Introduction

ColorBox from AJA is a compact, high-performance converter for color managed workflows designed to specifically meet the conversion needs of broadcast, live events, and on-set applications. Supporting Standard Dynamic Range (SDR), High Dynamic Range (HDR), and Wide Color Gamut (WCG) signals, it utilizes 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 for single wire 4K/UltraHD HDR up to 4:2:2 10-bit 60p or 4:4:4 12-bit 30p with a unique color processing pipeline.[SHORTDESCRIPTION]

Built around the 33-point 3D LUT processor with tetrahedral interpolation, AJA Color Pipeline provides additional 4x 1D LUTs and 2x 3x3 matrices that are each individually configurable even as Proc Amps or RGB Color Correctors. Easily manage color processing options via the web user interface which can be accessed directly from a wired Ethernet connection or through a wireless connection via a third party WiFi USB adapter.

ColorBox includes processing pipeline modes from Colorfront and NBCU LUTs, as well as a powerful AJA Color Pipeline. ColorBox also expands its capabilities by offering licensable upgrade options for advanced color managed workflows, including BBC HLG LUTs and the all new ORION-CONVERT engine. ORION-CONVERT’s unique real-time floating point math approach to color transforms produces higher precision results to get “access to the colors between the colors.” This enables pixel perfect color transforms and round tripping where maintaining colors is paramount.

ColorBox also offers a sophisticated test pattern generator and frame store, bringing useful tools to your workflow, including the ability to capture up to a 4K image as a 16-bit .tiff file for the highest quality reference stills. ColorBox can even overlay information onto the image, including helpful user definable text fields. These images can be saved locally on ColorBox or onto a third party connected PC running an application like Pomfort’s Livegrade Pro/Studio and Assimilate Live Looks.

Features

12-bit 4:4:4 12G-SDI I/O for up to 4K/UltraHD HDR/WCG 30p
10-bit 4:2:2 12G-SDI I/O for up to 4K/UltraHD HDR/WCG 60p
12-bit 4:4:4 HDMI 2.0 output for up to 4K/UltraHD HDR/WCG 30p
10-bit 4:2:2 HDMI 2.0 output for up to 4K/UltraHD HDR/WCG 60p
Ultra low latency, less than ½ a video line
Extensive AJA Color Pipeline built around the 33pt. 3D LUT processor with tetrahedral interpolation

7x nodes plus Overlay

1x 3D LUT processor, user configurable as 3D LUT or Dynamic
4x 1D LUT processors, user configurable as 1D LUT, Dynamic, or Color Corrector
2x 3x3 Matrix processors, user configurable as 3x3 Matrix, Dynamic, or ProcAmp

Supports industry standard file types, no conversion to proprietary format required
Configurable Colorspace, Range, and Transfer Characteristic
Full frame LUT processing

Five Color Processing Pipelines

AJA Color
Colorfront Mode
ORION-CONVERT Mode (Licensable option)
BBC HLG LUT Mode (Licensable option)
NBCU LUTs

Video Preview in web user interface for confidence monitoring
Built in Frame Store

Up to 4K/UltraHD frame capture and recall
Capture pre or post processed images

Test Pattern up to 4K/UltraHD, 9x test patterns built-in
Overlay information on output

User Text
Input and Output signal information
Pipeline Configuration
Overlay can be captured with image for future reference

Onboard library for file management

16x 1D LUTs
16x 3D LUTs
16x 3x3 Matrices
16x Images

Preset Management, 10 per Pipeline plus Startup Preset
ANC metadata pass-through
Embedded audio pass-through, SDI 16-ch. and HDMI 8-ch.
Compact; 4 units can fit in just 1RU
Ultra quiet fan operation
Lightweight
Robust locking 4-pin mini-XLR power connector, DC power
On/Off button so you can save power when not in use
Select button used to bypass video processing
Extensive API for 3rd party control integrations
Embedded web server for remote control
Configure IP Address via USB port and supplied AJA eMini-Setup software for PC/Mac

ColorBox features elegant design, with the front panel offering:

USB OTG (on-the-go) port, configure initial IP address or connect 3rd party WiFi adapter
Select Button, manually bypass video processing
Power Button, save power when not in use
SDI Lock LED, indicates lock to supported SDI input format
Status LED, indicates various ColorBox states

The rear provides:

12G-SDI Input
12G-SDI loop through output
12G-SDI Output
HDMI 2.0 Output
4-pin mini-XLR power
1GigE Ethernet port

Tech Specs

HDR/WCG Real Time Processor

HDR Conversions
- HDR to HDR
- HDR to SDR
- SDR to HDR
Colorimetry
- BT.709 and BT.2020

