AJA Video Systems released feature-rich firmware updates for OG-Hi5-4K-Plus, OG-HA5-4K, OG-4K2HD, and OG-12GM openGear cards. Building on AJA’s latest Mini-Config v2.26.3 software update for its Mini-Converter line, the new releases help production professionals maintain the integrity of signals and better manage associated metadata as they move throughout the chain. Available as free downloads from the AJA support page, OG-Hi5-4K-Plus v1.6.1, OG-HA5-4K v1.6.1, OG-4K2HD v1.5.1 and OG-12GM v1.2.2 include powerful new enhancements such as HDR VPID pass-through, BT.2020 and dual-link support, Dolby Audio compatibility, and more.
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HDR is quickly evolving into a production standard, requiring more metadata from SDR and HDR equipment to be carried throughout the chain. The new firmware releases reduce the opportunity for color and brightness errors during this process via new VPID metadata pass-through for each openGear card with optional override functionality. Automating HDR metadata pass-through, the new improvement makes it easier for upstream equipment to generate HDR metadata and pass it to downstream equipment, without having it stripped or manually configured along the way. Additional feature updates include automatic infoframe generation, and custom HDMI metadata and mastering display information generation for HDMI outputs, which streamline the movement of metadata between SDI and HDMI equipment for simpler workflows and troubleshooting. OG-Hi5-4K-Plus and OG-HA5-4K also gain additional HDR capabilities with color space converter support for BT.2020.
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Growing consumer adoption of Dolby Atmos audio sound systems has also driven more use of immersive audio technology in the field, yet pipelines often comprise a range of audio types such as stereo, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus. As the audio is processed and rendered between equipment, loss of data is a risk, but OG-Hi5-4K-Plus v1.6.1 preserves embedded audio pass-through for Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus compressed audio—including DD+ Atmos immersive sound. This allows professionals to monitor and validate that the immersive audio being produced is reaching end viewers.
In addition to immersive audio upgrades, the firmware releases bring dual-link support for 2x 1.5G outputs to OG-HA5-4K, and 2x 6G, 2x 3G, and 2x 1.5G input and output format support to OG-12GM.
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“openGear-compatible conversion technology is in high demand, as video professionals across industries look for simpler ways to produce high-end audio and visual content for remote and streaming workflows, live events, post-production, and beyond," shared Nick Rashby, president, AJA Video Systems. "To aid in this pursuit, we’ve extended the capabilities of our production-proven openGear cards to support the latest industry standards, including HDR, WCG and BT.2020 color spaces and Dolby Atmos. These new improvements are designed to help professionals keep HDR and immersive audio signals and metadata intact as they move throughout various equipment in the production chain, ultimately ensuring a more pristine viewer experience.”
