AJA Io X3 User manual

Io X3
Capture, Display, Convert
Version 16.2
Published January 24, 2022
Installation and Operation Manual

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 2 www.aja.com
Notices
Trademarks
AJA® and Because it matters.® are registered trademarks of AJA Video Systems, Inc.
for use with most AJA products. AJA™ is a trademark of AJA Video Systems, Inc. for
use with recorder, router, software and camera products. Because it matters.™ is a
trademark of AJA Video Systems, Inc. for use with camera products.
Corvid Ultra®, lo®, Ki Pro®, KONA®, KUMO®, ROI® and T-Tap® are registered trademarks of
AJA Video Systems, Inc.
AJA Control Room™, KiStor™, Science of the Beautiful™, TruScale™, V2Analog™ and
V2Digital™ are trademarks of AJA Video Systems, Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright
Copyright © 2022 AJA Video Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. All information in
this manual is subject to change without notice. No part of the document may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying or recording, without the express written permission of AJA
Video Systems, Inc.
Contacting AJA Support
When calling for support, have all information at hand prior to calling. To contact AJA
for sales or support, use any of the following methods:
Telephone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Web https://www.aja.com
Support Email suppor[email protected]
Sales Email [email protected]

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 3 www.aja.com
Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Contacting AJA Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chapter 1 – Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Video Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Io X3 Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
AJA Software & Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
What’s In The Box?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
In This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter 2 – Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Connector Descriptions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Installing Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
macOS Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Chapter 3 – Io X3 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Front Panel Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Monitor Output and Gain Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Audio Level Meters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Status LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
AJA Control Panel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
AJA Control Panel Operating Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
AJA Control Panel User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Controlling Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Presets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Default Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Function Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Io X3 Audio Monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
AJA Control Panel Function Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Control Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Format Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Input Select Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
SDI Output Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
HDMI Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
HDR Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Video Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Audio Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Audio Mixer Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Audio Mixer Capture Monitor Mode Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Audio Mixer Playback Monitor Mode Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
DS Keyer Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
LUT Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Timecode Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Presets Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Firmware Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Info Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Appendix A – Specications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Io X3 Tech Specs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Appendix B – Safety and Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Contents

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 4 www.aja.com
Warranty and Liability Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 5 www.aja.com
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Overview
AJA Io X3 is perfect for high quality HDR or SDR work with HD/2K signals or files
up to 60p. Connecting with a single Thunderbolt 3 cable and providing a second
Thunderbolt connector for flexibility, Io X3's compact and quiet form factor is
ideal for on set, in the studio, at an event or in the edit suite.
For Editorial, VFX, Grading, Mastering and Graphic workflows, Io X3 enables input,
output and monitoring for both single and dual-link SDI sources and destinations,
plus a dedicated reference connector and RS 422 serial interface.
For Audio Workflows Io X3 supports 16 channels of embedded audio per SDI
channel, 8 channels of embedded audio per HDMI channel, 8 channels of Analog
Audio Input or Output (or 4 in plus 4 out), stereo headphone connector and
discrete LTC Input and Output connectors.
For Switching and Streaming workflows Io X3 simultaneously provides up to 4
channels for Input, and a single channel for Output, plus a MultiView feature that
enables viewing up to four SDI input sources via HDMI out (when the application
Program Out is not assigned).
Features
• Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
• Four bidirectional SDI BNCs configurable for up to four inputs, or four outputs,
or two inputs and two outputs.
• Dual Link I/O for 1.5G-SDI and 3G-SDI (2 x BNC)
• Quad Link I/O for 1.5G-SDI, 3G-SDI (4 x BNC)
• HDMI 1.4b (using HDMI 2.0 implementation)
• VPID signaling for SDR/HDR Transfer Characteristics, Colorimetry and
Luminance via SDI
• PQ, HLG and HDR10 Supported
• MultiView feature, able to display up to four Io X3 SDI video inputs on a single
HDMI UltraHD capable output monitor.
• Eight-channel Embedded HDMI audio
• Choice of Eight-Channel In, Eight-Channel Out, or Four-Channel In/Out analog
audio (DB25 cable, Line Level)
• Front panel LED VU meters and Headphone output w/level control
• Dedicated Reference In BNC
• Individual LTC Input and Output BNCs
• RS-422 control via 9-pin
• Rugged Chassis, Small Size
• 12V DC, 4-pin XLR Power (AC adapter included)