Video Formats

(4K) 4096x2160p
(UltraHD) 3840x2160p
(2K) 2048x1080p
(HD) 1920x1080p
(HD) 1920x1080i
(HD) 1280x720p

Color Processing Pipeline

Processes in 12-bit RGB
5x pipelines; AJA Color, Colorfront, ORION-CONVERT, BBC HLG LUTs, NBCU LUTs
7x processing nodes plus Overlay in AJA Color; 4x 1-D LUTs, 2x 3x3 Matrices, 1x 3-D LUT

AJA Color Pipeline (ACP)

7x nodes in order of processing:
- 1D LUT, 3x3 Matrix, 1-D LUT, 3-D LUT, 1-D LUT, 3x3 Matrix, 1-D LUT, Overlay
Supports 10 and 12-bit 1-D LUTs
Supports custom 33 point .LUT and .CUBE format 3-D LUTs*
Supports custom .LUT format 1-D LUTs
Supports custom .SPIMTX format matrices
Tetrahedral 3-D LUT interpolation
3-D LUT configurable as LUT or Dynamic
1-D LUTs configurable as LUT, Dynamic, or Color Corrector
3x3 Matrix configurable as Matrix, Dynamic, or Proc Amp
Configurable Color Space, Range, and Transfer Characteristic
Nonvolatile storage of 16x 3-D LUTs, 16x 1-D LUTs, and 16x 3x3 Matrices

*Various 3-D LUT sizes are supported, but will be converted to 33 point for processing

Dynamic LUT Processing

Supports third party apps for automatic loading and display of 3-D LUTs
Reflects dynamic changes in real time from source software
Full frame LUT processing
Supported by
- Pomfort Livegrade Pro and Studio
- Assimilate Live Looks and Live Assist

Colorfront Pipeline

Processing Based on Human Perception Model
Perceptually optimized color volume remapping
Preserves the original creative intent
Input Video Dynamic Range/Color Gamut
- SDR BT.709
- PQ BT.2020
- HLG BT.2100
Output Video Dynamic Range/Color Gamut
- SDR BT.709
- PQ BT.2020
- HLG BT.2100

ORION-CONVERT Pipeline

Conversion algorithm that uses floating point math
Pre and post transform Knee and Amount controls
Display-Light and Scene-Light Modes
Configurable HDR and SDR IRE Reference anchor points
Configurable HDR Peak Nits sets system gamma for display light conversions
Configurable Output Clamping
Input Video Dynamic Range/Color Gamut
- SDR BT.709
- PQ BT.2020
- HLG BT.2100
Output Video Dynamic Range/Color Gamut
- SDR BT.709
- PQ BT.2020
- HLG BT.2100

BBC HLG LUTs Pipeline

Mathematical dynamic range mapping per ITU-R BT.2408
- SDR/BT.709 Scene Referred to HLG/BT.2100 v1.5
- SDR/BT.709 Scene Referred to HLG/BT.2100 Strict v1.5
- SDR/BT.709 Scene Referred UpMap to HLG/BT.2100 v1.5
- SDR/BT.709 Scene Referred UpMap to HLG/BT.2100 Strict v1.5
- SDR/BT.709 Display Referred to HLG/BT.2100 v.1.5
- SDR/BT.709 Display Referred UpMap to HLG/BT.2100 v1.5
- SDR/BT.2020 Display Referred to HLG/BT.2100 v1.5
- SDR/BT.2020 Display Referred UpMap to HLG/BT.2100 v1.5
- PQ 1000 Nits Display Referred to HLG/BT.2100 v1.5
- PQ 4000 Nits Display Referred to HLG/BT.2100 v1.5
- S-Log3/BT.2020 100% Scene Referred to HLG/BT.2100 v1.5
- S-Log3/BT.2020 200% Scene Referred(SR-Live) to HLG/BT.2100 v1.5
- HLG/BT.2100 to SDR/BT.709 Scene Referred v1.5
- HLG/BT.2100 to SDR/BT.709 Scene Referred Strict v1.5
- HLG/BT.2100 to SDR/BT.709 Display Referred v1.5
- HLG/BT.2100 to SDR/BT.709 Display Referred Super White v1.5
- HLG/BT.2100 to PQ 1000 Nits Display Referred v1.5
RGB Color Corrector and ProcAmp

