Blackmagic ATEM Television Studio HD User Manual Using Macros
What is a Macro?
A macro is an easy way to automate a sequence of switcher actions so you can repeat the sequence at the press, or click, of a button. For example, you can record a sequence of transitions between several video sources, including key effects, audio mixer adjustments, camera control settings and more. Record all your actions to a macro button, then when you press that button all your recorded actions will be instantly performed. Macros are recorded using the macros window in ATEM Software Control, system control on ATEM Television Studio HD8, or a combination of the two and are stored inside your ATEM switcher. Macros are common to all control panels, they can be triggered using any control panel you like.
The Macros Window in ATEM Software Control
To open the macros window in ATEM Software Control, click on macros in the title bar, or you can also press shift/command/M for Mac, or shift/control/M for Windows. The macros window is a floating window you can move freely about your desktop. This is so you can always access the window when moving between the switcher, media, audio and camera pages. While recording a macro, you can even reduce the size of the window by clicking on the minimize icon at the top right corner.
Macros can be recorded to any of the 100 macro slots. Up to 20 macro slots are visible on each page. Move forwards and backwards through pages by clicking on the arrows on the bottom sides of the window. Clicking on the create and run buttons lets you swap between the create and run pages so you can record your macros and then run them during your live production.
Recording Macros
Macros need to be recorded comprehensively, in clearly defined sequences from start to finish without error. This is because your macro will record every setting, press of a button and switcher action you perform. When you run a macro, all the switcher actions you recorded in that macro will be repeated precisely.
It’s worth highlighting that a macro will only record the settings you change. For example, if you want a 3:00 second transition and your switcher’s transition rate is already set to 3:00 seconds, you’ll need to change the duration, then set it back to 3:00 seconds to record the setting. If not, your desired transition rate will not be recorded and when the macro is run it will simply use the transition rate your switcher was last set to. So you can see why precision is important!
If settings are changed while recording a macro and you want them restored to a particular state, simply restore those settings while recording the final steps of the macro. You can even record macros to restore settings for various projects. You have lots of choices. The important thing to remember when recording a macro is that you change all the settings you need to so you can create the specific effects you want.
Recording a Macro using ATEM Software Control
In the example below, we’re going to create a macro that will set your ATEM switcher to perform a 3 second mix transition from color bars to color 1, pause for 2 seconds, then perform a 3 second mix transition to black. Try building this macro on your ATEM switcher so you can learn the steps in creating macros.
Launch ATEM Software Control and open the macros window.
Click on the create button in the macros window to select the create page.
Click on a macro slot you want to record your macro to. In this example, click on macro slot 1. An orange border will appear around the slot you have selected.
Click on the create macro button (‘plus’ icon) to open the create macro popup window. If you want to, you can enter the name of your macro and type a description. This lets you easily keep track of your macros and quickly see what each macro does. When you click on a macro, your notes will appear in the status window.
To start recording a macro, select a macro slot, then click on the create macro button. Type in your notes and click ‘record’. Click the ‘record’ button. The popup window will close and a red border will appear around your ATEM Software Control panel indicating your macro is now recording. Notice the red ‘add pause’ button at the top of the border. Now that your macro is recording, you can start performing your switcher actions.
While recording, the create macro button will change to a ‘record’ button. When you have completed your switcher actions, click on the ‘record’ button to stop recording. Click on the bars button in the program panel on the switcher page. This sets bars to your switcher’s program output.
Select color 1 on the preview panel.
Open the transitions palette and set it to mix.
If mix is already selected, make sure your macro records the setting by selecting a different transition type, for example the wipe transition, then clicking on mix again.
Now change the transition Rate to 3:00. This sets the mix transition duration to 3 seconds.
Click on the auto button in the transition style panel. Your switcher will perform a mix transition from color bars to color 1.
To set the switcher to wait for 2 seconds before applying another transition, click on the add pause button at the top of the red border. The ‘insert pause’ window will open. Set the pause to 5 seconds and 0 frames and click ‘add pause’ to confirm. Why set a 5 second pause when you only want a 2 second pause? That’s because when the mix transition occurs, it takes 3 seconds to complete. So if you want to add a pause, you need to consider the transition duration, plus the pause you want to happen before the next transition occurs. In this example, it takes 3 seconds for the transition to complete, then 2 seconds for your 2 second pause, so you should enter a pause of 5 seconds. Another way is to add two separate pauses, one for the duration of the transition and then another for the pause you want. It’s up to you.
Now select black on the preview panel and click the auto button in the transition style panel. Your ATEM switcher will perform a mix transition to black.
Click the record icon in the macros window to stop recording your macro. The macro you just recorded will now appear as a button in your selected macro slot. To preview your macro, click the run button in the macros window to enter the run page. Select recall and run, which sets the macros window to run a macro as soon as you click on a macro button. Now click on your new macro button, named ‘Transitions’.
If you want your macro to instantly run as soon as you select it, click on the ‘recall and run’ button. By enabling this feature you can load and play your macros with only one click of a button.
