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Can someone answer questions re: Kona SD
I’m sure no one wants to talk about Kona SD cards, which have become the Jason Bourne of capture cards (no record of having ever existed according to the CIA, I mean AJA).
But if someone (like the Blackmagic guys) can help, I would be much obliged. We need to squeeze one more project out of this card on one of our systems before retiring it. This mostly has to do with PCI-X vs. PCI-e Macs (but that’s another story.)
SO — should an original Kona SD card work with BM drivers using FCP 6.0.2? The card is installed in a G5 Dual 2.0. We’ve tested all the new BM drivers (6.2 thru 6.6.2) and it “almost” works.
The problems are mostly related to video/audio sync and latency. We used BM 10-bit for testing:
1. Log and capture works until you open the Video Scopes window. Then video in the capture window is delayed behind the video on the NTSC monitor. If you stop the deck, video keeps playing in the capture window until it “catches up.” Close Scopes, and it’s back to normal. Ultimately, video captures as expected.
2. Playing video in a sequence seems okay until you scrub through the timeline. After that, video and audio play out of sync — but only to the NTSC monitor. If I view the same sequence with Desktop Preview, it plays fine, I can scrub like a maniac, no sync issues. It’s also fine when playing the sequence out to a monitor/deck via DV/Firewire.
3. When checking FCP’s Audio/Video Settings>Capture Settings, we see a message in all of the BM presets: “WARNING: Audio Device is Missing.” When opening up the preset window, we discover that it also shows the digitizer as missing. So we reset all these manually, but doing so doesn’t solve the problems mentioned above.
So as I said, it “almost” works, which is frustrating.
Any help on this would be appreciated.
G5 Dual 2.0
2.5GB RAM
OS X 10.4.11
FCP 6.0.2
QuickTime 7.3.1
SATA II Raid
DA-MAX+ Media ConverterSteven Kochones
Arclight Productions
Hollywood, California -
2 Replies
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Hi Steven,
this is the answer to your question.https://www2.promax.com/Blackmagic-Design-Blackmagic-DeckLink-PCIx-SD?sc=2&category=22454
This is the PCI-X version of the Blackmagic Design Decklink SD card, which has replaced the OLD USELESS KONA SD card.
ProMax, which is right near you, is charging $277 for this card. It’s 4:30pm in LA right now, and you can get it right now, or certainly by Monday morning. This card will resolve your issues, have current drivers, and will PAY FOR ITSELF in 4 hours (you better be charging at least $270 for a half day rate for you and a system in LA).AND YOU KNOW WHAT – I bet if you guarantee Pro Max that you will buy your NEW FCP SYSTEM from them, I bet they will REFUND YOUR MONEY on this card, when they sell you a new expensive PCI-E based system.
So, what are you waiting for ?
Bob Zelin
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Thanks Bob for the advice.
The original Decklink is certainly the closest match to the Kona SD with one glaring problem: no analog video in. If I only needed SDI in/out, it’s a no-brainer – and cheap! But I need to deal with both DigiBeta and BetaSP, the latter employing an old Promax DA-MAX converter. Of course, the trouble with the DA-MAX is that it converts analog audio to AES/EBU (doesn’t embed it in SDI). The Kona has AES/EBU in/out; the Decklink is SPDIF out only.
So unless there’s another solution, it’s looking like a Decklink Extreme, Kona LS or an IO to accomplish what I need. The benefit of the Decklink over the Kona seems to be playback/down-conversion of HD, which is a plus.
I’m not trying to be cheap (well, a little bit), but I want to either buy a throwaway (sorry Blackmagic) like the basic Decklink or invest in something that will outlive the G5. It’s the darn PCI-X/PCI-e issue that makes it problematic. If it weren’t for that, I’d just put in a Decklink HD card now.
Also, I’ve only dealt with AJA products. How does Blackmagic compare?
Steven Kochones
Arclight Productions
Hollywood, California
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