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 6 www.aja.com
Video Formats
For a list of supported video formats, see "Appendix A Specifications" on page 49.
Io X3 Audio
Io X3 provides up to 16 channels of SDI embedded audio, and up to eight
channels of embedded HDMI audio. Eight channels of analog audio I/O is
supported via a DB25 industry standard Tascam style audio breakout cable. The
eight analog audio channels can be configured as either Ch 1-8 input, Ch 1-8
output, Ch1-4 input with Ch 5-8 output or, Ch 1-4 output with Ch 5-8 input.
AJA Software & Utilities
Io X3 operates with AJA's Desktop software package, developed for powerful
integrated video/audio capture, editing, and production with a variety of 3rd-
party software. AJA software is distributed as a unified package which includes all
the software, firmware, plugins, and utility programs for the Io X3, as well as AJA’s
Io, KONA, and T-TAP products.
Two retail packages are available, one for Mac and one for Windows.
Mac and Windows Packages
These packages include:
Drivers
AJA device drivers for tightly integrated hardware/software operation.
AJA Control Panel
The Control Panel provides:
• Source selection and control of your AJA hardware.
• A block diagram to show visually what routing and processing is being
performed.
AJA Control Room
Control Room is a cross-platform software application for capture, playback and
output with AJA products.
AJA System Test
AJA System Test is a utility for measuring system performance. The application
includes:
• System Disk Test
• AJA Device Test
• System Report
The application tests Read and Write, Capture and Playback speeds tests in both
Megabytes per second and Frames per second. The disk speed tests differ from
standard disk I/O performance applications in that they specifically test the
system under conditions typically encountered with video capture, playback, and
editing.
NOTE: Theoretically the best test is to fill your storage disk to 80% and then test capture
at the highest data rate you will use.

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 7 www.aja.com
3rd-Party Plugins
Plugins for popular 3rd-party Professional Video Applications from Adobe, Avid,
Apple, OBS, Telestream, and others.
System Requirements
NOTE: On macOS, the Io X3 supports Apple’s M1 chip, as well as earlier Intel processors.
AJA Video recommends that your system meet minimum hardware and software
requirements to achieve a satisfactory level of performance. Updates to system
requirements are subject to change.
See the Release Notes for your AJA Card or Device, available on the AJA website
and also installed with the software package, for minimum and recommended
system requirements including OS, CPU, RAM, and GPU.
NOTE: Also see Software Vendor system requirements for GPU recommendations and
additional hardware requirements and recommendations.
NOTE: For large scale installations with shared storage, IP, or for very high performance
requirements, AJA recommends consultation with an experienced system
integrator. A consultant will be able to assist with many important variables.
What’s In The Box?
As you unpack the shipping box, carefully examine the contents. Ensure you
received everything and that nothing was damaged during shipment.
If you find any damage, immediately notify the shipping service and supply them
with a complete description of the damage, and contact your dealer or distributor
for details on how to have your Io X3 repaired or replaced.
Save packing materials and the shipping box for future use should you need to
transport your system or return it for service.
Inside the box you’ll find the following components:
• Io X3
• 12V power adapter and power cord
In This Manual
Chapter 1 - Introduces the product briefly, listing features and system
requirements.
Chapter 2 - Provides complete instructions for installing and configuring the
product.
Chapter 3 - Discusses operational aspects and how to work with 3rd-party
software.
Appendix A - Presents a list of technical specifications for the product.
Appendix B - Provides important Safety and Compliance information.

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 8 www.aja.com
Chapter 2 – Installation
Installation Overview
1. If not previously installed on your Thunderbolt equipped computer, ensure
that appropriate third party application software is installed as detailed in
its user documentation.
2. Download and install the latest Io X3 software from:
https://www.aja.com/en/support/downloads
3. Connect your Io X3 to your computer using an appropriate Thunderbolt
cable.
4. Connect the video and audio inputs and outputs.
5. Power up the unit (AC supply or battery). The Io X3 will startup
automatically.
6. AJA recommends that you now run AJA Control Panel, as this allows you to
verify that the installation has completed successfully.
NOTE: AJA Control Panel will prompt you to update firmware (if the new software
package contained a firmware update for your AJA device).
Cable Connections
Figure 1. Io X3 Connectors
Thunderbolt 3
Ports (2)
Bidirectional
3G/HD/SD-SDI BNCs (4)
DB-9F RS-422
Machine Control
Balanced Audio In/Out
DB-25F (8-Ch)
4-Pin XLR
DC Power Input
HDMI
Output
HDMI
Input
LTC Output
LTC Input
Reference
Input
Connector Descriptions
Thunderbolt 3
The Io X3 provides the third-generation Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports to support
increased bandwidth between host computer and I/O device. Two ports are
provided for daisy-chained network configurations.
The left port with the special logo is meant to identify the downstream
Thunderbolt 3 port. The port on the right with the standard logo is meant to
indicate the upstream port that is to be connected to the host computer. Despite
a regulatory need to label one of these ports as downstream, the Io X3 actually
has a fully symetric Thunderbolt implementation. Either port can be used for
either an upstream or downstream connection.

