AJA io4K Operating instructions

Installation & Operation Guide
Version 10.5
Published: January 22, 2014

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Table of Contents
Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Copyright. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Contacting Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Features:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Broadcast-Quality Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Io XT/4K Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
AJA Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What’s In The Box? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
In This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Chapter 2: Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installation Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Connecting to your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Cable Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Connector Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Installing Io XT/4K Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Macintosh Software Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Windows Software Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Re-Installation & Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Chapter 3: Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Using Io XT/4K with Professional Video /Audio Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
AJA Control Panel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Single-user & Network Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Block Diagram Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Control Panel Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Control Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Format Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Input Select Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SDI Out Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
HDMI Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Analog Out Screen (Io XT Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Video Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Audio Setup Screen (Io XT Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Conversion Screen (Mac OS only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
DS Keyer Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Timecode Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Presets Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Firmware Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Info Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Using Io 4K for UHD/4K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Configuring Quad SDI I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Input Select Screen in 4K Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
SDI Output Screen in 4K Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
HDMI Screen in 4K Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

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Video Setup Screen in 4K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Downstream Keyer Screen in 4K Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Chapter 4: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
If You Run Into Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Updating Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Appendix A: Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Io XT Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Video Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Video Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Video Output Digital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Video Output Analog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Audio Input Digital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Audio Output Digital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Audio Output Analog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Downstream Keyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Up-Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Down-conversion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Cross-conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
SD to SD aspect ratio conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Reference Input or LTC Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Io 4K Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Video Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Video Inputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Video Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Audio Inputs Digital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Audio Output Digital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Audio Output Analog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Downstream Keyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
4K to HD Down-Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Reference Input or LTC Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Machine Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Appendix B: Safety and Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Compliance Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Class A Interference Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
FCC Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Canadian ICES Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
European Union and European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Regulatory Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Declaration of Conformity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Korean Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Taiwan Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Japanese Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Translated caution statements, warning conventions and warning messages . . . . . . . 61
Before operating your AJA unit, read the instructions in this document . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Warranty and Liability Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Limitation of Liability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

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Notices
Trademarks
AJA®, KONA®, Ki Pro®, KUMO® and XENA® are registered trademarks of AJA Video, Inc.,
Ki Pro Mini™, Io Express™, Io HD™, Io™ and “Work. Flow.” are trademarks of AJA Video, Inc.
AirPort, Apple, the Apple logo, AppleShare, AppleTalk, FireWire, iPod, iPod Touch, Mac,
and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Final Cut Pro,
QuickTime and the QuickTime Logo are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Avid, Avid
Media Composer and Avid DNxHD are trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
Copyright
Copyright © 2014AJA Video, 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 Inc.
Contacting Support
When calling for support, have all information at hand prior to calling.
To contact AJA Video for sales or support, use any of the following methods:
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web: http://www.aja.com
Support Email: [email protected]
Sales Email: [email protected]

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Chapter 1: Introduction
Overview
AJA's Io XT and Io 4K provide professional-grade I/O for high-end computers. Io XT and
4K are the ideal companion for lightning-fast video capture, playback and up/down/
cross conversion. Designed for today’s workflows, Io XT/4K provides a new interface for
video Pro's working with 10-bit uncompressed, Apple ProRes 422, Apple ProRes 422 (HQ),
XDCAM HD, DVCPRO HD, stereoscopic 3D workflows, and more. Io 4K provides additional
support for Ultra HD (UHD) and 4K.
Io XT and Io 4K connect with a single Thunderbolt cable and provide a second
Thunderbolt connector for storage, making them perfect for on set, or in the edit suite.
Based on the KONA 3G hardware, these Io products provide 3G/Dual-link/HD/SD-SDI,
Component Analog, and HDMI connectivity.
Io XT's 10-bit hardware conversion capability paired with a Thunderbolt RAID System
creates a super-fast editing system, portable enough to fit in a backpack—with desktop
level power.
4K Workflows: Io 4K is the evolution of AJA’s popular devices for professional video I/O, now updated
and customized for Thunderbolt™ 2 technology and 4K workflows. Io 4K connects to any
Thunderbolt™ 2-enabled device, and offers an additional Thunderbolt™ 2 port for daisy-
chaining other peripherals such as high-resolution displays and high-capacity storage.
Io 4K offers a broad range of video and audio connectivity, supporting the latest 4K and
UltraHD devices. AJA’s proven conversion technology allows realtime high-quality
scaling of 4K and UltraHD to HD.

