Re: firmware updates for tbc?

[David Jones] "While I love my AJA IO,
It troubles me that these features were touted on their website oh so long ago,
and they have yet to appear.

As I flash back to my last edit system, a Media100, which I also loved until...
I sure hope AJA does not fall into the same boat as Media 100 by putting all their efforts into the dazzling new product
at the expense of lack of support for their already released products, and their current clientele.
I started editing with Avid, back when it was Deva, then Avid, then Media 100, now AJA.
After all, these are just tools, and if a company will not deliver what it has promised in a timely fashion,
then editors start using the tools that will.
I also understand the need for a company to generate new revenue by introducing new products.
But if done at the expense of your current client base, I think you'll find that your revenues will soon dry up.
Please don't let this product become another Media 100! "

Yep, I can feel what you're saying David. I came from a Media 100 background myself and that company went from being on top, to barely a niche player because of their lack of meaningful updates. Very large numbers of their customers begged Media 100 to listen to them about what their products needed and the copious bad decisions Media 100 was making. But they didn't, until years later when they finally came out with a decent new product (844/x) with most of the features that had been requested all those years. But, is what I consider one of the biggest tech company blunders ever, they put it on the wrong platform (By far the majority of their user base was on the Mac). It killed the company in my opinion (not to mention it was about 5 years too late).

Anyway, I could go on about that for hours about Media 100 (venting). AJA, fortunately is not Media 100. They have some great people running the company and I think they might have just taken on a little too much to quickly, by trying to bring us the best possible products. Like everything in this industry, it took far longer to develop the new software and hardware then they had considered possible. None the less, AJA appears to be very interested in bringing us new and better features. They are different than Media 100 because they know what we want and they are enthusiastic about trying to give it to us. Media 100 didn't care what we wanted and they only cared about chasing after the next big thing (remember their whole web integration idea - yeah that worked). In my opinion, AJA is mostly on target with our needs, but are probably a little understaffed and that is reason for the long delays. They seem hesitant (my guess) to bring in more staff to take on the important software development, instead choosing to try and do too much with the current roster. I could be wrong, but that how I see it.

I wouldn't give up on AJA yet. With NAB coming in a couple of months we're likely to see not only a lot of the old promises resolved, but some new features and products that will come as pleasant surprises.

Tony!