AJA Kona Cards

KONA 3

Meet KONA 3, the Heavyweight Champion Capture Card for Uncompressed SD, HD, 2K & Dual Link HD on OS X

Visualize uncompressed video, 8-channel AES and embedded 16-channel audio, up/cross/down HD/SD format conversion, hardware downstream keyer and HD/SD component analog output — all your's on a state-of-the-art 4-lane PCIe card (KONA 3) or PCI-X card (KONA 3X). Intrigued? Like other members of the KONA family, KONA 3 is designed for no-holds-barred design and editing — with support for Apple Final Cut Studio 2 and Apple's ProRes 422 and ProRes 422 HQ — plus hardware acceleration for the DVCPROHD and HDV codecs, and Dynamic RT Extreme effects in Final Cut Pro 6. It’s a knockout — KONA 3 — the new standard-bearer for quality, flexibility and future-safe architecture in a QuickTime I/O card.

Features

• SDI, HD-SDI, Dual Link HD-SDI 4:4:4, and 4:4:4:4, 2K
• Apple ProRes 422 and
• Apple ProRes 422 HQ supported
• DVCProHD hardware acceleration
• HDV hardware acceleration
• Dynamic RT Extreme hardware acceleration
• Broadcast-quality hardware 10-bit up-/cross-/downconversion
• 12-bit HD component and SD component/composite analog output
• 10-bit HD/SD video/key output
• Internal HD/SD live hardware keyer
• 8-channel 24-bit AES and 16-channel embedded audio
• RS-422 machine control
• AJA QuickTime drivers
• Apple Final Cut Studio, Adobe After Effects, Photoshop and more
• Cables standard, K3-Box breakout optional
• 3-year warranty
• Available in PCIe (4 lane) as KONA 3
• Available in PCI-X as KONA 3X

K3-Break out Box

The K3-Box for KONA 3 simplifies interfacing by offering a 19-inch, 1RU rack-mountable breakout box that attaches to the KONA 3 with just two cables. This option offers all the same inputs and outputs as the standard breakout cable, and can be easily rack-mounted or placed on top of a broadcast monitor or editing desk. Additional functionality includes simultaneous XLR and BNC AES output, 2-channel RCA analog audio monitoring, and looping BNC Genlock reference connectors.

KONA LHe and KONA LH

Analog (SD and HD), SDI, and HD-SDI—All With One Capture Board

The only card for OSX and Final Cut Pro 5 that provides both HD and SD analog and digital I/O. Not an entry-level card, KONA LH offers a full-ride to HD with no-compromise 10-bit uncompressed video, 2-channel AES and 8-channel embedded audio, Analog Composite/Component Video In/Out, 2-channel analog audio In/Out, broadcast-quality hardware downconversion and TBC on analog inputs. Similar to KONA 2, but without upconversion or Dual-link, KONA LH bridges the analog and digital worlds by offering I/O for both. A lot of card for a low price, KONA LH also features dual-monitor desktop viewing for editing ease.

Features

• 10-bit Uncompressed SD/HD QuickTime Capture Card
• Available in KONA LHe PCIe or
• KONA LH PCI models
• 12-bit HD Analog Component I/O
• 12-bit SD Analog Component/Composite/S-Video I/O
• 10-bit Hardware HD to SD Down conversion
• DVCProHD hardware acceleration
• HDV hardware acceleration
• Dynamic RT Extreme hardware acceleration
• SDI or HD-SDI Input, 2 Independent SDI/HD-SDI Outputs
• 2-ch Balanced XLR AES
• 2-ch Balanced XLR Analog Audio I/O
• 8-ch SDI Embedded Audio I/O
• HD/SD Genlock and RS-422 Machine Control
• Support for Final Cut Pro 5, Motion, After Effects, Combustion, and More
• Cables Standard, KL-Box Breakout Optional
• 3-year warranty

KONA LH is available in two models that differ only in their bus interface. The KONA LHe model has a PCIe interface (PCI Express four lane x4) for use with the latest PCIe Apple Power Macs. The KONA LH model is a PCI card that plugs into a PCI-X G5 chassis (it requires a minimum PCI 66/64 slot). Both models work with Final Cut Studio and other applications to provide a professional editing suite, corporate/industrial video center, or high-powered desktop video setup. Same features, same LH driver software, same wonderful price—the choice is your's.

