With most of us continuing to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, a large portion of people have turned to streaming online. Whether it be for hobby like gaming or cooking, or for tutorials and webinars, online streaming has definitely picked up with the rise of people working from home.
For those who take streaming seriously or want to make sure they look their best while streaming, there's quite a bit of gear involved. Of course, you'll need a proper PC or laptop that can handle all your video streams, as well as a decent camera and lighting rig to get you started.
If you already have most of these items on hand, you can definitely upgrade your setup with the ATEM Mini Pro. This compact device is a fantastic tool for switching between multiple camera angles, or can even be integrated into multiple game consoles to create a video stream. versatile games. Its price is quite high, but if you can afford it, you will get a lot of benefits.
- ATEM Mini Pro on Udemy for $34.99 (opens in a new tab)
Price and Availability
The ATEM Mini Pro is priced at €595 (£495, AED2,337, AU$911.71), which might seem pretty high for a kit like this. However, the Pro Edition is exactly that: designed for high-end broadcasters who demand the additional features provided by the Pro Edition, such as PC-less streaming, multi-view, and direct-to-disc output.
For the more budget conscious, the ATEM Mini is also available for €295 (£245, AED 1,156.05, AU$421.76). This still gives you a lot of what the ATEM Mini Pro can offer, and is still great for those with a multi-camera setup, but probably still streaming with third-party software.
Design and features
At first glance, the Mini Pro can seem a bit intimidating, with its sea of buttons just waiting to be pushed. However, they are very easy to understand after a quick glance at the instruction manual, which provides help on all aspects of this device.
The knobs have a nice rubbery feel and the overall build quality is very, very good - it's something that can easily be thrown in a backpack or laptop bag and set up in minutes.
Around the back, you'll find all the connectivity options that run the Mini Pro. There are four HDMI inputs, one HDMI output, two 3,5mm audio inputs, plus an Ethernet port and USB-C output.
The 3,5mm audio inputs are useful if you want to directly connect compatible microphones (such as lavalier microphones) or an audio source to provide music, etc. Each audio source can be directly controlled independently from the Mini Pro, making it easy to mix while recording or streaming.
The HDMI output does exactly what it says on the tin, but the magic is in the Mini Pro's multi-view feature. This lets you monitor all four HDMI inputs at the same time, as well as audio levels and recording status. This is by far the best way to get the most out of the Mini Pro, so we highly recommend connecting an external display or portable monitor to the Mini Pro to see what happens.
The USB-C port performs two functions on the Mini Pro. When connected directly to a computer via USB cable, the Mini Pro appears as a standard webcam interface, so it can be easily added right out of the box to virtually any software. This includes streaming software like OBS or video conferencing solutions like Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Once added, you can use the Mini Pro to easily control different HDMI sources, audio levels, and unlock the true potential of the Mini Pro.
You can also use the USB output to connect an external hard drive and write directly to the drive. This is useful if you want to edit a video later before posting it, or if you just want a direct copy of the stream without quality loss. Obviously, if you have a hard drive connected to the USB-C port, you can't use the Mini Pro with your PC. Fortunately, you can still control it via Ethernet, but you won't be able to add it to OBS or any other software without a direct connection.
Speaking of Ethernet, this also serves a dual purpose. When connected via Ethernet, the Mini Pro can still be controlled via the software on your laptop and can also be integrated with other advanced Blackmagic consoles for even more precise control. Second, you can use the Ethernet port to stream directly to the Internet, without having to connect to a PC. Of course, this has advantages and disadvantages, but for scenarios where you just want to stream directly without any additional equipment, you can simply plug it in and hit the "On Air" button to get started. You will be able to stream directly to Twitch, Facebook or YouTube simply by setting them up directly through the control software.
For those using a custom RTMP server, it's a bit more advanced. This can only be configured by editing a particular XML file, which is then reflected in the software after it is rebooted. This is definitely a power user feature, so we hope there will be a more user-friendly way to add a custom font directly in the software in the future.
Performance
Setting up the Mini Pro takes a bit of effort, but it will ultimately be worth it. Just download the control software, connect it to your PC, and then connect your HDMI sources. Almost any camera capable of outputting an HDMI signal will work with the Mini Pro, but you can also connect game consoles or another laptop to one of the HDMI inputs. It's important to know that the Mini Pro only handles a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080, so even if you feed 4k content through one of the HDMI ports, it'll be downscaled to Full HD.
A big plus if you already work with Blackmagic cameras is that the Mini Pro can directly control functions like iris, gain, focus, detail and zoom via the connected HDMI cable. This allows you to make camera adjustments on the fly without even getting up, making things easier, especially during a hectic live stream.
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(Image credit: LaComparacion)(Image credit: LaComparacion)(Image credit: LaComparacion)(Image credit: LaComparacion)(Image credit: LaComparacion)Once all your sources are connected, you can really start tinkering with the look and feel of the stream. There are easy transitions you can apply at the press of a button: from wipes to fades, all it takes is a few button presses for effortless success. Picture-in-Picture mode is also available, which is useful for streaming gaming content while presenting the streamer to one of the corners. Unfortunately, there is no way to adjust the font size of the window, so keep that in mind.
If you want to add lower thirds or additional content such as a standby screen, you can also do that on the fly via the control software. Simply upload your content to the media library, then jump into it using the Mini Pro. There is a particular set of file formats that can be used with the Mini Pro, so be sure to check that all your assets are compatible before publishing. .
Overall, the Mini Pro performed very well in our test settings. We were able to use it to record a quick multi-camera podcast, while simultaneously recording to a hard drive connected via the USB-C port. Transitions, background music, and nameplates were easy to load and run, meaning the recorded video file required virtually no editing before posting.
final verdict
For professional streamers or anyone with a multi-camera setup, the ATEM Mini Pro is a must. It makes it easy to switch between multiple camera angles and offers many features that would otherwise have to be removed with complicated software or additional plugins.
The multi view feature is a fantastic feature and really makes you feel like you are behind the controls of a professional TV setup. Direct recording to the hard drive and streaming without the need for a computer are also two great features worth exploring.
If you're new to streaming and don't want to spend as much, then the equally capable ATEM Mini is a great option too. For anyone who wants a more polished look for their game streaming, video podcast, or conference setup, the ATEM Mini Pro puts it absolutely out of this world.
ATEM Mini Pro Price Comparison
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