Motion playback on production monitor through AJA Kona LH card looks nasty.

Okay, so here's the deal.
We have recently invested in some shiny new things to equip an edit suite - a Kona LH card and a Production Monitor. Along with a Sony HDV/DVCAM VTR. Specs of our set up are listed at the bottom.
Pretty much all of the work we have done in the past has been non-braodcast - we're looking to improve workflow and quality of final output. We work mainly with Final Cut Pro, but also with Motion.
We have connected everything and have marvelled at how much of a difference it makes having a proper video preview from Final Cut (v. 6) as opposed to what we had before - firewire to camera to TV... Of course we were expecting this marked improvement.
We were also expecting the key benefit of a video preview output from Motion.
Now. We do get a video output through to the production monitor from Motion. But this is where it gets weird.
When we do a preview of an animation, it looks really shoddy.
As a test case, let's take a basic text crawl in Motion 3.
Static graphics look great, but when you play motion graphics, the image quality is really jaggy and nasty. (even at full frame RAM preview, best render settings, full res - all of these options are apparently properly selected).
So we did some test exports. Usually we would export animations in the Animation Codec, with an alpha if intended for compositing on top of a video track in FCP... we tried a bunch of different formats - animation, photoJpeg, DVCPRO 50, Aja 2Vuy, Uncompressed 10bit...
All these play from Quicktime on the computer monitor just fine, but when playing from the AJA TV app to the production monitor, again the same problem. And then when you bring them into Final Cut, the same problem, even when you match the sequence settings and field order to the source video ...
In effect, it seems that anything generated in Motion just doesn't want to look nice on our Production Monitor - even when imported into FCP.
HOWEVER - if you drop the Motion PROJECT into an FCP timeline, all is fine!
We know the AJA card and the Monitor are working because of this fact, and because when you generate titles from within FCP itself - the same text scroll, for instance, it looks perfect!
I have also found when working with old composited animations originating from AE that you can get FCP to pump these through to the production monitor beautifully when working in an uncompressed sequence setting - or in an Animation sequence setting. (For an Animation sequence to go the the production monitor from FCP, the Video Playback option in A/V Settings needs to be set to "AJA Kona 625i25 RGBA" instead of "AJA Kona 625i25 8 bit" or 10 bit).
The above point could be of relevance...? The only Video Output options from Motion or AE that apply to our setup and monitor are "625i25 RGBA" and "625i25 DV-RGBA" ... are we supposed to have more options?
In short, we could work around these issues - it just doesn't seem right however that we can't get a decent external preview from Motion. A big reason for upgrading our setup was faithful video previews of animations from these programs...
We also can't understand why exports from these animation programs can look so poor. I can export a video with a text crawl generated from a DV PAL Final Cut Project with DV Pal compression settings and it looks massively better playing through AJA TV than our test Motion exports.
It just isn't right.
Please help. Pretty please.
For reference, here are the specs of our set up:
Apple Dual 2.5 GHz PowerPC G5
4.5 GB DDR SDRAM
Graphics Card: ATI Radeon 9800 XT
Equipped with Kona LH Card
JVC TM-H1750CG Production Monitor fed via SDI (have also tried component, to no avail)
It just isn't right.
Please help. Pretty please. Many thanks in advance.
For reference, here are the specs of our set up:
Apple Dual 2.5 GHz PowerPC G5
4.5 GB DDR SDRAM
Graphics Card: ATI Radeon 9800 XT
Equipped with Kona LH Card (version 5)
2 x 23" Apple Cinema Displays
JVC TM-H1750CG Production Monitor fed via SDI (have also tried component, to no avail)

Sounds like you are seeing interlace artifacts - in Motion's project properties, have you tried setting the field dominance to None?

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Importing With AJA Kona 3 Card Question?

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Ever since FCP went to 6 we have had the luxury of working in all of these formats without constant rendering which has actually brought up a question I hoped you guys can answer. In a pinch we can log and capture an HDV tape directly from a camera and the clip would work just fine, however, normally when we bring in the HDV and mini DV tapes we run the deck through our AJA Kona 3 card. I am wondering what exactly that does for us? Can I just import all the tapes in their native formats and just drag them into an HD sequence and get the same results?
The point is, if we can eliminate the need for one of the decks we rent twice a month we would be saving a nice chunk of change, but The quality of the show cannot suffer. So does bringing in the mini DVs through the Kona really add any value that FCP 6 can't already do on its own?