Flexible I/O Options

KONA LH offers unsurpassed cable connectivity for a video/audio capture card. Simply plug in the supplied breakout cable. The breakout cable supports:

• Reference Input (BNC)
• Component/Composite/S Video Input (3x BNC)
• Component/Composite/S Video Output (3x BNC)
• AES In (2x XLR)
• AES Out (2x XLR)
• Balanced Audio In (2x XLR)
• Balanced Audio Out (2x XLR)
• RS-422 Machine Control (9 pin D)
• The three BNCs on the KONA LH Card endplate additionally provide:
  —Standard and High-definition SDI input (BNC)
  —2 SDI outputs (2x BNC, independent outputs)

KL-Break out Box

Also available is the optional KL-Box. KL-Box is a rugged 1 RU enclosure which mounts all KONA LH I/O connections in a convenient break-out- styled box. Both reliable and convenient, KL-Box can be rackmounted or used on a desktop. KL-Box also supports an additional 2 Channel RCA-style audio monitoring output.
 

KONA LSe and KONA LS

The Best Solution for SD capture and playback—with AJA quality at an affordable price.

Now quality standard definition video capture and playback isn’t just for the big guys. The affordably priced KONA LS is the perfect engine for a professional Final Cut Pro editing system. AJA has made a significant investment in the development of exceptional KONA hardware, making KONA cards the preferred choice for performance and stability in the broad-cast industry. Now, with KONA LS, everyone can enjoy the features, rock-solid video/audio, and factory support that exemplify AJA products.

KONA LS does away with the need to spend serious money on a nonlinear editing suite. This affordable card, when configured with the Apple Power Mac™ G4 and G5, RAID storage, computer display, and video monitor—along with Final Cut Pro 5, achieves the same editing quality as an expensive turnkey suite.

Features

• 12 bit Component/Composite/S-video analog I/O

• Available in KONA LSe PCIe or KONA LS PCI models
• SDI input, 2 independent SDI outputs
• AES I/O; sample rate conversion on input (2 Ch, XLR)
• Balanced analog audio I/O (2 Ch, XLR)
• 6-Ch SDI embedded audio support
• Broadcast-quality TBC with VHS support
• Genlock
• RS-422 Machine Control
• AJA QuickTime™ Drivers
• Support for Apple Final Cut Pro™
• Support for After Effects, Combustion, Motion, and more
• Supports all popular standard definition formats: 8/10 bit uncompressed, JPEG, DV25/50, and 3:2 pulldown for 24Hz support
• Cables Standard, KL-Box Optional
• 3-year warranty

Flexible I/O Options

KONA LS offers unsurpassed cable connectivity for a video/audio capture card. Simply plug in the supplied breakout cable. The breakout cable in addition to the connectors on the card endplate together offer:
 

• SDI input (BNC)
• 2 SDI outputs (2x BNC, independent outputs)
• Reference Input (BNC)
• Component/Composite/S Video Input (3x BNC)
• Component/Composite/S Video Output (3x BNC)
• AES In (1x XLR)
• AES Out (1x XLR)
• Balanced Audio In (2x XLR)
• Balanced Audio Out (2x XLR)
• RS-422 Machine Control (9 pin D)
   

Note: the KONA LS and LSe each have different breakout cables and endplates on the card. Although different, they each offer the same connections as listed above.

Also available for the KONA LS and LSe is the optional KL-Box.

KONA Shared Features

Software Support

You probably already know about AJA’s reputation for broadcast quality hardware excellence. Well, the new KONA family of cards also offers incredible software inside: QuickTime drivers optimized for AJA’s hardware, written and supported by AJA. Additionally, the new KONA control panel simplifies A/V control and supports a stand-alone mode.

