AJA celebrates 25 years responding to new HDR and 12G-SDI challenges

Among AJA's novelties at NAB 2018, the KUMO 3232-12G and KUMO 1616-12G matrices stand out, two compact 12G-SDI proposals.

In this NAB 2018, when AJA celebrates 25 years of great success in the market, launches new solutions with support for HDR and 12G-SDI. Among the new features, the KUMO 3232-12G and KUMO 1616-12G stand out, two new compact 12G-SDI arrays. KUMO 3232-12G offers 32x 12G-SDI inputs and 32x 12G-SDI outputs and the KUMO 1616-12G offers 16x 12G-SDI inputs and 16x 12G-SDI outputs.

Designed for use in broadcast, production and ProAV environments, the new routers support large format, high frame rate (HFR) resolutions and deep color formats, while reducing cable lengths by carrying 4K/UltraHD over SDI.

The routers offer network-based and/or physical control and mimic the compact physical form of AJA's production-proven KUMO 3232 and KUMO 1616 arrays, adding a new USB port for configuring IP addresses via AJA's eMini-Setup software. Multiport group routing also means the new 12G-SDI models are 8K ready.

AJA has also introduced two new KONA cards and announced Desktop Software v14.2. KONA HDMI is a PCIe card for multi-channel HD and 4K HDMI capture on a single channel for live production, streaming, gaming, VR and post-production, while KONA 1 is a PCIe card for HD/SD 3G-SDI capture/playback on a single channel. Desktop Software v14.2 increases support for KONA 1 and KONA HDMI, in addition to new improvements for AJA products KONA, Io and T-TAP.

Miniconversor IPR-10G-HDMI

AJA has revealed the new IPR-10G-HDMI mini converter, which converts SMPTE ST 2110 IP video/audio to HDMI. This new mini converter allows broadcast, production, post-production and ProAV professionals to send SMPTE ST 2110 video/audio to HDMI monitors. AJA has also introduced SMPTE ST 2110 support for its KONA IP via free Desktop Software v14.2.

“SMPTE ST 2110 is positioned to drive IP video adoption forward and AJA is committed to providing tools that help connect IP with existing technologies,” said Nick Rashby, president of AJA Video Systems. “IPR-10G-HDMI and KONA IP, with SMPTE 2110 support, allows facilities to take advantage of the many benefits that ST 2110 offers for uncompressed HD video and audio over IP, while making the most of the equipment they already have in editing devices, mobile broadcast units, control rooms and other environments.”

OpenGear cards

Five new OpenGear-compatible audio and video rack cards, with support for Ross Video DashBoard software for remote control and monitoring. Along with the new cards, the company is also previewing a new generation of next-generation OG-X OpenGear compatible racks, with higher power capabilities, at NAB 2018 in the AJA booth (SL2505).

Designed for use in compatible openGear 2RU racks, including AJA's OG-3 2RU rack, the new cards combine the reliability and functionality of AJA mini converters with high-density OpenGear architecture. New DashBoard software support provides convenient, industry-standard configuration, monitoring and control options using a PC or local network on Windows, MacOS or Linux.

HDR Analyzer

AJA is offering a technology preview of its new HDR Image Analyzer at NAB at NAB 2018. The HDR Image Analyzer, an HDR monitoring solution with waveform, histogram, vectorscope and Nit level, simplifies monitoring and analysis of 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD, HDR and WCG content in production, post-production, quality control (QC) and mastering.

Combining powerful, production-proven audio and video inputs and outputs with HDR analysis tools in a compact 1RU rack, the HDR Image Analyzer offers a flexible solution for monitoring and analyzing HDR formats, including PQ (Perceptual Quantizer), Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG), and Rec.2020 for 4K/UltraHD workflows.

FS-HDR

AJA has announced firmware v2.5 with new feature enhancements for the Wide Color Gamut (WCG) rack synchronizer/converter with Colorfront Engine video processing and the company's real-time FS-HDR High Dynamic Range (HDR). The company also announced new multimode and single fiber SFP options for FS-HDR and FS4.

Firmware v2.5 strengthens the Colorfront Engine transformation algorithm with support for ITU BT.2408-0 operating practices in HDR television. Additionally, the FS-HDR now supports a simultaneous 4K/UltraHD and 2K/HD output mode with independent SDR/HDR controls. Recently integrated BBC Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) Look Up Tables (LUTs) provide basic mathematical HDR transformations.

The generation of the InfoFrame on the HDMI output of the monitor offers an easy and economical solution for local monitoring on displays that support HDR. The novelty will also integrate new standardized HDR test patterns. Finally, the new Tangent Element Kb panel support for remote parameter control enables real-time tuning control of key FS-HDR conversion parameters.

Ki Pro Ultra

AJA has announced firmware v3.0 for Ki Pro Ultra and Ki Pro Ultra Plus, adding Avid's DNxHR codec support to file-based 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD recording and playback devices. v3.0, which will be available soon as a free software download, allows users to record over HD frames with Avid codecs in a native .MXF container format, supporting Avid editors and .MXF workflows with more flexible options. Ki Pro Ultra and Ki Pro Ultra Plus already support Avid DNxHD decodecs for 2K/HD resolutions.

Firmware v3.0 adds support for Avid DNxHR codecs for UltraHD (23.98,24,25,29.97p) and 4K (23.98,24,25,29.97p) both DNxHR HQX, and DNxHR S and DNxHR

Helo v2.1

AJA Video Systems today announced firmware v2.1 for its HELO H.264 standalone streaming, recording and encoding device. The free upgrade allows you to further customize live streaming and recording workflows with HELO, and includes new features driven by customer feedback.

The main features of the HELO v2.1 firmware are streaming with Closed Captioning (CC) of SDI input and HLS streaming for direct interoperability with Apple iPads and other consumer devices.