Scopebox + Aja KiPro + MacBook Pro = good match?

[Terje Rian]

I try to find infomation on how I can utilize Scopebox on a MacBook Pro connected to a Aja KiPro (which records HD-SDI out from a Sony EX-3). Any tips and/or advices?

The Scopebox offers a trail version, but I can't find info on how and how long this trail version works. A clarification is appreciated. Thank you.

Kind regards,
Terje Rian

[Colin McFadden]

Hey Terje - the trial isn't time-limited, it just doesn't allow you to record, and adds a watermark to the palettes.

That said, I'm not clear on how you'd connect the KiPro to the MBP? As far as I know, it doesn't have a live feed, it just records internally. Otherwise, ClipWrap works fine with any AJA (or BlackMagic, Matrox, etc) capture board or box - IoHD, IoExpress, etc.

[Terje Rian]

Hello,

You're right, KiPro doesn't provide live feed over Firewire at this point, but I'm able to access the footage on the drive (after it's been recorded) through Firewire (by copying internally to the MBP). Maybe there's a better option getting a live feed directly from the Sony EX-3 to the computer? I'm mainly concerned with the exposure in a chroma key setting. I really need a mobile solution. I would need some additional way (a box) to input the video, of course. Any tips what to buy for this type of need?

Kind regards,
Terje Rian

[Colin McFadden]

If your MBP has an expresscard slot, you can get an Io Express or one of the various matrox boxes. Otherwise you'd need to go with something like an IoHD or MOTU V4HD (not my favorite).

[Terje Rian]

The only Express Card Slot machine I've got is an older PowerBook and it's not able to handle ProRes? My recent MacBook Pro with Express card slot stopped working earlier this year. An AJA ioHD is not an option. I just bought the KiPro as a more suitable solution (for me, that is). Well, I'm out of luck then. Maybe AJA implements a live feed over Firewire in a later update (on the KiPro) then? Thank you for taking the time, Colin.

Kind regards,
Terje Rian

[Tim Kolb]

The KiPro is a capture device, not an I/O device. I use an I/O Express in green screen test situations, when I record HDSDI on a KiPro or Convergent Design Nano for green screen, and I capture small bits directly into After Effects and I pull test keys on the spot.

...but you need to have both a capture device AND an I/O device to do that.

[Terje Rian]

Hello Tim,

Thank you for your input. I'm aware of the difference between an I/O and a capturing device. That said, Kipro is definitly capable as an I/O device, but it lacks the "proper" connectivity to a MacBook Pro (to be used in connection with Scopebox it seems). That was all my question was about. I'm sorry that my point didn't came across and that I'm not able to communicate better in a foreign language.

I don't have a problem utilizing the different work flows using both FCP and/or AFX pulling test keys. I've been doing this for more than 25 years. I'm just searching for a more flexible and mobile solution to utilize the equipment I already own. I've had the KiPro for just a few hours and Scopebox came to my attention yesterday. I just needed some clarification on how the products integrate with each other (if at all).

Kind regards,
Terje Rian

[Tim Kolb]

Originally Posted by Terje Rian

I'm aware of the difference between an I/O and a capturing device. That said, Kipro is definitly capable as an I/O device, but it lacks the "proper" connectivity to a MacBook Pro (to be used in connection with Scopebox it seems).

Actually, the KiPro is designed for input and output in conventional video signals in real-time... There is no accommodation for a "conversion" to a format that a computer could ingest on the fly as it's designed to write the file to its own harddrive. The footage is intended to be transferred in a disk-to-disk data transfer afterward. It really isn't an "I/O" (In/Out) signal device...it's a digital disk based recorder. The only signals that come out of it in real-time are digital and analog video and audio...which would require an I/O device to convert, as if you were ingesting footage from an HD VTR.

ScopeBox (or applications like it) need a real-time conversion like a Kona LHi would give you on a desktop machine or an I/O Express would give you on a laptop...neither of those devices store video, they simply convey it into the computer and the computer has to deal with it. (I use Scopebox in a live venue where I set up a multicamera video recording system, it works well with a Kona card on a desktop machine.)

Since the I/O HD box (mac Only) converts to ProRes inside itself and then sends the data through to the computer, I'm not sure if ScopeBox could read that at that point in the chain or not. They'd be able to answer that for you.

[Eugen Oprina]

Terje,
I think that scopebox works fine on a MBP with the Matrox MXO2 as long as the ki pro gives clean sdi signal out.
I'll try it sometime this week and let you know.
Best,
Eugen

[Terje Rian]

Eugen: Thank you for your input. Please let me know how it goes.

Kind regards,
-terje