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Features: The following table provides a comparison of Io 4K and Io XT features.
Broadcast-Quality
Conversion
Io XT features hardware-based full 10-bit broadcast quality motion adaptive SD to HD
up-conversion, HD to SD down-conversion and HD to HD cross-conversion.
The quality of the conversion features found in the Io XT is virtually identical to AJA's
award winning stand-alone converter products used throughout the post production
market. The Io XT built-in up converter uses a a full 10-bit path, fully motion adaptive de-
interlacing, and large multi-point digital interpolators. Down-conversion uses large
multi-point digital interpolators, anti-alias filtering and interpolation.
Cross-conversion is high-quality hardware-based and offers true broadcast picture
quality in realtime. Because these functions are in hardware, they are available full time,
all the time—with no CPU load. Such conversions are useful for cost effective monitoring,
making standard definition dubs of an HD project, or up-converting from a standard
definition project to an HD deliverable.
Table 1. Io 4K/XT Feature Comparison
Feature Io 4K Io XT
Two Thunderbolt ports (supports pass-through/”daisy-chaining”) X X
Supports Thunderbolt 2 connectivity X -
Two SD-SDI, HD-SDI, and 3G HD-SDI inputs and outputs X X
Single link SDI 4:2:2 or 4:4:4; Dual-link SDI 4:4:4 X X
Bidirectional SDI BNCs configurable for four 4K inputs or outputs X -
HDMI Input and Output X X
Analog component/composite output, 10-bit X
Broadcast quality hardware-based 10-bit up-conversion X
Broadcast quality hardware-based 10-bit down-conversion X
Broadcast quality hardware-based 10-bit cross-conversion (1080 to 720
and 720 to1080)
X
Dedicated realtime 4K to HD down-conversion output (SDI 5 BNC) X
DVCProHD hardware scaling acceleration X X
HDV hardware scaling acceleration X X
Broadcast quality hardware-based 10-bit SD aspect ratio conversion
(anamorphic to letterbox, etc.)
XX
16-Channel Embedded SDI audio X X
Eight channels analog audio output (Tascam-style DB25-type cable) X X
Front panel LED VU meters and Headphone output w/level control X X
Reference In/LTC In (selectable) X X
LTC Output X X
RS-422 control via 9-pin X X
Rugged Chassis, Small Size X X
12V DC, 4-pin XLR Power (AC adapter included) X X

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Video Formats For a complete list of supported video formats, see "Appendix A: Specifications on page
54".
Io XT/4K Audio Io XT and Io 4K provide up to 16 channels of SDI embedded audio. The front panels have
a mini TRS headphone output with a lockable level control knob.
For analog audio output monitoring, Io XT and 4K provide a DB25 connector with eight
channels of audio to be used with industry standard Tascam-style audio breakout cables.
The front panel has an eight-channel VU meter display to monitor output levels.
HDMI Audio: Both Io XT and Io 4K also support HDMI Audio, 2 or 8 channels.
AJA Software AJA’s Io XT/4K software and hardware were developed for powerful integrated video/
audio capture, editing, and production with a variety of 3rd-party software. With an
Io XT/4K and qualified Thunderbolt-enabled computer, you have the ultimate system for
standard and high definition production, post-production, broadcast, and streaming
work. AJA software is available for download at the AJA website.
• AJA device drivers for tightly integrated hardware/software operation.
• AJA Control Panel for source selection and controlling Io XT/4K within either Mac or
Windows environment, Input Pass through, and more. AJA Control Panel uses a block
diagram to show visually what is happening inside Io XT/4K.
• AJA ControlRoom—a unified cross-platform software application for ingest, playback
and output with AJA products.
• AJA-provided plugins for popular 3rd-party Professional Video Applications from
Adobe, Avid, Apple, Telestream, and more.
NOTE: For a complete software compatibility list, see the AJA website link:
http://www.aja.com/en/category/edit/compatibility
System Requirements
NOTE: See the vendor of your system software for requirements/recommendations of GPU and
additional hardware requirements.
For best performance AJA recommends:
• OS 10.7.5 or later
• Windows 7/8 with all updates
• 2.5GHz dual core i5 or better
• 2.0 GHz quad core i7 or better
• 4GB RAM Minimum, 8GB Recommended

