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Capture Cards
Hey all,
I’m looking at updating my system and would appreciate any advice you can offer. I’ve spent the past few months looking online and reading around the board, but would like personal opinions as well if possible…
I’m picking up a Mac Pro to edit on, most of the work I get is shot on HDV or DVCAM, though I would like to have a system open to expansion for HD. I understand it might not be entirely possible to do that, but dont want to limit myself too much on the basis of saving money.
First off, what capture card would you recommend? The preference seems to be for AJA Kona cards, but why is this? What do I need to consider when picking up a card? I’m running a 30″ Apple display that I edit on and have a Samsung LE46A956 I intend to playback on for client preview. Would HDMI be the best to play out with, and what’s going to be my optimal capture input?
I’ve looked up a number of threads on monitors and I understand I could get some hardware to configure my Samsung to work to the correct broadcast spec, but should I just be getting a smaller monitor to check the colour instead?
There’s a few mixed questions here, but I believe they all relate to the same concept of what equipment I should be investing in to capture and playback with. Just looking for as much information as possible so that I dont waste money either getting too high or too low end gear… But of a three bears issue 🙂
Thanks in advance, as I say any advice is appreciated.
Marcus
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12 Replies
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If you do a search on AJA Kona, Gary Adcock and my name you will find multiple threads where we list our reasons for going with that product.
For a color accurate monitor at a low price, Flanders Scientific has the best I’ve seen for the price. Under $2,500 for a 17″ color grade accurate monitor. https://www.shopFSI.com or you can click on the yellow banner in this forum. They offer a full 30 day money back guarantee so if you don’t like it, you can return it. More about the monitor in my Blog.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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[walter biscardi] “If you do a search on AJA Kona, Gary Adcock and my name you will find multiple threads where we list our reasons for going with that product. “
wow
I never realized how many times I have answered that question!
gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production WorkflowsInside look at the IoHD
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/adcock_gary/AJAIOHD.php -
I like the AJA Kona cards too. And having good tech support on top of that is always great. But I am also a huge fan of the Matrox MXO2. Thus far it is doing all the stuff I used the Kona 3 for, with the added benefit of having analog inputs Captures are nice and clean, upconverts are nice and clean. Haven’t fully tested output cross-conversion, but I know it is available. And this card is $1000 cheaper than the AJA. Tech support isn’t quite up to AJA standards, but I have no complaints.
And this card has HDMI out, and software tools to allow you to balance your HDMI HDTV to color bars to get you as close to accurate as that monitor will allow. HDTVs aren’t really meant for this, but you can get close. I too am playing with a Flanders HD LCD and also liking it. Blacks aren’t as black as an HD CRT, but that is the limitation of LCD, not the Flanders.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
[Shane Ross] “Blacks aren’t as black as an HD CRT, but that is the limitation of LCD, not the Flanders. “
Which is why our 24″ models are coming with the ND Filter option. Once you throw that on there, you get the truly “black” blacks.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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Damn…I wish they had that with this 17″. Reason to go BIG I suppose.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
[Shane Ross] “Damn…I wish they had that with this 17”. Reason to go BIG I suppose. “
They’ve thought about it but at this time they’re only offering it for the 24″. It’s pretty darn fragile since it’s optical quality glass, non-tempered. We’ll have to get you in here for an edit one day so you can play with the 24’s.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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Marcus,
I seemed to have added my 2 cents to a simalar request not too long ago. Please see my response at :
https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/8/1029519If you want to ask me specific questions about my personal experience with the MXO2 I would be glad to give you another opinion.
Stay well.
An Artist At Heart.
Life is made of moments… -
Shane,
Isn’t the MXO2 only for Leopard?I think this is something that is hard to
find sometimes and good to reiterate fwiw.I was all set to buy one until I saw that.
I am on a long FCP project in Tiger and am
very hesitant to upgrade to 10.5 until I’m done.
That IS still the current thinking right? Don’t
upgrade in the middle of a project. -
[David McGiffert] “That IS still the current thinking right? Don’t
upgrade in the middle of a project.
“Especially when it involves updating the OS. If you have a stable, working system do not update in the middle of a project.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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The MXO2 is Leopard only, right. And yes, the thinking is to not upgrade in the middle of projects. But you can always do it in a way to cover your behind. Get Carbon Copy Cloner…clone your current system to an external drive. Then upgrade your machine. If the upgrades are messing you up, erase the drive and clone the working system back over.
Lately I am in long term projects that are TV series that there really is no calm between storms, so we do this.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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