-
KONA 2 usage
I am thinking about getting a KONA 2 card for my G5, and my sales rep says that’s all I would need. (funny, you’d think a sales rep would try and sell me the moon)
I would be replacing a Decklink SP which has served me well for two years connected to my UVW 1800, which outside of an Ocean Matrix switcher to go back and forth from that deck and my component DV deck is all the hardware I’ve needed. So understand that this setup is all component, I am not using SDI at all.
So with all due respect to my sales rep, I guess my question is, will I also need some kind of A-D converter or breakout box with the KONA 2? If so, what is(are) the best option(s)? Is the K-Box enough? Or should I get an IOLA? Multibridge?
Some other factors to consider is that I have a home-based production company, and I do mostly local (Phoenix) TV commercials and corporate videos. I don’t plan on trying to become a high-volume post house or the next George Lucas. I just want to have the right setup to compete for some of the HD business that seems to be starting to come my way.
System details: G5 2gig (built in Sept, 2004) 2.5 gigs RAM Tiger 10.0.2 FCP Studio 5.0.2.
Thanks in advance…
-
8 Replies
-
Well, you have a choice to make. If you go the Kona 2 route then yes, you will need some sort of da or an io for your analog captures. You can also get the Kona LH which has SD/HD analog/digital input/output. The real difference for you is that the Kona LH will not upconvert like the Kona 2 will. So, if you have an HD project that requires digitizing some SD footage, then you need the Kona 2 and some sort of DA to get you from analog component video and audio to SDI (a full io comes to mind). Since you aren’t working that much in HD I would consider the LH as it does what you need it to do right now. You can always send out SD tapes for upconversion if need be.
Jeremy
———–
G5 Dual 2Ghz <> 4GB RAM <> FCP 5.02 <> Kona 2
ATTO 42XS <> Huge Systems 4105 Fibre -
Perhaps a Kona 2 and an Io LA? That way you are getting both analog i/o and hd-sdi i/o.
-
Hey Jeremy,
Thanks, that’s a great help. I want the K2 for the upconvert option, as I can shoot with my DVX100 in 16×9 with a lens adapter, plus I do a lot on Beta with a DP friend in anamorphic. So, I guess I still want an opinion on what the best D-A A-D box to get since this is where I’m headed?
-
Well, you now have another choice to make. You can get the io la to digitize your SD analog footage (beta SP or whatever) and then you can get a dv deck with SDI to feed the Kona 2 for the upconvert (the most expensive option)….or……you can get the full blown io and feed it analog component video and analog audio which will then embed those signals to SDI which you then feed to your Kona 2 for upconvert. I do the exact opposite all of the time (through the Kona 2 and io). I routinely feed SDI to the io for analog downconverts to Beta SP. it works really well and it’s a self contained box instead of a bunch of different boxes.
AJA also makes separate video and audio d/a’s which work really well, but it’s more cables and hassle. The io is the most elegant way. You’ll pay a little more for the full blown io, but all of your analog to digital to analog conversion is then built in. You will be happy with the purchase if you really intend to use it this way.
———–
G5 Dual 2Ghz <> 4GB RAM <> FCP 5.02 <> Kona 2
ATTO 42XS <> Huge Systems 4105 Fibre -
simple answer. Buy the AJA Kona 2, the AJA K-Box for the Kona 2, the AJA I/O (the full version), and make sure that you own a color black generator (like a Horita or a Sigma), a mixer and some decent speakers. Then – you in buziness !
Bob Zelin
-
Hey Bob,
Isn’t the AJA io redundant to the KONA 2? Can’t I just live with the card and the K-box?
-
Forgive me, maybe I wasn’t clear in my previous posts, but it is my understanding that you want to convert your analog SD sources to digital (SDI) for subsequent upcoversion to HD. The io will do this conversion for you. The alternative is to buy a myriad of boxes, converters, and cables.
The Kona 2 has only HD & SD SDI (digital) inputs, there are no analog inputs on the Kona 2, The Kona 2 has only an analog video output and unbalanced analog audio output but only if you get the kbox.
Make sense yet?
———–
G5 Dual 2Ghz <> 4GB RAM <> FCP 5.02 <> Kona 2
ATTO 42XS <> Huge Systems 4105 Fibre -
Jeremy is very clear, but if you need it drilled into your head Chris – Kona 2 DOES NOT HAVE ANALOG INPUTS FOR YOUR BETA VTR’s, and buying an I/O or I/O LA is a hell of a lot cheaper than buying converters. You buy BOTH – I/O and Kona 2.
Bob Zelin
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up