The BlueBird SDI Adapter is designed for format conversion of 3G-SDI, HD-SDI and HD-VLC video streams and operates as a USB/HDMI/SDI external converter and frame grabber for video streaming and video capture.
The video input signal is supplied via the BNC connector, or via the Ethernet (RJ45) connector. Three simultaneous video output formats are supported: 3G-SDI/HD-SDI or HD-VLC (via BNC), HDMI (via standard HDMI connector), and SuperSpeed USB/USB Video Class (UVC) v1.1 output (via USB Type-C cable). A remote camera connected by RS-485 may be controlled via the USB Type-C port (using the Harrier USB SDK or a UVC application), or via the separate USB-UART (USB Micro-B connector) interface. The RJ45 connector includes RS-485 camera control signals, camera power supply and HD-VLC compressed video input (over twisted-pair). The BlueBird SDI Adapter is also a quick and cost-effective solution to upgrade legacy systems.
As well as standard 3G/HD-SDI streams, the BlueBird SDI Adapter unit automatically decodes HD-VLC encoded video streams. In combination with a Harrier 3G-SDI/HD-SDI AF-zoom block camera it allows for longer cable lengths to be used without compromising the quality of the transmitted video. Find more details on HD-VLC technology on the page Long-reach HD video transmission technologies or watch our video on this topic (Video 2).
The BlueBird SDI Adapter is available as board-only version (see below), or mounted in an rugged enclosure (as in product image above) for use with a PC or laptop.
The BlueBird SDI Adapter board.
| Power Options | In both the board only and the enclosed versions, the unit may be bus powered from either USB port. The board version also has a power header for a fixed system power supply. If multiple power sources are connected, an internal power switch selects the appropriate source with the following priority: 1. System power header. |
| Application Information | For maximum cable length applications, the input signal should be supplied to the BNC input using a good quality coaxial cable. For shorter cable length applications, the input signal may alternatively be supplied to the RJ45 input using twisted pair cable. The unit auto-detects which input is connected, and if both are connected it gives priority to the BNC. The input video format and frame rate are automatically detected, as is HD-VLC compression. The The RS-485 communications to the camera may be controlled via the USB Micro-B control port, or via the The HDMI and SDI outputs are always enabled. The USB-C Video output is enabled when the port is The SDI output has a separate HD-VLC control, which means the unit can also be used to compress a standard 3G/HD-SDI input video stream. |
| Supported Video Formats | The BlueBird SDI adapter supports a range of video input/output formats. Supported video modes, associated HD-VLC bit rates and UVC support 720p50 – bit rate: uncompressed 1.485 Gb/s, HD-VLC 270 MB/s; UVC support: yes 1080i50 – bit rate: uncompressed 1.485 Gb/s, HD-VLC 270 MB/s; UVC support: no 1080p25 – bit rate: uncompressed 1.485 Gb/s, HD-VLC 270 MB/s; UVC support: yes 1080p50 – bit rate: uncompressed 2.97 Gb/s, HD-VLC 540 Mb/s; UVC support: yes |
| USB Video Software | Any UVC compliant video software can be used to display/record the video. An example application (with full source code) is available from Active Silicon to demonstrate how to receive, record, display and save image data from the USB Video Class driver. This is part of the Active Silicon Harrier USB Software Development Kit (SDK) that is available in the download section on this product page. For support on host computers that are running Linux you will need to ensure that you have installed UVC drivers (e.g. V4L2 drivers) on your Linux system. More information in the BlueBird SDI Adapter datasheet and please consult the documentation for your Linux distribution. |
| Mechanical Overview | See “Downloads” tab for mechanical overview diagram. |
| Board-only version | A board-only version of the adapter is available. |
| USB Micro-B Connector (USB UART) J3 | This USB connector provides power for the BlueBird SDI Adapter and a standard UART serial interface for camera control. This is typically used to enable the VISCA camera control protocol to be used with block cameras from Sony and Tamron. On the enclosure it is labelled “CONTROL POWER IN”. Connector type: USB Micro-B |
