Blackmagic ATEM Constellation and Television Studio

This page covers Blackmagic’s SDI studio switchers in two families. The ATEM Constellation family comes in 1, 2 and 4 M/E, in HD and 4K versions. The ATEM Television Studio family covers the HD8, HD8 ISO and 4K8. They range from 8 to 80 SDI inputs. The larger Constellations also have several mix effects rows, many aux outputs and a Super Source. Showcaller AI connects to the switcher over your local network through the Bridge App. Then it works with whatever hardware it finds. The Blackmagic ATEM integration page lists every function.

How Showcaller reads an ATEM Constellation

First, Showcaller reads the switcher’s topology. It counts the M/Es, aux buses and downstream keyers. It also counts the DVEs and Super Sources. That matters on these models, because cuts, Auto transitions and fade to black work per Mix Effect block. Transition settings and upstream keyers work the same way. For example, on a 2 M/E or 4 M/E ATEM Constellation, you can ask for an Auto transition on M/E 2. You can also ask for a cut on M/E 1, or fade to black on one M/E only. Showcaller lists inputs by the names set on the switcher.

Aux routing, keyers and streaming

Aux routing is where a voice assistant helps most on a big SDI frame. A Constellation can assign its SDI outputs as aux outputs, up to 48 on the 4 M/E Constellation 4K Plus. These feed confidence monitors, projectors, record decks and streaming encoders. With Pro, Showcaller reads what an aux is showing and changes it. It also puts upstream and downstream keyers on or off air with their fill and key sources. In addition, it runs macros recorded on the switcher. Television Studio models have a built-in streaming engine and recorder. On those, Showcaller starts and stops streaming and recording, and reports any disk or encoder error. However, Blackmagic’s Constellation specs list no built-in streaming or recording, so those functions do not apply there.

Super Source and Fairlight audio

With Enterprise, Showcaller arranges Super Source boxes in a preset layout. It can also set each box’s source, position and size. This works on models that have a Super Source. Blackmagic lists one on the Television Studio HD8 and 4K8 models and on the 2 M/E Constellation. The 4 M/E has two, while the 1 M/E Constellation has none. Enterprise also adds Fairlight audio. Each input gets EQ bands and makeup gain, plus a compressor, gate and limiter. Meanwhile, the master gets EQ and a compressor. The older Television Studio HD uses the classic audio mixer instead. There, Showcaller sets input and master levels (Pro). For full specs, see Blackmagic’s ATEM Constellation page.