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Troubleshooting

Device Does Not Power On

PWR LED does not light

  • Verify the power cord is firmly connected to both the IEC C14 inlet on the rear panel and the wall outlet
  • Test the outlet with another device
  • SL Optic has two independent power inputs (PWR A and PWR B) — try connecting to the other input to isolate a failed supply
  • Check display Screen 5 (PWR_A / PWR_B status) once at least one supply is working

PWR LED lights but the display is blank

  • The display activates a few seconds after power-on — wait up to 10 seconds
  • If the display remains blank, cycle power; if the issue persists, contact support

No SDI Signal Detected

SDI LED below BNC port does not light

  • Confirm the DIP switch for that channel is set to In — on Out channels, the BNC is an output and cannot receive
  • Check the cable and source equipment
  • Verify the source is outputting a supported SDI standard (SD, HD, 3G, 6G, or 12G)
  • Check Display Screen 1 — the signal standard field shows -- when no signal is detected

SDI LED lights but Display Screen 1 shows -- for the standard

  • The signal is present at the input but the standard could not be identified
  • This can happen if the signal is outside the supported format list — check source settings
  • Check for cable length issues (Display Screen 1, Row 4 shows estimated cable length — very high values can indicate a degraded cable)

No optical link despite fiber being connected

  • Verify the SFP module is fully seated in the slot — push until it clicks
  • Check that the fiber connector is clean and properly inserted into the SFP module
  • Confirm the SFP module type matches the channel direction:
  • For a channel sending SDI→optical (In), the SFP must be capable of transmitting (IO or 2O type)
  • For a channel receiving optical→SDI (Out), the SFP must be capable of receiving (IO or 2I type)
  • Display Screen 2 shows the recommended SFP type (IO, 2I, 2O) for each slot based on current DIP settings — verify it matches your installed module

Optical power readings show 00001

  • This is not an error — it means the installed SFP module does not support DDMI power monitoring for that port direction
  • A dual-output (2O) module will always show 00001 for RX; a dual-input (2I) module for TX
  • Signal may still be passing correctly — verify at the receiving end

Optical power is very low or negative (e.g. -30 dBm or lower)

  • Check for dirty or damaged fiber connectors — clean with an appropriate fiber cleaning tool
  • Verify the correct fiber type is being used (single-mode modules require single-mode fiber)
  • For CWDM deployments, verify the wavelength assignment is consistent with the MUX/DEMUX channel plan
  • Increase optical budget by using a higher-power SFP or a shorter fiber run

Signal Quality Issues at the Receiving End

Intermittent signal or errors on the SDI output

  • Check optical RX power on Display Screens 3 or 4 — values below the SFP module's sensitivity threshold indicate insufficient received power
  • Check for fiber bends tighter than the minimum bend radius (typically 30 mm for single-mode patch cables)
  • Verify the fiber termination quality — dirty or poorly terminated connectors are the most common source of link issues

Visible artifacts in video despite signal lock

  • Ensure CDR (Clock and Data Recovery) is functioning by checking that the detected signal standard on Screen 1 is stable and not flickering between values
  • Test with a shorter or known-good fiber run to isolate whether the issue is in the fiber plant

DIP Switch Changes Not Taking Effect

  • DIP switch changes take effect immediately — there is no apply button
  • Confirm you are looking at the correct channel switch (switches 1–4 correspond to BNC 1–4)
  • Display Screen 2 shows the current active direction immediately after any switch change — verify it reflects your intended setting

Display Shows Incorrect or Missing Information

Screen shows SFP1/2 EMPTY or w/o DDMI

  • No SFP module is installed in that slot, or the installed module does not support DDMI
  • If a module is installed, remove it and re-seat it firmly

PWR_A or PWR_B shows TOO HI!!!

  • The supply voltage on that input exceeds 15 V — this indicates a problem with the power source, not the device
  • Disconnect that supply immediately and check the power source before reconnecting

PWR_A or PWR_B shows OFF!

  • That power input has no voltage or the supply has failed
  • If both inputs show OFF!, the device cannot operate — check both power supplies and cables
  • If one shows OK and the other OFF!, the device is running on a single supply — replace the failed unit as soon as possible

Contacting Support

If an issue cannot be resolved using this guide, contact Stream Labs support:

When contacting support, provide the hardware version and firmware version shown on Display Screen 5, along with a description of the symptoms and any relevant signal types and fiber infrastructure details.