| RJ45 Input Connector (SDI RX0) J4 | The twisted pair input uses a standard RJ45 connector. This input accepts 3G-SDI, HD-SDI and HD-VLC encoded SDI video streams and is labeled “SDI IN RS-485” on the enclosure. Connector type: RJ45 See datasheet for pin assignment. |
| BNC Input Connector (SDI RX1) J5 | The coaxial cable input is a standard 75 Ohm BNC. This input accepts 3G-SDI, HD-SDI and HD-VLC encoded SDI video streams and is labelled “SDI IN” on the enclosure. Connector type: 75 Ohm BNC |
| BNC Output Connector (SDI TX) J6 | The output BNC is a standard 75 Ohm BNC connector. This provides 3G-SDI, HD-SDI and HD-VLC Connector type: 75 Ohm BNC |
| USB Type-C Connector (USB VIDEO TX) J7 | This USB connector provides power for the BlueBird SDI Adapter and a USB Video Class (UVC) video stream for connection to a host PC. The connector also provides a UVC control port for RS-485 camera control and is labeled “USB VIDEO OUT POWER IN” on the enclosure. Connector type: USB Type C (5 Gbps) |
| HDMI Output Connector (HDMI TX) J8 | This connector provides HDMI output for display and is labelled “HDMI OUT” on the enclosure. Connector type: HDMI Type A |
| JTAG Connector J2 | Test connector used in manufacturing for circuit verification. |
| Mode DIP Switches (SW1) | The unit is fitted with a 4-way DIP switch to select various modes. See datasheet for the details and configuration of the DIP switch SW1. |
| Status LEDs (LED1, LED2, LED3, LED4) | The unit is fitted with four LEDs to provide device status. See datasheet for the details on function and states of the LEDs. |
| 3G/HD-SDI: | Compliant with SMPTE 274M and SMPTE 296M. |
| USB Video: | Compliant with SuperSpeed USB 3.1 (UVC). |
| HDMI: | Compliant with HDMI 1.4a. |
| Approvals: | The BlueBird SDI Adapter board has been designed to meet EMC and FCC requirements when housed in a suitable enclosure: CE – CE-marked and compliant with the relevant EU directives as listed below. RoHS – Conforms to RoHS3, the European Union’s Restriction on Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive 2015/863/EU. EMC – Compliant with EN 55022:2010 (class A) and EN 55024:2010 in accordance with EU Directive 2014/30/EU Electromagnetic Compatibility. REACH – Compliant with the requirements of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals, EC 1907/2006), the European Union’s chemical substances regulatory framework for Substances of Very UL – All printed circuit boards used in this product are manufactured by UL-recognized manufacturers and have a flammability rating of 94-V0. FCC – Compliant with FCC Rules for Class A digital devices. |
| Dimensions: | Board only: 120mm by 79mmm (not including connectors). Enclosure: 127mm x 86mm x 31mm (not including connectors). |
| Weight: | Board only: 62g Housed unit: 248g |
| Power Supply: | 5V from USB connectors or 5-16V from J1. |
| Power Consumption: | J7 (USB Type C) or J1 (System Power Header): Maximum 3W J3 (USB Micro-B): Maximum 2.5W |
| Storage Temperature: | -20°C to +70°C. |
| Operating Temperature: | 0°C to +60°C (ambient environment). |
| Relative Humidity: | 10% to 90% non-condensing (operating and storage). |
| Download | File Type | File Size | |
|---|---|---|---|
Datasheets |
Datasheet BlueBird SDI Adapter | 519.71 KB | |
| Datasheet Harrier USB SDK | 465.20 KB | ||
Manuals & Quick Start Guides |
BlueBird SDI Adapter Quick Start Guide v1.8 | 641.46 KB | |
Software |
Harrier USB SDK Software Development Kit - win64 v01.07.00 | zip | 16.91 MB |
| Microsoft USB devices browser | zip | 265.28 KB | |
CAD Drawings & Data |
3D CAD Model (STEP format zipped) - enclosed version | zip | 4.60 MB |
| Mechanical Overview - enclosed version | 144.03 KB | ||
| 3D CAD Model (STEP format zipped) - board only version | zip | 4.04 MB | |
| Mechanical Overview - board only version | 272.45 KB | ||
Other Downloads |
Technical note - USB SDK: Known issues with Media Foundation | 147.14 KB | |
| White Paper - High-Definition Long-Reach Video Transmission | 741.89 KB |
| Part number | Description |
|---|---|
| AS-ADP-SDI-001-A-ENC-A |
BlueBird SDI Adapter – Enclosed Version. |
| AS-ADP-SDI-001-A |
BlueBird SDI Adapter – Board only. |
| AS-ADP-SDI-001-EVAL-A |
BlueBird SDI Adapter Evaluation Kit (BlueBird SDI Adapter not included). |
If you're looking for long cable length solutions that guarantee high quality HD video transmission over greater distances we recommend HD-VLC technology. Check out our white paper on Long-reach HD video transmission technologies and our video:
