AJA io4K Owner's manual

Installation & Operation Guide
Version 12.4
Published: June 6, 2016

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Table of Contents
Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Contacting Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Broadcast-Quality Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Io XT/4K Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
AJA Software & Utilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
What’s In The Box? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
In This Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Chapter 2: Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
System Test Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Connecting to your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Connector Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connectors Common to Both Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Io XT Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Io 4K Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Installing Io XT/4K Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chapter 3: Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Using Io XT/4K with Professional Video /Audio Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
AJA Control Panel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
AJA Control Panel User Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Block Diagram Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Color Meanings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Input/Output Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Framebuffer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Primary Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Secondary Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Format Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Conversion Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Controlling Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Presets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Single-User & Shared Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
User Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Shared Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Function Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Using Io XT and IO 4K for HD, SD, 2K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Control Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Default Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Playback Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Format Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Input Select Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
SDI Out Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

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HDMI Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Analog Out Screen (Io XT Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Video Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Audio Setup Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Conversion Screen (Mac OS only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
YUV-RGB Conversion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
DS Keyer Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
LUT Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Uploading Custom User LUT file. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
LUT File Format Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Timecode Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Timecode Input Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Timecode Output Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Presets Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Firmware Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Info Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Using Io 4K for UHD/4K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Configuring Quad SDI I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Output Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Input Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Input Select Screen in 4K Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
SDI Output Screen in 4K Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
HDMI Screen in 4K Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Video Setup Screen in 4K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Downstream Keyer Screen in 4K Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Two Sample Interleave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Chapter 4: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
If You Run Into Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Updating Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Appendix A: Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Io XT Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Io 4K Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Appendix B: Safety and Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Compliance Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Class A Interference Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
FCC Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Canadian ICES Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
European Union and European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Regulatory Compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Recycling Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Korean KCC Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Taiwan Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Japanese Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Chinese Compliance Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Translated Warning and Caution Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Before Operation Please Read These Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Warranty and Liability Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Limited Warranty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Limitation of Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

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Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

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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™, FiDO™, KiStor™, Science of the Beautiful™, TruScale™, TruZoom™, V2Analog™
and V2Digital™ are trademarks of AJA Video Systems, Inc.
AirPort, Apple, Apple logo, AppleShare, AppleTalk, FireWire, iPod, iPod touch, Mac, Macintosh and
ProRes, are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Final Cut Pro, QuickTime and QuickTime logo are
trademarks of Apple Inc.
Avid, Avid DNxHD and Media Composer are registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc.
Adobe is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other
countries.
HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered
trademarks of HDMI Licensing, LLC.
DVI is a registered trademark of DDWG.
TASCAM is a registered trademark of TEAC Corporation.
Dolby and the double-D Dolby logo are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing
Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
Copyright
Copyright © 2016 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 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: http://www.aja.com
Support Email: [email protected]
Sales Email: [email protected]

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Io XT/4K v12.4
Chapter 1: Introduction
Overview
AJA's Io XT and Io 4K provide professional-grade I/O for high-end computers. Io XT and
Io 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 an ideal interface for
video professionals to bridge the gap between their Thunderbolt-enabled computers,
and other pro video devices.
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 and KONA 4 hardware, these Io products provide 3G/Dual-link/
HD/SD-SDI, Component Analog, and HDMI connectivity.
Io XT's and Io 4K's 10-bit hardware conversion capability paired with a Thunderbolt
storage system creates a super-fast editing system, portable enough to fit in a
backpack—with desktop level power.
Features The following table provides a comparison of Io 4K and Io XT features.
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 X
Broadcast quality hardware-based 10-bit down-conversion X X

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Io XT/4K v12.4
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 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.
Video Formats For a list of supported video formats, see "Appendix A: Specifications on page 51".
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.
Broadcast quality hardware-based 10-bit cross-conversion (1080 to 720
and 720 to1080)
X 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.)
X X
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
Supports both Quadrant and Two Sample Interleave transport of UHD
and 4K video
X
Table 1. Io 4K/XT Feature Comparison
Feature Io 4K Io XT

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Io XT/4K v12.4
AJA Software &
Utilities
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 Io XT/4K
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.
Three retail packages are available, one for Mac, one for Windows, and one for Linux.
NOTE: Support for the Linux OS retail drivers is based on the Linux application used and comes from
the application’s vendor.
The Mac and Windows 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 products.
NOTE: 64 and 32 bit versions of Windows AJA Control Room are available. The 64 bit Windows
version provides improved performance, but does not support ProRes. The 32 bit version of
Windows Control Room (AJA ControlRoom 32bit.exe) supports ProRes, and is included in the
AJA software package. The 32 bit version is typically installed on Windows PCs at
C:\Program Files\AJA\windows\Applications.
AJA System Test System Test provides accurate and detailed evaluations of drive and PCIe performance
statistics, allowing you to measure the capabilities of your system for recording and
playing back various resolutions and codecs.
3rd-Party Plugins AJA-provided plugins for popular 3rd-party Professional Video Applications from Adobe,
Avid, Apple, Telestream, and others.
To download AJA software, go to the AJA website:
http://www.aja.com/en/support/downloads
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 10.9.5 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 Introduces the product briefly, listing features, box contents, and system requirements.
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.

