[Bob Zelin]

David –
this is a direct answer, if money is not an issue.

1) do as Walter Biscardi has done, and purchase a Sony J-3 or J30-SDI, and pop your Beta tapes into the J-30, which will turn your tapes into a SDI signal that can go directly into the Kona 2 with embedded audio. Easy – just like Walter does.

2) purchase the standard AJA I/O. You can use the I/O control panel to allow the unit to act as a CAV-SDI converter, and take the SDI out of the AJA I/O, and go directly into the Kona 2. You will not have this capability with the AJA I/O LA.

My clients have countless archive librarys of Beta footage from the theme parks. Those that don’t own a Digi Beta, but own Beta VTRs and a single HD VTR (and Kona 2) are all using the I/O for this function.

Is this a better, more direct answer for you?

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

the standard editing deck for the SDX-900 camera is the Panasonic SD-930 which is an amazing product. It’s $15,000, but when you consider this is the Panasonic equivalent of a Sony Digi Beta VTR, it’s cheap. As you may know, there is no SD camera made by Sony or Iki that even begins to look like the SDX-900.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

Hi David –
Everyone hates when I do this, but if you are doing HD projects, and you own an HD VTR, an HD monitor, as well as all this other equipment – can’t you afford the extra $1000 to get the AJA I/O? And if you don’t own the HD VTR, and don’t have HD projects, why are you dealing with the Kona 2? Just buy the AJA I/O (the full version) and do every combination of SDI, composite, and component with NO ISSUES. If you are doing HD projects, I can only hope that you are making a lot of money on these projects (HD is expensive – especially the decks and cameras), and I hope that if you are doing HD projects, your budget is large enough to be able to afford the rest of the hardware that you need – like a standard AJA I/O box.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

George – if the Kona 2 only was around for ONE YEAR (it’s already been 2 years, and it ain’t going away any time soon) – but if it was for only ONE YEAR – wouldn’t you make your money back over and over again on such an inexpensive product. If the cost of doing business was only $2500 per year – wouldn’t that be CHEAP ????? What if you owned an AVID or Discreet product? Do you know how much that costs to keep running EVERY YEAR. One year of AVID assurance (the ability to call them, ask questions, and get software updates) is about $4000. Doesnt’t his make the Kona 2 seem practically free?

George – you should be asking a MUCH MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION – will the MAC G5 stand the test of time. Will the MAC G5 exist in late 2006 ????

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

you do not specify what drive array you are using, nor do you specify what resolution you are working at. If you are trying to capture 10bit uncompressed from a Beta VTR on your internal drive, this will absolutely happen!

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

The Sonnet Tempo X eSATA 8 port card is fantastic. It’s an 8 port card with all external SATA connectors. You will find this to be a better product than the Highpoint. I have never tried the Promise.

bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

In my opinion, if you are doing anything but HD, you should only buy the AJA I/O. The possible exception to this is if you are doing stricly SDI material from Dig Beta, Beta SX, DVCam from pro decks like DSR-1800 and DSR-2000 that have SDI out with embedded audio. If you are doing mixed format work, that includes Beta, 3/4″, VHS, etc, they you are nuts to buy the Kona 2 if you are not doing HD work. Make your life simple – get the I/O, and be happy. And if you don’t listen to me, and wind up getting the Kona 2 anyway – make sure to buy the K-Box option.

bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

Rupert –
Hey man, it’s Bob Zelin – put the AJA Kona in Slot 4 (the PCI-X slot) and put the Seritek in Slot 2 or 3 – this will work. Trust me (and report back your results).

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

there is no such thing as 23.98. It’s only 23.976xxxxxxxxx, and it’s rounded off to 23.98 for print and menu display. It’s like the SC frequency – there is no such thing as 3.58 MHz, it’s some long number, same with 29.97 for NTSC frame rate – it’s some long number – it’s just rounded off. Someone has too much time on their hands.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

AJA makes the K Box specifically for the Kona 2. It has an analog Left and Right monitor output, so you can hear thru your regular mixer, or powered speakers. It’s $299. Even if you didn’t need this feature, the K Box is a breakout panel for the AJA Kona 2. It provides all the BNC’s and AES XLR’s on a 1RU rack panel, so everything is neat. At $299, it’s a steal. Not buying the K Box with a Kona-2 (for only $299) is foolish. It will give you everything you want, and keep everything neat.

bob Zelin