AJA Kona 3

Description

KONA 3 is the new heavyweight champion capture card for uncompressed SD, HD, and Dual Link HD, on the new PCIe (PCI Express) PowerMac G5's! KONA 3 represents the next generation in KONA design, offering 40% more processing power than the KONA 2. KONA 3 offers all of the functionality of the KONA 2, plus exciting new features as well as an amazing new architecture that will allow powerful new features to be easily implemented in the near future (announcements will come as features are ready to be added, via downloadable software driver upgrades).

Broadcast-quality conversions
KONA 3 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 3 is hardware-based, it's available all the time on ingest or playback.

Uniquely, the KONA 3 can even cross-convert 720p 23.98 to 1080PsF 23.98. Cross-conversion is particularly valuable in today's multi-format HD post environment where being able to produce pristine 720p or 1080i signals at-will helps streamline dailies and deliverables creation.

Internal SD/HD hardware downstream keyer
The AJA KONA 3 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 frame buffer (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.

Connectivity
For SDI video, the card features two HD/SD-SDI inputs and two outputs, 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-you'll have the proper connections.

Dual link HD support
KONA 3 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 3 can also convert between 4:4:4 and 4:2:2 formats for single link HD-SDI monitoring and output.

2K support
As the most capable 2K card available for the Mac, you can use KONA 3 to ingest from HSDL (high speed data link) equipped sources and record simultaneous 2K DPX files and 2K QuickTime reference movies using the AJA VTR Xchange application. You can also work with existing 2K material, like sequential DPX or Cineon files, by using AJA's DPXToQT Translator application to create QuickTime files that can be used by a wide variety of QuickTime based applications. RED digital media-proxy files or transcoded material- is also supported at 2K resolutions.

On a PC, KONA 3 can connect to a 2K telecine saving time and steps in the process by directly creating 2K DPX, QuickTime, Cineon, AVI, TGA, TIFF or BMP files. KONA 3 PC 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 High Speed Data Link (HSDL) at 15 fps, offering further synergy with other 2K products already in use in the market.

KONA 3 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.

All of the KONA 3 capabilities add up to the most reliable, feature rich, and highest-performance card available for Mac or PC. KONA 3 is the right tool for the discerning postproduction professional.

Audio
Tie the KONA 3 to a digital audio mixer or DAW output with 8-channel 24-bit 48kHz or 96kHz AES audio via balanced XLR connections.

KONA 3'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 you need to integrate into any audio environment.

Extend your Connectivity with K3-Box for KONA 3
The optional K3-Box simplifies connectivity in professional post-production environments by offering a 19-inch, 1RU rack-mountable breakout box that attaches to the KONA 3. Additional functionality over the standard breakout cable comes in the form of BNC AES input/output connectors, 2-channel RCA analog audio monitoring jacks, and looping BNC Genlock reference connectors.