AJA Io X3 Multi-Channel 2K/HD/SD Video I/O over Thunderbolt™ 3

AJA Io X3 is a portable video I/O device with 3G-SDI, HDMI, and audio connections, connected to your computer via Thunderbolt 3. It's perfect for high quality HDR or SDR video work with up to 60p HD/2K signals, or files with support for all major NLE applications as well as other video applications such as OBS Studio, vMix, and Telestream Wirecast. Connecting with a single Thunderbolt 3 (Thunderbolt 4 compatible) cable and providing a second Thunderbolt connector for flexibility, Io X3's compact and quiet form factor is ideal for on-set, in the studio, at an event, or in the edit suite.

Features

• 2K/HD/SD I/O up to 50/60p
• 4x bidirectional 3G-SDI BNC with 16-channel embedded audio
• HDMI I/O with 8-channel embedded audio
• Two Thunderbolt 3 (Thunderbolt 4 compatible) ports with loop through
• Multi-channel workflow support for OBS, Wirecast, vMix, and other applications
• YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit up to 60p
• RGB 4:4:4 12-bit up to 30p
• VPID signaling for SDR/HDR Transfer Characteristics, Colorimetry, and Luminance via SDI
• PQ, HLG, HDR10 and Dolby Vision Support
• HDR Metadata Capture and Auto Playback Detection
• Multiview output over HDMI, to view up to 4-channels on one screen
• Analog audio flexibility with a choice of 8-channel In or 8-channel Out or 4-channel In and 4-channel Out via a standard Tascam connection
• Front panel audio display
• Includes support for Apple silicon
• XLR 12V power for battery or AC use (AC adapter included)
• Headphone jack and level control for mobile and live environments
• RS-422 VTR control, Reference, LTC Input and LTC Output

Versatile and Practical Connectivity

The Io X3 rear panel offers a wealth of easy to access connectivity for almost any need in SD/HD/2K video pipelines. Power is supplied via industry standard 4-pin XLR with either the included AC adapter or battery power. Dual Thunderbolt 3 (Thunderbolt 4 compatible) ports provide host connectivity to a laptop or desktop computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux, with the second port for loop through to other Thunderbolt devices. RS-422 is included for machine control of external devices so they can be synchronized for editing. Analog audio is offered via a DB-25 port, with all 8-channels configurable to be in or out. HDMI in and out ports allow for easy monitoring or video input sources to be accessed, including HDR and SDR video. Reference input connects the Io X3 to any master clock source alongside LTC input and output for timecode. Finally, 4x bidirectional 3G-SDI ports can be configured as multi-channel inputs or outputs to suit the video application of choice, offering immense flexibility in the field, editing suite or on-set.

Thunderbolt Connectivity

Simple to set up and use, Io X3’s Thunderbolt 3 ports (also compatible with Thunderbolt 4) easily connect to a wide range of Apple, Windows, and Linux laptops and desktops, providing instant professional video and audio I/O from your favorite creative application.

Dual Thunderbolt 3 ports allow convenient daisy-chaining of other devices on the same Thunderbolt connection.

Thunderbolt is ubiquitous across both Mac, Windows, and Linux computers and supports the massive bandwidth needed for professional video, audio, data, and more.

AJA Control Room Metadata Toolset

Metadata is the key for managing advanced workflows. AJA is bringing to market an entirely new way to harvest metadata in the SDI signal stream and export the metadata to a sidecar file.

This new feature, called AJA Control Room Metadata Toolset*, is being introduced in Desktop Software v17.1 and adds the following functionality:

• Supports capture of any metadata type, including SCTE-104 and Dolby Vision metadata, that is part of the SDI Ancillary metadata payload.
• Using an AJA KONA capture card that supports SDI input and the included AJA Control Room software (such as KONA 5 or KONA X), the card captures the metadata, which is then preserved in a metadata sidecar file.
• AJA Control Room can playback the metadata to provide quality monitoring.
• AJA Control Room can export the metadata synchronized with the media on a per-frame basis.

HDR

HDR or High Dynamic Range, provides the ability to display a wider and richer range of colors, much brighter whites, and much deeper, darker blacks than standard signals allow. This gives your imagery a more ‘dynamic’ look and allows for natural, true to life colors to be communicated to your audience.

Io X3 provides this support for your 2K and HD HDR pipelines to HDMI and SDI compatible displays with HLG and HDR10 support with HDR Infoframe metadata, in accordance with HDMI 2.0a/CTA-861.3 and HD.

AJA Control Room software and Io X3 add support for HDR metadata capture from an incoming SDI or HDMI signal. The captured .mov video file will have embedded HDR metadata, allowing the file to be played back at its intended dynamic range.

AJA Control Room software and Io X3 Plus also provide HDR Auto Playback Detection. Embedded HDR metadata in a recorded .mov file is read and used to automatically set the HDR format on the monitor(s) connected to the HDMI and/or SDI outputs.

Support for file-based .mov HDR outputs with metadata from Adobe Premiere Pro / Adobe Media Encoder HDR files is also available. Screening those rendered outputs is a simple and high quality experience with AJA Control Room. Every frame is presented in its full quality, at the timing intended, and with the proper HDR format set correctly and automatically.

