The idea behind AJA Video Systems’ new KI Pro digital video recorder/converter is to allow producers to move straight from the camera lens to post production, said company product marketing manager Bryce Button.
Introduced at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, the KI Pro can be used with a wide variety of cameras, accepting HD-SDI, SD-SDI, component, HDMI 1.3a and after performing the necessary up, down or cross conversion records to a 250GB hard drive, which comes as part of the standard configuration, or optionally to larger and even solid state drives, as Apple ProRes HQ files or in other standard file formats.
Designed to resemble a miniature tape machine, the KI Pro has play and record buttons placed where users would expect them. An eject button removes the hard drive from the top of the device much like a cassette is ejected from a traditional tape deck.
AJA Video is offering an aluminum exoskeleton for the KI Pro that allows it to be mounted between a camera and tripod. The enclosure can be equipped with a 15mm rod system to attach a matte box and other accessories as need. A four-pin XLR connector extends from the rear of the KI Pro and out the exoskeleton for easy access to power.
According to Button, the KI Pro is designed for a broad range of video producers equipped with an equally broad range of cameras. “It doesn’t matter if you are on an HDV camera on the low end where you need to up-res all the way to 1080 or you’re working with a RED camera or ARRI on the high end and you need to get dailies out, you’re recording straightforward QuickTime files, 10-bit full raster 4:2:2 going straight into the edit, and there is no transcoding or conversion.
I spoke with Bryce Button about the new product introduction at the AJA Video booth. That interview is available as a podcast.
