AJA T-TAP Original operating instructions

Installation & Operation Guide
Version 12.5
Published: September 20, 2016
T-TAP
Thunderbolt to SDI and HDMI

T-TAP v12.5 www.aja.com
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Table of Contents
Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Contacting Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
About Primary & Secondary Video Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Video Signal Formats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
T-TAP Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
AJA Software & Utilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
System Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
AJA System Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
AJA DataCalc Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Thunderbolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
HD/SD SDI Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
HDMI Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
In This Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Chapter 2: Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Unpacking T-TAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Connecting to your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installing T-TAP Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Updating T-TAP Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Chapter 3: Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Using T-TAP with Professional Video /Audio Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
AJA Control Panel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
AJA Control Panel, Block Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Control Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Default Output Choices and Their Meanings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Format Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
HDMI Output Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Video Setup Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Timecode Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Presets Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Firmware Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Info Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Appendix A: Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Video Formats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Host Computer Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Video Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Audio Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Appendix B: Safety and Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

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Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Compliance Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Class B Interference Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
FCC Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Canadian ICES Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
European Union and European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Regulatory Compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Recycling Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Korea KCC Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Taiwan Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Japanese Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Translated Warning and Caution Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Before Operation Please Read These Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Warranty and Liability Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Limited Warranty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Limitation of Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

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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.
Thunderbolt is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
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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Chapter 1: Introduction
Overview
AJA’s T-TAP provides video professionals with an inexpensive, extremely compact device
that utilizes the power of the Thunderbolt™ connection to deliver high-quality 10-bit SD,
and HD video and embedded audio output from any compatible computer.
HD/SD SDI and HDMI outputs are available. The SDI output can be used to feed
professional monitors or recording gear, while the HDMI output is able to feed directly
into consumer HDMI monitors. Both HDMI and SDI are active simultaneously allowing
you to work with professional and consumer gear at the same time.
T-TAP’s professional audio functionality supports full 8-channel embedded audio for
multi-channel playback.
T-TAP is powered via the Thunderbolt connection with no need for an additional power
supply, minimizing cabling and maximizing portability.
Features • One Thunderbolt port
• One 1.5G SD-SDI, and HD-SDI output
• One HDMI v1.3 Output
• 8-Channel embedded audio support
• Rugged compact size
• Power via Thunderbolt
About Primary & Secondary Video Formats
In T-TAP operation, the Primary Format is the media format written to disk and used in
your project.
NOTE: The Secondary format is for format conversion settings supported by other AJA KONA/Io
products but not used by T-TAP.
The Primary Format menu allows you to select the video format used in your current
project.

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Video Signal
Formats
The Video Signal Formats supported by T-TAP are listed in Appendix A: Specifications
(see “Video Formats” on page 23).
T-TAP Audio T-TAP provides up to 8 channels of SDI and HDMI embedded audio output.
AJA Software &
Utilities
AJA’s T-TAP software and hardware were developed for powerful integrated video/audio
capture, editing, and production with a variety of 3rd-party software. With T-TAP and a
qualified computer, you have the ultimate system for standard and high definition
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.
Two retail packages are available, one for Mac and the other for Windows. Each of these
AJA software 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.
NOTE: AJA also provides a Linux OS retail drivers package. Support for these drivers is based on the
Linux application used and comes from the application’s vendor.
AJA Control Room Control Room is a cross-platform software application for ingest, playback and output
with AJA products.
AJA System Test System Test provides accurate and detailed evaluations of drive and PCIe performance
statistics, allowing you to predict 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 AJA Driver Release Notes, available on the AJA website and also installed with the
driver, for the exact OS versions supported.
System Tests To guarantee maximum system performance, use AJA System Test and the AJA DataCalc
application to evaluate your workstation capabilities. They are available on the AJA
website at the following URL:
http://www.aja.com/en/products/software/

