*NEW* AJA Desktop Product News from IBC 2005

[Gary Taylor]

Very cool product at a great price, and best of all it works with current Macs. That analog I/O is exactly what was missing to simplify my setup.
Gary

[Mark Maness]

Thanks guys…. I just invested in a Kona2 just two months ago and recently purchased an IO LA to handle the analog video. I am pissed that I was not warned that something was comming up in the real near future. I also use HDV and NOW have no real way of using it efficiently. The Kona HL with the breakout box is exactly what I needed. I have sunk about three thousand into all I have to find out that I could have waited two more months and got the Kona HL for less.

_______________________________

Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions

[Walter Biscardi]

[Wayne Carey] “I am pissed that I was not warned that something was comming up in the real near future.”

No company notifies anyone in the general public of any impending equipment announcement. That’s how discussions get started on many forums which results in competitors getting advance notice that a company will be introducing something new.

Yes it’s unfortunate that your made that purchase just two months ago, but anytime there is a major convention on the horizon, either NAB or IBC, it’s always best to wait until after those events before making a purchase if you can wait. If you needed the Kona 2 two months ago, then you made the right purchase. You can always ask your VAR if they will take it back or exchange it, or go ahead and sell the Kona 2 / Io and purchase the HL.

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

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

Now editing “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network

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

[Walter Biscardi]

[Wayne Carey] “I also use HDV and NOW have no real way of using it efficiently”

The Kona 2 also accelerates HDV like the HL. I plan to pick up one of those AJA Component to SDI converters when the first HDV project comes in the door. To date I haven’t had any, just HDCAM and DVCPro HD.

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

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

Now editing “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network

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

[Mark Maness]

My sincerest appologies…. I had to vent my frustrations a little. I understand the business and I did attend NAB this past year. It was very informational but AJA would not speak of anything in the near future. They were very tight lipped. Yeah, I do understand that they have to keep secrects to keep competetors from stealing their ideas for that item comes to market.

But when you are a future customer, sales people can say something like, “I can’t say whats comming up exactly but I think it will fill your needs much better than they are now, so keep an eye out on us.” You know, some sort of warning. I get it all the time from other companies, such as Sony. My Sony rep told us about XDCAM before it was announced without telling us. He just said we have something new that I think will be perfect for you guys if you just wait a couple of months.

It just really bothers me that I spent over $3,000 on equipment that mostly fills my needs when I could have been warned and only spent about $2,000 for my exact need.

Oh yeah…. can you explain how the Kona2 accelerates HDV when AJA doesn’t have a codec for it? I have to gerry rig my setup to work with the Kona2 for viewing purposes but it doesn’t help at all with the number of streams I can use and real time effects. I have the biggest baddest Mac there is and I can only do one stream of HDV video. But now I can do up to 4 streams of 10-bit Uncompressed HD with the Kona2.

By the way. Great job of the “Good Eats” program, Walter! Its my favorite show on the food network.

_______________________________

Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions

[Walter Biscardi]

[Wayne Carey] “Oh yeah…. can you explain how the Kona2 accelerates HDV when AJA doesn’t have a codec for it?”

I don’t work with HDV yet, but AJA doesn’t have a codec for DVCPro HD either, they use the Panasonic codec. There is an easy setup for DVCPro HD, but the codec is from Panasonic.

From what I understand you use the standard HDV presets in FCP, but change the video output to the K2. Again, I haven’t used the codec so I’m not sure. Have you spoken to AJA Tech Support about the proper way to set up for HDV playback through the Kona 2?

[Wayne Carey] “By the way. Great job of the “Good Eats” program, Walter! Its my favorite show on the food network.”

Thanks! I definitely enjoy creating the animations as well as the editing.

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

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

Now editing “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network

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

[Tony]

Wayne,

Anytime you intend on making a purchase it is your duty to ask if a trade in or trade up policy exist when a new product replaces the older one in a short time frame.

In addition I recommend always waiting until after a major tradeshow has ended before making any new equipment purchases. No vendor can release confidential information in advance without risking losing their edge.

The best question to ask the manufacturer directly is 1) If I buy “X” product today will I be disappointed in the next “X” days if and when a possible new product arrives?

They can provide you a “Yes or No” answer which should give you enough insight to buy or wait out until the “secret” product is released.

Tony Salgado

[Gary Taylor]

Hi Wayne,
The acceleration has to do with hardware resizing. Both HDV and DVCProHD reduce the resoluton of the captured footage when capturing it from the camera head. Of course when you are looking at the footage on your HD monitor it has to be scaled back up to it full resolution. A capture card can do this one using its onboard hardware (Kona)does or it can delegate it to your CPU(some other cards).

Because the Kona uses its onboard hardware for these scaling tasks there should be more cpu throughput left over for realtime effects. This should be especially true if you were working with multiple streams of HDV or DVCProHD, or a least that is the rationale.
Hope that helps,
Gary

[Jerry Witt]

I also bought my ioLA a little over two months ago. Had I known this product was coming down the pike, I surely would have waited. So, yeah, I’m a little disappointed. I thought I was being smart by waiting until after NAB, but IBC wasn’t even on my radar. But in all fairness, I’ve completed two projects with the system and have been very happy.

My plan was to follow the pattern so many on this board have recommended. Use the ioLA today to capture from betacam and other analog sources, and buy a Kona 2 when I’m ready for HD. The Kona LH changes my plans and raises some questions. Here goes:

1.) Does AJA offer any trade-in for ioLA users? (I have to ask.)

2.) In terms of analog i/o, does the Kona LH differ from ioLA in what it can ingest and output? (One big advantage for the LH is not being tied to the firewire port, you can probably leave your mini-DV deck plugged in.)

3.) Will the LH support the same HD sizes and frame rates ad the Kona 2? (My selfish personal question is, “Will I be able to edit and output 24 progressive frames in 1080?”)

Oh, and you probably don’t get this enough, so ATTABOY — good job guys.

[Walter Biscardi]

[Jerry Witt] “I also bought my ioLA a little over two months ago. Had I known this product was coming down the pike, I surely would have waited.”

I actually am just taking delivery of the Io LA today, but it’s what I prefer to have as I have two Kona 2 systems installed. I like the flexibility of the external box which can go where it’s needed and I can also use it with my laptop, so that’s cool.

[Jerry Witt] “2.) In terms of analog i/o, does the Kona LH differ from ioLA in what it can ingest and output? (One big advantage for the LH is not being tied to the firewire port, you can probably leave your mini-DV deck plugged in.)”

I don’t see S-Video as an I/O option so that may be the only real difference between the two.

[Jerry Witt] “3.) Will the LH support the same HD sizes and frame rates ad the Kona 2? (My selfish personal question is, “Will I be able to edit and output 24 progressive frames in 1080?”)”

Looking at the brochure all HD support is the same as the K2 except NO Up-convert and NO 4:4:4.

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

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

Now editing “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network

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