NBCU LUTs Pipeline

NBCU LUTs developed by NBCUniversal Media, LLC
- 1-NBCU_SDR2HLG_DL_v1, SDR UpMap to HLG using Display Light v1.0
- 2-NBCU_SDR2HLG_SL_v1, SDR to HLG using Scene Light v1.0
- 3-NBCU_HLG2SDR_DL_v1.1, HLG to SDR using Display Light v1.1
- 4-NBCU_SDR2PQ_DL_v1, SDR UpMap to PQ using Display Light v1.0
- 5-NBCU_PQ2SDR_DL_v1, PQ to SDR using Display Light v1.0
- 7-NBCU_HLG10002PQ_v1, HLG 1000 Nits to PQ v1.0
RGB Color Corrector and ProcAmp

Video Input and Output SDI

1x 12G-SDI Input BNC, SMPTE-292/424/2081/2082
2x 12G-SDI Output BNCs, SMPTE-292/424/2081/2082
YCbCr 4:2:2/4:4:4
RGB 4:4:4, SMPTE or Full level
10 or 12-bit
1x 12G-SDI
- (4K) 4096x2160p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 47.95, 48, 50, 59.94, 60
- (UltraHD) 3840x2160p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60
1x 6G-SDI
- (4K) 4096x2160p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30
- (UltraHD) 3840x2160p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30
1x 3G-SDI (Level A or B-Dual Link)
- (2K) 2048x1080p 23.98, 24, 25, 47.95, 48, 50
- (2K) 2048x1080PsF 23.98, 24, 25
- (HD) 1920x1080p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60
- (HD) 1920x1080PsF 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30
- (HD) 1920x1080i 50, 59.94, 60
- (HD) 1280x720p 50, 59.94, 60
1x 1.5G-SDI
- (2K) 2048x1080p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30
- (2K) 2048x1080PsF 23.98, 24, 25
- (HD) 1920x1080p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30
- (HD) 1920x1080PsF 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30
- (HD) 1920x1080i 50, 59.94, 60
- (HD) 1280x720p 50, 59.94, 60

Note: Raster and Frame Rate Dependent, please see ColorBox Video Formats in Documents and Manual

Video Output HDMI

1x HDMI Type A connector*, HDMI v2.0b
HDR infoframe generation with pass-through for Colorimetry and Transfer Characteristic
YCbCr 4:2:2
RGB 4:4:4, SMPTE or Full level
8, 10, or 12-bit (HFR 4K/UltraHD 4:4:4 limited to 8-bit)
4K/UltraHD/2K/HD

*If a connected monitor doesn’t support HDMI protocol the unit automatically switches to DVI protocol (which does not pass audio)
Note: Raster and Frame Rate Dependent, please see ColorBox Video Formats in Documents and Manual

Video Processing

Nominal video delay is less than 1/2 video line
Motion adaptive deinterlacer
Proc Amp controls
Color corrector
Legalizer

Frame Store

Capture and Recall up to 4K/UltraHD 16-bit .TIFF
Capture and Recall .TIFF, .PNG, .JPEG
Capture input or output
Nonvolatile storage of 16 images

Test Pattern Generator

10 or 12-bit
9x patterns built-in
SDR and HDR test patterns

Ancillary Data

All embedded ANC packets pass-through, including camera ancillary data
Overlay ancillary data on image

Audio Input Digital

SDI embedded audio, 24-bit, 16-channel

Audio Output Digital

SDI embedded audio, 24-bit, 16-channel
HDMI embedded audio, 24-bit, 8-channel

Network Interface

1x RJ-45, 10/100/1000 Ethernet
Embedded web server for remote control
REST Interface
WiFi control available via 3rd party WiFi USB adapter*

*Lynksys AC1200 and Netgear AC1900

USB Interface

1x Mini-USB for IP configuration using AJA eMini-Setup

Presets

10 Pipeline Presets per mode (AJA Color, Colorfront, ORION-CONVERT, BBC HLG LUTs, NBCU LUTs)
Startup Preset

Size (w x d x h)

4.10" x 7.54" x 1.66" (104.1 x 191.6 x 42.1 mm)

Weight

1.0 lb (0.5 kg)

Power

External power supply required
Enclosure: 10-18VDC regulated, 4-pin mini-XLR, 16W typical 3G-SDI, 21W typical 12G-SDI, 25W max.
AC Adapter, included: 100-240VAC, 50/60 Hz, universal input, 60W
Optional spare AC adapter sold separately, AJA-PWR-12-60W

Environment

Safe Operating Temperature: 0 to 50 C (32 to 122 F)
Safe Storage Temperature (Power OFF): -40 to 60 C (-40 to 140 F)
Operating Relative Humidity: 10-90% noncondensing
Operating Altitude: <3,000 meters (<10,000 feet)

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