normally when we bring in the HDV and mini DV tapes we run the deck through our AJA Kona 3 card. I am wondering what exactly that does for us?
Allows you to capture all your various formats into one single unified format...like ProRes or whatever suits your fancy. Allows you to upconvert your DV to HD to mix well with your HD footage.
Can I just import all the tapes in their native formats and just drag them into an HD sequence and get the same results?
No. Working with native formats means that you are mixing formats, meaning that you will have to render one of them to match the other. And you ned to ensure that all of your frame rates match. PLUS, if you use COLOR to color correct, you MUST have a single format sequence.
So does bringing in the mini DVs through the Kona really add any value that FCP 6 can't already do on its own?
If this is an HD show...yes, being able to upconvert the DV to HD via hardware is a huge advantage over just rendering it on the timeline.
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Final Cut Pro HD 4.5 and AJA Kona LH card...

Hello,
I just installed the AJA Kona LH PCI-X HD capture card in the G5 2 Ghz dual.
I configured it, but when I go to the "System Settings - effects handling" of Final Cut Pro HD 4.5, I read that all the effects can only be handled by "Final Cut PRO HD": if I click on the selection menu, the only other available heading is "none": no AJA KONA!
This is for all the formats list (DV/DVCPRO - NTSC, DV - PAL, etc...).
So every think I do, FCP must render, and time flows...
Can you help me?
Thank you very much.

But we got this card especially for this reason: hardware acceleration.
I read that it has got this feature in this page:
http://www.aja.com/html/productsmacintosh_konaLHe.html
I don't know more.

Audio monitoring through AJA IoLA

I have just started using FCP and am having trouble monitoring audio during playback of clips in an existing timeline. I am using an AJA IoLA as my D/A interface and everything works perfectly except for audio playback. I have my video monitor and my speakers coming directly out of the AJA. Video works fine all of the time. Audio works while capturing but not once it is captured.
I have read the instructions many times but it does not seem to address this issue. Oddly if I choose "external video-still frames" I can hear the audio but only get a still frame of video. This is not helpful. If I choose "external video-all frames" I get moving video but no audio. Again, not helpful.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

So, what exactly are your sequence settings, your export settings and what are you sending the Audio and video to?
for example, are your speakers turned on? If going to a mixer, do you have the correct input selected ....
Basically, if the audio is following the video and the video is making it out, you either have
a. no audio in your clip
or
b. the targeted audio device is not set up to receive the signal.
or
c. the i/o is screwed up. (does it have the latest drivers?)
Good luck.
x

FCP video monitoring through AJA's T-Tap or UltraStudio Mini Monitor

Hello,
I'm working with dailies that are ProRes LT 2K resolution (2048 x 1152) for an offline cut. I'd like to use an HDTV 1080P for a video monitor (a regular HDTV, not a broadcast monitor). From what I understand, I can use either a T-Tap or an UltraStudio Mini Monitor converter to send video signals to the TV set from FCP.
Before I start buying this stuff, I just want to confirm with people on this forum who has experience with these set ups. My question has 2 parts:
1. Does this set up work or do I need to get other gears? (FCP out to converter through Thunderbolt and HDMI to HDTV)
2. I'm leaning toward the UltraStudio Mini Monitor mainly because of cost. I don't foresee getting a 2K monitor any time soon, so I wouldn't need the T-Tap for that purpose. However, since I'm working with 2K materials, and the HDTV is 1080P, can the Mini Studio convert (or down-res) it to 1080?
Thanks in advance.
Thien

I can only speak to the T-Tap...that's all I've tested. It works great with FCP...and AJA works with 2K footage, scaling it down to 1080. I'm not sure if the mini monitor does this, or if you need the Decklink 4K for that.
No other converters are needed. That's all you need....either one.
I will say that AJA has a better track record of compatibility...they seem to be the first ones there with drivers for the new software and updates, and the most stable with edit systems. And their tech support is top notch. That, to me, is worth the extra cost.
Contact Tech Support at AJA.com and ask them if it will work wiht 2K footage in FCP...they'll give you an answer.

External monitoring through AJA IO

Is it correct that Color cannot be monitored throught the AJA IO? I don't wanto to believe that it's true! But in fact mu video output selection is disabled. If this is the case what options do I have?