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 9 www.aja.com
NOTE: Io X3 does not support host computer charging through the standard logo
'upstream' Thunderbolt port.
Bi-directional SDI I/O
Four bidirectional BNC connectors can be configured in a variety of ways via the
AJA Control Panel, including:
• Two HD/SD inputs (SDI 1 and SDI 2) and two outputs (SDI 3 and SDI 4)
• Four HD/SD inputs (SDI 1, SDI 2, SDI 3, SDI 4)
NOTE: Some third-party applications (examples: OBS Studio, Wirecast, Vmix) may
support other input/output configurations. Please see the relevant AJA Quick
Start Guide document for the application you are using.
HDMI Input and Output
Two HDMI connectors provide input and output of HDMI video and multi-
channel embedded audio.
• HDMI 1.4b input and output (using HDMI 2.0 implementation) supporting
resolutions at up to 60p (4:2:2), 10-bit
• Supports two or eight channel HDMI audio input and output
HDMI output also supports:
• HDR 10 Support - HDR Infoframe metadata, compatible with HDMI 2.0a/CTA-
861.3
• HLG Support - compatible with HDMI 2.0b/CTA-861-G
NOTE: HDCP is not supported on either input or output. HDMI output does not have
HDCP, and input sources having HDCP are not supported.
The HDMI input is designed to support long cable runs—up to 100 ft. when using
22 or 24AWG HDMI cable, or up to 50 ft. using 28 or 30AWG HDMI cable. The
HDMI output supports standard HDMI cables only.
RS-422 Machine Control
A female DB-9 connector provides connection for VTRs, camcorders, disk media
servers, and other devices using RS-422 SMPTE (Sony) protocol.
Reference Video
A dedicatec BNC connector provides reference Input. Supplying a reference signal
to the Reference input allows you to synchronize Io X3 outputs to your house
analog reference video signal (or black burst). When connecting a reference video
source, the locking signal should be the same as the input format. It is possible in
some circumstances to use an alternate format video signal as long as the basic
frame rate is compatible.
LTC Input and Output
Two BNC connectors provide dedicated LTC input and output.

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 10 www.aja.com
Balanced Analog Audio Input and Output
A 25-pin connector provides 8-channel balanced analog audio, 24-bit 48kHz
sample rate D/A and A/D. This will require an industry standard 8x XLR on DB-25
breakout cable (not supplied). The eight analog audio channels can be configured
four different ways:
• Ch 1-8 Output
• Ch 1-4 Input and Ch 5-8 Output (default)
• Ch 1-4 Output and Ch 5-8 Input
• Ch 1-8 Input
12V Power Connector
A standard 4-pin XLR type connector is provided for either battery or line source
power using the supplied AC power adapter.
Installing Software
NOTE: If your computer has previously had another video capture or multimedia device
installed, ensure you uninstall any related software before installing Io X3. This
will prevent any hardware or software conflicts.
Before installing the software package, ensure that your capture/editing
application is installed as detailed in its user documentation. Before using Io X3
an NLE application, it is best practice to have installed and run the software at
least once on your workstation. Next, install the AJA software package.
If at a later date you add any Io X3 supported applications that require drivers,
you must run the AJA install program again to install them.
macOS Installations
macOS High Sierra (10.13), macOS Mojave (10.14), macOS Catalina (10.15), macOS
Big Sur (11.x) and macOS Monterey (12.x) all have security requirements that may
present dialogs during installation. Please refer to the Release Notes for guidance.

