Embedded audio in SDI video - anyone with experience of this?

[rob aylestone]

We don't have a forum area for this - so I thought I'd put it here.
Blackmagic kit has 16 channels of audio embedded into the SDI video - so a camera sends audio on ch 1 and 2 to the switcher. Internally, this has a 16 channel mixer, and the output of that comes out of the switcher output to go to things like recorders, or streaming etc. Ursa cameras appear to have intercom available from the camera on channels 15 and 16 - Has anyone come across a gadget that will allow me to get at this and extract these two channels to send to comms equipment? I can see channel activity in the software mixer - but it would be handy to extract it somewhere else, rather than the intercom sockets on the switcher. It could also be useful to send audio into an SDI line? 16 channels of audio into a long BNC, and have them appear at the mixer in the switcher? I can't find a blackmagic device, or anything 3rd party?

 

[Papanate]

I’ve not noticed any device sending more than 4 channels of Audio over SDI - what BlackMagic device is this?

 

[rob aylestone]

Pretty much the ATEM range - the fairlight mixer has 16 channels - but on my system I'm only using just two. I spotted on a youtube video that the ursa cameras can have an iphone style headset connected and it can be used for intercom on 15/16.

My reason for asking is that I have quite a few choir, small quartet type classical stuff planned for the new year and as each camera has two mic inputs, that would be a great way of getting audio back in. My JVC cameras also feed their audio down the SDI cable too - so I am guessing (being currently away) that the switcher has a menu somewhere to route 2 audio channels from the SDI input to a specific mixer channel - so 4 or 5 connected cameras would give me 10 audio channels on the ATEM mixer screen? If 2 are intercom - presumably say 15 going out to every SDI back to the cameras (only 2 in my case, as the JVCs do not have an SDI in) and 16 would be incoming intercom, then I need a way to route this somewhere? Probably it will make more sense when I can plug them all up?

At the moment, my classical stuff is audio only, with just the occasional video job, but I'm hoping the video will be more popular - with the potential to stream to facebook/Youtube live maybe? I've been buying lots of bits and pieces ready for getting home mid jan - and building up the rack all the larger items will live in. Cables in churches and arts centres are a real pain - lots of rules.

I have also got to think about hiding the mics? Tall, heavy stands with my usual 414's are just so ugly. I have some nice carbon fibre tubes and small capsules - so I'm wondering if I can move from X/Y to A/B for purely visual reasons. I guess I need to try and see?