Videoguys NAB Report - AJA Video Systems

We are very excited to announce that we are now an authorized Aja dealer. For years we've wanted to work with them, but outside forces always seemed to get in the way. Not anymore! The timing could not have been better!

Aja announced the new Kona LHi card at NAB for under $1,500! You get SDI, HDMI and analog I/O with all the great Kona quality, stability and performance you've come to expect throughout the years. The AJA KONA LHi bridges the gap between legacy analog devices and the latest 3G SDI and HDMI v1.3a enabled products. KONA LHi interfaces with the latest PCIe Apple Mac OSX hardware and QuickTime software applications. AJA drivers offer integrated support for Apple Final Cut Studio. KONA LHi allows editing, monitoring and mastering of professional quality video in an affordable, easy to use product.

Broadcast-quality conversions
The KONA LHi 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 – like the higher-end AJA KONA 3. Since all of KONA LHi's conversions are hardware-based, they are available all the time - during ingest or playback. Outputs can be configured independently allowing you to have simultaneous HD and SD output - or two different types of HD - 720 or 1080 - output at the same time via cross-conversion.

This is a fantastic solution for Final Cut Editors requiring HD I/O but not the added overhead and cost of a Kona 3 card. If you are working with higher res footage that requires 2K or beyond, then the Kona 3 is still your best and only choice. The Kona LHi card is now shipping, while the Xena LHi for PC is expected later this summer.

Aja also introduced the I/O Express box, a small, portable, under $1,000 I/O solution for Mac and PC. Io Express is the perfect Mac or PC interface for anyone who needs an inexpensive monitoring and mastering solution when working with Apple ProRes 422 and Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), XDCAM HD, DVCPRO HD, and more. Portable and simple to use, Io Express is ideal for file based workflows. Io Express will be shipping later this summer with support for Final Cut Studio and Adobe CS4 users on Max OSX and Adobe CS4 on Windows XP/Vista.

The biggest splash at the Aja booth was the Ki Pro. Pronounced Kee Pro, this amazing device allows you to capture directly into Pro Res 422 while you are shooting. The AJA Ki Pro is a tapeless video recording device that records high-quality Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime files onto computer-friendly media. Because it features SD/HD-SDI, HDMI, and analog inputs, you can interface with virtually any type of camera you might own or rent. Enjoy monitoring flexibility through Ki Pro's numerous simultaneous outputs, connecting to both professional and consumer monitors.

Think about all the time that can be saved, and how you can turn your existing HD cams into a seamless tapeless workflow with Final Cut Pro! The Ki Pro allows you to capture to your choice of 24mm Express Cards, low cost removable hard drive storage modules, or an optional SSD (Solid State Drive) storage module. The choice is yours, and the quality will always be pristine ProRes422, immediately editable in Final Cut Pro. The response to the Ki Pro has been phenomenal, with a $3,995 price tag, it's not for everyone, but we are still expecting demand to keep units on allocation well into the summer. So place your orders now to insure you get into the cue.

Click here for our Aja Kona LHi Bundles

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