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AJA Ki Pro Review

Oct 27, 2009 12:00 PM, By Barry Braverman

A versatile diamond in the rough.

Menu structure

One indication of outstanding design is the ability to unpack and use a device without consulting the operating manual or even a quick-start guide. Of course, the Ki Pro's quick-start guide is there for a reason, and I heartily recommend that you read it, especially with respect to a few less-than-obvious issues.

One issue: The Ki Pro does not default to ProRes 422 (HQ) mode as might be expected. The unit offers the lower-quality ProRes 422 standard mode as well as HQ, but the menu option interface is not clear. A standard mode (STD) indicator should be added to the ProRes 422 option display to remind users that it is in fact the lower resolution setting. Apple unfortunately applies a similar logic in its QuickTime Movie "Quality" settings. Not thoroughly investigating the options in the export window will often create an movie at less than the intended "Best" quality. Your own application of the Ki Pro in news and sports may not require HQ resolution movies, in which case you can merrily disregard the above caveat.

From an operational perspective, the Ki Pro is in urgent need of a thumbnail menu to organize, delete, and otherwise manage QuickTime clips after capture. An onboard 2in. or 3in. LCD would also be highly desirable in order to confirm the recorded image is as desired, clear and free of characters and assorted superimposed clutter emanating from the camera.

Which brings up the matter of the Ki Pro or other recording device that captures a multiplexed HD-SDI signal. We shooters are accustomed to seeing menu characters, timecode, audio levels, and viewfinder safe-area outlines displayed prominently on a production monitor. We assume, as do our clients, that these characters and markings will not actually be recorded, right?

The Ki Pro capturing via HD-SDI will indeed record such graphics, so the shooter must be vigilant to avoid unknowingly recording the onscreen display. While there is currently no way to test the SDI signal for the presence of these characters, AJA is considering adding warning labels to remind shooters to disable onscreen characters.

Keep in mind that many functions, such as safe-area markings and audio levels, can be enabled in the production monitor itself. The Panasonic BT-LH1760, for example, is one model that supports display of key parameters, thus maintaining a clean, character-free SDI signal for the Ki Pro. Also look for camera manufacturers in the future to offer dual SDI outputs—one featuring the dirty signal with superimposed characters, the other outputting a clean, recordable image with embedded audio to the Ki Pro. High-end cameras such as the Sony PDW-F800 already offer this dual-output SDI feature. It would be nice to see this same feature implemented in more camcorders at the lower end of the spectrum.

I should point out that the Ki Pro supports remote operation and configuration via Ethernet and Wi-Fi. One can envision an asset management system inclusive of a thumbnail editor and confidence monitor on a laptop computer accessing the Ki Pro through a browser. While it would be preferable to incorporate a small LCD into the Ki Pro, it may not be possible because of space constraints. Perhaps a third party might consider manufacturing a top-mounted snap-on unit that can, at the same time, offer a degree of protection to the HDD module.

Continue the discussion on “Crosstalk” the Millimeter Forum.
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