Need Purchasing advice

[Walter Biscardi]

[Cody Bettis Jr] “Should we even try to get a Kona 2 and Decklink SP card? Would that be a poor use of funds? We would also like to monitor HDV projects on our Sony HDTV.”

Nope, you don’t want those two cards in the same machine. Better use of funds is the K2 and the Io LA for your Analog I/O.

According to info I got from AJA, the Kona 2 does accelerate HDV functions like with DVCPro HD, but I don’t use HDV so I’m not really sure what it does. HDV has not impressed me at all and we work with DVCPro HD when shooting HD.

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

[Ned Soltz]

While the Kona 2 does accelerate HDV, you really can work adequately with HDV over firewire. The real question about working in HDV is how you are going to deliver. If you downrez to DV, then you certainly can handle all of that without the Kona 2. Your DV from HDV downrezed will definitely be better than shooting pure DV.

Now, if you wish to monitor HDV on your Sony HDTV, you could consider the Sony HVRM-10U HDV deck which has analog component out. You can monitor through the component inputs on your Sony HDTV.

Yes, a workflow is possible with the Kona 2 and I have done some HDV work with it. You can either capture via firewire and then transcode to a higher codec like DVCPRO HD or use a Kona HD10A component to SDI converter to convert to SDI input to your Kona 2. Use firewire for deck control. You can also use firewire for audio or use a Flying Cow A->D converter to convert the analog audio from the HDV camera or deck to digital, which can then go into your Kona 2 (BTW, if you buy a Kona 2, definitely go the extra $300 for the K Box). Capture into FCP with a DVCPRO HD 1080i codec (you will need to create a custom capture pre-set for the firewire control). Then, monitor out the analog component outputs from the Kona 2 or the K Box.

That is definitely, IMHO, a pricey solution for HDV, considering $2500 for the Kona 2; $1500 for the HD10A; and $300 for the KBox. OF course, the HD10A will also take your analog SD output from BetaSP and the Kona 2 will have no problem with SD. Since the K Box has a serial port, you can also control the BetaSP deck through the Kona 2.

In short, if you are working with SD, the analog Kona board or an Io would be perfect for you and you can capture your HDV via firewire.

Now, if you decide to output that HDV to an HD-delivery medium such as a Sony HDCAM deck or a Panasonic 1200A, then you would need the Kona 2.

If you are burning HD-DVD’s to show on the Mac using the DVD Player 4.6 software, then you can still work via firewire and not need the investment in the Kona 2. As I said, it comes down to delivery mechanism since we really have very limited ways in which we can deliver that HDV signal. You can always lay back to the HDV camera or deck (a lengthy rendering process) and then just present via an HD-compatible projector or HDTV. When we actually have real consumer HD DVD’s and the ability to burn those, then our HDV delivery horizons will expand.

Meanwhile, I’ll express a tentative agreement with Walter that DVCPRO HD footage looks better than HDV. But it all depends upon your use. For example, digibeta looks better than DV but DV might be adequate for your application.

Ned Soltz

[Cody Bettis jr]

Thank you both, Ned and Walter.
Lot’s of good info, I’m very much still learning.

I think we’ve decided to just buy a Decklink SP card for now and wait to purchase a Kona 2 or Multibridge Extreme in 6 months or so when consumer HD-DVDs come to market.

Thank you again!

[Ned Soltz]

One final thing… if you are buying the Decklink, do not plan to use that in conjunction with the Kona eventually because the two do not play well together…

Ned