Overview
Designed from the ground up to support next-generation AI and AR workflows, KONA X is a 4-lane, PCIe 3.0 video I/O card with two full-size, bidirectional 12G-SDI BNC connections and two full-size HDMI 2.0 connections, one for input and one for output. KONA X lets users achieve as low as sub-frame latencies with Streaming DMA (Direct Memory Access), which enables powerful real time workflows with no perceptible delay on I/O and processing crucial for implementations such as live sports and virtual production*.
Supporting 4K/UltraHD, 2K/HD, SD, 10-bit 4:2:2, 4:4:4 and 12-bit color spaces for pristine image quality, KONA X offers the flexibility to ingest and output with 12G-SDI and full-size HDMI 2.0 ports. The bidirectional 12G-SDI ports provide immense flexibility for capture and simultaneous pass-through, and with the appropriate software, multi-channel capture and streaming.
KONA X is driven by AJA's Control Room and Control Panel software, with support for leading content creation applications. KONA X is also compatible with AJA's multi-platform Developer SDK.
For HDR* workflows, KONA X supports HDR10, HLG, PQ, and Dolby Vision for rich color delivery over SDI and/or HDMI.
KONA X has the horsepower for your work today and into the future.
Features
- 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD/SD up to 50/60p
- 2x bidirectional 12G-SDI with up to 16-channels of embedded audio
- HDMI 2.0 input and output with up to 8-channels of embedded audio
- RGB 4:4:4 12-bit (4K/UltraHD) workflows supported
- YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit and HFR workflows supported
- VESA HDMI I/O compatibility - the video subsystem timing is agnostic, enabling capture and playback of a myriad of HDMI formats
- Support for Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Avid Media Composer and much more
- Support for OEM applications with the AJA Developer SDK and In-Firmware Microcontroller
- 4K Closed Caption Support
- VPID signaling for SDR/HDR Transfer Characteristics, Colorimetry and Luminance via SDI
- PQ, HLG, HDR10 and Dolby Vision Support
- HDR Metadata Capture and Auto Playback Detection
- Includes support for the latest Apple silicon
- Optional KONA Xpand board provides Bi-level / Tri-level Video Reference (BNC), LTC in/out, RS-422, 8-channels of AES/EBU audio (with included breakout cable) and 2-channels of analog audio in and out (via user supplied DB-15 to XLR cable)
- Three year warranty
KONA X is also available in a fanless version for sound sensitive environments. Note that precautions should be taken to maintain card temperature under maximum levels.
Ultra-low Latency / Streaming DMA
With Streaming DMA (Direct Memory Access), the DMA operation happens directly between the video I/O and the computer’s buffer in applications that support it, completely bypassing the on-card memory. Depending on the software application being used, this enables customers to achieve as low as sub-frame latencies and a much simpler method of dealing with dynamic video.
HDR
HDR (High Dynamic Range) provides the ability to display a wider and richer range of colors, much brighter whites, and much deeper, darker blacks than standard signals allow. This gives your imagery a more ‘dynamic’ look and allows for natural true to life colors to be communicated to your audience.
KONA X HDR workflows can also benefit from AJA's Control Room application and its companion AJA Control Panel, which comes complete with built-in HDR test patterns.
AJA Control Room provides VPID signaling for SDR/HDR Transfer Characteristics, Colorimetry, and Luminance transfer characteristics over SDI, bringing flexible output options to your workflow. KONA X provides simultaneous HDR output via both SDI and HDMI.
AJA Control Room software adds support for HDR metadata capture from an incoming SDI or HDMI signal. The captured .mov video file will have embedded HDR metadata, allowing the file to be played back at its intended dynamic range.
AJA Control Room software also provides the KONA X with HDR Auto Playback Detection. Embedded HDR metadata in a recorded .mov file is read and used to automatically set the HDR format on the monitor(s) connected to the KONA X HDMI and/or SDI outputs. Support for file based .mov HDR outputs with metadata from Adobe Premiere Pro/Adobe Media Encoder HDR files is also available. Screening those rendered outputs is a simple and high quality experience with AJA Control Room. Every frame is presented in its full quality, at the timing intended, and with the proper HDR format set correctly and automatically.