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 11 www.aja.com
Chapter 3 – Io X3 Operation
Status
LED
Audio Level
Meters (8)
Monitor Output
Connector 1/8 in. TRS
Monitor
Gain Control
Front Panel Operation
The Io X3 front panel has the following controls and indicators:
Monitor Output and Gain Control
A 1/8 inch TRS connector is available for monitoring two channels of audio,
selectable in channel pairs using the Control Panel application. Typically used
with a pair of headphones.
The Monitor Gain knob on the left adjusts the monitor output level. Pushing in
the knob extends it (for adjustment) or recesses it (to prevent accidental changes).
Audio Level Meters
The Audio Level Meters in the center of the front panel indicate:
• During Capture - The first 8 channels of the audio source selected (SDI, HDMI,
Analog).
• During Playback - The sum of whatever sources are being played out via
the AJA hardware; i.e. NLE timeline and mix of host system audio output (if
applicable).
The meter's LEDs are colored to indicate the amount below 0dBfs when averaged
over a one millisecond time interval:
dBfs LED Color and Location
-2 db Red LED 1 (top)
-12 db Yellow LED 2
-20 db Yellow LED 1
-30 db Green LED 4
-40 db Green LED 3
-50 db Green LED 2
-60 db Green LED 1 (bottom)
NOTE: These audio level meters are for guidance only. Third-party audio metering
should be employed when doing critical audio editing and mixing.

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 12 www.aja.com
Status LED
This LED indicates the current connection status of your Io X3.
• OFF: No power detected
• AMBER SOLID: Power is on but Thunderbolt is not live (e.g. Thunderbolt ports
disabled in host, BIOS settings)
• AMBER BLINKING: Thunderbolt is awake but no PCIe connection to host (e.g.
device hasn’t been whitelisted by the Thunderbolt software running on host)
• GREEN BLINKING: Thunderbolt is awake, PCIe is connected, but device doesn’t
see the NTV2 Driver (This shows up on Windows where the AJA driver has
been restricted from talking to peripherals – security setting error, or because
the AJA software is not installed on the host)
• GREEN SOLID: Thunderbolt is communicating properly
AJA Control Panel Overview
The AJA Control Panel is a software application that provides a simple visual
showing how the Io X3 hardware is currently configured and allows you to make
changes. You can change signal input and output parameters and define the
video processing that will be performed.
The AJA software installer automatically installs the Control Panel application on
your computer. You’ll find the AJA Control Panel application in your Applications
folder.
AJA Control Panel Operating Modes
AJA Control Panel has two fundamental operating modes.
Playback Mode - Used for playing back video files from the computer, usually
with a non-linear editing application (NLE) or AJA Control Room, through the
Io X3 to that card’s video/audio outputs for viewing and/or external recording.
Capture Mode - Used for capturing video/audio signals that are coming into the
Io X3 from an external source to create video files on the computer using AJA
Control Room or an NLE, live streaming from a third party application, or just
for display on the Io X3 outputs. This mode is also used for stand-alone video
display or conversion when Control Panel is being used without an external
controlling application.
The current Io X3 operating mode is reported on the Control Panel UI screen,
below the block diagram (see Figure 2 on page 13).
AJA Control Panel User Interface
The AJA Control Panel user interface includes a visual block diagram of the unit’s
current configuration. The current status, input and output settings, and many
other details are depicted in the color-coded block diagram. Below this block
diagram are various controls for changing operating parameters, which will vary
depending on which function screen has been selected.
NOTE: AJA devices can automatically adjust settings for specific signal inputs, outputs,
and processing. This information is reported on the AJA Control Panel's block
diagram. One example is if outputting 4K, HFR, YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit from the
framebuffer, if the HDMI transmitter is version 1.4b the video is automatically
adjusted to 4:2:0 8-bit (e.g. Io X3 MultiView output)..
The left side of the AJA Control Panel provides a navigation list of available
function screens. Clicking on a link (or alternatively, a related element in the block
diagram) displays a function screen corresponding to that topic.

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 13 www.aja.com
Figure 2. Io X3 Control Panel User Interface
Inputs Outputs
Currently
Selected
Function
Screen
Parameter
Controls
Framebuer Format (Primary)
Controlling
Application
Operating
Mode
Some controlling applications can switch the card's mode from Playback to
Capture, and vice-versa. When Control Panel is not being controlled by an
external application, you can change the operating mode in the Control Panel
Control Screen using the Default State settings.
• Selecting Passthrough (Cap) sets the card to Capture Mode
• Selecting either Test Pattern (PB) or Hold Last App sets the card to Playback
Mode
See "Default State" on page 20 for more information.
Block Diagram Area
The top block diagram area of the Control Panel screen is a visual representation
of the processing, if any, that’s currently occurring, including inputs/outputs,
reference source, and system status. Lines between inputs, the framebuffer, and
outputs, show a video path. Where there are no lines, there is no connection; this
can be because an input or output isn’t selected in the Input Select menu. The
lines will also show whether the outputs are video or video + key.
You can click any of the function screen selection links in the left column to view
its current settings or click on an icon to call up its related settings screen. You can
also right-click or Control-click to see context-sensitive information and choices
(Figure 3).

