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Walter B – Kona 3 ??
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[walter biscardi] “The Kona 3 is the all everything board that offers HD/SD SD UPconvert to HD, HD downconvert to SD along with 720-1080i / 1080i-720 cross conversion.”
Walter:
Isn’t it true that the Kona 3, by itself, doesn’t support analog video input. So “all everything” seems to be overstating what still is an impressive board. I’m not saying that it can’t be paired with something else (converter, AJA IO, etc.) to provide this additional capability. Just wouldn’t want someone else to make an incorrect assumption about the Kona 3’s capabilities.
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[keyframe] “Isn’t it true that the Kona 3, by itself, doesn’t support analog video input. So “all everything” seems to be overstating what still is an impressive board.”
Absolutely, you’ll need either stand-alone converter or something like the Io for SD, that’s all pretty self explanatory when you read the specs on teh website. But the Kona 3 itself is “all everything” as far as formats and capturing one format to another, upconverting / downconverting etc..
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[walter biscardi] “But the Kona 3 itself is “all everything” as far as formats and capturing one format to another, upconverting / downconverting etc..”
I appreciate you clarifying what you meant.
[walter biscardi] “Absolutely, you’ll need either stand-alone converter or something like the Io for SD, that’s all pretty self explanatory when you read the specs on teh website.”
I did briefly review some of the Kona 3 specs on AJA’s website before my earlier post. What seemed “self explanatory” to me was that the lack of analog video input was not characteristic of an “all everything board.” It’s like when I was talking to someone about the Kona 3, they said something similar to “you mean after buying a $3000 board, I would still have to spend at least another $1500 to bring in analog video?” My point is that the lack of analog video input is a large footnote to anyone who needs analog in (e.g., Betacam SP, HDV component analog, etc.) Betacam SP was even mentioned in the original post of this thread.
I didn’t mean to come across as attacking the Kona 3. I just took issue with your earlier phrasing.
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[keyframe] “It’s like when I was talking to someone about the Kona 3, they said something similar to “you mean after buying a $3000 board, I would still have to spend at least another $1500 to bring in analog video?” My point is that the lack of analog video input is a large footnote to anyone who needs analog in (e.g., Betacam SP, HDV component analog, etc.) Betacam SP was even mentioned in the original post of this thread.”
Then you purchase an LH or LHe which has Analog I/O included. But you give up Up Convert, Cross Convert and a few other features. You have choices.
We have two Kona 3’s here and a Kona 3 along with a Component to SDI/Embedded audio which was around $900. Not sure what you’re purchasing for $1,500 but I’m sure it’s handy.
For BetaSP, I decided to purchase the Sony J3/902 about three years ago which brings in all flavors of Beta via SDI. Best decision I ever made next to the purchase of the Panasonic AJ-HD1200A VTR.
It’s your money, your choice. Purchase a Kona 3 and be ready for anything. Purchase a Kona LH and keep your Analog I/O intact but give up some HD features.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[walter biscardi] “We have two Kona 3’s here and a Kona 3 along with a Component to SDI/Embedded audio which was around $900. Not sure what you’re purchasing for $1,500 but I’m sure it’s handy.”
You’re right about the price. For the earlier post, I was grabbing rough figures from a Summer 2006 B&H catalog (HD10A: $1550, AJA IO: $1950). I now see that the current B&H web site prices for the HD10A and HD10AVA are more in line with your figure. The $3000 for the Kona 3 was again a rough figure (not too far off if including the breakout box?). I didn’t mean to be misleading with the insertion of those particular catalog figures ($3K, $1.5K). I did think that similar figures were used in the conversation I referenced.
[walter biscardi] “For BetaSP, I decided to purchase the Sony J3/902 about three years ago which brings in all flavors of Beta via SDI. Best decision I ever made next to the purchase of the Panasonic AJ-HD1200A VTR.”
Well, I learned something else from you today. My limited Betacam SP experience is with UVW-1600/UVW-1800 decks (no SDI?).
[walter biscardi] “Then you purchase an LH or LHe which has Analog I/O included. But you give up Up Convert, Cross Convert and a few other features. You have choices.”
Actually, I have a little experience with the Kona LH. I recommended this board to an organization I occasionally help. An important factor was their need for analog video input and output (1600/1800 decks mentioned above).
[walter biscardi] “Purchase a Kona 3 and be ready for anything.”
Anything? Not analog video input. Maybe if you had said, “Purchase a Kona 3 along with an AJA HD10AVA converter and be ready for anything.”
