AJA FS8 Hybrid SDI/IP Media Processor

Informations

The FS8 is the new powerhouse multi-channel frame synchronizer and converter engineered to prepare SDI and SMPTE ST 2110 signals for production. FS8 combines frame synchronization, up/down/cross-conversion, frame-rate conversion, HDR/WCG processing, 3D-LUT-based and live color management, audio processing, delay management, and metadata handling, along with SDI to/from IP gateway, in a single, 1RU device. It is designed for cine-live productions, broadcast, production trucks, flypacks, live venues, studio and remote production environments where every downstream device must receive a predictable, standards-compliant signal, ensuring interoperability in even the most complex workflows. 

FS8 features 8 independent channels of HD video processing with up to 4 channels of UHD video processing in an all new, easy-to-operate, visual node pipeline within a rich web interface. The video processors are fed from up to 16x 12G-SDI inputs (8x 12G-SDI BNCs plus 8x via optional SDI HD-BNC or Fiber SFPs) and 8x HD or 4x UHD ST 2110-20 (4x 25 GbE SFP) inputs for a total combination of up to 16 inputs. FS8 has full input and output signal routing, allowing any I/O port to be assigned to any processing channel. Audio connectivity has also been expanded from embedded SDI and MADI with the addition of Dante audio and ST 2110-30 audio connectivity building a massive 459x448 mono audio matrix! 

Designed to solve real production challenges, the FS8 has a robust suite of tools for configuration and troubleshooting signal paths including a built-in test signal generator with custom text overlay on each output for verifying processing and downstream routing without adding additional sources. FS8 presets reduce set up time with System, Vid Proc, Audio Proc, IP Config, and 3D LUT presets available. In addition to its web-browser based UI, the FS8 can be managed via the REST API by 3rd parties or customized control applications. ST 2110 discovery, registration, and control is available with NMOS IS-04, IS-05, and EMBER+. Redundant power supplies ensure reliable, mission-critical operation. 

The partner ecosystem offers integrations with external hardware controllers from CyanView and Skaarhoj, as well as compatibility with Pomfort software for real-time look management.

SMPTE ST 2110

AJA’s SMPTE ST 2110 product family provides the connectivity, control, and interoperability needed to build scalable, standards-based IP production workflows. With four SFP28 cages, the FS8 supports up to 4x UHD or up to 8x HD ST 2110 streams. The two pairs of SFP28s support ST 2022-7 redundancy for maximum uptime. FS8 supports hybrid IP gateway workflows in which SDI and SMPTE ST 2110 signals are synchronized, converted, processed, and exchanged within the same platform. The FS8 can input SDI, apply frame sync, and a wealth of processing options such as SDR/HDR conversions, ROI, scaling, and then output SDI and ST 2110 streams. It also supports conversion from ST 2110 to/from SDI or stay in a full SDI or 2110 pipeline providing ultimate flexibility in dynamic production settings. The capability doesn’t end with signal processing, the FS8 can use PTP and generate a wide range of analog sync reference outputs to genlock other devices. It also features in-band and out-of-band control via NMOS IS-04 and -05 and Ember +. 

HDR and Color Management

HDR, SDR, and Wide Color Gamut Processing 

FS8 supports real-time HDR, SDR, and wide color gamut conversion for live production and distribution. Starting with the proven strengths of FS-HDR, the FS8 includes transform-based processing supporting 3D LUT workflows and single stream HDR productions with SDR and HDR deliverables, while expanding flexibility across more channels and hybrid SDI/IP paths. 

Live Color Management and Creative Control 

For camera matching, live grading, and HDR look management, FS8 provides configurable 3D LUT processors and integration points for professional live color-management systems. A Pomfort Livegrade workflow allows color decisions made in a live production environment to be applied in real-time.  FS8 has a per channel Proc Amp and RGB color corrector in line to fine-tune your live looks or camera match. The FS8 features color management from Colorfront*, NBCU LUTs, and BBC HLG LUTs*.

Single Stream HDR and SDR production 

Productions often must generate multiple color-space and dynamic-range deliverables or convert SDR sources to HDR for mixing with other HDR sources. FS8 can apply different color transforms per video processor output while preserving timing and generating the correct signaling metadata. A single source can be routed to multiple Video Processors for coordinated HDR and SDR processing and route to SDI and/or ST 2110 outputs using the internal signal routing matrix. 

Legalizer

Finally, a built-in YUV/RGB legalizer ensures the processed video remains within broadcast specifications, protecting live productions and deliveries from illegal luminance and chroma levels after color processing, HDR transforms, and format conversions. 

*Optional license required. Free 15-day trial available. 

Operational Simplicity - Control for Operators, Engineers, and Automation 

FS8 features an embedded web server and an easy-to-use web UI, making sophisticated signal processing intuitive to configure, control, and deploy simplifying complex SDI and IP workflows while allowing engineering to maintain visibility and control. The interactive node-based processing pipeline and video preview provides the visibility, and control operators need to work with confidence. 

FS8 offers an advanced preset experience with System, Vid Proc, Audio Proc, IP Config, and 3D LUT presets available to the end user.  Each preset type offers granular control over each part of the preset you want to recall.  This greatly simplifies large scale deployments where defined processing pipelines can be shared across multiple units.