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 14 www.aja.com
Figure 3. Context Sensitive Menu
Color Meanings
All items in the AJA Control Panel block diagram are color-coded to show what is
happening in real time. This applies to both icons and text. These colors indicate:
Blue - Video is same format as the Device Format (framebuffer)
Yellow - Reference video (black burst or other reference source)
Red - The selected operation cannot be performed
Input/Output Icons
The input and output icons are triangles that together with their color show all
the input and outputs and their status (selected, not selected, input present or
not, format, etc.). A complete video path is shown when inputs and outputs are
connected with lines going to/from the framebuffer.
Figure 4. Input/Output Icons
NOTE: Hovering your cursor over an Input or Output icon opens a tooltip that reports
that connector's signal status (Input signal detected, Output signal enabled,
Input or Output disabled).
Framebuffer
The framebuffer is the “engine” where your third-party applications interface with
the AJA device. The framebuffer has a format (called the “Device Format”) and
color space that it follows, as defined in the linked menu screens or via external
application software.
Device Format
The Device Format is the media format written to disk and used in your project.
This is the format that the framebuffer will use and is shown in the Control Panel
using the color blue. It is the format that the third-party application software will
either receive from the AJA hardware, or is sending to the hardware. All icons in
blue are the same as the Device Format used by the framebuffer. Also any text
descriptions in the block diagram that appear in blue indicate that something is
in the Device Format. For example:

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 15 www.aja.com
• If the input and output icons are blue, you know that the same format is used
throughout the video path. No format conversion is being performed.
• If the input or output icon colors differ (blue input and green output icons for
example), you know that a format conversion is being performed.
Controlling Application
It is important to understand that the computer can contain many applications
that can use the AJA device (as you switch from window to window) and it may
not always be obvious which currently controls it.
Figure 5. Control Panel In Use Message (in red)
In the top right corner, the Control Panel displays the name of the application
controlling the unit. In some cases, applications may not always properly “let go”
of the I/O interface as another takes over—you’ll be able to tell by looking at the
Control Panel.
Controlling Application Format Selection
If a running controlling application uses Io X3 for capture or output, it controls the
Device Format via its own menus and settings. For example, when the Third-party
editing application is active (it’s the front-most application) and has Io X3 as its
“A/V Device”, the Io X3’s Device Format is determined by the application’s “Video
Playback” settings. These format selections are reported in the AJA Control Panel
block diagram.
Controlling applications can start and stop and change modes—even while they
are running. And the behavior of different controlling applications can vary: some
applications take control of the interface as soon as they are launched and don’t
give it up until they quit, while other applications take control of the interface
only when they are the “front-most” running application and then relinquish
control when they’re not. Even these controlling applications may not relinquish
control until capture or output operations are completed.
AJA Control Panel Restart Services
AJA Control Panel Restart Services is new functionality (since v6.1) that allows for
restarting the AJA services if necessary. This can help if various applications begin
contesting for access to the Video I/O device. In this situation an AJA Agent is
not running message can appear as the controlling application status. Hovering
your cursor over that message displays a Restart Agent button, which clicking on
will bring Control Panel back to its startup state. Then an application can freshly
acquire control of the I/O device.
Figure 6. Restart Services Popup Message
NOTE: On Windows computers you must run Control anel as Administrator in order to
use the restart services feature.

