Using Avid Media Composer with Blackmagic SDI and Jump Desktop Audio

Some productions need to send SDI video/audio out of the local Avid system (for example, to a client monitor in the room) while the editor works remotely over Jump Desktop. In these setups, you can’t simply disable Blackmagic output, because the SDI feed is required on-site.

Newer versions of Avid Media Composer (2024.10 / 2024.12 and later) allow you to send audio to multiple outputs at the same time. This means you can keep:

• Blackmagic SDI output active for the room, and
• Desktop Audio active so Jump Desktop can capture and stream audio to the remote editor.

For example, an editor can be at home on Jump Desktop while producers sit in the physical room watching the SDI output from the same Avid system, with everyone hearing the correct audio.

Set Jump Desktop as the System Audio Output

First, make sure your operating system is sending desktop audio into Jump Desktop.

On the Avid editing workstation:

1. Open your system Sound settings (macOS or Windows).
2. Set the Output device to Jump Desktop Audio.
3. Play any system audio (e.g., a test tone or a media file) and confirm you can hear it in your Jump Desktop session.

Important: This ensures that when Avid sends audio to “Desktop Audio”, it actually goes into Jump Desktop.

Enable Blackmagic I/O and Desktop Audio in Avid

Next, configure Avid to use both the Blackmagic hardware and Desktop Audio at the same time.

1. Open your Avid project and go to the Timeline window.
2. Locate the hardware/device icon on the timeline toolbar.
   • This icon usually shows the name of your attached hardware, such as DNxIQ, DeckLink, or another Blackmagic device.
3. Click the hardware icon to open the hardware output / video device menu.
4. In this menu, make sure both of the following are enabled/selected:
   • Your Blackmagic / DNxIQ / DeckLink device (for SDI output)
   • Desktop Audio

Avid will now:

• Send SDI audio/video out through the Blackmagic card (for your room monitors, etc.), and
• Send audio to Desktop Audio, which is routed into Jump Desktop via the Jump Desktop Audio device.