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What’s In The Box?
As you unpack the shipping box(es), 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. AJA will repair or replace damaged items. If you find shipping damage,
contact your AJA dealer or distributor for details on how to have your Io XT/4K repaired
or replaced. Save packing materials and the shipping box. If you ever require service or
move your system—use the packaging materials and box for safe shipment.
Figure 1. Io XT/4K Shipping Box Contents (Io 4K shown)
When you unpack your AJA Io XT/4K, you’ll find the following components:
• Io XT or Io 4K
• 12V power adapter and power cord
• Read Me First Notice—Contains late-breaking news and/or errata related to the
product and it’s documentation.
• Registration Sheet—allows you to register your Io XT/4K by mail or online (details
provided).
In This Manual
Chapter 1 Discusses features, system requirements, and shipping box contents.
Chapter 2 Provides complete instructions for installing and configuring the AJA Io XT/4K. The user
is guided through unpacking, cabling the Io XT/4K, installing AJA & third-party support
software, then getting it up and running. Important configuration information is also
provided on video settings and use of genlock/external reference.
Chapter 3 Discusses operational aspects of Io XT/4K and how to work with 3rd-party software.
Chapter 4 Discusses troubleshooting problems with your system and what to do when there’s a
problem you can’t solve.
Appendix A Presents a list of technical specifications for the product.
Appendix B Provides important Safety and Compliance information.
The balance of the book provides Warranty information and an Index.

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Chapter 2: Installation
Installation Overview
The installation and set up of an Io XT and Io 4K is very simple. A functional description of
each connector is provided in this chapter. The steps of installation and configuration are
outlined here and each of these steps are explained in greater detail on the remaining
pages of this chapter:
1. If not previously installed on your Thunderbolt equipped computer, ensure that
appropriate application software is installed as detailed in its user documentation.
2. For latest System Compatibility and Software Version information for Io XT or Io 4K
visit the AJA website.
For Io XT, visit:
http://www.aja.com/en/products/io-xt/#/overview
For Io 4K visit:
www.aja.com/en/products/io-4k#overview
3. Install the latest AJA software on your computer from the AJA website.
For Io XT, visit:
http://www.aja.com/en/products/io-xt/#support
For Io 4K visit:
www.aja.com/en/products/io-4k#support
4. First install the Io XT or Io 4K driver package (includes the AJA Control Panel) and
then finally install any AJA plug-ins for 3rd-party software.

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Connecting to your Computer
1. With your computer off, connect a Thunderbolt cable between the computer and
the Io XT/4K.
2. Power the unit (AC supply or battery) and if it is Io XT, turn it on using the power
button on the front. Io 4K does not have a power button.
3. Cable the system audio and video sources, VTR, audio monitor, and video monitor.
4. When you run the AJA Control Panel, you’ll notice that the Io XT/4K is auto-
discovered as long as it is properly cabled and powered up.
5. Please read "Chapter 3: Operation on page 22". (The latest version of the manual can
be downloaded from the AJA support page provided above.)
Cable Connections Io XT and Io 4K connections are made directly to the unit’s rear connector plate. Both
have a Tascam-style DB25 connector providing 8 audio output channels.
Figure 2. Io XT Connectors
Figure 3. Io 4K Connectors

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Connector
Descriptions
The following section describes the connectors offered on the Io XT and Io 4K chassis in
the following order:
• Connectors common to both models
• Io XT connectors
• Io 4K connectors
Connectors Common to
Both Models
HDMI Input and Output: Two HDMI connectors on the Io XT/4K provide input and output of HDMI video and
multi-channel embedded audio.
• Io XT has HDMI v1.3a capability at 30 bits per pixel allows full support of the latest 10-
bit monitors.
• Io 4K has HDMI 1.4 capability, supporting Ultra HD and 4K resolutions at up to 30
frames per second.
• Both Io XT and Io 4K support 2 or 8 channel HDMI audio input and output.
HDCP is not supported on either input or output. Io XT/4K 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.
RS422 Machine Control: A female DE-9 connector on Io XT/4K provides connection for VTRs, camcorders, disk
media servers, and other devices using RS422 SMPTE (Sony) protocol. (Connector pinout
is listed in Appendix A, see “Machine Control” on page 57.)
Reference Video and LTC Input: Two BNC connectors on Io XT/4K provide reference Input and Output. The Reference
Video input can also be used for LTC input. The selection of Reference (sync) or LTC is set
using the AJA Control Panel (“Input Select Screen” on page 33).
In Video Pass-through mode, these connectors are effectively loop-through. Supplying
reference signal to the Reference input allows you to synchronize Io XT/4K outputs to
your house analog reference video signal (or black burst). If you have a sync generator or
central piece of video equipment to use for synchronizing other video equipment in your
studio, then connect its analog composite output here. When Io XT/4K outputs video, it
uses this reference signal for locking. When connecting a reference video source, the
locking signal should be the same format as the Primary format selected in the AJA
Control Panel. It is possible in some circumstances to use an alternate format video signal
as long as the basic frame rate is compatible.
Balanced Analog Audio
Output:
A 25-pin DB connector provides 8-channel, 24-bit D/A analog audio, 48kHz sample rate,
balanced via 8x XLR on DB-25 breakout cable. (Cable not supplied.)
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.
Io XT Connectors These connectors are used only on the Io XT model.
Thunderbolt ports: Two Thunderbolt ports are provided as describe in the figure above. These are first
generation Thunderbolt connections.
HD/SD SDI Input and Output: BNC connectors are provided on Io XT for two HD/SD-SDI inputs and two HD/SD-SDI
outputs. The input and output support video and embedded 24-bit digital audio. Use SDI
wherever possible for the best quality 10-bit uncompressed video input, capture and

