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Kona 3 or BM HD link extreme ?
Hi there
I’m building a set-up around a nice Mac Pro box + FC Studio 2 + (Shake, After Effects, Maya, etc). It will initially have a double role as and editing machine and VFX production:
PAL WORLD – EURO LAND
-We will assume the raid part of the set-up is sorted, I’m thinking of a Sonnet Fusion D800 4TB, or any other solution able to deal with one 2K unc. stream.
-It should be able to manage a rational pipeline from scanned film (coming in via HDs as DPX frames). Of course this includes lower formats such as unc. 4:4:4 HD etc.
-It’d be desirable to be able to monitor RT full 2K rez on a 30″ decent computer display, even if it has to be cropped like the Kona does.
-I know you can edit perfectly with the Pro-res codecs, but consider that we actually need to be able to see unc. material at full rez, if only for QC purpouses, being our main activity VFX production. And yes, it’s nice if you can actually watch sequences at this quality with FC rather than just shots in After Effects, which involves besides to wait for RAM previews, etc…
And now the big question: Kona 3 or BM HD link extreme ?
If the only and/or main difference between them is that the Kona is able to capture from telecine machines onto DPX frame seqs. via SDI input (I might be wrong here), should I spend more money knowing that it’s really unlikely that we have in-house a telecine machine in the next 5+ years ?
We’re not precisely in town, I can’t think of a company that hires telecines, and I don’t really want to detach the mac from the studio to go to a telecine house… And basically, I prefer not to spend on things you’re not really going to use !
I am familiar with the kona and really like it, the question is, if the BM allows for a similar pipeline when dealing with DPX frames (making QT ref. clips, having film stock LUT tables, etc), and there’s no other major difference than the one mentioned, should I spend the extra money?
Or should I just get a plane to NY, buy the kona, hide it in a hand-bag and get back home ? 😉
Please help me
Thanks in advance
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4 Replies
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THe Kona 3 can upconvert SD to 720p or 1080i…the Decklink cards can only upconvert to 1080i.
The Kona 3 can cross convert 720p to 1080i or p, and 1080 to 720p. The Decklink cards cannot.
The Kona 3 cards has specific drivers to deal with RED 4K and 2K files. The Decklink does not.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Kona 3 can also HARDWARE downconvert from 1080 or 720 HD to SD.
Black Magic products can only do 1080 in hardware to SD.
I have owned both and can say with fact….get the Kona 3.
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Thank you very much indeed!
I guess I’ve been lazy, I could have those facts, it’s simply because the BM presented itself as an alternative in the last minute, I’ve loads of info and tech papers, but the pressure distorts everything, I have to spend a little fortune in 2 days time, the idea that you might be making not optimal purchase decisions is in the back of your head all the time.
The difference in prize seems now justified and I’m going for kona.
I promise to research the forums before getting back here with more questions about monitoring, raids…
Thanks again indeed, long life for the cow !
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Hello Pablo
My name is Matty Causon and I’m the rep for AJA in Europe
Seems the forum has given you some of the answers you were needing but if you have further questions (e.g., 2K editing can be demanding on storage) , etc., then perhaps I can assist.
We also have an experienced network of qualified dealers throughout Europe who will be able to advise and offer local support as well as execute the 3 year advanced replacement warranty on Kona products (if needed). By the way, that’s another big differentiator between AJA and some other competitors.
So, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like to chat.
Best regards
Matty Causon
+44 7771 800832
matt@asiamediaproducts.com
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