Aja’s New KONA 3G Offers Diverse Set of Solutions

At IBC 2010, Aja introduced the KONA 3G, which features 10-bit Uncompressed video I/O, the newest HDMI 1.4a support for 3D workflows, 16-channel SDI embedded audio I/O, and up to 16-channel AES digital audio I/O (8 with breakout cable or 16 with optional K3G-Box). In addition, the KONA 3G offers realtime hardware-based up/down/cross conversion for efficiently working with a wide variety of SD and HD, 3G, dual-link HD, even 2K formats, and a hardware downstream keyer for compositing graphics without rendering.


KONA 3G offers an affordable and simple path through 3D Stereoscopic workflows. Through SDI, uers can output Discrete Left and Right Eye feeds with a simple Stereo button choice in the AJA control panel. In addition, all the muxed feeds for SDI stereo monitoring are accessible through tight integration with CineForm’s stereo codecs in Apple FCP and Adobe CS5 timelines for Side by Side and Top Bottom. Through HDMI 1.4a, users can utilize more affordable 3D monitors for Side by Side, Top Bottom and Frame Packed needs.

KONA 3G features full 10-bit, broadcast-quality, motion-adaptive SD to HD up-conversion, HD to HD cross-conversion, HD to SD down-conversion, and automatic HD/SD 12-bit component analog output. Since all conversion functionality on the KONA 3G is hardware-based, it’s available all the time on ingest or playback. The KONA 3G can also cross-convert 720p 23.98 to 1080PsF 23.98.

The AJA KONA 3G features a powerful hardware downstream keyer that can place graphic files with an alpha channel over the video being input to the board—or a selectable color matte, or the contents of the card’s framebuffer (ex: AJA TV/Apple Final Cut Pro). The downstream keyer can also key a QuickTime video clip that has an alpha channel by playing it in realtime, via the supplied AJA TV application, over live video coming into the card.

For SDI video, the card features two 3G/HD/SD-SDI inputs and two outputs, HDMI 1.4a monitoring output, LTC input and output, one connection for Genlock input, and configurable 3x BNC HD/SD analog video output. Also included is a 9-pin connector for RS-422 machine control. If you’re using a Digital Betacam, DVCPro50, HDCAM, DVCPRO HD, D5, or HDCAM SR VTR—or any other professional device–users will have the proper connections.

KONA 3G supports Dual Link 4:4:4 HD-SDI, with full bandwidth 4:4:4 RGB at 10-bits for 1080i, 1080p, 1080PsF and 720p formats. KONA 3G can also convert between 4:4:4 and 4:2:2 formats for single link HD-SDI monitoring and output.

As the most capable 2K card for the Mac, users can use KONA 3G to ingest from 3G or HSDL (high speed data link) equipped sources and record at full frame rate or record simultaneous 2K DPX files and 2K QuickTime reference movies using the AJA VTR Xchange application. uers can also work with existing 2K material, like sequential DPX or Cineon files, by using AJA’s DPXToQT Translator application to create QuickTime files for a wide variety of applications. RED Epic and ARRI Alexa workflows are eased by KONA 3G, with true realtime 2K playback and LUT support.

On a PC, KONA 3G can connect to a 2K telecine saving time and steps by directly creating 2K DPX, QuickTime, Cineon, AVI, TGA, TIFF or BMP files. Users can capture directly into the format they need and move files immediately into their editing/compositing environment of choice. These same files can be played out at 2K via 3G or High Speed Data Link (HSDL), offering further synergy with other 2K products already in use in the market.

KONA 3G also allows 2K files to be viewed with a user-selected crop function on HD 1080PsF supported video monitors. This functionality helps lower the price barrier for viewing 2K material.

The 1080 HD playout can additionally be down-converted to SD in realtime, giving users a powerful solution for multi-format video playout of 2K material and flexible tape mastering options.

Tie the KONA 3G to a digital audio mixer or DAW output with 8-channel 24-bit 48kHz or 96kHz AES audio via BNC connections on the supplied breakout cable—or get the optional K3G-Box to output an even larger 16-channels of AES audio. KONA 3G’s high-quality input sample-rate conversion on AES inputs eliminates the need for audio source synchronization. For multi-channel audio mastering, 16-channel SDI embedded 24-bit 48kHz audio provides the power users need to integrate into any audio environment.

The optional K3G-Box simplifies connectivity in professional post-production environments by offering a 19-inch, 1RU rack-mountable breakout box that attaches to the KONA 3G via an included multi-pin cable and two cables supplied with the KONA 3G. Additional K3G-Box functionality over the standard breakout cable comes in the form of 8 additional AES audio channels, 2-channel RCA analog audio monitoring jacks, and looping BNC Genlock reference connectors.

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