AJA Ki Pro Mini to support Avid DNxHD codec! Will greatly help s log

How about for Final Cut Pro or for Premeire CS5.5 and After Effects?

Obviously, there now will be the Ki Pro Mini, Samurai, and Pix240 to support both ProRes & DNxHD, but is DNxHD a better choice for the above systems, particularly if recording values about 100% ?

The fact that ProRes clips superwhite values bothers me immensely. I'm aware of the fact that they're recoverable, but there's a lot of room for error despite that, and is seems like DNxHD has greater cross platform compatibility as a capture codec.

Thoughts?


(Btw, looks like it will be a free upgrade for Aja Ki Pro Mini, $150 upgrade for Samurai, and I can't find pricing for Pix 240 upgrade yet, but I'd guess it's likely inline with what Atomos is charging).

Samurai works out as the cheapest recorder with these options, but the Ki Pro Mini and Pix240 have more robust audio features.
 
Samurai works out as the cheapest recorder with these options, but the Ki Pro Mini and Pix240 have more robust audio features.
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The Samurai actually records and plays back up to 14 audio channels: 12 though SDI and 2 analogue, and will do this + ProRes HQ or DNxHD for over 8 hours on a 750GB drive.

Dave Shapton
Atomos
 
David Shapton said:
The Samurai actually records and plays back up to 14 audio channels: 12 though SDI and 2 analogue, and will do this + ProRes HQ or DNxHD for over 8 hours on a 750GB drive.

Dave Shapton
Atomos
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The Samurai is definitely competitive, and I am considering one for myself, but I do stand by the "more robust audio features" comment - your product (Samurai) only offers 2 channel line level audio in over 3.5mm mini jack.

Ki Pro Mini has two analog balanced XLR inputs, line, mic and +48 phantom switchable. More robust both physically, and feature wise.

And the Sound Devices Pix240, beyond name brand recognition for audio products, offers the broadest capabilities for audio recording of the three products:


  • Premium microphone preamps, on balanced XLR, mic/line selectable with 48V phantom, limiters, high-pass
  • -128 dBu input noise, 115 dB dynamic range A/D
  • AES3 digital inputs 2 x 2 channels
  • Two-channel, line level balanced output on 5-pin XLR
  • Embedded audio on HD-SDI, 8 channels
The AES means it can take 4 channels in from a compatible mixer, bypassing the camera. The Ki Pro Mini and Samurai can only take 2 channels that aren't coming through SDI.

I think the comparison is fair. Not everyone needs the extra features, but I'm sure they'll come in very handy to some.


Disclosure: I am *NOT* affiliated with any of these companies, have no received payment from any of these companies, and am basing this assessment off of freely available tech specs for each product.
 
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I was only adding some information. As you will see in the coming months and years (and have already with the announcement of our Connect converters), the Samurai is a modular system. This keeps the price down so that if you don't need certain features you don't have to pay for them.

Dave Shapton
Atomos
 
David,

When enabled for Avid DNxHD, how easy will it be for Samurai owners to switch between ProRes and DNxHD? Will the system by hot switchable by menu, similar to how Sony XDCAM-EX cameras can switch to HDV just by a menu setting?

Can harddrives have both file formats on them and playback correctly in the unit? Are there any functional caveats to be aware of?
 
I for one will be happy to work with any codec that isn't apple as I constantly have problems with Quick Time interfering with other codecs by changing settings.
 
Viddovation said:
David,

When enabled for Avid DNxHD, how easy will it be for Samurai owners to switch between ProRes and DNxHD? Will the system by hot switchable by menu, similar to how Sony XDCAM-EX cameras can switch to HDV just by a menu setting?

Can hard drives have both file formats on them and playback correctly in the unit? Are there any functional caveats to be aware of?
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Very easy. You will just find that there are (say) six options that you can cycle through instead of the three ProRes ones. Multiple formats on hard drives? I don't know the answer to this yet. I'll check with the developers. No other caveats that I'm aware of at this stage. I'll keep you posted.

Dave Shapton
Atomos
 
Duke M. said:
This thread was about AJA, not Atomos.
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What's offtopic about discussing a competitors product that also just press released Avid DNxHD support?

Last I checked this isn't an AJA board.

Considering both products are used for the same end goal, and have the same codecs, I think this is very on topic.
 
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