This has been a known condition since the program was first included in the FCS suite.
It became a concern right away with individuals who had been relying on porting FireWire out of their computers into DV cameras, and monitoring the camera decode. Final Touch, the Apple-acquired original application, was never intended or anticipated to be used with anything other than a PCIe Video I/O card or a high-end, dual-port GPU. It was fully intended to be a specialty application with unique hardware requirements, and priced that way, but it got released "into the wild"...
jPo

HD monitoring with Aja Kona io HD

I did a search in this forum but didn't find anything on this topic so;
My HD client monitor is connected with the io HD with it's component connections
But in color I only get a SD signal on my HD monitor.
Am I doing something wrong, or is this a limitation in color.
thanks,
Core

Yes it is... also HD-SDI and up to Dual-Link if you want it.... but it seems to want to be a ProRes422HQ encoder first, to get the bitrates down so that FireWire800 will work. Check the website, I'd say this is not a premium feature.
The brochure says:
Video Output (all simultaneously active)
Digital:
SD and HD-SDI, SMPTE-259/292/296
(2 outputs)
HDMI
Analog:
Composite and S-Video (Y/C):
NTSC, NTSCJ, PAL 12-bit D/A,
8x oversampling
SD Component:
SMPTE/EBU N10, Betacam 525 line,
Betacam 525J, RGB 12-bit D/A,
8x oversampling
HD Component:
YPbPr, RGB12-bit D/A, 2x oversampling
But if you can only feed it FW800 out of the Mac.... it may not be able to make HD out of that, and I'm not sure that COLOR will be able to talk to it and access its options...
jPo
Message was edited by: JP Owens

10.6.8. update causes Kernel Panic with AJA Kona video cards

There's also discussion for this topic in Creatice Cow:
http://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/98/878627
I think Apple should be aware of this major issue also. I deeply hope either party finds solution for this. Cause it seems there's nothing you can do about it, except format your harddrive and reinstall old version of Snow Leopard.

This is basically what it says in the Kernel Panic:
Fri Jun 24 21:12:30 2011
panic(cpu 7 caller 0x560821): "getPhysicalSegment() out of 32b range 0x3f10000000, len 0x0, class IOGeneralMemoryDescriptor"@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-1504.15.3/iokit/Kernel/IOMemory Descriptor.cpp:1594
Backtrace (CPU 7), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x60e73cc8 : 0x21b837 (0x5dd7fc 0x60e73cfc 0x223ce1 0x0)
0x60e73d18 : 0x560821 (0x5e6dfc 0x10000000 0x3f 0x0)
0x60e73d68 : 0x55d2df (0x80ad100 0x0 0x0 0x8e59380)
0x60e73d88 : 0x55ceee (0x8e59380 0x0 0x0 0x10000)
0x60e73da8 : 0x6107f21a (0x8e59380 0x0 0x0 0xffffffff)
0x60e73e18 : 0x543f60 (0x61430000 0x7f81e00 0x1 0x506b76)
0x60e73e78 : 0x542137 (0x7f81e00 0x61430000 0x8e4f740 0x51a1b0)
0x60e73f28 : 0x5426e9 (0x7f81e00 0x8e51440 0x0 0x516766)
0x60e73f78 : 0x5443d5 (0x7f81e00 0x8 0x60e73fac 0x1)
0x60e73fc8 : 0x2a179c (0x7b342b0 0x0 0x10 0x0)
Kernel Extensions in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.aja.iokit.kona3(8.0)@0x61050000->0x61097fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily(10.0.3)@0x60ea5000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6.5)@0x5653a000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily(1.8.3fc2)@0x60eba000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.2)@0x61098000
BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task
Mac OS version:
10K540
Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 10.8.0: Tue Jun 7 16:33:36 PDT 2011; root:xnu-1504.15.3~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: MacPro3,1 (Mac-F42C88C8)

KONA 3 will not playback on CRT Monitor

Hi
I am having problems with playback of clips and sequences in a DVCPRO HD 720p50 project. When I view clips on a JVC CRT monitor, via SDI out, using the 625i 25 down conversion feature in the KONA control panel, I only get a still frame until I stop playback at which point the frame updates to the current frame. Strangely, if I drag the playhead through the clip I can see the clip playing fine.
I have made sure that 'External Video' setting in FCP is set to all 'All Frames'.
I've made sure that the Video Playback option is set to AJA Kona 720p 50 8 bit (1280X720).
The Kona 3 Control Panel has been set up the recognise the 720p50 frame setting and down convert to 625i25(PAL) for output to the SD CRT monitor.
The only time I get proper playback on the monitor is when I set FCP video playback to AJA Kona 720p25 8 Bit DVCProHD(1280x720). However I get an awful strobe effect on the monitor.
I'm wondering whether the KONA presets even support this type of project/clip as nowhere can I find a preset that recognises my frame size - 960x720. The footage was shot on the Panasonic HVX200.
Any help would be really appreciated as I've spent many hours trying to find the right settings
Thanks