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 16 www.aja.com
Control Recommendations
We recommend you have the Control Panel running and visible at all times. When
the Control Panel is running in the background (not front-most) you can see what
the interface is doing and who has control of it.
Presets
Setups can be named and saved as a snapshot (Preset) for recall at any time. You
can save various AJA device Control Panel configurations associated with your
frequent tasks. You don’t have to spend time resetting interface configurations,
just load the previously saved Preset for each task. See "Saving, Loading and
Deleting Presets" on page 46 for more information.
If you work on multiple systems and want to carry your saved setups to another
location, you can copy your saved Preset files on to movable storage and load
them into any computer running the AJA Control Panel application.
Mac OS Preset Files Storage Location
• From the Finder, hold down the Option key (to display the Library directory)
and click on Go/Library/Application Support/AJA/<device name>/Presets/
Windows Preset Files Storage Location
• c:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\AJA\Control Panel\<device name>
Presets\
Default Preferences
When an AJA device starts up, a preference can determine what settings it will
have it when it begins to operate. The AJA Control Panel offers two default
preference settings:
• Local Preference - A preference stored from the last AJA device's Control Panel
settings to be used on next startup of AJA Control Panel. This occurs on next
restoration of the default state (triggered by start up of host CPU, startup of
the AJA device, or when a third-party application releases the AJA device).
• Global Preference - A preference saved for use as a global default start state
for an AJA device that can be shared by multiple users, applied on first startup,
or by pressing the Control Panel Reset Device... button.
Local Preference
The Local Preference file (com.aja.devicesettings) exists to immediately and
automatically store all parameter changes made by a user on a particular AJA
device. When any control is changed in the Control Panel, that change is recorded
in the Local Preference file stored in a unique location on that computer that is
dedicated to that particular device, serial number, and logged-in user. Then, when
AJA Control Panel is restarted for any reason, the AJA device being controlled
restores the settings being used when Control Panel was last closed.
The Local Preference file can be accessed at the following locations.
On Mac:
• From the Finder, hold down the Option key (to display the Library directory)
and click on Go/Library/Preferences/com.aja.devicesettings.
On Windows:
• C:\Users\<USER_NAME>\AppData\Local\aja\com.aja.devicesettings

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 17 www.aja.com
NOTE: Clicking on the AJA Control Panel "Erase All Prefs" button deletes the existing
Local Preference file from this location. This file will be recreated as soon as any
Control Panel setting is changed.
NOTE: Clicking on the AJA Control Panel "Reset Device..." button will delete the existing
Local Preference file. If a Global Preference file is found, these settings are
reloaded. If a Global Preference file is not found, “factory defaults” are loaded and
the device is set to that state
Global Preference
An administrator can establish a house standard for an AJA device by copying
a preference file to a shared computer location. Once placed at that location, it
becomes a Global Preference file where it will establish a standard default startup
state for all users of that AJA device using that computer system. These settings
preempt the initial AJA factory default settings, and are applied when an AJA
device is first powered up, or when the Control Panel Reset Device button is
pressed.
To establish a Global Preference, the administrator first configures the AJA device
(which automatically creates a "com.aja.devicesettings" Local Preference file in
the location identified above) and then copy or move or that file to the correct
computer locations (manually or by pushing it out across the network) on all the
computers that use the AJA device.
NOTE: If the user makes changes to an AJA Device's Control Panel settings, those
changes are saved to the Local Preference file, which will take priority over the
Global Preference file.
The shared computer locations for a Global Preference file are:
On Mac:
• From the Finder, click on Go/Computer/<System HD>/Users/Shared/AJA/
and copy or move the "com.aja.devicesettings file" described above to this
location.
NOTE: The "AJA" folder needs to be created manually at this location before moving the
preference file into it.
On Windows there are three possible shared locations depending on your system:
• C:\Users\Public\Aja\
• C:\Users\All Users\Aja\
• C:\ProgramData\Aja
Copy or move the "com.aja.devicesettings file" described above to one of
these locations.
NOTE: The AJA Control Panel Info screen displays the path to the Global Preference file
on that computer.
NOTE: Clicking on the AJA Control Panel Erase All Prefs button does NOT delete an
existing Global Preference file from this location.
Function Screens
Listed below are the function screens for Io X3 and what they are used for.
Table 1. Io X3 Function Screens
Screen Functions
Control Configure basic Io X3 operation options and output timing.
Format Select the framebuffer primary video format settings.