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output. If peripheral equipment has a variety of inputs/outputs, look to see if it has SDI I/
O, and use it where possible. Most high-end professional broadcast equipment supports
SDI (VTRs, cameras, media storage servers, etc.).
Component Video Output: Io XT features a group of 3 BNC connectors for output of component, composite and
Y/C functions. The signals are labeled on the BNC connectors on the rear panel of Io XT.
A Note About YPbPr: Component Video, or YPbPr, has been given several names over time. YUV, Y/R-Y/B-Y, and
YCbCr, are just some examples. Although these various formats have some differences in
levels, they are all basically the same. Io XT uses the modern YPbPr terminology exclusively. Io
XT supports three different types of YPbPr: SMPTE/EBU N10, Betacam (NTSC), and Betacam
(NTSC Japan). These three formats differ in level only and are configured via the AJA Control
Panel.
Io 4K Connectors These connectors are offered only on the Io 4K model.
Thunderbolt 2: The Io 4K provides the second-generation Thunderbolt ports to support UHD and 4K
signals. Two ports are provided for “daisy-chained” network configurations.
Bi-directional SDI I/O: Four bidirectional BNC connectors can be configured via the AJA Control Panel for:
• HD/SD inputs (x2) and outputs (x2)
•Oryoucaninputor output 4 channels of video representing individual quadrants of
the higher definition Ultra HD (3840x2160) and 4K (4096x2160) formats.
NOTE: The Io 4K can only be configured for either input or output of 4K at a time. It cannot support
4K input and output at the same time since both require four BNCs.
Dedicated SDI HD/SD Output: One BNC connector is provided for full-time, real-time output of HD/SD video. 4K video is
down-converted to 2K HD and UHD is down-converted to HD.
Installing Io XT/4K Software
Go to the AJA website and download the latest Io XT/4K driver software containing the
AJA Control Panel application. While there, also download any AJA plug-ins for 3rd-party
applications (such as Adobe and Avid). All of these software installers can be found here:
http://www.aja.com/en/support/downloads/
System software updates may occasionally become available to AJA Io XT/4K owners on
our website (www.aja.com). We recommend checking occasionally for both software
updates and additional product information.
NOTE: If your computer has previously had another video capture or multimedia device installed,
ensure you uninstall any related software before installing Io XT/4K This will prevent any
hardware or software conflicts.
If you add Io XT/4K supported applications at a later date and have not previously
installed the appropriate drivers, you must run the install program again selecting the
appropriate application support software to be installed.
Macintosh Software
Installation
NOTE: If you have trouble installing Io XT or Io 4K software, turn off any virus protection and security
software that you may have installed on your computer and try again.

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Mountain Lion OS and
Gatekeeper:
With the addition of Gatekeeper functionality in Mac OS Mountain Lion, you should go to
System Preferences>Security & Privacy and choose to allow “Mac App Store and identified
developers.”
Figure 4. Mac Security & Privacy Gatekeeper Setting
1. Locate the Io XT or Io 4K software downloaded from AJA.
2. Double-click the package to log on and begin software installation. Start by installing
the Io XT/4K driver package with AJA Control Panel and then finally install any AJA
plug-ins for 3rd-party software.
NOTE: The system will respond by asking you to authenticate who you are as currently defined on
your OS X user profile. Enter the proper name and password at the Authenticate prompt; if
you have multiple users defined, ensure that you log on as a user with administrator-level
authority.
Figure 5. Log On Authenticate Prompt
3. Click on the Install Software button after entering a valid user and password.
4. The installer will launch and you’ll see a series of installer screens.

