What’s the verdict…BM or Kona?

[Christopher Tay]

Adam,

My Kona2 experience with my customers have been great. As far as technical design of the Kona2 card, it’s from AJA so you can be rest assured as they’ve been in the broadcast business for years. My personal favourite is the Kona Control Panel as it makes formats, I/O and up/down conversion selection very easily and visually as well as there is a routing diagram to show what goes in, goes out and gets converted. Add the AJA Io into the mix and you have a very powerful analog/digital SD & HD setup. Plus you can use the Io as a standalone converter through the Io Control Panel. Very handy.

And last…but not least, the K-BOX breakout box is a must have and given that cost is not a major issue for you, just get it.

-chrispy

[Sandust]

adam f,

I have the BM HD and a Multibridge that I use with FCP 4.5 on a dual 2.5 G5 and it is great. I went with this solution because I needed to be able to capture and view component HD and wanted the least expensive solution. I am now thinking about getting the Kona 2 to replace my Decklink HD, because every now and then I wish I had SD to HD upconvert and the Kona 2 will give me that. HD upconvert is the only advantage I have found the Kona 2 to have over BM. Everything else seems to be a wash. They are both great solutions. Heads or tails?

Mahalo,
Dusty

Dual 2.5Ghz G5 w/ 2.5GB ram, Decklink HD, Decklink Multibridge, MOTU 896HD
JVC DV5000, 2 Sony HDR-FX1, JVC BR-DV3000U, JVC 19″ HD monitor

[Walter Biscardi]

In this forum, it’s an easy answer Adam, Kona 2. I tested the Decklink HD Pro and went with the Kona 2 here because it just performed better and the tech support is second to none. Coming from a CineWave background myself, the transition to Kona 2 was pretty seamless.

As Chrispy notes, the K-Box is a must have. Now if you need any Analog I/O with the thing, plan to add the AJA Io LA which will give you the analog inputs. The Kona 2 ONLY has SDI Input along with Component and Composite Video outputs. I keep saying I’m going to add one over here, but I don’t get analog sources anymore, or if I do, they’re BetaSP which plays out via SDI on my J3/902 player.

Good luck!

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

[Leo Ticheli]

What tests did you perform?

What model cards from BM did you actually test?

What do you mean, exactly, by, “it just performed better?”

Best regards,
Leo

Director/Cinematographer
Southeast USA

[Walter Biscardi]

[Leo Ticheli] “What tests did you perform?”

General day to day editing and installation.

[Leo Ticheli] ”
What model cards from BM did you actually test?”

Decklink HD Pro sent to me directly by BMD.

[Leo Ticheli] ”
What do you mean, exactly, by, “it just performed better?””

Installation was a problem with the BMD. Could not get HD to work at all. Could only work in SD, though had some problems there. Overall, very unsatisfactory experience with the product.

Kona 2 installed easily. SD and HD no problems. The cost of the K2 was $2k less than the HD Pro at the time (not sure what the HD Pro goes for now), so I purchased the K2 and the K-Box and would not purchase any other product for FCP at this time.

Solid product, the best tech support I’ve seen in the business and they’re all over OS and FCP updates.

Anything else Leo?

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

[Leo Ticheli]

Thanks, Walter,
I think that clears up what you meant by “test.” I thought I remembered that you said you had trouble installing the card.

Sorry you couldn’t do the install; one must remember that thousands are quite successfully using DeckLink cards on a daily basis.

For those who don’t know, I’m a host of the DeckLink Forum here at the Cow. My own experiences with DeckLink and Black Magic have been quite different from Walter’s. I’ve not used the Kona 2 card, but I’m confident it’s a good solution. I like AJA; good company and I use a few of their products, all of which have been excellent.

Best regards,
Leo

Director/Cinematographer
Southeast USA

[Walter Biscardi]

[Leo Ticheli] “I think that clears up what you meant by “test.” I thought I remembered that you said you had trouble installing the card.”

Not sure how else one would “test” a card other than editing with it. Tried it, didn’t like it, went with something else.

Thousands of people use both products, it’s a personal preference really at this point, though I recommend AJA to anyone who asks.

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

[Gary Adcock]

[walter biscardi] “In this forum, it’s an easy answer Adam, Kona 2.”

I agree, in The DL forum you will get a very different answer. AJA is pretty much the standard in hardware mini converters, thats how I got turned on to them – I got them with my first Voodoo card, and have been hooked on the company ever since.
AJA’s service is second to none, and their tech support is the best I have worked with without paying $500,000.00 for a system

AJA is on the cutting edge in the Apple / FCP world due to the allegiance with apple. Apple thought the AJA products were good enough to be the ONLY hardware boards shown at this past NAB. They make the video conversion products that modify the video you watch everyday on the networks and cable. K2 boards ( driven by FCP) have been used in LIve Video feeds for the World Series and the Super Bowl.

gary adcock

Studio37
HD and Film Consultation

[Steve Covello]

To add my 2

[Bob Zelin]

Although I use AJA, as the rest of these users on this forum do, there is no “verdict” between Blackmagic and AJA. They are both fantastic products, and both do the job. Feel lucky that there are 2 great companies out there, that are offering an excellent product, at very reasonable prices. This has never happened in the history of our industry.

My decision to purchase is solely based on tech support, and although Blackmagic has greatly improved, having representation in Las Vegas now, AJA is second to none – not only in the FCP world, but for entire product line. There is no manufacturer who has better tech support than AJA. Features, schmeatures – when your product stops working, you want someone on the phone to cry to, and AJA is always there – FOR FREE.

Bob Zelin