Production Switchers

Not sure if this is the correct area in the forum for this question, but here goes. I have a CrossOver switcher in my fly pack and occasionally we need to put a laptop signal into it for additional full screen graphics, display power point, etc... The occasions I've had to do this, it's been with a PC laptop (HDMI out of the laptop to an AJA HDMI - HD-SDI converter) then use a frame sync on the switcher input, and no problem.

Recently I had to do the same thing, but with a newer Mac Laptop. I used the same process, and could get nothing except the occasional blip of video, then nothing. I tried various resolutions, running through an EDID Detective, etc...nothing. After some research I discovered that Mac laptops force HDCP to turn on, no matter the content coming out of the mini display port output, and since HD-SDI does not support HDCP, no signal passes.

Has anyone run into this issue, and are there any solutions? External frame sync?

Legally the requirement for devices that are part of the HDMI licensing is too support HDCP -- So if the flag is set the Converter must blank it out. However ;) there are a few things out in the market that seem to be able to step around this. If this really is a use of Fair Rights -- like no copy right then you can easily find some items that will basically strip this HDCP.

#CrossOver

You've probably already tried this, but if you are occasionally getting a blip of a signal, the culprit may not be HDCP. I've set up signals from fairly recent Macs via a mini Displayport connection to HDMI, then converted to SDI into a switcher, as well as directly into HDMI recorder that definitely can't record HDCP protected signals. So I'm pretty sure that HDCP is not necessarily always on with Mac laptops.

Does the AJA converter light show that it has locked to a signal? The communication between HDCP requirement mentioned above would not result in a signal lock, as when the mac reads the EDID of the converter, it will simply block out the signal output on the Mac end when displaying HDCP content, as it knows that the converter will send out a non HDCP compliant signal. Similar with a HDMI recorder.

Try different "Sync Speeds" on the Mac, as that could be the issue, especially if you don't have the 3G version of the converter. (I'm guessing you are using the Hi5 line) If I remember correctly from when I worked support for a different company that makes converters, you may need to set it to 30 or 29.97Hz for it to output 59.94, for instance.

It would help to know:
What model mac and how old? If you go to Apple>Get info, you should be able to get the exact model number, usually something like 14,2 or 7,1.
Which version of Mac OS?
What exact model of AJA converter?
What video format are you using on the switcher?
#CrossOver