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AJA System Test AJA System Test is a utility for measuring system performance with AJA Video Capture
devices. The application includes disk drive speed tests and video data copy (DMA)
speeds. 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: Most of the disk performance tests are generic and don’t require an AJA KONA Video Capture
card. The DMA performance tests do require a KONA card and AJA KONA Driver software to
operate.
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.
AJA DataCalc
Application
This software application calculates data rates and storage requirements for a given
video size, format, and frame rate. It's great for T-TAP users as a resource for configuring
systems and determining storage requirements/
Cable Connections
T-TAP connections are made directly to the unit’s front and rear connector channels.
Figure 1. T-TAP Connectors
Thunderbolt The high speed of Thunderbolt allows connection to peripheral devices while achieving
PCI Express performance. Thunderbolt also provides power to peripherals eliminating
the need for external power supplies.
HD/SD SDI Output A BNC connector is provided on T-TAP for one HD/SD-SDI output. This output supports
video and embedded 24-bit digital audio. Use SDI wherever possible for the best quality
10-bit uncompressed video output. If your peripheral equipment has a variety of inputs,
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.).
HDMI Output An HDMI connector on the T-TAP provides output of HDMI compatible video and multi-
channel embedded audio. The HDMI v1.3a capability at 30 bits per pixel allows full
support of the latest 10-bit monitors.

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HDCP is not supported on the output. The HDMI output supports standard HDMI cables
only.
The AJA Control Panel allows selection and adjustment of some HDMI parameters; please
see "Chapter 3: Operation on page 12" for more information on Control Panel operation.
In This Manual
Chapter 1 is the introduction you’re reading, listing features, box contents, and system
requirements.
Chapter 2 provides complete instructions for installing and configuring the AJA T-TAP.
The user is guided through unpacking, cabling the T-TAP, installing T-TAP driver software,
then getting it up and running.
Chapter 3 discusses operational aspects of T-TAP, the AJA Control Panel interface, and
how to work with 3rd-party software.
Appendix A presents a list of technical specifications for the product.
Appendix B contains relevant Safety & Compliance information.

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Chapter 2: Installation
Unpacking T-TAP
As you unpack T-TAP, carefully examine the unit to ensure 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 units. If you find shipping damage, contact your AJA dealer or distributor for
details on how to have your T-TAP 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.
After you unpack your T-TAP, go to the AJA website to download the latest software
package and updated documentation. You will need to secure a Thunderbolt cable to
connect to your computer. T-TAP is powered through the cable.
Installation Overview
The installation and setup of T-TAP is very simple. The steps of installation and
configuration are discussed here and summarized as follows:
1. Unpack the shipping box (see above).
2. If not previously installed on your Thunderbolt equipped computer, ensure that
appropriate application software such as Adobe Premiere Pro is installed as detailed
in its user documentation.
3. Cable T-TAP Thunderbolt port, SDI and HDMI outputs as required for your workflow.
4. Install AJA T-TAP software on your computer from the latest AJA website download.
Start by installing the T-TAP driver package with AJA Control Panel and then finally
install any AJA plug-ins for 3rd-party software. Installers for the T-TAP driver software
and for the AJA Control Panel are found on the AJA website—here you will get the
most current software and documentation.
5. When you run the AJA Control Panel, you’ll notice that the T-TAP is auto-discovered
as long as it is properly cabled and powered up.
Each of these steps are explained in greater detail on the remaining pages of this chapter.
Connecting to your Computer
Your system may differ depending on VTRs, audio monitoring, and video monitoring.
1. Connect your computer via a Thunderbolt cable (not included) to the T-TAP
Thunderbolt port. T-TAP power is delivered via this cable.
2. Connect an HDMI Video Monitor to the T-TAP HDMI Out connector.

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3. Connect an SDI cable between the T-TAP SDI output BNC and your digital VTR SDI In.
The T-TAP SDI connections has embedded audio so the VTR must be configured
accordingly.
Figure 2. T-TAP Connectors
Figure 3. Typical T-TAP Laptop System Connections
Installing T-TAP Software
Go to the AJA website and download the latest AJA software installer, which includes a
package of all the current software for AJA’s KONA, Io, and T-TAP products, including the
AJA Control Panel and AJA Control Room applications.
http://www.aja.com/en/support/downloads/
VTR with SDI Inputs/Outputs
HD/SD-SDI
Video I/O
with Embedded
Audio
HDMI Monitor
Lap-top computer with
T
hunderbolt connectivity
Thunderbolt
Cable