NMOS IS-04 and IS-05 supports automated device discovery, registration, and stream connection management within SMPTE ST 2110 environments. 

The OpenAPI Specification (OAS) for the REST API is easily available for 3rd party or customized control, with integrations available from CyanView, Skaarhoj, and Pomfort. 

Ember+ support enables seamless integration with broadcast control and automation systems for remote monitoring and operational control. 

Frame Synchronization and Timing Control

Precisely Align Every Signal 

Cameras, replay servers, graphics engines, encoders, and processing equipment rarely deliver signals at exactly the same instant. Each video processor in the FS8 aligns an untimed or asynchronously timed source to house reference or PTP timing. Adjustable output timing and frame delays compensate for latency elsewhere in the workflow, allowing signals from different processing paths to arrive together. FS8 provides horizontal, vertical, and frame-delay adjustments, allowing engineers to align signals from the pixel level to multiple whole frames. Frame delay can be set to ultra-low latency for color procession only, for example, with just half of a video frame of processing latency. 

As sports fans have come to expect more dynamic and interactive experiences, augmented reality (AR) is a common and valuable production asset, but one that requires additional video processing time. For seamless integration of AR into live productions, larger frame buffering capacities are required to delay other sources. The FS8 offers the largest configurable frame delay in its class of up to 60 frames per video processing channel in HD (30 in UHD), ensuring all sources stay in time. 

The web UI offers a timing comparator which describes reference to output delay and input to output delay. The combination of these tools provides everything you need to manage signal timing in to and out of the FS8. 

Frame Rate Conversion 

When working in IP or Hybrid (SDI/IP), FS8 can do anything-in into anything-out frame-rate conversion with a utility frame drop/repeat approach as it is locked to time/PTP. In pure SDI workflows, the video processors frame-rate conversions will be locked to the incoming reference. For example, if you are locked to a 50Hz analog reference, input a 59.94p signal and convert to 50p, it will drop frames as needed and output a locked and aligned signal to the 50Hz ref. Please see the manual for more details. 

Video Capabilities

FS8 offers a robust and wide range of video processing options with an easy-to-use, intuitive, node-based web UI. Eight independent video processors provide an extensive toolset for normalizing and shaping incoming signals including frame synchronization, up, down, and cross-conversion, layering, and color management for 4K, UHD, 2K, and HD sources. SDI and ST 2110 connectivity makes FS8 equally at home bridging existing baseband infrastructure with IP workflows, operating entirely within either environment, or integrating existing SDI infrastructure within IP environments. 

Up/Down/Cross-Conversion 

AJA’s advanced video processing delivers high-quality up/down/cross-conversion while preserving image fidelity throughout a ST 2110/SDI hybrid production pipeline. Dedicated 10-bit hardware processing delivers consistent image quality with reliable and repeatable performance. Key conversion features include: 

• 4K/UHD/2K/HD up/down conversion 
• HD/HD cross-conversion (720p/1080p/1080i)

Frame Synchronization 

Configurable video delay up to 60 frames in HD and 30 frames in UHD, plus an ultra-low-latency mode of less than half a video frame, gives engineers the flexibility to precisely align complex production workflows or simply process video as fast as possible. AR (Augmented Reality) imagery is fast becoming a de-facto standard for high-end sport production requiring massive delays of other signals, and FS8 has the tools to keep your diverse production elements in sync.

Region of Interest Scaling 

The FS8 gives you powerful image shaping tools with adjustments for crop, scale, horizontal and vertical positioning - functioning as multiple high-powered 4K ROI’s embedded in this versatile media processing device. 

• Adjust size - shrink or zoom, maintain aspect ratio  
• Select Region of Interest and scale  
• Crop 
• Horizontal and vertical positioning 

Multi-Layer Video Processing 

The FS8 has a built-in layering engine where you can layer one video processor behind or next to another and fill in the background with a matte color in this flexible layout tool, with an output preview in the UI. 

• Matte generator used to fill background, sidebars, letterbox areas, or masked regions after scaling 
• Clean masking of non-image areas 

Audio Capabilities

Powerful video processing is complemented by an equally comprehensive set of audio processing, routing, and synchronization tools. The FS8 includes a large internal audio matrix, sample rate conversion, per-channel delay, gain, phase, mute, mixdown, embedding/de-embedding, and test tone generators so audio can remain synchronized and correctly assigned as video is processed. The FS8 offers Dante and ST 2110-30 IP audio, adding to the AJA Frame Synchronizer family’s comprehensive audio management capabilities. 

Audio In – up to 459 possible inputs

• SDI embedded, ST 2110-30, MADI, Dante 
• High-quality Sample Rate Conversion (SRC), each channel processed at 48kHz 
• SRC bypass for non-PCM audio 
• 250ms of delay, level and phase controls for each input channel 
• Audio downmixers for surround to stereo downmix 
• Test tones

Audio Out - up to 448 possible outputs

• Map any 128 channels of audio to any of the 8 Vid Procs, routed to 16 video outputs* 
• Map any 128 channels of audio to MADI outputs 
• Map any 64 channels of audio to Dante output 
• Additional 2500ms of delay, level. and phase controls for each output channel 

 *(ST 2110-30 audio is associated with ST 2110-20 video)