Hi, I am trying to start/stop record a Atomos Ninja recorder. Essentially the same way in which one would trigger Ninja to record via a camera timecode whilst Ninja is in free timecode running mode.
With TD using VIDEO OUT, one can embed timecode, taken from TIMCODE CHOP. I was able to drop a VIDEO OUT with TIMECODE assigned to it into a WINDOW COMP, so VIDEO OUT still passes vision through even though it shows 'no hardware detected X) into WINDOW COMP.
Though I am only currently using the WINDOW COMP (or Perform) to display TD output on Ninja recorder (i.e. as a 2nd display) using HDMI, but can’t seem to get timecode to embed into video signal.
The timecode assigned to a Video Device Out TOP will only output through the device the Video Device Out TOP is driving. It will not pass through to a Window COMP, as I don’t know of any way to send timecode out of the GPU’s HDMI outputs.
With help of tech support at Blackmagic they informed me these cards output TC over HDMI:
DeckLink Quad HDMI Recorder
UltraStudio 4K Extreme 3
DeckLink Mini Monitor / Recorder 4K UltraStudio Recorder 3G
DeckLink Mini Recorder HD
DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G
DeckLink 8K Pro G2
I have also purchased a LANCdirector interface to trigger atomos, ating for it to arrive. If you communicate with James he will share schematic to send it 0-5v from a PC to trigger record via computer as well.
after some time I got my hands on a Magma Expressbox 3T PCIe external expansion card to run on my macpro dustbin.
After advised that it does output TC via HDMI, I installed a Blackmagic Decklink Mini Monitor 4k (HDMI/SDI) card, installed the Monterey driver (advised by BM tech support).
Whilst video outputs nicely I cannot get Timecode embedded in HDMI via Video Out CHOP.
Have set timeline playback to 50fps, set same in TC Chop. Have referenced the TC Chop in Vid Out Chop. Vid Out Chop set to BM card. Set same fps in BM card control panel at 1080p.
Have set HDMI Timecode to ON in Atomos NNinja, also tried Source TC as HDMI and Free Run.
Nothing seems to work.
Any ideas - I only have the Magma for a few weeks to test.
[EDIT] I installed Davinci Resolve and played back through BM card, timecode is present and triggers Atomos recorder ser to Freerun TC.
I used a Maga 3T PCIe exp device connected to Mac via TB2, I put a BM Mini Monitor 4k, using SDI to a ATOMOS Shogun. After much messing around I am able to trigger REC on ATOMOS.
Unfortunately using HDMI out on same BM card (even though it does deliver timecode to ATOMOS - only when I use Davinci resolve) otherwise it doesnt pass from TD TC through to ATOMOS. This is maybe a BM (or TD) issue which I am communicating with BM about - HDMI needs to put out the same TC format as does SDI (if that’s poss).
This is available in the new 2025.30000 series experimental we’ve just posted. I’m not sure when the next Official 2023.10000 will be posted (which will also have it)
I can’t speak to the compatibility with driver 14.4 on old macOS versions, but we certainly don’t recommend staying on old macOS versions, since newer GPU drivers are only available though the newer versions of the OS. This is particularly important for POPs in the 2025.30000 series.
On Windows, there are no reports of the newest Blackmagic drivers having issues with the 2023.10000 series of builds. You dont need to match driver versions with our TD version, the driver just can’t be older.
Fyi I am using this workflow ie MacPro with Monterey 12.7 with a Magma ext TB2 board and BM hdmi/sdi out card installed in it. It’s a proof-of-concept thing that will stay in that old-school config hopefully once 2023.1000 TD drops and HDMI TC tested as functional.
Do you know what BM driver 2023.1000 requires?
I will nonetheless install BM 14.4 driver and atleast test the HDMI(wTC) through the H/W pipeline I have.
SDI works a treat on it when I borrowed an Atomos Shogun with SDI. But alas my Atomos Ninja only had hdmi.
Hi Malcom, would this version do the trick - TC embedded in HDMI vi BM card?
Couldnt see specific notes on this functionality.
**2023.12480 - 22 Sep, 2025
** 2023.12370 | Derivative release notes
Thanks Malcom, as you might recall from previous post I installed 2025, but because of using an old Mac OS the BM driver didnt work, so I installed 2023.1480.
Timecode did pass through to my Atomos-Ninja via HDMI, but the Atomos would not trigger record.
Even though send TC via SDI to Atomos-Shogun (with SDI only input) did trigger record.
I had the same Atomos settings on both units.
I am hopefully accessing another Atomos-Shogun with HDMI to test. To rule out my Atomos-Nija (with HDMI only) out as the issue. Will update when I test that out.
Hi Malcom, fyi I got access to an Atomos Shogun which has both HDMI and SDI I/Os.
I can confirm that the HDMI Timecode Record trigger does not work via HDMI, I tried both Trigger and HDMI TC modes (see attached), whilst it does work perfectly still via SDI on the same device with same settings, except of course the Atomos input selection. Timecode does come through into Atomos via HDMI.
Oddly enough, over the course of about an hour of testing HDMI/SDI TC triggering, whilst inputting HDMI, twice the Atomos rec was triggered, but only after I first switched to SDI input then back to HDMI input, after about 3-5 seconds of TC running from TD to Atomos - but when timecode stop from TD the rec fails to stop. Via SDI the start/stop happens instantly.
To summarize:
**Atomos Ninja (HDMI ver only) - TC does not trigger REC
Atomos Shogun (SDI ver only) - TC does trigger REC
Atomos Shogun (SDI & HDMI ver) - TC does trigger REC in SDI only, via HDMI a couple times randomly and incorrectly.
**