I suspect that the cameraman recorded the material at 720p50 PN. This uses less space on the P2 card or Firestore, but the footage has a timebase of 25 fps, which apparently the Kona card doesn't handle.
Ask the camera person to record at the normal 720p50 setting on the camera, and the normal P2 or Quicktime setting on the recording media.
As for the footage you already have, there is a method in Compressor, to get it to 50fps.
For the setting select Advance Format Conversion - DVCPRO HD 720p60, and in the inspector Encoder (2nd button from the left) for the video settings select "Custom" and type in "50"
(By the way, this is also a workaround if you don't have FCP 6 and the new Frame Rate Converter to make a nice slow motion. After you get it to 50fps use Cinema Tools to conform the footage to 25 fps and it makes it play at 50 percent speed)
(Disclaimer - I have only a little experience with the HVX200, but this is what has worked for me.)
PowerMac G5 2.7 Mac OS X (10.4.6)
PowerMac G5 2.7 Mac OS X (10.4.6)

CS6 - no external monitoring of Program with AJA Kona

I guess this is still unsupported by AJA, since they don't have the Adobe AJA plugs updated for CS6 on their site as of an hour ago.
BUT... I copied the AJA folder from my Library>ApplicationSupport>Adobe>Plug-ins>Common>MediaCore>CS5.5 folder into the one for CS6.
AJA shows up in the Preferences>Playback>Default Player option. I can get full-screen external monitoring through the Kona in the Source window, and also with the Hover Scrub. Just nothing in the Program, which means I can't get CUDA external full-screen playback... yet.
So... has anybody figured a workaround to get playback on a Kona with Pr CS6?
Mac 10.6.8, latest drivers, etc. Kona LHi

Well, at this point, the driver for Kona is available, and the bad, bad, news is that it's indeed Lion only.
This is the ONLY reason I have for upgrading to Lion. Every other piece of software I own is running just fine on 10.6.8. This includes Media Composer 6.
I've got a test partition on which I have Lion installed, and it's a freaking nightmare. I've spent almost three days reinstalling software, drivers, plug-ins, with days to go before I get it all done (I have over 5000 fonts, 3/4 of which weren't recognized by FontExplorerX, forcing me to reinstall and recategorize them.).
This is the most painful "upgrade" in my history with Mac, which goes back to System 4 or 5.
I HATE the new auto-correct feature, the security measures that think I'm not an Admin when I am, and the fact it just seems a lot slower than Snow Leopard. Two of the Zaxwerks plugs for Ae are a hundred times slower.
I'm starting to hate Apple. And I'm going to start hating AJA too, if they don't come up with an Adobe driver for 10.6.8.
Sorry, I'm venting. The last three days have been hell.

Audio Playback Issues in Premiere Pro 8.1.0 with AJA Kona 3

Hi,
I'm supporting a couple of edits running the latest version of Premiere Pro. The editors are experiencing some strange stuttering/glitching audio playback via the installed AJA Kona 3 cards, manifested as follows:
When scrubbing using keyboard arrow keys for any prolonged period of time, audio either begins to stutter or fails to playback (despite there being activity on the audio monitors within the software)
When playing audio with unrendered effects (nothing too challenging, unrendered titles etc.), the audio will occasionally not play at all or will begin to stutter also.
Specs are as follows:
HP z800 running Windows 7 64-bit
2 x Intel Xeon X5650 CPUs
32GB RAM
512GB Samsung SSD
nVidia Quadro 4000 (latest drivers installed)
AJA Kona 3 (latest drivers installed)
Wacom Intuos 4 tablet (latest drivers installed)
Storage is a SMB share connected via a dedicated 1Gb/s ethernet link (Intel PRO 1000 card) and media is largely DVCPRO HD 100 wrapped as OP1a MXF, with corresponding sequence settings.
I've played with various RAM and Playback settings (including setting the AJA video playback buffer to 'minimum' as suggested on another thread regarding audio playback), but the problems persist. Is there anything else I can try, or more information I can provide?

Since it worked with CS5.5, check with Blackmagic to see if they have updates for CS6
I know from other discussions that an nVidia driver update was needed for at least some people upgrading to CS6

Intermittent noise through line out + AJA Kona

I have a MacPro Dual Proc 2.66 dual core that's about 18 months old, with an AJA Kona LHe card that I use for film and audio editing. The Kona feeds an SDi input JVC Reference Monitor and the AJA KL interface feeds my Mackie mixer. The Audio line out also goes to the Mackie, so that I can monitor iTunes and Amadeus via AJA or Line out, depending on my process.
I have started noticing a really low intermittent hum that arrives at the mixer via the AJA KL box or from the analogue out. It is usually not there when I first start working but after an hour or so it starts, each burst lasts about 3-4 secs and is very low, painful to the ears.
I've tried plugging earphones in to the front socket and there is no hum at all.
I've tried linking fan activity to the hum without success.
I have SoundStiks for Desktop audio and there's no hum there either. I prefer to work with headphones when editing so I really want the AJA sound to be clean but can't fathom where the sound is coming from. Any ideas?