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5. On the following pages, we show the series of screens you’ll see when installing the
Io XT/4K driver software package. The Io 4K installation uses a different package but
is the same process.
6. When you launch the installer, you’ll see a series of installer screens.
Figure 6. Initial Installer Screen
7. Click Continue to begin installation.
8. The next screen lets you know that the installer will check your Mac to ensure it has
the hardware and software resources required (“System Requirements” on page 7).
Figure 7. System Check Installer Screen

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9. Read and agree to the Software License Agreement.
Figure 8. Io XT/4K Software License Agreement Screen
10. At the next screen, select the “Io XT/4K Setups” checkbox. Check any Easy Setups that
you want to use (or all of them) and then click the Continue button to place the
software on the drive you previously selected. Some 3rd-party applications provide
native setups so you can uncheck the “IoXT Setups” checkbox before clicking
Continue.
Figure 9. Installer Screen, Select Easy Setups to be Installed
11. The installer tells you how much room the installation will take and prompts you to
click Install to begin (or go back). Click the Install button to proceed.

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Figure 10. Installer Screen, Space Reminder
12. Next, the system will display a reminder that you’ll have to Restart the Mac after
installation concludes. Click Continue Installation.
Figure 11. Installer Screen, Reminder about Restarting
13. The installer runs and puts all the necessary Io XT/4K drivers and software on the
desired hard drive. When it has completed installation, a final screen will be displayed
announcing that “software was successfully installed.”

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Figure 12. Installation Success and Restart Message
14. Click the Restart button to complete the installation procedure. The system will
perform software restart.
15. After installing the Io XT or Io 4K system driver package, you will find the AJA Control
Panel software installed in your applications.
16. Finally, install any AJA plug-ins required for 3rd-party software. You can download
these from the AJA website:
http://www.aja.com/en/products/io-xt/#support
17. For example, if you wish to use the Io XT/4K with Adobe Premiere or Adobe After
Effects, you would go the AJA website Io XT or Io 4K support page (URL above) and
download the “AJA Adobe Plug-ins for Creative Cloud”. These plug-ins come with
complete documentation on how to use them.
Windows Software
Installation
Locate the AJA Windows Software download file and follow the procedure below to
install the required software on the host system.
NOTE: If you have trouble installing AJA Windows Software, turn off any virus protection and
security software that you have installed on your computer and try again.
Open the AJA Windows Software download package.
Install Wizard The AJA Windows Software installation program will launch and extract the necessary
Io XT/4K drivers, AJA Control Panel Software, for installation on the desired hard drive.
NOTE: The Windows installation requires separate download and installation of application plugins
for AVID, Adobe, Eyeon Fusion, and Telestream Wirecast plugins. (See the web-link above.)

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Figure 13. Install Wizard Welcome
When you see the Welcome page, click “Next” to view the AJA Windows Software license
agreement.
Figure 14. License Agreement
Read the Windows Software license agreement and click “Yes” to accept. You will be
asked to choose the type of installation you would like to perform. Click on the Custom
button to see the installation options.
The default selections include AJA Drivers for KONA cards, Io Express/XT/4K, and T-TAP.
Software not installed is marked with a red X.

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You may choose to perform a Custom installation to select the specific software
necessary for your applications. If you use the entire collection, use the “Complete”
installation.
NOTE: By default, AJA ASIO drivers are not installed. (If you will be using the Voice-over feature in
Adobe Premiere Pro, you will need to click on the pulldown menu and include them in the
installation. For more information on using ASIO drivers, refer to the AJA Adobe Plugins
Installation and Operation Guide.
Figure 15. Custom Installation Window
The following screens depict the more elaborate Custom installation. Shown below are
the pull-down options. Click (triangle) to expand or contract.
Figure 16. Installation Item Selection

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You may deselect any Item for installation by using the pulldown to make it unavailable.
Before clicking Next to install, you can verify your disk space availability by clicking the
Disk Usage button.
Figure 17. Workstation Disk Usage Display
To return to the installation click OK. Then click Next to begin the installation.
Figure 18. Installation Progress Screen