[Matthew Causon]

Hello Mark

The Ki Pro is a video recorder.

The Io Express is an Io Card.

I would suggest you take a look at the AJA website, there are really supportive brochures and videos to take you through the products.

Then if you have queries you can post back here or perhaps visit a reseller who can take you through the product face to face?

Kind regards

Matty Causon

Phosphor

EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Hello Danny

Comparing Ki Pro and IoHD:

Ki Pro is a video recorder which works independently of a computer (though the format it records to is ready to edit for FCP). It’s initial ‘remit’ is work with cameras. It cannot be used as a video output device for a computer. It is a Pro Res only device.

The IoHD is a video Io box that is tethered to a computer. It can capture with and output video from FCP and work with other software products. Whilst it can be configured to work with other codecs IoHDs main appeal is when working with Pro Res.

Both use hardware to encode Apples ProRes.

Both have hardware up/down/cross conversion (scaling) for input and output built in.

Does that help?

Best regards

Matty Causon
Phosphor
EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Hey Shane

Don’t forget the AJA Io Express, $995 and 1.4 lbs (maybe too light!)

thx

Matty Causon
Phosphor
EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Hello Mark

I think an AJA Ki Pro with an Io Express would be a good route.

That would give you 10 bit with 220Mbit ProRes HQ, – and without hanging a large RAID and Tower/Kona type system for uncompressed HD, you can’t get better quality HD.

Ki Pro captures to ProRes, which is a codec that is optimised for editing with FCP.

220 Mbit ProRes HQ will give better results than 100 Mbit Mpeg.

10bit is much better than 8bit for green screen and keying work. (4 times the color shades)

What’s more if you choose a camera that can output 10bit on the SDI you would have a 10bit workflow from lens to post.

Alternatively you could capture to 10Bit Pro Res HQ with the AJA IoHD (it does this via hardware within the unit like the Ki Pro), but it would be tethered to the computer (unlike the Ki Pro).

Matty Causon

Phosphor

EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Building For Media are claiming simultaneous ingest and playout from a single AJA Kona card.

https://www.b4m.com/

Got this in an email (though I couldn’t see much on their site about the matter), might be new software showing at IBC

The Apple platform fits in also very well in these trends and changing technological expectancy,
especially because Building4Media offers you for instance the following:
* Huge proven track record on the Apple platform (75% of our installations use the Apple
platform)
* Best integration for Apple FCP’s, including advanced MAM, integration with archiving,
journalist editing, etc.
* Using the Apple platform as the most cost-effective broadcast video server for your playout.
All our software products support by the way Mac OS, Windows, and also mixed systems. For
example we can integrate your newsroom using Windows with your post-production using
Apple FCP’s.

In our software products there have been many developments, like for instance:
* Support for all common HD and SD codecs
* Including support for all common HD LongGOP codecs, for both ingest/import, playout,
and proxies
* XDCam and P2 import
* More advanced XDCam ingest interface
* More advanced P2 ingest interface
* Support for AVC Intra for outgest
* Support for simultaneous ingest and playout from a single AJA Kona card
* Support for multiple AJA Kona cards in one computer (Apple Mac Pro)
* Support for closed caption with AJA Kona cards in SD
* Further extension of our MAM database (the fastest in the industry) and our scripting
* And many, many new features.

Cheers

Matty Causon

[Matthew Causon]

As you have a MacPro I would probably advise you get a Kona 3. Unless you wanna unhook a device and use it with a Laptop in the field (in which case that’s IoHD)

The IoHD is really about portability and it’s unique ability to capture ProRes in hardware connected to a MacBook Pro.

Otherwise the Kona 3 opens up other formats (uncompressed HD, DVCPro HD etc.) as well as 2k, dual link, keying advantages with red workflows etc. Even if you don’t want them now it’s an option for the future. And yes is does have raster ‘acceleration’ for DVCPro HD, HDV and RTFX. The IoHD does not because it really is about ProRes for HD (so the answer is to capture these format to ProRes – see below).

You could also take a look at the Kona LHe which is less money (not that the K3 or IoHD are expensive in my book). This does not have 2k, some of the Red advantages of the Kona 3 and has only hardware down-conversion, but still has the raster stuff as above uncompressed HD and is good for analog connectivity to cheaper cameras (Kona 3 is digital only, though you can buy AJA converters to go with).

Best to check the Kona models here:

https://www.aja.com/html/products_macintosh_kona.html

But either way both XDCAM HD or HDV are 8bit long-GOP codecs and are at best a hassle or at worst complex for computers to edit with, and DVCProHD is not full raster so you might do better to capture them to ProRes which is iframe and 10 bit full raster 1920 x 1080 unless you are doing the most basic edits. Then if you have to push some colours add graphics you’ll have a better chance and the computer will edit better with ProRes HD 422.

Many of these codecs are good but designed with the limits of linear camera tape. ProRes is designed for editing HD with pretty much no visual difference to uncompressed HD but at uncompressed SD bandwidth.

Best regards

Matty Causon

Phosphor
European Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Thanks Jason

Quadlogic are good guys

I recall we had some communication when you were considering Kona before?

Are you west country based?

I was thinking of getting in touch with the Bristol FCP user group, are you part of that? I wondered if they’d like to know more about what AJA are about some time.

Cheers

Matty

[Matthew Causon]

Hi

reading further (which I should have done first) dropping in to the dealer is a good move as they’ll have another Mac to help troubleshoot in case it’s the motherboard.

Either way just wanted to highlight the advanced replacement service here if you need it.

thanks again for your help (& Bob)

Matty

[Matthew Causon]

Hello Jason

Thanks for helping out here

Can I suggest you have the client contact Danielle at Digibox (the UK distributor):

Digi-Box (Distributor)

Danielle Jones or Dan Sinclair or ask for AJA service
4 Allied Business Centre Coldharbour Lane
Harpenden, NS AL5 4UT GB
http://www.digi-box.co.uk
Danielle.jones@digi-box.co.uk
Ph: +441582466100
Fax: +441582768489

They can send an advanced replacement card (or help troubleshoot).

It’s also important to us to know if a dealer is not being helpful.

Best regards

Matty Causon

Phosphor
European Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Have you tried the Aussie dealers?:

If not check out the ‘where to buy’ section of the AJA website.

Best regards

Matty Causon