Alternative to Blackmagic Multibridge

[Shane Ross]

Then there are only two other products that fit your bill

Matrox MXO 2
AJA I/O HD

Shane

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[Ben Holmes]

The Multibridge Pro IS a breakout box in effect – and can be used standalone as a standards converter, as can the IO HD. However, the IO HD is limited by it’s use of FW800, so you can really only work in HD using ProRes – you cannot work in any uncompressed formats. This may not be a major consideration for you.

Switching to the equivalently prices Kona LH will gain you the ability to work with or without a BOB (altough I gather you are keen on them) and also live downconversion for SD monitoring of HD projects – something which only the new BM cards (not the MBP) support. You will, however, lose your HDMI monitoring.

Ben

Edit Out Ltd
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FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producer

[Walter Biscardi]

[Ben Holmes] “However, the IO HD is limited by it’s use of FW800, so you can really only work in HD using ProRes – you cannot work in any uncompressed formats. “

Technically this is incorrect. The Io HD supports playback of uncompressed formats. This is useful in a multiple system configuration so if you’re working in Uncompressed files you could capture with a Kona and still use the Io HD as a playback and mastering device on a 2nd system or even a laptop (for uncompressed SD). As a stand alone, one system box, it won’t help much with uncompressed.

Really the AJA Kona 3 is the alternative to this unit, but that is a card and you can add the K3 breakout box. But in order to use HDMI sources, you would require a converter box to convert HDMI to SDI for capture or SDI to HDMI for playback. AJA does make those too.

For some reason the multibridge can’t upconvert SD to 720, nor does it provide a center punch (cropped) 4:3 downconvert of HD to SD. At least not according to the specs on the website.

What formats do you need to capture to and output to?

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

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[Jason Porthouse]

[Ben Holmes] “Switching to the equivalently prices Kona LH will gain you the ability to work with or without a BOB (altough I gather you are keen on them) and also live downconversion for SD monitoring of HD projects – something which only the new BM cards (not the MBP) support.”

Ben, I thought the MBPro did downconvert? I’m sure I’ve had mine doing it… *puzzled*

Jason

_________________________________

Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
Then when you do criticise him, you’ll be a mile away. And have his shoes.

*the artist formally known as Jaymags*

[Ben Holmes]

[walter biscardi] “Technically this is incorrect. The Io HD supports playback of uncompressed formats. This is useful in a multiple system configuration so if you’re working in Uncompressed files you could capture with a Kona and still use the Io HD as a playback and mastering device on a 2nd system or even a laptop (for uncompressed SD). As a stand alone, one system box, it won’t help much with uncompressed. “

Interesting – I was not aware that you could pass an uncompressed HD stream down the FW interface. If so, I stand corrected.

Edit Out Ltd
—————————-
FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producer

[Ben Holmes]

[Jason Porthouse] “Ben, I thought the MBPro did downconvert? I’m sure I’ve had mine doing it… *puzzled* “

Mmm – never post in a hurry. What I should have made clear is that the MBP does provide an SD feed of an HD project, but it cannot SIMULTANEOUSLY provide SD and HD like the Kona products (although this has been offered on the newly announced BM cards).

This means you cannot work in an HD enviroment where you need (for example) to layoff to an HD deck, and monitor on an SD-SDI monitor, or SD component/composite monitor. I use an HD-SDI monitor at home, but find this an occasional limitation when working in the field. It means the MBP may not suit every setup, although it still represents the best value and flexibility combination for me at the moment. The HDMI output helps to overcome some of these issues.

I’d love to see BM update the firmware on the MBP to fix this, btw – if it were possible.

Thanks for making me clear that up…

Ben

Edit Out Ltd
—————————-
FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producer

[Walter Biscardi]

[Ben Holmes] “Interesting – I was not aware that you could pass an uncompressed HD stream down the FW interface. If so, I stand corrected.”

It’s one of those things I found out when working in the AJA booth two years ago when the product was introduced. It’s a “quiet feature” like the Input PassThrough mode on the AJA Konas.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

Read my Blog!

STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!

[Walter Biscardi]

[Ben Holmes] “What I should have made clear is that the MBP does provide an SD feed of an HD project, but it cannot SIMULTANEOUSLY provide SD and HD like the Kona products “

That’s a huge feature and we’ve been using it all along. Where we use it the most is to create a client DVD, DVCAM or BetaSP during HD mastering so we can do it in one pass.

And actually the Konas can do UpConvert / Down Convert and Cross Convert independently on all three outputs and the inputs SIMULTANEOUSLY. I can’t see running a shop without the Kona 3 quite honestly. Serious piece of mind that whatever the client or the project needs, we just tell the Kona to do it.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

Read my Blog!

STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!

[Ben Holmes]

If I were AJA, I would make some mention of it in their literature. It might make people like me (who would use it primarily with desktop systems) think again.

Ben

Edit Out Ltd
—————————-
FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producer

[Jason Porthouse]

[Ben Holmes] “I’d love to see BM update the firmware on the MBP to fix this, btw – if it were possible.”

Me too, and I see what you meant by your original post. As I’m a more ’boutique’ style facility it’s not a show stopper for me (else I wouldn’t have got one!) and like you find it’s a great price/performance ratio, but it’d be nice to have.

Jason

_________________________________

Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
Then when you do criticise him, you’ll be a mile away. And have his shoes.

*the artist formally known as Jaymags*