Hi,
I’m using my ETC with analog video gear. I’m going HDMI out to a Blackmagic HDMI to SDI converter, and then SDI to Analog. It works perfect if I send it to my computer with a Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle selecting NTSC on my computer, but if I try sending the signal to my PAL video gear (like a Panasonic WJ-AVE5 video mixer) and then to my computer (selecting PAL), it will not work.
So, is there a way to change the output on the ETC to PAL?
And, is there a way to change the aspect to 4:3?
NTSC and PAL are not definitions of the HDMI Standard. But HDMI can use various frame rates.
PAL is 25 frames per second (or multiple). NTSC is 24 or 30 frames per second (or multiples).
A good HDMI to Video converter will be able to select between those (I use an Atomos Converter/Scaler).
If your converter selects the output-standard from the HDMI frame rate then you may try to set it in
/root/ETC_MOTHER/main.py:
#draw the main screen, limit fps 30
clocker.tick(30)
hwscreen.blit(screen, (0,0)
It is quite at the end of the file.
The aspect ratio is defined in etc_system.py:
RES = (1280,720)
It is in the first 25 lines…
But keep in mind, that all the modes use hardcoded width and height values. If you want a mode to adopt the corresponding screen dimensions you have to use screen.get_width(). You will have to change each and every mode on many places within the mode. I’ve done that and it is … hmmm … exhausting 
Thank you for your answer!
I think the Blackmagic converters (HDMI to SDI + SDI to Analog) is great, but I don’t think I can select the frame rate. The only thing I can change in the setup on my computer is how the downconversation will look like (letterbox etc). Can you set output frame rate on the Atomos?
Haha yeah, that sounds really exhausting! Would be great if there was a better way to integrate the ETC with my other analog video gear.
Sorry I can’t tell you for the HDMI-to-SDI converter, as I am using a HDMI to S-Video converter. But the HDMI-SDI convert has similar DIP switches as the to-analog-converter, so I assume, that it has this possibity too. I only have a link to a german shop
https://www.videodata.de/shop/products/de/Studiotechnik/Signalkonvertierung/HDMI-zu-HD-SDI/Atomos-Connect-Convert-Scale-HDMI-to-SDI.html
But you should find a description on any video pro shop in the US: The product name is “Atomos Connect Convert Scale HDMI-to-SDI”
And some addon to the resolution topic: I once tried a resolution of the TV screen (PAL has 576 visible line, NTSC has 485 visible lines) in the RES-parameter of etc_system.py , and it did NOT(!!!) help to improve the picture.
Hi there!
I’m stuck in the same issue. While setting clocker.tick(25) might help the internal rendering, it does not change the actual frame rate of the HDMI output.
Check /boot/uEnv.txt, there is a Kernel parameter for the resolution and refresh rate. I set it to 50Hz there. My screen confirms that the signal now is 720p@50Hz. I think one should do this clocker thing in addition since it makes no sense to render at 30fps when the output is 50Hz refresh rate.
Now I hope that the video mixers I will use later will be able to use the Critter & Guitari at 25fps by dropping every second frame.
Best Schwob