BIRDDOG X5 ULTRA (01) PDF Document

There are two choices for powering the BIRDDOG X5 ULTRA: PoE+ (Power over Ethernet) or using the included 12VDC power adaptor. PoE+ is the easier choice as it allows the same Ethernet cable to power and control the camera, as well as send the video, audio and data.

The BIRDDOG X5 ULTRA is configured to automatically obtain an IP address via DHCP by default when connected to a network switch with a Cat5/6 cable. If a DHCP server is not available after 30 seconds, the camera defaults to the address 192.168.100.100.

When first powered up, the BIRDDOG X5 ULTRA performs its initialization routine by rotating to the left and then centering again.

After installing NDI® Tools, launch the Studio Monitor application. Right click on the Studio Monitor window to view your camera as an NDI® source. The camera’s NDI® source name by default includes the last five digits of the camera MAC address.

You can access the dedicated panel by scanning the QR Code present on your camera e-ink screen or by inserting the correct IP address into a web browser. Alternatively, you can access it through the NDI Studio Monitor application:

Step 1. Click on the gear icon on the bottom right of the Studio Monitor window.

Step 2. In the displayed window, type the default password ‘birddog’ (all lower case) and click the OK button. The dashboard window is displayed.

The video output interfaces available are 12G-SDI, HDMI 2.0, HDMI 1.4, USB-C UVC 1.1, and 1Gb Network.

The BIRDDOG X5 ULTRA supports H.264 and H.265 video compression formats.

The BIRDDOG X5 ULTRA supports the following network protocols:

Encoder Network Protocols: NDI®JHX2, NDI®JHX3, SRT, RTSP, RTMP

HDMI Decoder Network Protocols: NDI®JHX2, NDI®JHX3

The decoder on the BIRDDOG X5 ULTRA supports resolutions of 1080p @ 60/59.94/50/30/29.97 / 25fps and 720p @ 60, 59.94, 50fps.

The control interfaces are 1GbE Ethernet, RS232 (input & output), RS422, and TYPE-C(UVC1.1). The supported control protocols are VISCA Baud Rate: 38400/9600/4800/2400, VISCA-IP, and NDI®.

The BIRDDOG X5 ULTRA has a 3.5mm (1/4″) Mic In / Line In (Stereo) for analogue audio. Digital audio is embedded with Main and Secondary HDMI, 12G-SDI, Network Video, and USB (UVC).

The IR Remote Controller has several functions:

Power: Power ON the camera to set it to operational status (In standby status, click to return to the position and status before standby). Power OFF the camera to set it to standby status (Press and hold for more than 3 seconds, enter standby status). When powered OFF, the camera turns to the rear; when powered ON, it turns to the front.

Menu: Open and close the OSD menu during HDMI output.

Camera Select: By default, no camera number needs to be specified. You can set a specific number (1-3) in the OSD Menu and cycle through on the remote with the Camera select button to match.

Number Pad: Press number buttons (0-9) to move the camera to pre-configured preset position 0-9.

Preset: Press and hold Preset, then short press a Number button (0-9) to save the preset position.

Reset: Press and hold Reset, then short press a Number button (0-9) to reset the preset position.

WDR: Turn Wide Dynamic Range on or off.

BLC: Turn Backlight Compensation on or off.

Directional Buttons: Press once for incremental movement or press and hold for continuous pan or tilt. To move diagonally, press the directional button while holding down the up/down or left/right button.

Enter: Confirm a selection in the OSD menu. Short press to turn on One Push Focus.

PT Reset: Return the Pan-Tilt position to the home position.

Far / Near / Manual Focus: Enable manual focus. Use Far/Near to adjust the focus.

Zoom Slow + / -: Zoom in or out slowly.

Zoom Fast + / -: Zoom in or out fast.

Auto Focus: Autofocus, Far, Near.

Auto Tracking: Auto Tracking ON/OFF.

Switch: Change presenter.

Upper Body: Sets presenter’s size on screen to upper body.

Full Body: Sets presenter’s size on screen to full body.

Tracking Point: When the presenter enters this area, the camera will start tracking. Short press the button will recall preset 1.