KONA Desktop

Most users run multiple applications to create their video projects. So in addition to Final Cut Pro 5 support, the KONA Desktop feature allows broadcast design elements to be viewed with the proper aspect ratio and color depth on a broadcast monitor via the KONA card. KONA Desktop is available on KONA 3, KONA 2, KONA LH/LHe and KONA LS, supporting Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop, Apple Motion, Apple Shake, Discreet Combustion and more.
 

KONA 3 and KONA LH/LHe Hardware Acceleration

Final Cut Pro 5 users will love DVCPROHD, HDV, and Apple RT Extreme hardware acceleration, developed in close cooperation with Apple and available exclusively on KONA 3, KONA 2 and KONA LH/LHe. KONA hardware takes a portion of the codec processing load off the CPU, allowing more Real Time effects in Final Cut Pro 5 when outputting. These KONAs also have hardware support when capturing. This brings amazing RealTime HD production power to the desktop. With KONA any source can be captured using the DVCPROHD codec—giving you online HD quality at remarkably low data rates, allowing the internal PowerMac SATA storage to be used for HD capture, playback, and RT effects. Of course, you’ll obtain still better performance and more RT when using a fast SCSI or Fibre array, but this feature allows HD to be used where only SD would have been considered due to budget or time constraints. KONA even supports the DVCPROHD and HDV codecs with up or down conversion (KONA LH/LHe supports down-conversion only)—allowing projects to be downconverted to SD, or even upconverted for DVCPROHD capture.

How do KONA 3 and KONA LH Accelerate DVCPROHD, HDV, and Apple’s Dynamic RT?

Because KONA’s precision hardware does part of the work, the G5 has more time available to process RT effects. This means more RT effects power, and more RT streams. Most broadcast codecs, including DVCPROHD and HDV, use a two-step process. First the video is scaled to a lower horizontal pixel count, then the video is compressed. This is done because the slightly scaled video results in a favorable trade-off between resolution and codec efficiency. KONA’s hardware not only dramatically speeds up the scaling part of the job, but it’s also done with full 10-bit broadcast quality.

When using Final Cut Pro 5's HDV codec, KONA 3, 2 and KONA LH’s hardware acceleration allows instantaneous real-time playback for both monitoring and recording. Even KONA’s downconverter works in real-time with HDV, allowing SD monitoring, dubs, or mastering. This KONA functionality makes a complete professional solution for HDV. The Panasonic DVCPROHD format takes advantage of KONA hardware as well. KONA’s precision hardware allows capture and playback of HD-SDI video to/from the DVCPROHD codec at a quality level virtually indistinguishable from native FireWire, while freeing up valuable RT processing power.

For Final Cut Pro 5’s Dynamic RT feature, KONA’s hardware is used to offload the video scaling as the “Playback Video Quality” dynamically adjusts. This allows more playback power – and because KONA handles it seamlessly, the Dynamic RT you see on the Mac monitor is the same as that shown on your professional broadcast monitor.

KONA 3 and KONA LH Support Final Cut Multi-cam Feature

Final Cut Pro 5 now provides multi-cam playout — and KONA 3, 2 and LH support it! With KONA hardware and a sufficient storage solution, you can handle up to 16 sources in real time. Each stream of video is captured individually and then ganged together in Final Cut Pro 5 for a multi-cam editing workflow. The KONA hardware seamlessly plays the multi-cam clips out to professional broadcast monitors or decks, via SDI, HD-SDI or component video. Up to 16 sources can be viewed in real time via the KONA (4-up, 6-up, 9-up, 16-up, etc.) — or each individual source can be viewed as it is selected via Final Cut Pro 5.

OS X? Oh yes!

The KONA cards are all QuickTime™ boards with AJA hardware and software designed specifically for the Mac OS X operating system. By working with Apple's powerful new OS right from the start, we've been able to incorporate the advanced features and operating efficiency of OS X to create maximum performance, speed, and stability - critical advantages in a production environment.

Optimized for PowerMac

All KONAs are designed, tested, and optimized for use with Apple PowerMac G5 computers. KONA 3, LHe, and LSe are for use only with G5 PCI-Express PowerMacs.