Help with trying to go HD, emphasis on key matte

[Tim Kolb]

If you want to skip compression, you wouldn’t bring in footage as XDcam, you’d bring it in uncompressed and then write the file (and compress) to ProRes.

If you ingest directly to your Mac, the IO HD would work if you want a portable external solution, but an internal Kona card would be less expensive. You’d want a camera that outputs HDSDI (I think the Sony EX1-now discontinued for newer models, and the Panasonic HVX170 may be the most cost-effective options…someone else might have knowledge of something else).

For Green screen work, ProRes should be fine as long as you have the chops to shoot with the proper lighting, etc. I’ve also used 100 Mbit MPEG from Convergent Design’s NanoFlash (from an EX-1) and that works pretty well.

If you prefer uncompressed, you’ll need a pretty good RAID system to keep up with the recording…

TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,

[Mark Warren]

Tim –

Thanks for your time and advice.

I like the idea of an internal Kona card…although from my research, it looks like a Matrox MXO2 card would also work…is that correct? Do you have a preference on internal cards for the MAC?

Another question about Green Screen Work…you said that “ProRes should be find as long as you have the chops to shoot with proper lighting, etc.” Don’t I have to use proper lighting no matter what codec I use? I take your comment to mean that some codecs are more forgiving than others? If so, would you recommend I stay away from ProRes and opt more for some other codec? And are you also saying that the 100 MBit MPEG from your NanoFlash is better than ProRes, correct? At least as far as green screen work goes?

I spent some time on the Convergent website and saw their cool products. The NanoFlash sounds awesome..although a bit pricey for me. It sounds like I could accomplish my goals with either their HD-Connect MI or their NanoConnect. In fact, I don’t see the difference between the two. Any ideas?

And sounds like I don’t need to go to the full uncompressed route, as the 100 MBit compression is apparently undistinguishable as uncompressed.

Take care.

Mark

[Tim Kolb]

I don’t have any experience with the Matrox product…so no meaningful advice there. I have experience with AJA equipment.

(Don’t get an IO HD without checking on whether or not the drivers are out for the latest version of Final Cut…right now the IO HD works with FCS 2)

As far as greenscreen…I’m not saying that either format is better than the other…what I’m saying is that you can use compressed options like ProRes, or even 100 Mbit 4:2:2 MPEG to do that sort of work. What I meant by my remark was that I hear of all kinds of people who say “format X is no good for greenscreen” and when you do some follow up you find out that they took a shot of an African person in front of a roll of green construction paper with no lights…obviously in those cases, the format has nothing to do with the failure to pull a solid key.

If you got a Kona card and had the Mac cabled via SDI to the camera, you wouldn’t need anything else…just a serial digital capable BNC cable.

TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,

[Tim Kolb]

…of course you could always get a KiPro and compress to ProRes on that and simply file-transfer into your system if a Kona in a workstation is inconvenient to lug into the studio…

I use an IO Express on the PC side, but it also works on a Mac…but it doesn’t have the same collection of I/O capabilities as a Kona card.

TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,

[Mark Warren]

Thanks, Tim…your advice is much appreciated.

Mark

[Gary Adcock]

[Mark Warren] “If so, would you recommend I stay away from ProRes and opt more for some other codec? And are you also saying that the 100 MBit MPEG from your NanoFlash is better than ProRes, correct?”

If your working in FCP, do not work in MPEG based workflows, Tim in a PC guy and while those 8 bit Mpeg files my play well on a PC, ProRes is always 10bit color and designed from the ground up to be optimized for FCP.

And Contrary to Tim’s comment about the IoHD only being available for FCS2,
The IoHD software has been updated for FCS3. The AJA Software update had to wait for a fix available in the 7.01 FCP from Apple.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows for the Digitally Inclined
Chicago, IL

https://library.creativecow.net/articles/adcock_gary/AJAIOHD.php

[Mark Warren]

Gary – thanks for the update…very helpful.

Mark

[Matthew Causon]

Hello Mark

I think an AJA Ki Pro with an Io Express would be a good route.

That would give you 10 bit with 220Mbit ProRes HQ, – and without hanging a large RAID and Tower/Kona type system for uncompressed HD, you can’t get better quality HD.

Ki Pro captures to ProRes, which is a codec that is optimised for editing with FCP.

220 Mbit ProRes HQ will give better results than 100 Mbit Mpeg.

10bit is much better than 8bit for green screen and keying work. (4 times the color shades)

What’s more if you choose a camera that can output 10bit on the SDI you would have a 10bit workflow from lens to post.

Alternatively you could capture to 10Bit Pro Res HQ with the AJA IoHD (it does this via hardware within the unit like the Ki Pro), but it would be tethered to the computer (unlike the Ki Pro).

Matty Causon

Phosphor

EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Mark Warren]

Hello Matty –

Thanks for your time and info.

So, I would need both an AJA Video Ki Pro and an AJA Io Express….correct?

I’m not sure what the difference is (other than the price…$4,000 vs. $1,000).

Mark

[Matthew Causon]

Hello Mark

The Ki Pro is a video recorder.

The Io Express is an Io Card.

I would suggest you take a look at the AJA website, there are really supportive brochures and videos to take you through the products.

Then if you have queries you can post back here or perhaps visit a reseller who can take you through the product face to face?

Kind regards

Matty Causon

Phosphor

EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.