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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.
System Test
Application
AJA System Test is a utility for measuring system performance with AJA Io devices. The
application includes:
• System Disk Test
• AJA Device Test
• Disk + Device Test
•SystemReport
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.

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We suggest the best test is to fill your storage disk to 80% and then test capture at the
highest data rate you will use.
Connecting to your Computer
1. 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 14". (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 Connector

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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 at 10 Bit 4:2:2 and 50/60 frames per second at 8-Bit 4;2:0.
• 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".)
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 26).
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.
NOTE: 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.
Before installing the Io XT/4K software package, ensure that your capture/editing
application is installed as detailed in its user documentation. You cannot use Io XT/4K
with a third-party application until the application has been installed and run at least
once on your workstation. Next, install the AJA software package.
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.

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Chapter 3: Operation
Using Io XT/4K with Professional Video /Audio Software
NOTE: This chapter initially describes the Io XT version of the Control Panel screens that support
video formats up to 2K bandwidths. Io 4K differences will be noted and detailed UHD/4K
operations are discussed in the section “Configuring Quad SDI I/O” on page 41
After you install the Io XT or Io 4K software and any AJA plug-ins to support your choice
of 3rd-party software, you’re ready to begin capturing and playing back video and audio.
Go to the AJA website for AJA plug-ins and documentation for your favorite 3rd-party
software applications.
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
For further support information and downloads for third-party software and DirectShow
for Developers, go to this link:
https://www.aja.com/en/category/edit/compatibility
Once you’ve installed all the AJA software as detailed in Chapter 2, you’ll find the AJA
Control Panel application in your Applications.
AJA Control Panel Overview
The AJA Control Panel is a software application that provides a simple visual showing
how the Io XT/4K 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.

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Io XT/4K v12.4
The AJA software installer automatically installs the Control Panel application on your
computer.
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.
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.
Figure 4. AJA Control Panel, Block Diagram and Controls
Currently
Selected
Function
Screen
Framebuffer Format
(Primary Format)
Inputs Outputs
Parameter
Controls

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Io XT/4K v12.4
Figure 5. Io 4K, Block Diagram set for UHD Format
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 6).
Figure 6. Context Sensitive Menu
Color Meanings All items in the AJA Control Panel block diagram are color-coded to show what is
happening in realtime. This applies to both icons and text. These colors indicate:
Blue Video is same format as the Primary Format (framebuffer)
Green Indicates that Io XT/4K is performing an active change to the video making it different
from the Primary Format (e.g., down-conversion).
Yellow Reference video (black burst or other reference source)
Four SDI Inputs
configured for
4K/UltraHD
shown inactive
UltraHD Format
Selected
Four SDI Outputs
configured for
4J/UltraHD
HDMI Quadrant
selection icon

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Io XT/4K v12.4
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 7. Input/Output Icons
Framebuffer The framebuffer is the “engine” where your third-party applications interface with the
AJA device. The framebuffer has a format (called the “Primary Format”) and color space
that it follows, as defined in the linked menu screens or via external application software.
The “Secondary Format” is a selection for format conversion.
Primary Format The Primary 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 Primary
Format used by the framebuffer. Also any text descriptions in the block diagram that
appear in blue indicate that something is in the primary format. For example:
• 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.
Secondary Format Any format other than the currently selected Primary Format, is a secondary format. As
described previously, this means that either the Inputs or Outputs are somehow different
from the framebuffer’s assigned format—the Primary Format. A conversion is readily
apparent because of the color change from blue.
NOTE: In some cases the application you use with the Io XT/4K will automatically set the Primary
Format, overriding the user’s selected primary format in the AJA Control Panel.
Format Conversion Format function screen conversion allows selection of a format conversion between
High-definition and Standard-definition. The choices offered depend on the AJA device
present in your system and the Primary and Secondary format selected.
NOTE: When converting an Input to the Primary Format, select the Secondary Format option
that has (I), for input only, appended to it. Conversely, when converting an Output from
the Primary Format, you must select an output signal with (O) for output only.
IMPORTANT: Do not confuse this Format function screen conversion, which uses AJA hardware and
operates on either Mac or PC, with the separate Conversion function screen, which uses
Quicktime software codecs for conversion and is only available on Mac.
Conversion Icons When an input or output is a different standard than the framebuffer, the Io XT/4K may
be up- down- or cross-converting the signal to the selected standard. This may be
automatic, because it's detected an input signal that differs from the standard currently