HI I am having the same problem with HUmming sounds coming from my Mackie mixer also. But the sound is constant and wont go away using the ajay card.
selecting the outputs to Internal speakers, or LINE OUT, or Digital out. the system using headphones I do not hear the humming only when selecting the AJA kona 3 card OUtput..I hear it with headphones and with external speakers.
When the Mac PRO QuadCore- Intel Xeon 2 x 3Ghz restarts the sound is still there during boot up and even if the system is shutdown.as long as the RCA cables are plugged into Ch1 and CH2 you will hear humming. BUT if you unplug the RCAs from CH1 and CH2 the hum stops.
I tried using a different wall outlet for power for the Mackie mixer and the external speakers I still had HUM. I tried another rackmounted AJAK3-Box still there was a HUM.
I am running out of ideas.
THis card has been in production in our environment for over years now. BUT the system recently was relocated to a new office...
I think it has something to do with the AC power in this area..
Is there something wrong with this card? Could there be a driver update? Have you resolved your issue YET?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Audio video synchronisation problem with Aja Kona Lse

Hi,
We have recently bought an Aja Kona Lse card and using it with FCP 6.0.2. At the time of playing back we found that video on external monitor(taken out from *composite out* of aja kona breakout box)lags behind the external speaker audio(taken out from *balanced audio out* of aja kona breakout box) atleast by 2-3 seconds,though the same audio is in sync with FCP canvas video.
Please help,
Thanking you in advance

Are you sure about the source of the audio? Have you double checked the internal routing within FCP?
What you describe is exactly what happens when the audio is bypassing the external device and going through the Macs system audio. If going through the system audio, it will stay in sync with the Canvas. If going through the card, it should be in sync with the monitor being fed by the same card.
Good luck,
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Capturing 1080P 60fps Aja Kona 3G speeding video up

First time posting... hopefully it can be solved because I am at wits end.
I am looking to capture 1080P60 off of an iPhone through HDMI using and HD-SDI converter with the Aja Kona 3G card (it saves it as an MOV format in Premiere). The capture portion in Premiere works great until it hits 12 GB of RAM and then the video speeds up disproportionally until the end of the capture/offload to HDD. This usually happens about 30-40 seconds in. I know this is an extremely hot signal coming off but that is what I need. I know it’s not a RAM or system issue because it is a blazing machine with plenty of RAM and HDD space using RAID0. When I try to capture 720P video it records the video fine until around 18 GB of RAM and then does the same thing. Is there some limitation to the format I am using or capture or is it something I am doing wrong? The card doesn’t have many settings to change an input signal in Premiere so to me options are limited…
System:
Intel I7-3.20 GHz
10TB RAID0
64GB RAM
Aja Kona 3G capture card

I have never seen an issue like this. The best thing I can suggest is to get in contact with AJA tech support. They are very knowledgeable and helpful with issues like this. Good luck.

Does Premiere 5.5, on a Mac, with a AJA Kona 3G display and play back footage from a RED Scarlet-Dragon or Epic-Dragon in 4k?

I currently work on the following mac. It has an AJA Kona 3G Card.
Curious if I can get this system to play back the red files on the client monitor. I'm using a JVC
DT-R24L41DU.
I know that this monitor won't display the 4k image. I will be getting one that does. But for sake of argument, does anyone have any success with the config I have outputting 4K to a client monitor?
thanks,

The optimal RAID solution are the ARECA raid controllers. If you want a total engineered RAID solution one of the Areca outlets can do that for you. Another total systems solution is probably available from ADK VideoEditing, they use an also good line of RAID controllers from Intel which are actually manufactured by LSI
Also look at our PC oriented benchmarks PPBM5 and notice that many of the better scoring systems use Areca and Intel.
I wish we had a procedure to test Macs with our PPBM5 tests but both Harm and I are not Mac users so we cannot use the Mac terminology to write one. Eric at ADK since he sits on both sides of PC and Macs has run PPBM5 on a well set up Mac Pro 2010 using the onboard RAID controller. Maybe with your heavy PC background you could interpret the PC procedures to your Mac and see how those two machines compare. If you are interested PM me and I can give you more information

Motion playback on production monitor through AJA Kona LH card looks nasty.

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