AJA Debuts ColorBox Updates Ahead of NAB 2024
v2.1 software advances color management workflows with expanded capabilities; device receives joint logo product certification status by ACES alongside Pomfort Livegrade
Grass Valley, California(10 Apr 2024)
Grass Valley, CA (April 10, 2024) – AJA Video Systems today released ColorBox v2.1, a free software update for its real-time color managed workflow device, and announced that AJA ColorBox and Pomfort’s Livegrade have received the first joint logo product certification status by the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) for their support of ACES-based workflows. Available for download today from the AJA Support Page, ColorBox v2.1 delivers a host of new user-inspired features that streamline 4K/UltraHD HDR work and facilitate emerging workflows from on-set through post.
Among the v2.1 release highlights are a new 4K/UltraHD down-conversion feature for ColorBox’s SDI and HDMI outputs and a 4K/2K crop feature for its HDMI output, which help professionals make better use of existing cost-efficient HD monitoring equipment on-set. The update also introduces a new ACES Pipeline for the device that enables users to load an ACES Metadata File (AMF) into ColorBox to obtain the desired transform for improved collaboration across production stakeholders; support for ARRI Wireless Video Optimize (WVO) LogC4, which helps to eliminate banding introduced by wireless Tx and Rx systems; and more.
AJA President Nick Rashby said, “For ColorBox v2.1 we focused on making 4K on-set color workflows easier for productions to manage using the monitors and equipment they already have. Whether it’s the ability to review 4K accurately with HD monitors, offer simplified AMF processing to more parts of the production team, or incorporate an inverse ARRI WVO to make LogC4 easier to deploy, this new release helps productions easily take advantage of new workflows and with greater cost-efficiency.”
AJA ColorBox v2.1 highlights include:
- 4K/UltraHD down-conversion for SDI and HDMI outputs lets users easily down-convert SDI and HDMI outputs to a lower resolution (4K to 2K, or UltraHD to HD), if 4K devices are not accessible on set.
- 4K/2K crop for HDMI output makes it easy to center-crop 4K to UltraHD or 2K to HD and get an unscaled image on the HDMI output that is compatible with a broad range of consumer UltraHD and HD displays.
- An added ACES Pipeline with support for AMF processing allows professionals to take advantage of AMF workflows that offer improved color interoperability across the filmmaking chain. AMF files capture data required for an ACES Pipeline like the IDT, LMT, RRT, and ODT into a single XML file that can be easily distributed to team members on-set and through post and final grading. It marks the sixth pipeline to be integrated into AJA ColorBox.
- ARRI Wireless Video Optimize LogC4 (WVO) support solves workflow challenges introduced by some wireless Tx and Rx systems when working with ARRI Alexa 35 and LogC4. With the inverse WVO 1D LUT directly incorporated into ColorBox, LogC4 is simpler to deploy with existing equipment, saving time and money.
- SDR Preview for Colorfront Live Mode enables users to quickly see what an HDR output would look like converted to SDR, without reconfiguring the HDR monitor. The Colorfront Engine maps the video to the targeted HDR, but with values that exactly represent the SDR image, eliminating the time required to change the output format to SDR and wait for the display to reconfigure.
- BBC HLG LUTs v1.7 ensures ColorBox supports the latest BBC HLG transform updates.
Pricing and Availability
AJA ColorBox v2.1 will be on display at the AJA NAB Booth (SL3065) and is available today as a free download from the AJA Support Page. ColorBox can be purchased through AJA’s worldwide reseller network for $1,995 US MSRP, with optional licenses for Colorfront at $995 US MSRP, the ORION-CONVERT pipeline at $695 US MSRP, and the BBC HLG LUT pipeline at $145 US MSRP. For more information, please visit: www.aja.com/colorbox.