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Help me please to setup a 6 camera vmix computer.
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Originally Posted by: Alessandro B  Originally Posted by: nikosman88 Originally Posted by: Alessandro B Originally Posted by: Xavi137 Originally Posted by: Alessandro B
As for the acquisition I have a Sonnettech Echo express SE II (thunderbolt 2) with a Blackmagic decklink quad and a Blackmagic decklink duo 2 inside.
It won't work. Sonnettech Echo Express SE II Thunderbolt is 20 Gbps. BM Decklink Quad2 requires 32 Gbps. The Duo2 requires 16 Gbps. Electrically, the two PCIE slots on the Sonnettech Echo are PCIE 2.0 x4. Quad2 requires PCI 2.0 x8 Only one Decklink Duo2 and one Decklink Mini Recorder HD. Five 3G 60P HD inputs in total. It is true that at 1.5G HD 25P, two Decklink Duo2 units could be used for a total of 8 inputs. It would be worth testing. THANK YOU! you were invaluable, you anticipated questions that I would have asked later!!! I have the Decklink QUAD and not the QUAD 2 but the discussion is useful to make me understand once and for all how external thunderbolt boxes work 100%. but if the Decklink DUO 2 (I have one) requires 16Gbps and the TH2 connection only guarantees 20, how can 2 decklik DUO 2 work inside the sonnet TH2? How do you know if they work? Does it see all 8 inputs and sometimes lose frames or does the decklink card disable some inputs? My sonnet has 2 slots and one mechanically is even 16x so the Decklink QUAD 2 could be inserted without problems, but what would happen? Would Windows only see 4 inputs? Would the card disable 4? Would the DEsktop video drivers completely disable the card and I wouldn't even see it in the device list? Or would I see all 8 in/out but it would work with some noticeable drops? THANKS It has to do with bandwidth required. If your incoming signal is 1080 50i/60i/25p or 720 50p it will use 1,5gpbs per port. If your signal is 1080 50p it will use 3gbps so for 4 cameras you need 12gbps bandwidth to be used. Also your quad card is like this? https://www.ebay.com/itm...D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5bf27-0ZQ if yes this is the 1st gen of bmd quad cards that it works in pci 4x slot and the maximum resolution can do is 1080 p25/p30 so it is 4x1.5gbps bandwidth Yes my card is the first generation, 4in OR 4 out instead of 8in OR 8 out. I always use 1080 P25. even a Deklink QUAD 2 can work in a 4x slot and thinderbolth 2 IF ALLA THE INPUT are 1080P25 or it must require a 8x slot even for switch on? in theory if it fits in the slot (because the quad 2 has more pci contacts compared to quad 1st gen) yes. In practice,you have to test. Also for your sonnet case may youfind some usefull info here https://www.sonnettech.c...e_Card_Compatibility.pdf it says some details about what cards are compatible
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Thunderbolt 2 has a throughput of 20 Gbps and operates at PCIe 2.0 x4 = 16 Gbps.
The remaining throughput is normally reserved for video.
The Sonnet TB2 enclosure has two PCIe slots:
One physical PCIe 2.0 x16 slot that operates at 2.0 x4.
One physical PCIe 2.0 x8 slot that operates at 2.0 x4.
To use a card at x8, the enclosure must have a bridge chip (check with the manufacturer).
If there's no bridge chip, you can easily connect two PCIe 2.0 x4 cards (duo 2 + quad 1st gen).
So, the throughput of the two PCIe 2.0 x4 cards passes through the TB2 cable to the PC.
If the total in/output throughput isn't higher than the TB2 throughput, everything will be fine.
Reminder: TB2 = PCIe 2.0 x4 = 16 Gbps = 2 GB/s
In 1080p25, each in/out has a throughput of 1.5 Gbps = 0.2 GB/s
So, normally, you can go up to 10 in/outs.
Personally, I've already used 12 in/outs at 1080p50 4.2.2 8 bits (= 0.3 GB/s by in/out) on a Sonnet Echo Express SE IIIe (TB3 = PCIe 3.0 x4 = 32 Gbps = 4 GB/s) without any problems
but with a powerful laptop (i9-14900hx + 4080).
depending on the chrominance and the number of bits used, the bitrate may vary downwards
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Joined: 3/12/2025(UTC) Posts: 16  Location: Italy
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Originally Posted by: Kayo33 Thunderbolt 2 has a throughput of 20 Gbps and operates at PCIe 2.0 x4 = 16 Gbps.
