How does K2 compare to Teranex/Alchemist?

[Tim Martin]

Hey,

Personally, I hate up converting. But, I also understand that it occurs in most HD programming at this point. I’ve seen footage up converting using both the Teranex and the Kona 2. I’m sure if we got into very precise testing that there would be a scientific winner. But, I’ve been quite satisfied with the job that the Kona2 is doing. So, these comments should be followed by the crap in crap out philosophy. And that if the mini-DV looks like crap neither is going to fix that. But, the Kona 2 does a professional job.

Cheers,

Tim

[Aja Sales department]

Hi-

I will leave the quality reviews of our upconversion to the good folks here on the board, but let me say the KONA 2’s 10-bit hardware upconvert can be applied to any or all inputs and/or outputs, during digitze or playback.

—
AJA Video Systems
(530) 274-2048 Intl.
(800) 251-4224 US
sales@aja.com

[Marco Solorio]

I hope Gary sees this thread. He did some testing on the K2 and the Teranex in terms of SD to HD upconvert and found it to be incredibly close. Within a very small percentage of being identical… like around 3 to 4% (!!!)

Yo Gary, where are ya bro!

Marco Solorio  |   OneRiver Media

[Bob Zelin]

I just did the upconversion yesterday. The upconversion from SDI to HD SDI is teriffic, however the 4:3 image is stretched, but that is the very nature of going from 4:3 to 16:9. You will be very happy, and for $2400, you will be VERY VERY happy, compared to buying a $100,000 Teranex, that is not longer manufacturered.

Bob Zelin

[Tony]

It’s ironic that those who are concerned about HD image quality in post did not originate in HD where it really counts.

Look to be quite frank starting in DV and expecting HD like image quality in post will result in a simple formula time and time again GIGO (garbage in garbage out) and that has nothing to do with what the K2 is capable of doing.

You already lost all your image quality long before you got to post by choosing to originate in mini dv.

Tony Salgado

[Bob Zelin]

Hi Tony –
there are countless HD shows being created now that rely on SD archival footage. I do a lot of work for Disney and Universal related production companies, and have massive libraries of footage that must be brought into new HD shows that are created. The use of the upconversion features is vital, and budgets are not always there to just go out and shoot the same material, just to get it “fresh” with an HD camera.

Bob Zelin

[Tony]

Hi Bob,

I am on referring to new material in which the client has a choice to originate in HD instead of SD when the final delivery is to be HD.

Granted mixing SD and HD is required for many programs and must be done but if it can be avoiding from the beginning than I personally would choose to do so if I had to originate on mini dv.

Tony Salgado

[Walter Biscardi]

[sithcommander] “Last and most importanty, onlining the HDCam shot footage is promising, but will the K2 yield broadcast quality results for the standard def footage akin to that of the Alchemist or Teranex?”

It’s really really clean, though the network you’re delivering to will make the final decision on that one. Some networks, like the one I’m cutting a show for, have the Terranex specified in their conversion path.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Now in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Oliver Peters]

I work with the folks at Teranex (a client) and I’ll have to say that there is nothing better, though a lot comes close these days. Remember, that all K2 is doing is scaling. Teranex products additionally deal with noise reduction/enhancement, mixed pulldown cadence, video-over-film conditions, and so on.

At NAB they showed Flexview, which was designed for a major cable network and is now being released as a product. Like a function seen in many widescreen displays, it streches the edges more than the middle, giving you some very acceptible 4×3-to-16×9 upconversions.

Sincerely,
Oliver

Oliver Peters
Post-Production & Interactive Media
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com