Use Case: NLE Workflow for Io X3

Io X3 offers broad support for all major NLE applications, including Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, and Adobe Premiere Pro, with a host of practical and easy to use features shown in this NLE workflow diagram. The Io X3 sits at the center of the NLE workflow, connected directly to the host laptop via super fast Thunderbolt 3. The NLE software is running on the host laptop, with the output of the time line being shown via both the HDMI port and the 3G-SDI port simultaneously, with support for HDR and SDR monitoring. The analog audio jack on the front of the unit provides easy headphone monitoring, while simultaneously a standard Tascam DB-25 loom connects an analog mixer and microphone to the workflow, with the front panel VU meters responding to the independent channel levels. An AJA Ki Pro Ultra 12G is connected for real time recording of the NLE output to Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHD codecs for archive or hand-off. Whether editing promos, news footage, sports, long form content, or any other demanding video environment content, Io X3 is your perfect partner.

Use Case: OBS Workflow for Io X3

Io X3 is directly compatible with OBS Studio, offering a comprehensive toolkit for mixing live video and taking the program content out to streaming destinations. Io X3 again sits at the center of the workflow pictured opposite, providing the necessary video I/O for a four camera source program. Via Io X3's multi-channel support, the 4x HD cameras are connected directly to the 3G-SDI ports of the Io X3 which is connected via Thunderbolt 3 to the host PC or laptop. The host computer runs the OBS Studio software and allows you to view all incoming HD sources in a single multiview via the HDMI port to any display. Audio can be monitored via the built-in analog headphone port. The final PGM stream is output from our switched sources via the host computer.

Use Case: Streaming Timeline Workflow for Io X3

A popular way to stream for NLE and 3D modeling applications is to utilize the timeline output and offer commentary in real time as edits or models are created. Following the same base setup as the NLE workflow and by utilizing AJA’s HD streaming device, the HELO Plus, we can combine two high quality AJA devices to create an extremely robust solution. It is easy to connect a 3G-SDI output from the Io X3 to the 3G-SDI input of the HELO Plus and take the content directly from the timeline playhead to a live stream, with voiceover provided by a USB microphone. A very simple but powerful set up that can be utilized by streaming for both entertainment, remote collaboration and educational purposes, allowing viewers to better contextualize the content.

Use Case: Video and Key Workflow for Io X3

Io X3 fully supports video and key workflows up to HD 60p as shown in the adjacent diagram. The first instance shows Io X3 connected to a laptop or desktop computer running Ross XPression software. The XPression software is receiving live statistics and weather data as metadata via the internet. It is also receiving two live IP video inputs. The IP video is assigned as video 1 and video 2 out with the incoming statistics and weather metadata assigned as key 1 and key 2 out. Io X3 provides an HDMI out for multiview of all four sources on one monitor. The Io X3 can then pass the groups of video and key 1 and video and key 2 via 3G-SDI onto a router or other SDI destination.

Integrated Digital Audio, Analog Audio Flexibility

Embedded 16-channel SDI and 8-channel HDMI audio are supported, as well as, analog audio inputs, outputs, or both via a standard Tascam DB-25 connection.

Stereo monitoring is also possible with a front panel 3.5mm mini-TRS headphone jack.

The flexible analog audio I/O can be configured to record voiceovers and more with the ability to choose how the DB-25 connection on Io X3 is configured:

• 8-channel, 24 and 16-bit D/A analog audio, 48 kHz sample rate, balanced, using industry standard 8x XLR or TRS on DB-25 breakout cable (cable not included)
• Balanced Analog Audio I/O:
• Input across Ch. 1-8, Ch. 1-4, or Ch. 5-8
• Output across Ch. 1-8, Ch. 1-4, or Ch. 5-8

High Density, Rackmountable

Io X3's compact design offers easy rackmounting, allowing for two Io X3 devices to sit comfortably in just 1RU. This allows for high channel density for up to 8-channels of fully configurable video I/O for applications such as OBS Studio.

Multiview Output

Io X3 offers multi-channel I/O, and the HDMI output port can display all of these sources to one display. Io X3 is fully compatible with OBS Studio software with multiview output offered for clear monitoring of incoming or outgoing video via the convenient HDMI output. OBS Studio can be configured with Io X3 to make monitoring easy, all from a single I/O device.

Sync Up

Io X3 can be locked to an external reference for integration into larger productions, or feed LTC in and out to ensure footage captured with Io X3 has the proper timecode. The REF in port ensures reference sync with other synched devices in a facility.

Machine Control

An RS-422 port allows control of tape decks for frame accurate captures and layoffs.

Apple silicon Support

AJA Desktop Software is optimized for the latest Apple silicon with native support for AJA macOS drivers, application plug-ins, AJA Control Room, AJA Control Panel, and AJA System Test.

Io X3 Operating Systems Compatibilities

Supports macOS, Windows, and Linux Ubuntu / Rocky. Please see Release Notes for details and version information which can be found in the Downloads, Software tab.

Extensive Software Support

AJA hardware is supported by an extensive list of professional software for editing, visual effects, graphics, and more allowing the same AJA device to be used by many different applications on the same system. In addition, AJA provides several free applications that enable you to utilize the power of your AJA hardware even without having to run a particular software package. This allows you to create unique workflows without tying up valuable resources unnecessarily.