AJA Video Systems has introduced FS8, a 1RU video and audio processor that combines 12G-SDI and SMPTE ST 2110 with Dante and MADI. It can process up to eight HD channels or four Ultra HD channels for frame synchronisation, up/down/cross conversion and IP gateway work.
The system uses a node-based web interface and supports configurable video and audio delay. AJA specifies delay ranges of up to 60 frames in HD, 30 frames in Ultra HD and 2.5 seconds for audio, while low-latency paths can operate below half a video frame.
Other functions include Ultra HD region-of-interest scaling, colour correction, proc amp control, 3D LUTs and integrated ST 2110 troubleshooting. An optional Colorfront licence adds more detailed SDR/HDR colour management, allowing a hybrid gateway to perform format and colour work as signals cross between environments.
FS8 addresses a real integration problem, but AJA has not yet published broad interoperability results, maximum stream combinations for every format or pricing and shipping details in the announcement. Performance figures are vendor specifications until they are measured in deployed systems.
