why purchase Kona 2 instead of Decklink?

[Alejandro Marin]

Which card would you recommend for either platform Mac or PC. I’m referring to the DeckLink HD Pro 4:4:4

[Walter Biscardi]

[Jandro] ”
Which card would you recommend for either platform Mac or PC. I’m referring to the DeckLink HD Pro 4:4:4

[Gary Adcock]

[Jandro] “The difference here is that the DeckLink HD Pro 4:4:4

[Bob Zelin]

And I thought that I was childish ! It is MOST interesting to observe that whoever gives the best support makes the best card. In the US, AJA has the best support – I have no idea of how you may (or may not) suffer with a problamatic AJA card in Europe. I am sure that Blackmagic support is teriffic in Australia.

I primarily use AJA products, however there is nothing wrong with Blackmagic products, as Walter has pointed out. To state that Blackmagic cards work, and AJA cards do not, is pure and simple ignorance.

Making comparisions like “the Decklink that does 4:4:4 is $1000 is cheaper) is so insane, as anyone that can afford a Sony SR5500 VTR, and doing a 4:4:4 job, is not worried about one thousand dollars (that’s the first hour of the film transfer) – and you can’t use $1000 of storage for 4:4:4 HD material anyway.

This forum is pro AJA, and I put a HELL of a lot of AJA Kona 2 cards in – no one complains, and they work wonderfully. But Blackmagic is good too. Want to suffer – buy an AVID Adrenaline HD, and see what support is like for this product. Then you will have something to complain about.

Bob Zelin

[Walter Biscardi]

[Bob Zelin] “Want to suffer – buy an AVID Adrenaline HD, and see what support is like for this product. Then you will have something to complain about.”

I was wondering how long it would take for AVID’s “famous” tech support to make it into this thread.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com

“The Rough Cut,” an original short film premiering December 7th in full High Definition in Atlanta.
rsvp@biscardicreative.com to reserve seats.
https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

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

[Graeme Nattress]

“If you plan to run Final Cut Pro (Mac Only) then the Kona 2 is the only card you should consider. ” Other than the Decklink of course, which is also an excellent card.

I’m a Decklink user. I like their products. I bought my Decklink full price from a dealer, like everyone else. I’m not in their pay. I don’t get special treatment from them, just very good service when needed. However, I won’t ever say that Decklink are the only game in town, the only card worth considering. That’s because AJA make good products too. Competition is good. I happen to prefer the Decklinks, and I certainly prefer their lower prices. I know you have issues with the Decklink, but that’s no reason to completely dismiss it out of hand like that. I will recommend the Kona2 to people who need that one particular feature it has which the Decklink lacks, and as long as they’re not running really long SDI cables, they’ll be fine. However, for everyone else, the Decklinks work, are cheaper, and don’t have issues with long cables.

Graeme

– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP

[Graeme Nattress]

Bob, that’s a very balanced post! Thanks!

Graeme

– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP

[Ramona Howard]

Jandro,

I would like to add that if your looking at doing mainly 4:4:4 then I would have to recommend AJA. Everything under that is really just a toss up, that is except for the up/down convert and the infamous jitter test….

AJA provided the board for some of the first 4:4:4 projects and is still rolling them out. I have yet to read of a huge project like Sin City done using a Decklink. The decklink products work well but the AJA products work amazingly well. Well worth the extra few dollars.

Like Bob and Walter said if your stepping into the 4:4:4 world then the 1,000 you save on the board won’t get you as far as you think. I agree hard drives are inexpensive but there is a heck of allot more to it other than the drives.

Here is a link to our projects page in which both Sin City and Shark Boy were full 4:4:4 projects
https://spectsoft.com/wiki/Website/Projects

Best of luck and if I can be of assistance don’t hesitate to yell.

Cheers,
Ramona

[Gary Taylor]

I think one thing that I think that I keep hearing about the Decklink cards is that downconversion quality is in question. I only hear great things about the AJA cards but it would be great to do a head to head comparison.
Gary

[Gary Adcock]

[Gary Taylor] “Decklink cards is that downconversion quality is in question. I only hear great things about the AJA cards but it would be great to do a head to head comparison.”

all AJA products do their down-converts in hardware- that means realtime. no delay, no waiting.

Gary Adcock
Studio37
HD and Film Consultation
Chicago, IL USA