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 18 www.aja.com
Screen Functions
Input Select View and edit input selections and audio mapping.
SDI Output Select output format.
HDMI Configure the HDMI I/O, including MultiView
HDR Configure High Dynamic Range settings
Video Setup Configure Video such as progressive format and color space.
Audio Setup Configures Audio options such as analog audio input and output
channels, audio monitor level, and audio delay.
Audio Mixer Select and mix audio sources for monitoring.
DS Keyer Setup and control the insertion of keyed video from the frame buffer or
graphics files with alpha channel.
LUT Load a lookup table (LUT) file to adjust the calibration of color for any
source.
Timecode Monitors SMPTE 12M-2 timecode and configure timecode window burn
output.
Presets Add or delete saved preset configurations (handy for quick and easy recall
of different Io X3 settings for varied workflows).
Firmware Install firmware from your currently installed AJA software package.
Info Display status information and the firmware version number. This
information is generally intended for troubleshooting/support.
Io X3 Audio Monitoring
Io X3 hardware can be used as your single audio monitoring solution whether
you are auditioning music in a web browser, playing a movie file on the desktop,
creating music, or playing a YouTube clip. As long as the output of your work
or application is normally output via the host system audio, your AJA hardware
can route this audio for monitoring. This cuts down on unnecessary cabling, and
means you can take advantage of a consistent audio monitoring environment
whatever you are currently doing with your host system.
NOTE: On first use, you will need to tell your operating system to use AJA hardware as
the default Input and Output hardware.
Io X3 lets you listen to Host System audio concurrently with your NLE audio.
This is useful if you need to audition music tracks against playback of your NLE
timeline, or if you need to Skype with a remote producer during an edit session,
or for a myriad of other reasons.
You can also listen to Io X3 Input concurrently with your NLE. This is useful if you
need to listen out for the readiness of talent, or the presence of some other feed,
whilst you continue to work.
Io X3 audio monitoring is routed and mixed using the Control Panel application's
Audio Mixer screen. You can select sources to be monitored, and can adjust
their levels. If you are using the 1/4 inch monitor output connector, an additional
overall mix gain control is conveniently available on the Io X3's front panel.
The mixed audio monitor signal is also routed to:
• SDI Audio out
• HDMI Audio Out
• Analog Audio Out (via DB25 cable)

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 19 www.aja.com
IMPORTANT: Even though you can hear changes in the signals and levels adjusted with
the Audio Mixer screen, these changes are NOT recorded to disk during NLE
Capture or Audio Punch In / Voice Over to Timeline. The Audio Mixer screen is
dedicated for monitoring only, not program mixing.
Figure 7. Io X3 Audio Monitoring Routing Diagram
Gain
Knob
SDI Embedded
Audio Output
HDMI Embedded
Audio Output
Audio Capture
Punch In/Voice Over
Record to File
Analog Audio
Output
SDI Embedded
Audio Input
AJA Hardware
Audio Input
AJA Hardware
Audio Monitoring
Host Computer Audio Input
Non Linear
Video Editor
HDMI Embedded
Audio Input
Analog Audio
Input
Audio File
Playback
YouTube
Other
Sources
Front Panel
Monitor Output
Control Panel
Audio Mixer
Screen
Mac or PC
Computer
Audio
NLE
Application
Control Panel
Input Select
Screen
Mixer
Controls
Host
Computer
Audio
NLE
Audio
NOTE: NLE audio
output is disabled
in Capture mode.
AJA Hardware Audio
To control which AJA hardware audio is used during recording, you use the
Control Panel application's Input Select Screen, Audio Input Select drop down to
select from
• SDI embedded
• HDMI embedded
• Analog (via DB25 cable)
Any level adjustments to Capture or Audio Punch In / Voice Over to Timeline
recording operations will either need to be made upstream of the AJA input, or
else via adjustments within the main NLE application (e.g. via a pass through mix
tool).

Io X3 Capture, Display, Convert v16.2 20 www.aja.com
AJA Control Panel Function Screens
Control Screen
The Control Screen is where you set the Default State, which is what the device
outputs when no application has control of the board. This screen also has
controls for setting the genlock source, and for setting the Horiz and Vert timing
offsets. The top of the Control Screen shows the current state of the device and
also shows the name of the Application which has control of the board, if there is
one.
Default State
Many video applications can grab control of the Io X3, so its outputs can change
dynamically. The Default State settings are used to select what state the Io X3 will
have when no third-party video application is controlling it.
Default State
• Pass Through (Cap) - This selection directs Io X3 to route video from its
selected input through the card for processing and output.
• Test Pattern (PB) - This selection directs Io X3 to output a preset pattern when
no other application is in control. The pattern is selected from the Test Pattern
dropdown list below, or a graphic file can be chosen.
• Hold Last App - This selection directs Io X3 to hold and output the last frame
of video from the last application to control Io X3. This can be helpful when
operating in an environment where you’re switching back and forth between
multiple application windows.