Aja Io

[Ed Watkins]

O.k this will seem to many to be a stupid question but... if you don't ask you'll never know the answer.

What exactly does the AJA IO do? I'm assuming from their description it is a new external video output card that interfaces with a VTR deck for finishing? (Am I even close?).

Can any one tell me (in real terms) what the main benefits of it are, and why everyone was so excited about it? :help:

[Chris Kenny]

The IO-HD is basically an external box with a hardware encoder/decoder for Apple's ProRes format, that takes in or spits out ProRes on one side (over FireWire 800) and takes in or spits out uncompressed HD and SD (via HD-SDI, HDMI, S-video, etc.) on the other. This is a big deal because it lets you get most of the benefits that previously would have required uncompressed workflow (high quality, full raster, no waiting for transcoding, etc.), but with files that have 1/5 of the data rate. That's low enough that you can work on the footage without a big RAID, even on a laptop.

How useful this will be to Red users once FCP has native REDCODE support is somewhat questionable, but to people doing broadcast work, particularly with formats that FCP can't natively work with (e.g. HDCAM), it's a pretty big deal.

[Jonathan Smiles]

For a Red user working off a laptop it will be useful for HD res editing using ProRes with Io-HD providing HD-SDI, HDMI, Component and down conversion to SD options all with audio and deck control.

If your working on a Mac Pro an internal PCIe card is a lower cost option and can also offer things like uncompressed working (with appropriate storage) and dual link for playout to HDCAM-SR in 4:4:4 mode for deliverables etc.

The Io-HD is really big news for HDCAM and Varicam camcorder owners as it will allow them to record full 1080/720 res 4:2:2 10bit live via HD-SDI to ProRes bypassing the not so great VTRs in them.

[Ed Watkins]

Thanks for all your help guys, v.useful.
I love these forums, everyone is so willing to help out. :)

[Robert Sanders]

Also, Canon XLH1 and G1 owners can now how a viable HD-SDI recording option in the field using a MacBook Pro. Bypassing HDV is always a good thing.

We'll be renting two RED cameras for our feature this Fall. And all our EPK stuff will be shot on the H1 with a IO HD.

It's a great time to be a filmmaker.

[Craig W. Bickerstaff]

I'd be a little more impressed by ProRes if it had a 4:4:4 variant.

[studio.dmd]

... but how AJA Io-HD can be powered outdoor?

[Craig W. Bickerstaff]

I'd assume you would have to bring along a portable power source like a generator or something.

It doesn't say anything about an inbuilt battery and I don't think it powers off firewire either.

[Nick Shaw]

The original Io certainly needs mains power, and I assume the new one will too.

[Emery Wells]

For me the Io HD is interesting purely for purpose of encoding directly to Pro Res. This means you can have a high quality, portable direct to disk capture system.

In the past, if you wanted to capture direct to disk you had to lug around a big ol tower. With Io HD, all you need is a laptop with a fast internal drive or an external firewire 800 drive.

However, I dont think the hardware will give you all that much more horsepower when your editing.

If you arent interested in capturing ProRes direct to disk then there are lots of other options on the market to consider from AJA and Blackmagic. The Multibridge Eclipse from blackmagic is particularly interesting.

[gurney]

The disappointing thing is that they didn't address one of the major shortcomings of the original Io: no buttons on the front. This device would be a very useful format converter, but you can't even select the input and output without connecting a computer and running a control-panel app.

[Jonathan Smiles]

... but how AJA Io-HD can be powered outdoor?

No 12v DC input, so you need mains power some how (generator, inverter or long cable)

For the adventurous and suitably qualified, you might be able to modify it for 12v operation. You really do need know what your doing with electronics before even thinking about doing this!

I seen a fair bit of mains only equipment modded to us 12v 35mm camera batteries at JDC (Joe Dunton).

