AJA KONA HDMI Operating instructions

KONA HDMI
Four Channel HDMI Capture
Version 14.2
Published July 3, 2018
Installation and Operation Guide

KONA HDMI Four Channel HDMI Capture v14.2 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.
CION®, 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™, TruZoom™,
V2Analog™ and V2Digital™ are trademarks of AJA Video Systems, Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright
Copyright © 2018 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]

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Contents
Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Contacting AJA Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chapter 1 – Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
KONA HDMI Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Input / Capture Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
AJA Software & Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Disk Storage Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
KONA HDMI Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Chapter 2 – Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Shipping Box Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installing the KONA Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Cabling the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
KONA HDMI Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Installing KONA HDMI Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Download . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Software Package Installation and Re-installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Important MacOS High Sierra Installation Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Firmware Update Procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Chapter 3 – Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Using KONA with Professional Video /Audio Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Capture Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
AJA Control Panel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
AJA Control Panel User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Controlling Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Using Multiple AJA Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Presets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Default Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Control Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Function Screens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
AJA Control Panel Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Control Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Format Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Input Select Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
HDMI Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Conversion Screen (Mac OS only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
LUT Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Presets Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Firmware Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Info Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Appendix A – Specications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
KONA HDMI Tech Specs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Appendix B – Safety & Compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Warranty and Liability Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Limited Warranty on Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Limitation of Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Governing Law and Language; Your Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

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Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

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Chapter 1 – Introduction
Overview
AJA's KONA HDMI card brings the highest quality HDMI capture of video and
audio to computers running Mac, Windows or Linux Operating Systems. The AJA
KONA HDMI card can simultaneously capture one channel of HDMI 2.0 video (up
to 4K/UltraHD p60), up to four channels of HDMI 1.4b video (up to 2K p60), or
some combinations of both formats, depending on the controlling application
used. SD HDMI video is also supported.
KONA HDMI Features
• Standard PCIe form factor
• Four full size HDMI inputs
• HDMI 2.0 and 1.4b formats for broadcast supported
• HDR material can be captured / passed-through with AJA Control Room
(including using PS4 Pro as a source for 4K p60 HDR content)
• Each HDMI port supports up to 8 channels of embedded audio
• Application Support:
• AJA Control Room (single channel capture)
• Wirecast (multichannel capture)
• DirectShow (Windows applications multichannel capture)
• V4L2 (Windows applications multichannel capture)
Input / Capture Capabilities
AJA Control Room
• Single channel ingest of up to 4K p60 on either port 1, or port 2.
• Single channel ingest of up to 2K p60 on any port 1 through 4.
• HDR material can be captured / passed-through (including using PS4 Pro as a
source for 4K p60 HDR content).

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Telestream Wirecast
• Single channel ingest of up to 4K p60 on either port 1, or port 2.
• Dual channel ingest of up to 4K p60 on port 1, and up to 4K p30 on port 2 (or
vice versa).
• Single, Dual, Triple or Quad channel ingest of up to 2K p60 on ports 1-4
• Mixed channel ingest of up to 4K p60 on channel 1, together simultaneously
with two channels of up to 2K p60 on channels 2-4.
To change between the above ingest configurations, you will need to create
different set ups. For example, if you want to change from capturing all four HDMI
inputs to capturing one 4K p60 signal on port 1 and HD signals on ports 2 and 3,
you need to stop capturing, set up channels on ports 1, 2, and 3 differently, and
then resume capturing in the new configuration.
NOTE: The above combinations are available for AJA SDK developers, V4L2 developers
and DirectShow developers and their customers.
AJA Software & Utilities
AJA’s KONA software and hardware were developed for powerful integrated
video/audio capture, editing, and production with a variety of software, including
AJA Control Panel, AJA Control Room and Telestream's Wirecast. With KONA
and a qualified computer, you have the ultimate system for production, post-
production, broadcast, and streaming work. AJA software is distributed as a
unified package which includes all the software, firmware, plugins, and utility
programs for AJA’s Io, KONA, and T-TAP products.
Four retail packages are available, one for Mac, one for Windows, and two for
Linux (one package for Ubuntu, one package for Red Hat/CentOS).
NOTE: Support for the Linux OS retail drivers is based on the Linux application used and
comes from the application’s vendor.
To download AJA software, go to the AJA website:
https://www.aja.com/en/support/downloads
For a complete software compatibility list, see the AJA website link:
https://www.aja.com/en/category/edit/compatibility
Mac, Windows and Linux 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 ingest, playback and
output with AJA devices.

