[Pat Defilippo]

Hi Bob and Kim!

Thanks again for your help with this! You sold me – I guess my best bet is an audio mixer and a bunch of cables.

My problem is that I don’t have a lot of physical room in the suite. I have two non-linear systems in one room (FCS via AJA Io LA and Accom StrataSphere) and a Beta-SP that would need to be mixed, plus a VHS via RCA. So, a 6 channel mixer would be ideal but an 8 would be good for future expansion, too (although I plan to phase out the Accom StrataSphere at some point soon, freeing up that IO of the mixer). Ideally, the mixer would have XLRs both in from the three stereo sources PLUS XLRs back out to the same sources. However, if I have to buy several XLR to Phono adapters, then I’ll have to do that.

The Behringer mixers look good (thanks again for the suggestion!), but they look huge, too. I’m familiar with Mackies somewhat as I used to use them and others like that back in the linear days. Is there anything smaller that you can suggest that would fit the bill for me! Is there an ideal mixer for FCP?

Thanks again!
-Pat

[Pat Defilippo]

Thanks, Bob! The price is certainly right for the mixer.

If the AJA Io LA allowed for Channel 1 & 2 audio to be duplicated out of Channel 3 & 4, I’d have everything I need to feed both my UVW-1800 Beta-SP deck (via Channel 1 & 2) and my matchbox for audio to speakers or VHS, etc. (via Channel 3 & 4). That would even be cheaper than $49.95, eat up less power and take up even less space!

In checking out the Behringer UB802, I would additionally need to buy eight XLR to Phono cables in order to plug into and out of it from the AJA Io LA and the Beta-SP. On the UB802, it looks like Pots 1 & 2 could be for audio in from the AJA and Pots 3 & 4 could be for audio in from the Beta-SP. For audio out of the UB802, I could probably go with the “Main Out” to the Beta-SP and the “Control Room Out” to the AJA Io LA (or visa-versa).

I could possibly then lose the matchbox because there is one set of stereo RCA inputs and one set of outputs. It’s probably from this output that I can go to my computer speakers via a stereo male RCA to female mini “Y” adaptor, which would also share the output with my VHS deck, unless I can use the “Stereo Aux Return” left and right and somehow go from left and right phono to mini OR go back to my matchbox via two more XLR to Phono cables (and then to the VHS via RCA full time).

Unfortunately, this $100+ solution (by the time you buy the eight to ten XLR to Phono cables) still leaves the Channel 3 & 4 cables in and out of the AJA Io LA just hanging there useless in my case, which makes me need to buy a mixer instead of being useful. For me, the extra $100 expenditure is not as big a deal as the desired fewer cables and equipment (hense less things that can go wrong) in my edit suite. Ideally, I’d have a cleaner looking setup that optimizes as many AJA audio cables as possible.

That said, does the above mixer setup, regarding inputs and outputs, sound about right or am I missing something? Is there even a better way?

Thanks again!

[Pat Defilippo]

Thanks Michael and David!

I’ve spent the last couple of hours, since reading Michael’s post this morning, combing the Aurora website. I read both of your reviews on Creative Cow as well. It looks pretty good and the new price is nice as well. It’s about $300 more than either the AJA IO LA or Blackmagic Decklink Extreme, but here’s the questions I just sent to Aurora’s support e-mail address:

—–
1) Does the PipeStudio card work with the new Q5 Quad PCIe (this is what I intend to buy)?

2) Do you have a version that does not have a breakout box but instead have just breakout cables? I only have one deck (the UVW-1800 Beta-SP) and no patch bay, so I’d ideally like to patch right in from the card without having extra cables to deal with from the breakout box.

3) I am leaning toward the Swift Data 200 internal Sata II storage solution that requires a Sata card in one of the PCIe slots. Can your card plug in to any of the three PCIe slots? If so, it doesn’t sound like there would be a potential card position conflict.

At this point, I am leaning toward the Blackmagic PCIe card. Both it and the AJA IO LA are priced similarly at $900 – $950. Do you sell PipeStudio with cables only (no breakout box) for a similar price?
—–

Thanks again for telling me about PipeStudio and thanks in advance if you post answers to the above!

Happy Holidays,
-Pat

P D Post Productions, Inc. ~
TV~DVD~VHS~CD~WEB
for Corporate Communications, Commercials, Infomercials, Television Programs, Family Occasions since 1983 ~
E-mail PD@PDPost.com ~
Website http://www.PDPost.com ~
Business/Cell Phone (847) 275-5671

[Pat Defilippo]

Hi Bob!

