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AJA Ki Pro Review

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

A versatile diamond in the rough.

Device of many uses

Interestingly, the Ki Pro may extend the life of 720p camcorders such as the older tape-based Panasonic F and H series Varicams. Recording to the Ki Pro at 1080p 10-bit ProRes 422 (HQ), the Ki Pro instantly transforms an older camera into a state-of-the-art one. Keep in mind that the scaling to 1080 is performed in hardware by the Ki Pro, relieving the pressure on the ProRes encoder and allowing it to perform with maximum efficiency and quality.

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For postproduction, film festivals, and large, high-resolution displays, the $4,000 Ki Pro has the potential to functionally replace a $70,000 mastering deck. Recording to 10-bit ProRes 422, the Ki Pro recorder will soon support RS-422 machine control—a key capability for the recorder in a professional control room.

The version 1 software that ships with the Ki Pro does not support ExpressCard storage or the FireWire and host interfaces with a MacBook/MacBook Pro or Mac Pro computer. AJA says that these and other 1394a and 1394b functions will be enabled in version 2 software. Keep in mind, however, that the 1394a connection will only enable timecode and machine control but not data transfer or direct video recording. This lack of FireWire recording capability may be perplexing to some users accustomed to the do-anything, go-anywhere breadth of functionality in AJA products.

Mechanical interface

Given the unit's performance, versatility, and ease of use, the Ki Pro's most significant shortcoming is a feeble mechanical interface. In actual use on a fast-paced, high-end production, I found that the top-mounted recording module could be easily jostled and dislodged, resulting in a hard crash and, potentially, lost footage.

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