New CF Recorder Just Killed My SSDR & The Nano !

[Mark Job]

Hi Friends:
Except for the Nano 3D (Which is a fad which will also soon die) the new AJA Ki Pro Mini just killed the Nano Flash dead ! It's a CF recording SSDR @ $1,995.00 See link here at News - AJA Video Systems. This kills my SSDR on SD and SDHC, SDXC cards, but I will continue to perfect my prototype, because I spent too much money to turn back now. Have a nice day.

[Aaron Newsome]

Well I don't know if I'd predict any deaths from AJA's announcement but I'd have to say that it's awfully compelling. 10bit, Prores, dual CF cards, real XLR inputs, 8 channels embedded audio, sized to compete with nano, killer price point. Awfully compelling and certainly worth a look.

[Mark Job]

Hi Aaron:
Well, it's not friggin MPEG -2 (Which I hate BTW), and it's *Not 8 bit, which is nice too ! Plus it's Quicktime base (Heart of Avid is QT). Media Composer now supports the Final Cut Pro Res 422 HQ, in HD and SD, so it's over ! - They win ! However, it doesn't do uncompressed (Yet ?). So Convergent Design could up them by enabling this feature on their Flash XDR. (??)

[Steve Phillipps]

Something you've been looking for for a while eh Mark?
There's obviously much more to a decent bit of kit than specs (like reliability, ruggedness etc.) but like Aaron, I have to say it does look good.
Steve

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Steve Phillipps

Something you've been looking for for a while eh Mark?
There's obviously much more to a decent bit of kit than specs (like reliability, ruggedness etc.) but like Aaron, I have to say it does look good.
Steve

...Hey Steve: Oh common man :-) ! You have to admit those specs look pretty darn good ! Now, if it turns out to be half-baked and unreliable, then that's another story.

[Aaron Newsome]

Hi Mark. I wouldn't get your hopes up too much on uncompressed. I can't speak for CD, since I have no idea what their plans are for uncompressed on the XDR (although my manual lists it as a future feature), I would be willing to bet you'll never see uncompressed on the XDR or this little AJA box.

However, my Cinedeck seems to do uncompressed nicely :-)

[Steve Phillipps]

Originally Posted by Mark Job

You have to admit those specs look pretty darn good !

Yes, I did say that!

Just remembered it's uncompressed that you've been posting a lot about rather than 10 bit isn't it?
For me I think 10 bit 422 ProRes would be just the ticket. Still got an old tape Varicam, which has 10 bit full raster from the SDI, wonder what the AJA does about reading the Flags for variable frame rates?

Steve

[Mark Job]

Hi Steve:

I only want the uncompressed feature for digital cinema shoots and some effects plates, but normally I shoot Long GOP 50 Mbps.

[Lance Librandi]

Hi Mark,
AJA have not demonstrated to me a level of support which we enjoy from CD. I would want to see much more info on the unit, while Pro Res would make life much easier I do have concerns about Apples future in the pro market place. The lack of updates for FCP and the pro apps only leads me to believe that Apple may sell of dump the pro apps. I faced a very similar situation with Media 100 when they dumped the iFinsh system after I had invested in it, now I look at support 1st product next.

[Jeff DePonte]

I have been wondering for some time when the major manufacturers were going to pounce on the Nanoflash. CD must have been watching the clock counting down to this date. Certainly, Canon has proved, with their new xf300/305, that they can produce solid cameras with CF HD-SDI 4:2:2 recording built in. Now, AJA has a solid recorder at under $2K. IMHO, it simply looks far more like a piece of rugged, professional production gear.

Dan, I think you really do have the best of intentions, and that you really do strive to help us, the customer. Your attitude on the phone, helping me through technical issues, has been stellar. You are truly a good guy. But, I have a major problem with the way CD operates: the company talks too much. A basic tenet of a good business is to under-promise and over-deliver. By saying so much about unreleased products and features, you raise expections. Then, when you fail to deliver on-time (or not at all, Mark?), you wind up with egg on your collective faces. Unless your goal is to freeze potential customers' purchasing decisions, causing them to not buy a competitor's product while you ramp up production on your own...

I love the way the Japanese companies operate— save for the occaisional concept camera (like the Canon 4K), they do not talk about unreleased products. They announce and ship.

Like real estate, when a house in your neighborhood sells below market value, you lose, too. We all just lost money.

[Michael Galvan]

Originally Posted by Aaron Newsome

Well I don't know if I'd predict any deaths from AJA's announcement but I'd have to say that it's awfully compelling. 10bit, Prores, dual CF cards, real XLR inputs, 8 channels embedded audio, sized to compete with nano, killer price point. Awfully compelling and certainly worth a look.

Yeah, everything about this new Ki Pro mini seems fantastic!

In all honesty, I probably would've went with this over the Nanoflash if they went to market at the same time. AJA has an excellent track record in my book with their products.

And I'm sure its reliability and ruggedness will be a step above... they are a mature video company. Their products have always had great, rugged, reliable builds. And this one certainly looks far better built than the Nanoflash.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Nanoflash... but AJA really seems to have a winner here!

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Jeff,

Our goal is not to freeze potential customers purchasing decisions.

Yes, we have failed to deliver a few promised features, such as full uncompressed for Mark, and are late on others, such as hot-swapping.

But, on the other hand, we have delivered features that were never promised originally.

Our goal is to communicate as openly as possible to assist our customers in their decisions and operations.

[Glenn Davidson]

I was on the fence between the nanoFlash and the Ki Pro. I purchased a Nano based on the size and weight, but really wanted the LED metering, XLR (line/mic switchable) and front panel headphone out features of the KiPro. The Ki Pro Mini does look like the perfect combo of features and size. Can't wait to demo one.

[Giroud Francois]

for me , working on PC, this full compatibility and readiness with Apple is a drawback that would prevent me to purchase.

[Ronan Fournier]

Some posts on this threads are rude and unfair angainst the Nano and CD. We are a lot of people here to appreciate the innovative technology of the Nano and the incredible quality support of CD's team. I don't know many compagnies which answer your emails even during the week end, or accept to be called 24 hours a day. That's very precious.

Everybody knows that it is always exciting to be the first one to try a new technology. Buying a Flash XDR or the Nano was a bit risky at the begining, but personnaly I don't regret my choice. It is exciting to help to develop the product and to see that CD's team is doing its best to satisfy consumers. Maybe the Nano was a bit a prototype when it was launched but that was part of the deal. This is the price you have sometimes to pay for a very innnovative technology I think. Now it works perfectly and I'm very happy to have been able to do what I've done with it, when it was the cheapiest solution for its quality.

Yes the KiPro mini sounds promissing on paper. It's always easier to copy and improve an original idea. But the Nano is smaller and lighter and it is certainly not "killed" yet. It's a living product with constant improvements. Please show a bit more respect to people who had the courage to be pionneers and have invested so much passion, work and energy. CD is a small compagny and needs some support too.

Discriminating post on a web forum can create a lot of economical damages. We need CD to continue to improve the Nano, and create new innovative products. So please don't discurage them by showing ungratefulness.

Competition is good. We need both AJA and CD and I whish to see one day a great Nano2 !