Keylink vs Evertz For Aatoncode

Anyone have any thoughts about using the Evertz reader for Aatoncode. I recently had an experience where I had Aatoncode that could not be read by a facility with the Evertz reader, but was able read and sync up my footage fine at a different facility who had an Aaton Keylink reader. The post house with the Evertz system claimed that the Aatoncode was not exposed with a density they could read. Camera was running Aatoncode 2 software and I know the camera had the ASA setting correct. This is the first time I have attempted to use the Evertz reader and it hasn’t left a favourable impression.

John Chater
DP-San Francisco

John Chater wrote:

>Anyone have any thoughts about using the Evertz reader for >Aatoncode.

The facility with Evertz reader electronics unit must have the newer style Evertz reader head in the "EV-3" Series. The older style "KR" series does not read AATON code, and I don't know if the Evertz supports all the newer functions when AATON updates their camera code. And yes AATON probably can read code that is not exposed as properly as the Evertz unit would like.

I know because I had the first AATON telecine code reader in the US many years ago and AATON and JP and the folks at AATON have been at it for a VERY LONG time. JP and I are much older and wiser now. At least he is.... wiser that is.

Bill Hogan

Bill Hogan wrote

>And yes AATON probably can read code that is not exposed as properly >as the Evertz unit would like.

Older for sure, wiser not so sure since I am still working on new cinedeography gears when there are so many other important things to do

Speaking of it, any news on the 720p 60Hz odd/even frame identification?

JP/Aaton

John Chater wrote:

>I had Aatoncode that could not be read by a facility with the Evertz >reader

I'm afraid John that the post house with the Evertz has told you a porky. The latest Evertz is not able to read AatonCode 2.

Best regards

John Bowring

LEMAC AUSTRALIA
www.lemac.com.au

>I'm afraid John that the post house with the Evertz has told you a porky.

On the A-minima I have been told you cannot modify it to have pre Aatoncode 2 software, as you can on a XTR Prod. I have a couple of XTR Prods that on occasion I swap out the Aatoncode 2 software chip, to an earlier Aatoncode 1 software. Aatoncode2 is not backwards compatible with Keylink systems at post houses that havent upgraded their software in a while.

Given that the latest Evertz reader apparently cannot read Aatoncode 2, isn’t this a serious limitation of the Evertz system at any facility ?

I genuinely believe the post house is not aware of this issue. Do Evertz actively inform their clients of its inability to read Aatoncode 2 ?

Anyone from Aaton care to comment?

John Chater
DP- San Francisco

John Chater wrote:

>I genuinely believe the post house is not aware of this issue. Do Evertz >actively inform their clients of its inability to read Aatoncode 2 ?

I believe Aatoncode 2 was designed both to have advantages over Aatoncode (1) and to be impossible for Evertz to reverse-engineer.

You do sometimes see telecines with both Evertz and Aaton reader heads
on them, though why not just get an Aaton Keylink and be done with it?

Jeff Krienes