You can use the RS-232 port to connect to optional controllers, like a joystick control keyboard or control PC station, to operate the camera, perform pan, tilt, and zoom operations, and use the Preset function via control buttons. An application software that supports this unit is needed if you use a PC station.

For an RJ45 to RS232 (VISCA) cable connection, the controller must be VISCA compatible. You can use a CAT5/6 cable (T-568B standard pinout) to make the RS232 connection following the pin definition:

Pin Definitions (Controller side to Network Cable/RS232):

You can also use RS232 to daisy chain multiple camera connections with a standard RS232 serial port controller.

The White Balance settings available in the OSD Menu are:

Auto: Auto white balance (AWB) automatically adjusts settings for accurate color reproduction without manual adjustments.

ATW: Auto Tracing White Balance continuously adjusts white balance in real-time as lighting changes for consistent color accuracy.

Indoor: Optimized for artificial lighting like tungsten or fluorescent lights for accurate indoor color reproduction.

Outdoor: Designed to correct colors under natural sunlight for accurate and lifelike outdoor color tones.

OnePush: Allows manual calibration by pointing the camera at a neutral reference by pressing a button to achieve accurate color reproduction in specific lighting conditions.

User: Manual white balance with red and blue adjustments to fine-tune color temperature for specific lighting conditions or creative control.

The Control section allows configuration for serial control protocols:

Serial Port: Can be set to RS-232 or RS-422.

Protocol: Can be set to VISCA, Pelco-D, or Pelco-P.

Camera Address: Can be set from 1 to 7 for unique identification in VISCA protocol.

Baud Rate: Can be set to 2400, 4800, 9600, or 38400 bits per second.

Other: Presenter Tracking can be set to Off or On.

The selectable audio input types are Line In and Mic In:

Line In: Used for connecting devices that output a line-level signal, designed to handle a stronger, consistent signal without amplification.

Mic In: Used for connecting microphones, which produce a lower-level signal requiring amplification to boost the signal for processing and recording.

The Video Output settings allow selection of frequency (59.94Hz, 50Hz, 60Hz) and resolution/frame rate combinations:

Resolution 2160p (UHD/4K) Modes: 2160p/60, 2160p/59, 2160p/50, 2160p/30, 2160p/29, 2160p/25.

Resolution 1080p (Full HD) Modes: 1080p/60, 1080p/59, 1080p/50, 1080p/30, 1080p/29, 1080p/25.

Resolution 1080i (Interlaced) Modes: 1080i/60, 1080i/59, 1080i/50.

Resolution 720p (HD) Modes: 720p/60, 720p/59, 720p/50.

In the OSD Menu under Pan Tilt Zoom, the Preset Speed typically ranges from 5 to 100, allowing control over the pace of movement to a preset position. Lower speeds (e.g., 5) are for slow, smooth transitions, while higher speeds (e.g., 100) are for rapid repositioning. Pan/Tilt Slow can be turned Off or On; when enabled, movements become slower and more precise as the camera zooms in.

The image adjustment settings in the OSD Menu include:

3D Noise Reduction: Can be set to Off or levels 1, 2, or 3.

Saturation: Can be set from 0 to 10.

Contrast: Can be set from 0 to 4.

Sharpness: Can be set to 0, 1, 2, or 3.

Mirror: Can be set to Off or On.

Flip: Can be set to Off or On.

Exposure Compensation allows the operator to adjust the exposure level of an image by a specific amount, within a range of -4 to +4. A negative value (e.g., -2) decreases the exposure, making the image darker to correct for overexposure, while a positive value (e.g., +2) increases the exposure, making the image brighter to correct for underexposure.

High Sensitivity mode, often referred to as high gain mode, increases the sensor’s sensitivity to light, allowing for better performance in low-light conditions. This mode adjusts the gain settings to amplify the signal from the sensor to capture more detail and reduce noise in dimly lit environments, though it may introduce a slight increase in image noise.

The gain limit level setting, ranging from 24dB to 33dB, controls the maximum amount of amplification applied to the camera sensor’s signal. Setting the limit at 24dB provides a moderate increase in sensitivity, suitable for low-light conditions with less noise. Increasing the limit to 33dB boosts sensitivity further, allowing better performance in darker environments but may introduce more noise or grain in the image. This setting is not effective in full manual exposure mode.

