to better focus on the creative side of filming

Blackmagic Camera 6.9.2 (4/2020)
The Blackmagic Camera 6.9.2 update is exclusively for owners of the URSA Broadcastmodel and Camera Fiber Converter & Studio Fiber Converter, where it fixes a number of bugs and implements several new features as well. The transmission of "call" and "on-air" commands is now supported for the Blackmagic Camera and Studio Fiber Converter products in conjunction with the ATEM Talkback Converter 4K or the Blackmagic 3G-SDI Shield for Arduino. The manufacturer has also introduced new manuals for the URSA Broadcast and URSA Mini cameras

New features in Blackmagic Camera Setup 6.9.2

New features for Camera & Studio Fiber Converter products

• Transfer of signaling commands to Talkback Converters
  
• Transfer of signaling commands for 3G-SDI Shield for Arduino SDI module
  
• Detection of incorrect software version on Studio Converter
  
• More stable system start
• Improved reference signal detection at startup
• Improved stability when using third-party communication systems
• Fixed occasional defects in camera output
• Fixed status light errors in converters
• Removed false "failed update" message during firmware installation
• Fixed peeling during switching XLR inputs from line to AES mode
• Localization to other languages

New features for URSA Broadcast

• Fixed focus and zoom stutter on Fujifilm and Canon lenses
  
• Fixed bug causing loss of response in Fujifilm LA16xlens focus ring

Blackmagic Camera 6.9.6 (8/9 2020)
V6.9.6 implements the ability to activate phantom power for Intercom channels 1 and 2, improved HDR support, increased sync stability/accuracy, and additional features for Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter and Studio Fiber Converter for URSA Broadcast. For Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and 6K cameras, fixes zero response for some commands sent over Bluetooth.

Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter

Mounting Bracket and screws for attaching to URSA Mini and URSA Broadcast cameras

3x Short 12G SDI cables for SDI In and Out connectiong to URSA Mini and URSA Broadcast

SD card with software and manual

Connections

Optical Fiber Input

1x SMPTE Hybrid Fiber Optic 
with SMPTE 304 connector (Male).

SDI Video Input

1x 12G SDI for Camera feed.

SDI Video Output

1x 3G SDI for Camera return 
feed, 3x 3G SDI for Return SDI Outputs.

Talkback Audio

2x 5-pin XLR for headset with three way 
audio mixer per output, 1x Tracker output.

Analog Audio

2x 3-pin XLR Inputs for AES, 
Line or Mic input. Phantom Power available.

Computer Interface

1x USB-C connector.

Physical Specifications