Comparison of AJA V2 Analog and Decimator 2 converters for downconversion and reliability

Gear

ZephyrCan I fly my Alexa or RED on a Zephyr?389

Master SeriesIs a used Master Series rig worth buying as a first big rig?191

BFDHow do I power my BFD receiver from my camera or sled?186

VoltCan I retrofit a Volt onto my existing sled or gimbal?168

ArtemisHow do I power my camera and accessories from an Artemis sled?166

MDRWhere can I mount my Preston MDR on my rig?143

ModulusIs there a Modulus option for HD wireless video?141

G-70Will my G-70 fit my vest, gimbal or sled?126

FI+ZCan I control iris and zoom wirelessly, not just focus?60

HU3Where can I get my HU3 repaired, refurbished or repainted?60

CineLiveHow do I pack and case my CineLive rig for transport?54

G-70XHow does the G-70X compare to Pro Titan, Xarm and other arms?46

Trinity 2Is Trinity 2 SUP 3.0 firmware safe to install or buggy?46

Ultra VestWhich vest should I choose for my body size, comfort and operator type?39

2014General Discussion forum

12 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.

The AJA product line is reported to have consistent reliability and responsive customer support.
Decimator 2 units experienced failures when powered from Steadicam batteries due to power spikes during battery switchover, exceeding the device's tolerance of maximum 24V DC.
Early generation Decimator units were reported as reliable, but later units developed reliability issues in the field.
Decimator Design improved manufacturing quality by relocating to a new facility with advanced equipment starting at the beginning of one year.
Newer Decimator products such as MD-HX and MD-CROSS have increased maximum DC power tolerance to 32V.
Decimator 2 repair service was streamlined to handle turnarounds within one week in the UK and ship internationally at distributor cost.
The AJA HD10MD3 passes through video signals and is reported to function reliably.
The original Decimator 2 was not designed for Steadicam battery power applications.
Powering a Decimator from a dedicated AC power supply is the recommended approach to avoid voltage-related failures.

Experiences shared were from 2014 or earlier; manufacturing improvements mentioned were recent at time of discussion but current status unknown.
Some Decimator reliability issues may be specific to battery-powered Steadicam use cases rather than general operation.
Power protection improvements to Decimator products occurred approximately two years before 2014, meaning older units lacked this protection.
Comparison is limited to these two specific models and may not apply to other converters.
Distributor representations about improvements cannot be independently verified from this thread alone.