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Io XT/4K v12.4
selected, or because you've explicitly told it to convert. In either case, the block diagram
will show the conversion by displaying a conversion icon in between the input/output
and the framebuffer.
Figure 8. Up, Down, and Cross-Convert Icons
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 9. 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.
Presets Setups can be named and saved as a snapshot (Preset) for recall at any time. You can save
various 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.If you work on multiple systems and want to carry your saved setup to
another location, you can copy your saved Presets file on to movable storage and load it
into any computer running the AJA Control Panel application. Presets are described in
more detail later in this manual.
Single-User &
Shared Preferences
When an AJA device starts up, preferences can determine what settings it will have it
when it begins to operate. The AJA Control Panel offers preference settings that support
both:
• User Preferences— Preferences stored from the last Control Panel State to be used on
next startup of AJA Control Panel.
• Shared Preferences— Preferences saved by an Administrator for use as a default start
state for AJA Control Panel.
User Preferences This file exists to immediately, automatically, store preference 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 preferences file stored in a unique user preferences location dedicated to
that particular device and serial number. Then, when AJA control panel is restarted for
any reason, it will restart with the same preferences it used when it closed.
However, if a user sets their preferences, and then replaces the AJA device with a
different one, the Control Panel will either:

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Io XT/4K v12.4
• Start up with the factory defaults, or
• Start up with the “house defaults” dictated by the system administrator (if a Shared
Preferences file exists).
The User Preferences File can be found in the following locations.
On Mac:
• /Users/<USER_NAME>/Library/Preferences/com.aja.devicesettings
On Windows:
• C:\Users\<USER_NAME>\AppData\Local\Aja\com.aja.devicesettings
Shared Preferences An administrator can establish house standards for the AJA Control Panel by creating the
user preferences file (described above) and placing it in a shared location where it will
establish a standard default startup state for all users of a given computer system. These
settings preempt the initial AJA default settings.
To establish the House Default for every user on every system, a system or network
administrator can move this default file to all systems on the network (manually or by
pushing it out across the network). All users on the network will then open to the House
Defaults when they launch the AJA control panel for the first time.
NOTE: If the user makes changes to the control panel themselves, those changes will be saved in
their user preferences, which will take priority over the house default dictated by the shared
preferences file.
The Shared Preferences file should be a file created at the User Preferences location
described above, and placed by the System Administrator in the following locations.
On Mac:
/Users/Shared/Library/Preferences/com.aja.devicesettings
On Windows:
C:\Users\All Users\Aja\com.aja.devicesettings
Function Screens
The side area of the Io XT/4K Control Panel provides different information categorized by
topics. Clicking on a topic—or a block diagram element—displays an information screen
corresponding to that topic. Screens that can be selected are:
Control Configures Io XT/4K operation and output timing.
Format Selects the framebuffer primary video format and any secondary formats for conversion
of inputs/outputs
Input Select View and edit input selections and how they are mapped
SDI Out Selects output format
HDMI Configures the HDMI I/O
Analog Out Configures the component/composite analog output
Video Setup Configures Video such as composite black level and filtering specific video parameters
for output.
Audio Setup (Io XT only) Configures Audio options such as analog audio monitor level.

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Conversion (Mac only) For applications that support selection of codec options such as whether
paused video appears as a full frame or a single field (jitter shown or not shown) and 24
to 30 fps padding patterns, RGB range, and Stereo 3D signal configuration (if applicable).
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.
Presets Add or delete saved preset configurations (handy for setting up the Io XT/4K for certain
workflows and then saving it as a canned configuration for easy later recall
Firmware Enables installation of AJA card firmware.
Info Displays status information and firmware version # of the Io XT/4K and how it is installed
in the host computer. This information is generally intended for troubleshooting/
support.
Using Io XT and IO 4K for HD, SD, 2K
In this section, standard SD, HD, and 2K Control Panel operations are described. These are
essentially the same for both Io XT and Io 4K and are illustrated using Io XT screen shots
(exceptions are noted).
Control Panel operation for Io 4K using Ultra-HD and 4K formats are described separately
(see “Using Io 4K for UHD/4K” on page 41).
Control Screen The Control screen is where you select how the Io XT/4K directs video and is used by
application software. This screen also provides control for configuring output timing
with regard to external reference video and horizontal/vertical delay. The top of the
Control screen shows the current Default Output and the application currently
controlling the Io XT/4K.