Camera slow shutter exposure extends the duration the shutter remains open, allowing more light to reach the sensor. This is useful for capturing low-light scenes or creating motion blur effects, but it can also result in increased risk of image blur from camera shake or moving subjects.

In video production, shutter speed ranges from 1/25 to 1/10,000 of a second. A slower shutter speed, like 1/25, lets in more light and can create a motion blur effect, useful for achieving a natural look in low-light scenes or smoothing out movement. A faster shutter speed, such as 1/10,000, lets in less light and is ideal for capturing sharp, clear details in bright conditions.

The iris level, ranging from f/1.6 to f/11, controls the size of the aperture opening. A lower f-stop, like f/1.6, means a wider aperture allowing more light in, creating a shallower depth of field with a blurred background. A higher f-stop, such as f/11, means a narrower aperture letting in less light, which increases the depth of field, bringing more of the scene into focus.

Camera gain levels range from 0 to 33dB and adjust the sensor’s sensitivity to light. A lower gain, such as 0dB, means the sensor is less sensitive, ideal for well-lit environments, resulting in clearer, less noisy images. Higher gain levels, like 33dB, increase sensitivity, making it possible to capture more detail in low-light situations but may also introduce more noise or graininess.

The Exposure Mode Select options are:

Full Auto: The camera automatically adjusts all exposure settings (aperture, shutter speed, and gain) for a well-exposed image based on current lighting conditions.

Shutter Priority: Allows the operator to set the desired shutter speed, while the camera automatically adjusts aperture and gain for proper exposure. Useful for controlling motion blur.

Iris Priority: Lets the operator set the desired aperture (iris), while the camera automatically adjusts shutter speed and gain for proper exposure. Useful for controlling depth of field.

Manual: The operator independently adjusts all exposure settings (gain, shutter speed, and iris) for full control over brightness and depth of field.

Bright: Designed to automatically adjust settings to produce a well-exposed image in bright lighting conditions, optimizing settings to prevent overexposure while maintaining detail in highlights and shadows.

Exposure Compensation is set within a range of -4 to +4. A negative value decreases exposure (darker image) to correct overexposure, and a positive value increases exposure (brighter image) to correct underexposure. In the OSD menu, this is selectable as -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.

The Tally light function indicates the camera’s status in a production:

Program Tally Light: This light is red and illuminates to indicate that the camera’s feed is currently being broadcasted or recorded as part of the live program (live on-air).

Preview Tally Light: This light is green and indicates that the camera’s feed is being previewed on the production switcher or monitor but is not yet live on-air. This helps the camera operator prepare for when the feed will be switched live.

The rest state is indicated by a white border around the Halo Tally, showing that the camera is not in program or preview mode. If the Tally Rest State function is turned off, the light is completely disabled, and no indicators are displayed unless the camera is in Program or Preview Tally state.

When using a PTZ camera with IR (infrared) control, you can select a camera number from 1 to 3 in the OSD Menu to respond to commands transmitted via an IR remote control. Each camera is assigned a unique number within this range, ensuring commands are sent to the correct camera in a multi-camera system.

When NDI® output is turned on, the PTZ camera starts streaming video over the network, making it available for live production and integration with other NDI-compatible devices and software. When NDI® output is turned off, the camera stops streaming video over the network, which can help reduce network traffic or shift the camera’s mode to a different function.

The Preset Speed settings range from 5 to 200 degrees/sec (selectable in increments of 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, with 5 available via the remote’s speed control). The Pan/Tilt Slow feature can be toggled Off or On.

The Ethernet Network configuration allows setting the Configuration Method to STATIC or DHCP. If Static is chosen, the IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Gateway Address must be manually entered. DHCP is the default. Other settings include DHCP Timeout (default 20s), Fallback IP Address, Fallback Subnet Mask, and the BirdDog Name, which can be applied by clicking APPLY.

Your computer will need to have ‘Bonjour’ services loaded in order to access the unit via its user defined name. Apple devices come pre-installed with Bonjour, while Windows devices need a plugin.