Upconvert Through Kona 3 or Other? (hardware vs. software)

[Gary Adcock]

[Andrew Saliga] “Are there better hardware-based solutions?”

Yes solutions like Teranex and Alchemist offer the highest quality of up conversion, though it can be expensive to have done.

“What are the advantages/disadvantages of using a hardware solution vs. a software one? “

Time vs Money mostly,
However note that some of the newer codecs are handling the math of the process based on the CPU power of the machine doing the conversion, so that software conversion on my machine could be vastly different than what you can do on your machine.

The kona card you mention is able to do the conversions in realtime so the process can be handled during your initial digitization process or in some cases directly during output – but that is not recommended, if you deliver in HD you had better cut in and finish in HD for the best results, as there are no shortcuts.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

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https://library.creativecow.net/articles/adcock_gary/AJAIOHD.php

[Walter Biscardi]

[Andrew Saliga] “I read a COW tutorial explaining the process of upconverting through Kona 3. Are there better hardware-based solutions? What are the advantages/disadvantages of using a hardware solution vs. a software one? “

Terranex and Alchemist hardware conversions are the best. Can be very expensive depending on the amount of footage required, especially the Alchemist conversions.

Kona 3 is the best on the Mac. Anamorphic DVCAM upconverts much better than 4:3 DVCAM on the Kona. The Terranex adds line doubling so it’s cleaner, but I have delivered a 1 hour special to an HD Network that was shot entirely anamorphic DV and upconverted via the Kona 3 to HDCAM. It was remarkably clean.

[Andrew Saliga] “I’m assuming that hardware, while more costly, will produce the better end result.

I’ve also looking into Magic Bullet Instant HD as well as BorisFX Contimuum UpRez. “

Instant HD is not that impressive to me. Never tried Boris’ UpRez. I don’t use any software conversion because the Kona 3 is the cleanest I’ve seen of anything out there for the Mac, software or hardware.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

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[Andrew Saliga]

Great. Thanks for the tips guys. This is actually an HD project with some old DVCAM footage in it that will be broadcast in HD. Good to know that I can get decent results through the Kona 3.

-Andrew Saliga