AjaKONA-LHI-R0 HD,SD 10-bit Digital & 12-bit Analog PCIe Card

Thank you

Video editing systems & their hardware have become more complicated in recent years. Video files that should be native to many editing systems are not, such as DVD files that won't import even though the application easily recognizes them (video imports but not audio). As a result, digitizers are an important tool in trying to bring in digital video that's difficult to convert as well as bringing in older analog media.In the 1990's I had a Media100 system with its own breakout box (Vincent card) which was relatively simple and worked very well. As such proprietary (and seamless) digitizers are no longer available, edit systems refer us to boards like the Kona card. In my case, the LHi was recommended by the manufacturer for my Apple system. It was pricey, but needing something of high quality I went for it, in the hopes it would save me time down the line.After some experience with the card this week while under a hard delivery deadline, I've come to the following conclusion:The Kona LHi card is steaming, festering, oozing, undulating, malignant, cankerous, massive pile of putrid, rotting trash.The driver, of which there are dozens of variants, is extremely product specific. So depending on the hardware, software, OS, version of your application, etc. you must use and install a different driver for each. The most recent driver does not work on all configurations, causing you to back track, search and do a lot of trial and error in finding the correct one. In addition, the card has settings for at least 100 different types of resolutions, sources & formats. If you don't know exactly what is coming out of your source, that source often won't even be recognized.After finding the correct driver, after finding the correct formats and resolutions, after updating and installing and configuring and testing- the card still wouldn't reliably get video into my system. Sometimes I'd get video (using FCP 7, Media 100 and FCP X) and sometimes it would just be blank. When I did get video and or sound, it would often not be of useful quality.Why so angry, you ask? Isn't this an issue of Apple and not AJA? No, and I'll tell you why... because there's no good reason for all the complications. With a simple HD camcorder and firewire plug (which I eventually settled on using) I was not only able to import higher quality video than the LHi, but was able to do it completely independent of my system configuration, without jumping through driver and setting hoops, without spending hours on the web researching & debugging -and without spending $1,500 for a piece of junk masquerading as a tool to help video editors get their work done.Why they make it so hard when it doesn't have to be is maddening.

Love the LHi. As intimated by the other reviewer here (Mr. Steamer), it is a somewhat complex card but it is because if allows for a variety of configurations, signal formats, and output scenarios. The video quality is superb. The 3G 4:4:4 output is great if you do any color critical work.I use both Blackmagic and AJA products and I would prefer to use the AJA, but alas Davinci Resolve requires the BMD card. If you are running an Avid, Adobe CS, Nuke, Fusion - this card is the cat's meow.