AJA updates ColorBox to v2.1 and more

4K down-conversion and AMF support for ColorBox, BBC HLG LUTs v1.7 for FS-HDR and ColorBox, SRT bonding for BRIDGE LIVE, and more feature from AJA Video Systems at NAB.

AJA Video Systems rocks up to Vegas with some significant enhancements across many of its most popular products, including a new feature-packed v2.1 software update for its ColorBox solution for color managed workflows, available as a free download as of now. 

The company says that the new releases are inspired by customer feedback and designed to help professionals keep pace with evolving standards, formats, protocols, and codecs, and streamline workflows. Which all means they perforce have a lot of new features onboard.

ColorBox v2.1

Among the ColoBox v2.1 release highlights are a new 4K/UltraHD down-conversion feature for ColorBox’s SDI and HDMI outputs and a 4K/2K crop feature for its HDMI output, which help professionals make better use of existing cost-efficient HD monitoring equipment on-set. The update also introduces a new ACES Pipeline for the device that enables users to load an ACES Metadata File (AMF) into ColorBox to obtain the desired transform for improved collaboration across production stakeholders; support for ARRI Wireless Video Optimize (WVO) LogC4, which helps to eliminate banding introduced by wireless Tx and Rx systems; and more.

AJA President Nick Rashby said, “For ColorBox v2.1 we focused on making 4K on-set color workflows easier for productions to manage using the monitors and equipment they already have. Whether it’s the ability to review 4K accurately with HD monitors, offer simplified AMF processing to more parts of the production team, or incorporate an inverse ARRI WVO to make LogC4 easier to deploy, this new release helps productions easily take advantage of new workflows and with greater cost-efficiency.”

ColorBox and Pomfort’s Livegrade have also been recognized as the first recipients of joint logo product certification status by the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES).

FS-HDR v4.3

With FS-HDR v4.3 firmware, AJA’s real-time HDR/WCG converter and frame synchronizer will include the latest BBC HLG LUTs v1.7, as well as new motion adaptive deinterlacer and channel-to-channel HFR sync controls. Updated BBC HLG LUTs v1.7 bring updates to LUT 9 for improved reproduction of bright saturated colors and LUT 21, which offers a wider color gamut SDR output. A new motion adaptive deinterlacer control improves performance with some interlaced video containing fast motion by adjusting the amount of motion adaptation used. AJA has also updated channel-to-channel HFR sync control to be user-configurable, so it can be easily turned on or off depending on production needs. FS-HDR v4.3 will be available in Q2 2024 as a free update.

BRIDGE LIVE v1.16

Packed with enhancements that include SRT bonding, AAC-HE v2 encoding/decoding, 20-bit Dolby E passthrough, and other additions that give users more flexibility in the field, BRIDGE LIVE v1.16 will be available for download in Q2 2024. It is free to customers with current maintenance agreements, and bug fixes are available to all users at no cost.

AJA Desktop Software v17.1

Releasing in Q2 2024 as a free downloadable update, AJA Desktop v17.1 software for AJA KONA, Io, and T-TAP products delivers new capabilities, including the ability to pass metadata such as SCTE-104, Dolby Vision, Closed Captioning, and SMPTE Time Code. The release also adds support for Thunderbolt on Linux.

FS4 v3.1

Many user-inspired improvements are included in the v3.1 firmware release for AJA’s FS4 four-channel 2K/HD/SD or single-channel 4K/UltraHD frame synchronizer and up/down/cross-converter. With the update, customers can enjoy powerful enhancements, such as motion adaptive deinterlacing control and improved, user-configurable channel to channel HFR sync control. FS4 v3.1 will be available in Q2 2024 as a free downloadable update.

HELO Plus v2.1

A free firmware update for the HELO Plus H.264 streaming and recording device features a new SRT Stream ID parameter to Caller mode, the addition of SRT Listener mode as a user selection, a view of the B-frame setting of each encoder in the status page, and more. It will be available as a free download in Q2 2024.

Diskover Media Edition v2.2.3

Lastly, new features, plug-ins, and enhancements for the AJA Diskover Media Edition data management and curation software round out the company’s NAB announcements. Available now, AJA Diskover Media Edition v2.2.3 delivers an enriched metadata catalog via a new arrival date attribute, a plug-in for Autodesk’s popular Flow Production Tracking creative project management software (previously ShotGrid), and a host of other useful new navigation, host-aware file action, task panel, and analytics improvements designed to streamline workflows. Upon availability, users can also set up a trial of the software in minutes using an OVA (open virtual appliance).

More from the company at its NAB booth, SL3065.