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Can I use the Cineform codec with the AJA Xena LHE?
I’m going to be purchasing the AJA Xena LHE card soon and I was wonder if I can use the Cineform codec with it? I’m still a little confused on the details. Can someone tell me what sort of software is bundled with the card and what format it captures to? As I understand it, the Cineform codec is currently the best out there. I don’t think the Cineform codec is bundled with the card or with Adobe Premiere so I’ll have to purchase it separately right? I checked Cineform’s website and they seem to have alot of products. I’m not quite sure which product I need to get Cineform’s HD codec. I plan to primarily capture from high definition analog sources.
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5 Replies
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You can use Cineform’s Prospect HD. I recommend you look into buying the OEM Xena Card + Prospect HD bundle from Cineform, if you decide to go that route. If you don’t mind using a “neutered” OEM Xena card that doesn’t support the Aja software; e.g. Machina, then that is definitely the way to go if you want to use Cineform.
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I should add and save money 🙂
You can use the retail Xena card with Prospect HD. It just costs alot more.
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What disadvantage will I have if I can’t use Machina? Also, I will be primarily be capturing from an analog source. I believe Prospect HD only provides an advantage from HD-SDI capture, right? I cannot capture directly using Aspect HD into the Cineform format from an analog source?
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I was in your boat about 5 months ago. I knew I wanted the Xena, but wasn’t sure about ProspectHD. After evaluating Cineform’s products, I determined they didn’t improve my workflow at all.
It did take a few weeks of discussion between Aja and Cineform to clarify the difference between the OEM and Retail version of the cards. One insisted they were exactly the same and the other insisted the OEM version wouldn’t run the Aja software.
I use other software that supports the Xena card than PPro, so being able to the Aja software was important to me.
I’m pretty sure AspectHD doesn’t support the Xena card.
If I were you, I’d download the trial of ProspectHD and go through the steps of your workflow. If you are “sold” on ProspectHD, then you will be using it and you won’t miss the Aja presets and software.
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Well…”neutered” might be strong, but there are a few features that AJA’s retail drivers have that they don’t necessarily have in the OEM drivers. Keeping in mind that there are several different companies OEMing the board, getting everyone to update at the same instant is simply a nightmare.
This is why there is a difference between the drivers. AJA’s retail drivers probably update more often in smaller increments, but by doing more substantial and less frequent OEM driver updates, it allows the third party folks like CineForm and Media 100 to settle in and get their apps running smoothly without the target constantly shifting.
The Machina application does handle a lot of options for the board, but the only real difference that I’ve seen between the OEM drivers and the retail drivers is that the Machina (Mahk’ in ah) application runs independently and can write uncompressed data to a myriad of filetypes while the CineForm OEM drivers are designed to use the board to capture to/and output from the CineForm format. For the most part, the multiple monitoring format settings and that sort of stuff is all there, just available from within the PPro/CineForm playback settings.
It’s all about what your specific workflow demands…
TimK,
Director,
Kolb Productions,Creative Cow Host,
Author/Trainer
http://www.focalpress.com
http://www.classondemand.net
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