AJA Video Systems have released a host of new products and updates to coincide with this week’s NAB show.
Extending their line of H.264 streaming and recording devices, AJA have launched the HELO Plus.
Portable and resilient, HELO Plus offers the same flexible streaming and recording advantages as the extremely popular HELO, with a vastly expanded feature set inspired by user feedback. Offering powerful new production capabilities, HELO Plus features dual streaming outputs and multi-input processing; SRT support; advanced encoding/decoding; improved scheduling options and device operation; layouts and graphics insertion; and more.
AJA has also bolstered its production-proven lineup of openGear®-compatible 12G-SDI to fibre conversion solutions with two new OG-FiDO 12G transmitters.
The dual-channel OG-FiDO-2T-12G and single-channel OG-FiDO-T-12G-ST single-mode fibre transmitters support HDR video, feature industry-wide compatibility with all certified openGear products, and support Ross DashBoard Software for remote control and monitoring.
AJA Video Systems released a new v1.5 update for BRIDGE NDI 3G, which brings new NDI® 5 support and a host of performance enhancements to AJA’s high-performance gateway appliance for high-density conversion to/from SDI and NewTek’s NDI® video over IP protocol. Feature enhancements include discovery server compatibility, new low-latency settings for time critical workflows, timecode support, expanded system time options, and dynamic connection bandwidth sensing for remote management.
BRIDGE NDI 3G features dual 10GigE onboard NICs for NDI I/O and remote control over the web, as well as high-density 3G-SDI connections for up to 16 channels of SDI I/O – providing up to four channels of 4K or 16 channels of HD, or a mixture of HD and 4K NDI encodes/decodes in a compact form-factor. BRIDGE NDI 3G v1.5 expands support for NDI 5, the newest version of NewTek’s widely adopted IP protocol that simplifies sharing live, high-quality, low-latency video with any device in any location worldwide. For large scale or growing NDI infrastructures, BRIDGE NDI 3G v1.5 also introduces discovery server support, helping teams maintain performance of NDI devices for production environments with hundreds of NDI sources on a network.
AJA Video Systems today announced BRIDGE LIVE v1.13, a feature-rich software update for its multi-channel UltraHD and HD live video solution for remote production, contribution, collaboration, streaming, and delivery. BRIDGE LIVE v1.13 introduces a range of powerful new features for live video production, including new Synchronous Multi-Channel/Multi-System Transport; dual-channel UltraHD support to enable full bi-directional UltraHD exchange; and multichannel end-to-end HDR support over SDI to preserve full image quality during transport from site-to-site.
A turnkey enterprise solution, BRIDGE LIVE simplifies the transport of multi-channel UltraHD and HD video between uncompressed SDI to and from a wide range of streaming and contribution codecs, including NDI, H.265, H.264, MPEG-2, and JPEG 2000. For multi-camera workflows across a pair or multiple units, BRIDGE LIVE v1.13 introduces new multi-channel synchronous transport to enable separate UltraHD and HD channels to be transmitted and received in sync. For SDI backhaul, this enables the use of one or more pairs of BRIDGE LIVE systems to transport incoming SDI cameras and other feeds from one location to another, then output the SDI signals with the sync relationship preserved. This feature also allows for contributing multi-channel synchronous sources to cloud platforms and services.
BRIDGE LIVE v1.13 further introduces new end-to-end HDR over SDI capabilities via ANC data to enable remote HDR workflows, preserving SDI transfer characteristics, colorimetry, and luminance from SDI ingest to SDI output. In addition to its single-channel UltraHD 60p capability, BRIDGE LIVE v1.13 adds support for UltraHD dual encode/decode or bi-directional encode/decode up to 30p.
Finally, AJA Video Systems have released new v3.0 firmware for its FS4 frame 4K/UltraHD and multi-channel HD synchroniser and up/down/cross converter. Loaded with new feature improvements, the free update offers production professionals support for advanced HDR workflows; increased frame buffering depth from 6 to 20 frames; enhanced ancillary data management; and improved overall usability.
During the pandemic, expanded use of augmented reality and virtual cameras that require additional processing time surged for live productions, demanding longer synchronisation periods for other sources. Incorporating the same enhancements as AJA FS-HDR, the FS4 v3.0 update increases the device’s frame buffer depth to support configurable delays of up to 20 frames. This free update is available to all FS4 users and does not require a hardware change.
As HDR productions are on the rise, the need for better VPID management is mandatory. Many pieces of equipment in the signal chain ignore or delete this now critical information. FS4 v3.0 offers the ability to configure the HDR components of the SDI output VPID on a channel-by-channel basis, which has proven vital to workflows that require a consistent and correct VPID. If utilising the monitor output, overwriting the SDI VPID also overwrites the HDMI EOTF and Colorimetry infoframes. To further assist with HDR workflows, FS4 v3.0 also includes new HDR test patterns and an improved Web UI status page to display more VPID information.
In response to industry demand and user feedback, FS4 v3.0 also increases ancillary data pass-through or translation capabilities for a wide range of formats and conversions. In transmission applications requiring the use of SCTE-104 markers for ad insertion, FS4 will now automatically pass-through SCTE-104 packets. FS4’s new Timecode Xlator will pass-through or translate ancillary timecode (LTC, VITC1, or VITC2). The update also expands the set of conversions that support pass-through of Closed Captioning.
Additionally, Enhanced Single Channel Mode (ESC) offers simultaneous 4K/UltraHD and 2K/HD outputs where the 2K/HD output can have its own unique down-conversion applied. In this mode, processing can be performed on a true 4K or UltraHD signal, and a down-converter is available for HD or SD needs via the SDI monitor output.