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major issues after Maverick install…
I have an early 2008 Intel Mac Pro running FCP 7 and a Kona Lhe card. I don’t do complex editing or workflows, as my business is basically digitizing broadcast format analog tapes to files.
I, in retrospect, foolishly “upgraded” to Maverick OS after the notice popped up a few weeks ago. I’ve noticed a couple of intermittent problems with FCP 7 since, but the main one so far is that my captures are all about a second out of audio/video sync.
I emailed AJA support about it, and they told me that my Lhe card is not supported with Maverick and that he has heard from others with similar situations and some had success with rolling back the Kona driver to 9.0.3. He implied that upgrading to the newer Lhe+ card would fix it.
At this point, I don’t know which way to go. I have Premier 5.5 and 6 on this machine, but I have never used them (old dog-new trick syndrome). I think my current Kona is supposed work with 5.5…at least I downloaded the drivers for it a long while back, but I don’t know if Maverick has poisoned that combo as well.
So I don’t know whether to try that, or try and take the OS back to Snow Leopard, which looks to be quite involved, especially for someone like me…or try getting the newer Kona card and see if that will work with FCP7 and Maverick.
I see that Blackmagic has a lot of cards as well. I don’t know anything about them, but if that’s an option with this setup, I’ll look into it. At this point, I only need SDI inputs on a capture card, as I’m doing all my analog to SDI conversions with external hardware.
Anyone else having similar debates and/or issues?
Guy -
19 Replies
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Oh, how I feel your pain…
I had a LHe card and was happily using it with FCP7 in Lion (10.7).
Then I wanted to switch to Premiere Pro CS6. Well, that was a no-go for the LHe (which I loved and still miss). I purchased a LHi instead of a LHe+ because it had HDMI and I thought it would be more “future proof”What I gave up was 2 independent SDI outputs and more importantly, video level controls for the analog in (this is true of the LHe+ as well).
If you do not NEED to go beyond CS5.5 or FCP 7, do not (I repeat, do NOT) give up your LHe. My strong recommendation would be to first, clone your Mavericks system to a backup drive, and then do a clean install of Lion (better than Snow Leopard). You’ll have a clean, stable system that works well with the LHe and FCP 7.
David Kuhnen
BVK-Milwaukee
Video Editor/Engineer -
Since my original post, I have made an interesting discovery.
A couple of years ago, I downloaded the Premier drivers for my Kona LHe thinking I would try playing with Premier at some point. I never did.
I had loaded both CS 5.5 and CS 6 on my machine, so I have both versions of Premier.
When this recent problem popped up, I also thought about getting the LHi card as well for the HDMI output, but after considering it, I think the two separate SDI outputs are more flexible…plus, I couldn’t imagine anyone guaranteeing that I would not have issues using that card with Maverick and FCP7 anyway.
After watching a few YouTube video tutorials, I was able to set 5.5 up to capture what I needed to do for my current project…and it does it perfectly. All in sync and everything. So far, it looks good. Actually, even before I “upgraded” to Maverick, I would occasionally get captures that were out of sync. It seemed to be random, and sadly, I think I had gotten used to having to deal with that annoyance on occasion. If Premier never does that to me, that’s reason enough to switch right there, since most of what I do is capture analog tape material.
The interesting thing is that AJA support told me that the LHe card would not work with Maverick, but so far…at least in Premier 5.5, it’s working well.
I think for now, I will do my captures in 5.5, and begin the learning process of switching the relatively simple editing I do from FCP7 to Premier 6. I just have a feeling that Apple is going to one day do an update that will totally blow out FCP7, and if that’s all I know how to use…that will be a sad day indeed.
It’s a good time for me to switch to Premier, as I have no unfinished projects going at the moment, so….FCP7…..see ya!
I like this computer, as it’s my first real Apple experience, but you won’t ever see me camped outside an Apple store waiting for them to open with a new product.
“Fanboy” is not in my future…. -
Unfortunately, you’re going to be stuck in CS5.5 with the LHe. CS6 requires drivers that are only compatible with the newer generation cards (LHe+, LHi, etc.)
David Kuhnen
BVK-Milwaukee
Video Editor/Engineer -
Yeah, I guess the Kona card does a few things besides capture that would be helpful.
Now, I don’t know whether to get the LHe+ or look for something entirely different.
Does the LHe+ do everything that Premier 6 needs it to do…and hopefully, under Maverick?
I’m going to stick with CS6 because I have no need to go the Adobe subscription route. I don’t like the idea of that, and I don’t need constant “upgrades” for what I do. -
I really like the stability and customer service that comes with AJA hardware. (Read some discussion groups about problems with the competitors) If you upgrade to LHe+ or LHi you will be fully compatible with CS6 and Maverick. As I stated, the new AJA drivers no longer have adjustment for analog levels (if you’ve ever used those). The AJA card “should” be good for at least a couple OS X upgrades but CS6 is an unknown.
I am on a 2008 MacPro running Mountain Lion and I have NO intention of upgrading the OS any time soon. If it ain’t broke, why would I want to fix it? Stability is much more important to me than trying to troubleshoot new software.
David Kuhnen
BVK-Milwaukee
Video Editor/Engineer -
I’m with you on stability. My Mac Pro is also an early 2008, and I’ve been very happy with it and it’s all I need for what I do.
I’ve never used any Kona level adjustments, as I do all that “pre-Kona”. I really don’t even use the analog inputs of it anymore, since I have these extremely good Leitch DPS-475 units which do excellent decoding of composite video (noticeably better than the Kona) and output SDI to my Kona.
I guess the decision will be do I go with the LHi or the LHe+? I have a great Pioneer plasma display that I could feed directly with the hdmi output instead of using one of the AJA SDI-HDMI mini converters.
Being an old school broadcast guy, I like to monitor video levels externally on a real waveform monitor with good ol NTSC composite out of the Kona. Just looking at the LHi specs, it looks like it will do that like the LHe I have now does.
I wonder if the LHi and the LHe+ have the same specs/quality in and out?
For the difference in price, you would think there must be more to it than just HDMI ports. -
Ahhhh, Now you’ve hit on why I really miss my LHe.
I too prefer to monitor on a CRT waveform…Have a gander at this-
https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/98/879775#879791The LHe and LHi have similar quality specs. In addition to the HDMI, the LHi also adds the ability to up-rez through the card, which does a really nice job considering the price.
David Kuhnen
BVK-Milwaukee
Video Editor/Engineer -
Did you ever resolve that issue? I’ve been impressed with just how good and clean the composite output of the LHe is.
Did your analog component outputs have that same issue?
I may try an LHi, but if I get that…it’s going back. -
I ended up replacing my older WFM300A with a used 1740A.
The circuitry of the 1740A basically hides the problem.I confirmed with AJA engineering that they redesigned the coupling of the analog video output amps on the LHe+ and LHi. They explained that most analog record decks could handle the new coupling design and that their (newer) waveform monitors never showed the error.
They said they never checked the analog outputs on a standard oscilloscope.
So, did I ever resolve the problem? No, it still exists. I just found a way to HIDE the problem. It will all boil down to how well your waveform monitor can handle DC restoration.
David Kuhnen
BVK-Milwaukee
Video Editor/Engineer -
Interesting that they never checked it.
I use all sorts of “vintage” waveform monitors in my operation. 529s, 528s, 1730s, 1480s…etc.
I found an “open box” LHi for sale for about 400 bucks, so I’m trying to decide whether to take a chance on it.
Do you know if all LHi cards are the same and not different vintages like the LH3e vs. LH3+?
I just want to be sure that if I get a used LHi card, that is will work just as a new one and work with all the same software, drivers….etc.
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