The remaining throughput is normally reserved for video.
The Sonnet TB2 enclosure has two PCIe slots:
One physical PCIe 2.0 x16 slot that operates at 2.0 x4.
One physical PCIe 2.0 x8 slot that operates at 2.0 x4.
To use a card at x8, the enclosure must have a bridge chip (check with the manufacturer).
If there's no bridge chip, you can easily connect two PCIe 2.0 x4 cards (duo 2 + quad 1st gen).
So, the throughput of the two PCIe 2.0 x4 cards passes through the TB2 cable to the PC.
If the total in/output throughput isn't higher than the TB2 throughput, everything will be fine.
Reminder: TB2 = PCIe 2.0 x4 = 16 Gbps = 2 GB/s
In 1080p25, each in/out has a throughput of 1.5 Gbps = 0.2 GB/s
So, normally, you can go up to 10 in/outs.
Personally, I've already used 12 in/outs at 1080p50 4.2.2 8 bits (= 0.3 GB/s by in/out) on a Sonnet Echo Express SE IIIe (TB3 = PCIe 3.0 x4 = 32 Gbps = 4 GB/s) without any problems
but with a powerful laptop (i9-14900hx + 4080).
depending on the chrominance and the number of bits used, the bitrate may vary downwards Thanks! very very interesting.. another brick in my knowledge
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Joined: 3/12/2025(UTC) Posts: 16 Location: Italy
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This evening I did an experiment: I connected 6 SDI cameras to the Sonnet TB2 (actually it's only one that goes into a 1 in 8 out distributor) and my Macbook Pro 2013 seems to handle them very well, to differentiate them I turned each input to a different color. While I was changing cameras I was also recording in h264 on the SSD inside the Macbook and I was streaming at 1080P25 at 4.5Mbit on YouTube and it seemed to be running smoothly.. is it possible? I also discovered why I considered my Macbook unreliable. I noticed that it would randomly turn off and restart. I installed the new battery last month and it's the culprit. In fact, once the battery is disconnected the computer works noticeably slower, but when it requires a lot of power now it doesn't restart anymore. I'll have to change this damned battery, unfortunately original Apple ones are no longer available. So if I can make it reliable again I might use it again... How can my Macbook Late 2013 handle all that I have stated? The CPU in the lower left never went above 50%...  IMG_2157 copia.jpg (406kb) downloaded 7 time(s).
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I'm glad it's working, and you found the root cause of the instability.
The truth is, 6 1080p25 camera feeds isn't much of a load on the system, so as long as your Thunderbolt connection has enough bandwidth to carry all of the camera feeds (and it looks like it has), then I'm not surprised you're not seeing problems.
But your setup is very simple. 6 camera inputs and nothing else. No GT titles, no instant replay. No NDI or SRT feeds. If you're happy with 6 camera feeds and nothing else, then you setup should continue to work fine. If you need to add more (like NDI or instant replay, or a lot more inputs like GT titles, etc) then your system might start showing its limitations.
All we can do is make suggestions. The end result always, always requires testing.
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Joined: 3/12/2025(UTC) Posts: 16 Location: Italy
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Today new test:
8 SDI input 1.5g (1080p25 and 1080i50) the maximum for my two cards. Try to record program and to show program on the external monitor using hdmi embedded on the macbook. All work lperfect. The i switch an input (keep 7 sdi input active) ad mapping the free sdi in the Decklink DUO 2 to show the “Preview” signal. So 7 input, recording , program out via HDMI and preview out via SDI to a sdi monitor. Again all perfect. Is like a regulat mixer but much much more customizable… ok we can try the graphics but… much better than i imagine and without a 1000€ nvidia card!
One thing I wanted to ask you is how do you interpret the values at the bottom left: gpu memory, render time in ms etc etc
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Originally Posted by: Kayo33 Ah Very interesting argument, thanks a lot!
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Joined: 10/20/2023(UTC) Posts: 67 Thanks: 2 times
Was thanked: 4 time(s) in 4 post(s)
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Joined: 3/12/2025(UTC) Posts: 16 Location: Italy
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Originally Posted by: Kayo33 Yes, i have read your first suggestion than i move to the ohter section by myself, thank a lot AGAIN! I'm stat to convince me to use a laptop, powerful enough to a certain degree of complexity, using my macbook ora a used dell mobile workstation, but then building a desktop overkill machine that grow follow my needs, a notebook is a non upgradable machine, s bettere no to invest so many euros on that...
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