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Blackmagic ATEM Mini Extreme ISO

CCRMA uses several Blackmagic ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (manufacturer page) video switchers:

  1. For the livestream/record video system of the CCRMA Stage
  2. As the video switcher for the CCRMA Classroom
  3. For outside concerts and otherwise borrowable from the Gear Closet for CCRMA Research.

They can select / fade / combine from 8 HDMI inputs to output a “program” video source that can be livestreamed and/or a virtual camera video source to a connected computer (for video conferencing, live processing, etc.), with rudimentary audio mixing. Also it can record “program” and/or the individual sources.

Operation / How-to

Manufacturer’s diagram of the top (buttons) and back (connectors) of the ATEM Mini Extreme

The big buttons labeled 1 through 8 let you select the 8 video sources; also they light up to show selected (and sometimes “next”) video source. The other three large buttons: CUT makes selecton be instantaneous vs. AUTO applies a fade or other effect; FTB toggles “fade to black”. The buttons are reminiscent of a drum machine (Wikipedia); hence the device’s nickname.

The many tiny buttons access lots of other functions as shown.

Display Modes

The small M/V and PGM buttons choose between the two display modes (for the video monitor attached directly to the ATEM’s HDMI OUT 1 output):

M/V
“Multi-View”: a grid showing all (up to eight) connected video sources, alongside the “program”, audio metering, and record/stream status
PGM
“Program”: display the selected/mixed/composited/fading video output controlled by operating the device

XXX exactly which outputs does this affect? HDMI 1 and USB A?

Picture in Picture

Dedicated little buttons can place the signal from HDMI 1 (typically a close-up on the presenter’s face) as a small picture-in-picture within the background of any seleted input (typically from the presenter’s laptop).

XXX but we use presets / macros for this?

ATEM Software Control

See https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/atemmini/software for features and usage.

Download link: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/support, choose ATEM Production Switchers (under “Product Family”), and the current ATEM Switchers Update for your OS. You can click Download Only to opt out of their at-first-glance-seemingly-default Register & Download form.

CCRMA use cases:

  1. Discretely video-producing a Classroom zoom session from a laptop, switching camera view and PiP corner to improve the recorded/remote viewing experience without getting in the presenter’s personal space.

  2. Operating the Stage video cameras from the livestream position.

The app’s main screen (the Switcher tab) allows the same source selection as the large physical buttons:

Switcher tab of ATEM Software Control main window, showing the Classroom’s sources “Desk”, “Frnt”, “Rear”, etc.

For picture-in-picture, select “Macros” from the “Macros” menu:

Macros menu of ATEM Software Control

This will bring up the programmed macros, including four PIP (one for each corner). Choose Run at the top, then select any macro and click the “play” icon (the right-facing triangle) to “Recall and Run” the macro.

Macros window of Classroom’s ATEM Software Control, showing the four picture-in-picture (PIP) macros.

Livestreaming

(take from current Stage docs)

This page of CCRMA documentation last committed on Sun Nov 16 18:26:01 2025 -0800 by Matthew James Wright. Stanford has a page for Digital Accessibility.