Thanks for the quick reply! I am going to purchase a Quad before 12/31 and have considered the AJA Kona LHe. Features-wise, as compared to the Blackmagic Decklink Extreme, it looks to be exactly the same. I don’t see anything that one has that the other does not.

The difference is that the AJA Kona LHe is $1700 and the Blackmagic Decklink Extreme is $900 for essentially the same features. Since I’m buying this entire system out of my own pocket, the saved $800 is a lot. Primarily, especially at first, I only need it for Beta-SP IO. I realize that a card option is not as versatile as the external $950 AJA IO LA, but the additional digital options might come in handy before I know it.

Do you know of any specific reasons that I should spend the extra $800 for the LHe for? Do you know where I can buy the LHe for the lowest possible price (perhaps it’s available for considerably less than the $800 difference, provided it is a better option features-wise as compared to the Blackmagic Decklink Extreme)? Please let me know.

Thanks again,
-Pat

P D Post Productions, Inc. ~
TV~DVD~VHS~CD~WEB
for Corporate Communications, Commercials, Infomercials, Television Programs, Family Occasions since 1983 ~
E-mail PD@PDPost.com ~
Website http://www.PDPost.com ~
Business/Cell Phone (847) 275-5671

[Pat Defilippo]

Thanks A LOT David!

Wow – the Swift Data 200 looks to be the very best solution! Since reading your post, I’ve been at their website, looking at their installation video and calling them. It has been worth every minute because I think, for my immediate and future needs, that this makes the most sense as compared to external Firewire800 or SATA solutions. In fact, not only is the price better (about $900 for 1.2TB) but the performance is leaps and bounds better offering 7 real time streams in real time in addition to all kinds of ability to grow into HD!

The only limitations are the fact that all five drives are in the G5 (cooled by the G5 fans), which might overheat but both the company and David say that the G5 box cools them nicely. Also, are not portable like the other external Firewire800 or SATA solutions but, for me, I only have one workstation and don’t see the need to share the drives anyway. A benefit at this time, though, for those with Quads is that there is no snag with the current no PCIe SATA card situation. The cards for Swift Data 200 are on their way and will be in by mid January. For those with the older G5 duals, the Sonnet card are readily available and add the ability to add four additional external drives at a later date (as David explained in the previous post).

So, thanks again, David, for the tip on this! I’ve been going back and forth about this for weeks now! I think this is the best solution for my immediate and future needs! In addition, I’ve been an professional video editor since 1983, so having 7 real time streams available for my Beta-SP footage is going to be key because I do a lot of layering.

Thanks, too, for the AJA LH/LHe suggestion and S-Video explaination. I guess it wouldn’t matter for me, too, becuase I would hook the card to my Beta-SP deck via the component IOs anyway and the deck could IO S-Video and Composite anyway. I have looked at it for $1600, but I’m still leaning toward the AJA LA for $950. I like the SDI additions to the LH/LHe card but that seems to be the only benefit plus the price of the LA is about my speed right now. I’ll be spending about $7,500 in total for equipment upgrades before 12/31 – ouch! If I saw the LH/LHe card for $1000 somewhere, I’d probably go that route.

Thanks again,
-Pat

P D Post Productions, Inc. ~
TV~DVD~VHS~CD~WEB
for Corporate Communications, Commercials, Infomercials, Television Programs, Family Occasions since 1983 ~
E-mail PD@PDPost.com ~
Website http://www.PDPost.com ~
Business/Cell Phone (847) 275-5671

[Pat Defilippo]

After reading this entire thread, this might be a dumb question! However I’m about to buy a G5/2.7 or quad and I’m wondering if the 2405 will work right out of the box?

When I go to eBay to look at prices, they all say that the monitor is “PC Only” and none mention Mac. Is there an additional card or anything like that needed to work with a G5 or do you just plug it right in an it works?

Thanks in advance,
-Pat

P D Post Productions, Inc. ~
TV~DVD~VHS~CD~WEB
for Corporate Communications, Commercials, Infomercials, Television Programs, Family Occasions since 1983 ~
E-mail PD@PDPost.com ~
Website http://www.PDPost.com ~
Business/Cell Phone (847) 275-5671

[Pat Defilippo]

After reading this entire thread, this might be a dumb question! However I’m about to buy a G5/2.7 or quad and I’m wondering if the 2405 will work right out of the box?