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AJA System Test
System Test provides accurate and detailed evaluations of drive and system
performance statistics, allowing you to measure the capabilities of your system
for recording and playing back various resolutions and codecs. The application
includes:
• System Disk Test
• AJA Device Test
• Disk + Device Test
• System Report
The application tests Read and Write, Capture and Playback speeds 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.
Additional with Mac and Windows Packages
3rd-Party Plugins
AJA provides a dedicated plug-in for Telestream Wirecast which is included when
you install the desktop software package.
System Requirements
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.
NOTE: See your software vendor's support pages for GPU recommendations and
additional hardware requirements and recommendations.
AJA recommends:
• Mac OS 10.12 Sierra or later
• Win 10 or later with all updates
• Linux Redhat/CentOS 7
• Linux Ubuntu 14.04 LTS and Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
• 2.5 GHz quad core i7 minimum, for HD
• 3.5 GHz eight core minimum, faster processors and more cores recommended,
for UltraHD/4K workows, especially with high frame rate
• 16GB RAM minimum, 32GB or more recommended, especially for UltraHD/4K
or High Frame Rate applications
• A reasonably fast and powerful graphics card, with plenty of on-board
memory. Examples (may be specic to application version and/or host CPU)
include:
• NvidiaK5200
• Nvidia K4200
• Nvidia M6000
• Nvidia M5000
• Nvidia M4000
• AMD W7100
• AMD W8100

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• Media storage with adequate bandwidth to sustain the capture and playback
of the material you expect to be working with.
NOTE: For large scale installations with shared storage, or for very high performance
requirements, AJA recommends consultation with an experienced a system
integrator. A consultant will be able to assist with many important variables.
Disk Storage Methods
To ensure performance and quality, the disk storage system used with
the workstation must be able to meet the demands of storing real-time
uncompressed media. At the very minimum, the disk storage system must be
able to provide and maintain a consistent transfer rate from the workstation to
disk (read/write). There are a variety of system configurations and peripherals that
can provide this level of performance.
For more on disk storage performance see "AJA System Test" on page 7.
Cable Connections
KONA HDMI Connectors
The KONA HDMI endplate provides four full size HDMI connectors.
• HDMI port 1 = 4K p60 capable
• HDMI port 2 = 4K p60 capable
• HDMI port 3 = 2K p60 capable
• HDMI port 4 = 2K p60 capable

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Chapter 2 – Installation
Installation Overview
The installation and set up of a KONA card is simple, and may vary slightly
depending on your system.
For the most up-to-date Mac system requirements for KONA, see the following
AJA website:
https://www.aja.com/en/support/kona-system-configuration/
For the most up-to-date Windows system requirements for KONA, see the
following AJA website:
https://www.aja.com/en/support/kona-pc-system-configuration/
Unpacking
Shipping Box Contents
As you unpack your shipment, carefully examine the contents. Ensure you
received everything and that nothing was damaged during shipping. 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 AJA device repaired or replaced.
NOTE: 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.
Installing the KONA Card
Figure 1. KONA HDMI Card
The KONA card can be installed into a PC chassis, legacy Mac Pro chassis with PCIe
slots, or into a Thunderbolt PCIe external chassis.
1. Turn o power to the host chassis.
2. Remove the power cable from the back of the chassis.
3. Open the chassis.

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4. Locate a recommended PCIe slot (see the AJA website for slot selection
instructions).
5. Remove the backplate and screw from the PCIe slot.
6. Touch the chassis to discharge any body static.
7. Remove the KONA card from its anti-static bag.
8. Carefully insert the card by rocking it slowly into the slot. Ensure the card
aligns properly with the slot opening and is fully seated.
9. Replace the screw to secure the card.
10. Close the chassis.
11. Power up the chassis.
NOTE: Always put a RAID controller and KONA on separate PCIe busses. This improves
performance by reducing bus contention.
Cabling the System
KONA HDMI Cable Connections
Figure 2. Example KONA HDMI Digital Video Capture with AJA Control Room
KONA HDMI Card
(in computer)
Graphics
Computer AJA
Control Room
Capture
DVR 1
HDMI
HDMI
HDMI
HDMI
Prosumer HDMI
Video Camera
HDMI Monitor
Workstation Computer
with AJA Control Panel
and AJA Control Room
Applications
Selects Which
Source To
Capture From
AJA
Control Panel
DVR 2
Connect up to four HDMI sources simultaneously, and then use AJA Control Panel
to instantly select which source to capture using AJA Control Room.
NOTE: AJA Control Room cannot monitor or playback embedded HDMI audio though
the KONA HDMI card (the card has only inputs). However, the audio is captured
along with the video, and / or passed through to your software of choice.