If your macro was successful, you should see your ATEM switcher perform a mix from color bars to color 1 using a 3 second transition, pause for 2 seconds, then perform another 3 second mix transition to black, all by clicking one button in the macros window! Your ATEM switcher will also display an orange border around your software control panel to indicate a macro is playing.
If your macro doesn’t perform the way you expect it to, simply rerecord the macro you just created following the previous steps.
ATEM Software Control displays a red border to indicate when you are recording a macro. The ‘add pause’ button located at the top of the red border lets you enter durations for pauses between switcher actions.
Enter a name for your macro and a description so you can keep track of the switcher actions recorded in the macro.
Building Large Macros
Macros can even include triggering other macros as part of recording a macro. This lets you easily build larger macros from multiple smaller macros, i.e., recording macros with limited actions, then compiling them into a large macro. This is because if there are any mistakes while recording a large macro in one complete sequence, you’ll need to go back to the start of your sequence and rerecord it. It’s a lot easier to work with segments containing a small number of actions.
By recording a large macro using small macros, you can also edit your large macro by rerecording only the small macros you want to change, then compiling your small macros back into your large macro.
To compile small macros into a large macro:
Start recording a new macro, then while the macro is recording, click on the ‘run’ button to enter the run page.
Select ‘recall and run’ to automatically run macros at the push or click of a button, or deselect to load a macro and play it manually.
Run your sequence of small macros, with pauses between each one to cover the duration of each small macro, until you’ve completed the large macro.
Stop recording. You now have a complex, powerful large macro built from small macros you can easily change later if you need to.
There is no limit to the amount of actions you can perform. You can easily build complex transitions, create unique repeatable effects using keyers, or set up frequently used Blackmagic Studio Camera settings, graphic overlays and DVEs so you don’t have to reconstruct them every time you start a new program. Macros are fun and will save you a lot of time!
Macros Window Create Page
Macros Window Run Page
Recording Macros using ATEM Television Studio HD8
You can record and run macros using the ATEM Television Studio HD8 independently of ATEM Software Control. All actions on the ATEM Software Control switcher page can be performed using your switcher’s panel. If you need to arrange graphics in the media pool, or adjust camera settings, simply access those settings using ATEM Software Control.
The buttons used to record and run macros on ATEM Television Studio HD8 are located in the system control buttons. The names of your macro buttons are displayed in the source select names display.
Follow the steps below to create the ‘transitions’ macro demonstrated earlier using ATEM Software Control. This time you will create a macro in macro slot 6.
Press the ‘macro’ soft button to open the macros LCD menu.
Using the ‘macro’ knob under the LCD, select the macro slot you want to record to. For this example, select slot ‘6 Empty’.
Press the ‘record’ soft button at the top of the LCD to start recording. The record icon appears as a red circle. When recording, this icon becomes a red square and a red border will appear around the LCD.
Press the ‘record’ soft button to start recording your macro 
While recording, a red border will appear around the LCD Shift select ‘color bars’ on the program bus. The button will flash indicating it’s a shifted source.
Shift select ‘color 1’ on the preview bus. If you wish, you can map buttons such as color bars, black and color generators to any of the main 10 buttons of the program and preview bus for easier access. See the ‘button mapping’ section of this manual for instructions.
Press the wipe button in transition control to ensure the macro records the wipe transition selection.
In the ‘wipe’ LCD menu, set the rate to 2:00 seconds.
Press the ‘auto’ button in transition control to perform the wipe transition from color bars to color 1.
Press the ‘macro’ button to return to the macro screen.
To set the macro to wait for 2 seconds before applying the next transition, press the ‘add pause’ soft button in the LCD menu and set the duration to 2 seconds by rotating the ‘seconds’ knob. Press the ‘confirm’ soft button to record the pause.
Now shift select ‘black’ on the preview bus , press the ‘mix’ button in transition control and press the ‘auto’ transition button. Your ATEM switcher will perform a mix transition to black.
Press the Macro button to navigate back to the Macro menu, then press the ’stop’ soft button to stop recording.
You have just recorded a macro using an ATEM Television Studio HD8. The macro will appear as a macro button named ‘Macro 6’ because it is located in macro slot 6. You can name your macro and add notes by clicking on the ‘edit macro’ button in ATEM Software Control.
To run the macro, press the macro button to set your panel’s source select row to macro mode. The buttons will illuminate blue when in macro mode. Now press the macro 6 button. You can easily see when a macro is running because the macro button will flash green and an orange border appears around the LCD menu.
If your macro was successful, you should see your ATEM switcher mix from color bars to color 1 using a 2 second mix transition, pause for 2 seconds, then perform another 2 second mix transition to black, all by pressing one button on your ATEM switcher. If you want the macro to loop so it keeps running, press the ‘loop’ soft button to enable loop. Press again to disable loop.
It’s worth frequently testing your macros using different switcher settings to make sure the macro performs all the specific functions you intended and doesn’t miss any instructions or produce something unexpected.
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