When I go to eBay to look at prices, they all say that the monitor is “PC Only” and none mention Mac. Is there an additional card or anything like that needed to work with a G5 or do you just plug it right in an it works?

Thanks in advance,
-Pat

P D Post Productions, Inc. ~
TV~DVD~VHS~CD~WEB
for Corporate Communications, Commercials, Infomercials, Television Programs, Family Occasions since 1983 ~
E-mail PD@PDPost.com ~
Website http://www.PDPost.com ~
Business/Cell Phone (847) 275-5671

[Pat Defilippo]

Thanks to all for the input on this!

What really confuses me is that I called the G-RAID/G-SATA people becuase what I’ve read here about Lacie is not good. I haven’t read much about other SATA solutions and Fiber is out of my budget range for now anyway.

When I called tech support, they actually told me that the G-RAID (FW800) is actually better for me with primarily Beta-SP footage than G-SATA! Even though G-RAID maxes at 100 and G-SATA maxes at 150, which I would think would provide more real time streams and stability, they said that the G-RAID would be more reliable.

Further, I am leaning toward buying a G5 2.7 over a Quad becuase I understand that if I go with the AJA LA (the analog only external FW400 box) that I’d need a seperate card for it if I go the FW800 storage route. Of course, I’d need a card for the SATA route as well. The Quad snag is that, at this point, there are no cards for PCIe. So, the G5 2.7 is my only option unless I spend double and go with the AJA Kona LHe card. However, this card shares all analog IOs with the component cables (the composite IO is the “Y” component cable and I’m not even sure how S-Video comes in and out of BNC cables). This is why I’m leaning toward the AJA LA.

I know I’m all over the board here with my response! I guess the question comes down to this: if the SATA route is in fact the better way to go between the two, what SATA options do you use besides G-SATA and Lacie? Would you recommend them for my setup (I would imagine that I’ll be using more DV footage sooner than HD)? Or, do you agree that a FW800 route is fine (like the G-RAID people suggested over their own G-SATA)?

Thanks again!
-Pat

P D Post Productions, Inc. ~
TV~DVD~VHS~CD~WEB
for Corporate Communications, Commercials, Infomercials, Television Programs, Family Occasions since 1983 ~
E-mail PD@PDPost.com ~
Website http://www.PDPost.com ~
Business/Cell Phone (847) 275-5671

[Pat Defilippo]

Thanks for the link and tip, Bryce!

Would you have a suggestion more as to what type of storage (FW800 or SATA) or brand (G-RAID, G-SATA, Lacie Biggest, etc.) to shoot for that would be my best bet for mostly Beta-SP for corporate videos and commercials?

Thanks again!
-Pat

P D Post Productions, Inc. ~
TV~DVD~VHS~CD~WEB
for Corporate Communications, Commercials, Infomercials, Television Programs, Family Occasions since 1983 ~
E-mail PD@PDPost.com ~
Website http://www.PDPost.com ~
Business/Cell Phone (847) 275-5671

[Pat Defilippo]

Thanks very much to Shane, Steve and Tony! Excellent cost saving ideas that make the most sense for a newbie like me (even though I’ve actually been in the field since ’83)!

Would you guys have any advice as to which G5 to shoot for? I’ve heard that I should buy the most machine that I can afford (the Quad) while others believe that even an oldest G5 dual 2.0 is fast enough and meets their needs. Everybody seems to tell me that 4 GB of RAM for Final Cut Studio is a good amount at least to start with.

Also, how about storage? I saw that Lacie is about to come out with a new product called Biggest Two Sata II 1TB for about $1200. Then, I saw that Firewire 800 based storage seems to be a hit. I can’t imagine doing much different work than what I’ve been doing for a while (commercials and corporates originated on Beta-SP) at this point, so perhaps a reliable SD setup would be more effective for now as compared to one that will be fast enough for HD?

Thanks again for your input!

P D Post Productions, Inc. ~
TV~DVD~VHS~CD~WEB
for Corporate Communications, Commercials, Infomercials, Television Programs, Family Occasions since 1983 ~
E-mail PD@PDPost.com ~
Website http://www.PDPost.com ~
Business/Cell Phone (847) 275-5671