[Øystein Mamen, FNF]

Hi,
if I wanted to make an off-line in Pro-Rez at the end of the day, playing the dmag(s) off the camera - HD-SDI out - Aja I/O - MacBook Pro, would the metadata stick to the Pro-Rez file now on the Mac?

Or are the HD-SDI and HDMI 720p monitor out ports the only ones to support metadata integrity?

[Nick Shaw]

The HD-SDI outputs will (as I understand it) carry RP-188 timecode, so if you capture this with an Io HD and do an offline, you should be able to match back to the REDCODE.

But I'd wait and see how much of an advantage you get by working with Prores instead of with the REDCODE directly. Remember you wont have a big saving on disk space, as Prores 1920x1080 and REDCODE 4k are similar data rates. If you captured to DVCPro HD instead of Prores, you would approximately halve the file sizes, but I don't know if you can do that with an Io HD. It may be Prores only.

[Øystein Mamen, FNF]

If ProRes (non-HQ) is really 122 Mbps, or 14.5 MB/S, that would be 10 MB/Sless than RR´s 24 MB/S (if that will be their spec...), substantially for editing a feature (~ 700 - 900 MB) . If QT Redcode Raw should really be accepted right when the camera ships, I am afraid it will have to be as realtime and easy to process as ProRes - or easier, that is... Mind you, I won´t be the one to "No".

[Nick Shaw]

If ProRes (non-HQ) is really 122 Mbps, or 14.5 MB/S, that would be 10 MB/Sless than RR´s 24 MB/S

You are right there, I was thinking of ProRes HQ. I just had a look at a ProRes test of a short 1080p25 clip I did, and with HQ it comes out at 192Mb/s (24MB/s) and without HQ it is 102Mb/s (12.75MB/s). The numbers will of course vary, as ProRes is VBR, but they're in the right ballpark.

I wish there was a third flavour of ProRes (let's call it LQ) for full raster offline editing. One thing FCP really lacks is a good offline codec with RT functionality. Offline RT is really too low quality to be useful. Anybody with contacts at Apple care to suggest it to them?

While I'm making a wishlist, how about a future ProRes 444 codec? Although maybe REDCODE RGB will make that redundant.

[Anders Holck]

Although the back of the IO HD says otherwise, the specsheet says 35 watts of power usage. That will be easy to feed from a 14.4v li-ion battery connected through an inverter.

[Stokestack]

One thing FCP really lacks is a good offline codec with RT functionality.

You don't find DVCProHD acceptable?

[Nick Shaw]

You don't find DVCProHD acceptable?

DVCPro HD is a good offline codec for HD if drive space is not an issue, in the same way that DV is a reasonable offline codec for SD (except for that annoying opposite filed dominance to uncompressed).

The job I am currently working on is SD, and has nearly 200 source tapes, mostly Digi Beta with some DV and HDV. Due to client issues and re-shoots, it has been going on intermittently for over a year, and I simply could not dedicate that much space on my RAID to storing all the rushes as DV, as I would normally do. I was forced to capture everything as Photo JPEG at 40% quality. But that meant sacrificing RT while cutting, and also accepting the fact that JPEG does not handle interlaced footage well, especially with fast motion.

I know this job is not 'normal', and some might argue that with the price of storage dropping continuously the offline/online process should be consigned to history. But that is the way my clients want to divide their budgets, so that's how I work.

[Scott Webster]

Any thoughts on the Motu V3HD?
http://www.v3hd.com/

[Simon Blackledge]

Looks like the io/hd idea but it's " via industry standard DVCPro HD " only.. or uncompressed SD.

Also looks like a 3d previz... not real.

s

[Blair S. Paulsen]

I was studying the ad for the v3hd today myself. I look forward to a well written review when they are shipping. The DV100 (DVCPRO-HD) codec has so many issues, particularly the lack of a full raster implementation that I will likely wait for the AJA IO-HD.

Now let's see what the jury has to say about ProRes when it gets more of a workout...