Also, earlier today in a different thread, you stated, “With AJA it’s very simple. You connect the HDV deck to a Kona board, any Kona HD board. Under Easy Setup choose any Kona DVCPro preset. Start capturing.”
I’m not sure what HDV deck was being discussed, but if it was a deck with component analog video out (no SDI out), then it seems to me that you were giving the impression that the HDV deck could be connected directly to a Kona 3 board (“…a Kona board, any Kona HD board.”) [The need for a converter with the Kona 3 was raised in a subsequent post.]
[walter biscardi] “You have choices.”
I agree. With the Kona LH, a person gives up up-conversion, cross-conversion, 2K, dual-link 4:4:4,… With the Kona 3 (alone) the person gives up analog video input,$$$,… The point is, that by themselves, either choice means giving up something (other than just $). Granted, the analog video deficiencies of the Kona 3 can be compensated, but I wonder if people asking for hardware advice readily know this requires supplemental equipment. (I know, I know, they could dig through the specs, etc.)
Walter, you know these AJA products far better than I do. My wish is that references to the Kona 3 not overlook, oversimplify, ignore this analog video input thing. I know analog video input is not important to everyone. I know the information might be there on AJA’s website. I know that you and many others know about it. Still, blanket statements that may leave the impression with some (uninformed) people that the issue is not there seems undesirable to me.
Thank you for listening.
Steve Grimes
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Reviewing my post, I noticed the following.
[keyframe] “HD10A: $1550, AJA IO: $1950”
Walter, I must plead guilty to being somewhat misleading myself. As you correctly pointed out in an earlier reply to one of my posts, the AJA Io is for SD only (?), so it is not a solution for HD analog video. So, for BetaSP, IO would be OK; for HDV component analog video, e.g., Io not OK.
It sure seems easy to slip up on this stuff. Important stuff, however. 🙂
Steve Grimes
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[keyframe] “It’s like when I was talking to someone about the Kona 3, they said something similar to “you mean after buying a $3000 board, I would still have to spend at least another $1500 to bring in analog video?””
It is really a question of understanding your needs Most people that still need the analog video in do not need to do the Dual Link, so then the Kona LH would suffice for them.
Since HD is really a digital only process, there is not really a need for analog in for a HD only workflow, and while the K3 does allow for analog video out, the HD process does not need it.
Take a look at the Kona LH/e should you still need the analog capture capabilities.
gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows -
[gary adcock] “Most people that still need the analog video in do not need to do the Dual Link”
Maybe true. But what about upconversion? Mixing (older) SD analog video with newer HD footage.
[gary adcock] “Since HD is really a digital only process, there is not really a need for analog in for a HD only workflow”
Maybe. Some people wish to bring in HDV footage via the HD analog component video path. Are you excluding HDV from “a HD only workflow?”
Granted, analog video to SDI/HD-SDI converters could be used with the Kona 3 to address these issues.
If the Kona 3 is really positioned for a digital-only, high-end market, then what about a Kona LH/LHe with upconversion (not just downconversion).
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[keyframe] “Maybe. Some people wish to bring in HDV footage via the HD analog component video path. Are you excluding HDV from “a HD only workflow?””
then you don’t need to have the Dual link capabilities, and for the up-conversion you can do what the BMD product does- uprez in software as opposed to the better hardware version on the kona3
sounds like you need the Kona LH.
gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows -
[keyframe] “Maybe true. But what about upconversion? Mixing (older) SD analog video with newer HD footage.”
Kona 3 does this in hardware.
[keyframe] “Maybe. Some people wish to bring in HDV footage via the HD analog component video path. Are you excluding HDV from “a HD only workflow?””
This is exactly what I do. I have the AJA HD10AVA converter to bring Component and audio out of my Sony HDV deck and the converter sends out SDI video with embedded audio.
Or you purchase the Kona LH / LHe which gives you Analog Component video and analog audio input.
[keyframe] “If the Kona 3 is really positioned for a digital-only, high-end market, then what about a Kona LH/LHe with upconversion (not just downconversion).”
Kona 3 is positioned as the high end, do everything card. LH / LHe will not be getting upconvert anytime soon, nor should it.
At this point you’re just going round and round wanting the features of the Kona 3 and LH combined into one. Not going to happen. If you want everything the Kona 3 has and you need Analog I/O, then you get converters like I have. If you want analog I/O but don’t need Dual Link / Up-Convert / Cross-Convert then you go with the LH.
AJA has given you two very good hardware based choices. Make the decision best for your needs and budget and go with it. I think Gary and I have covered all the scenarios for you to make an informed decision.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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