AJA KONA 4 PCI-E Video I/O Card (HDMI Output, Cable Included) - Manual (Page 60)

KONA Capture, Display, Convert v15.5 60 www.aja.com
2-Wire and 4-Wire Modes
Using higher data rates, it is possible to carry UltraHD and 4K signals on two SDI
links, instead of four. In this situation, half (two quarters) of the image data is
carried on one link, with the other half carried on the other link. These types of
signals also cannot be viewed on a standard SDI monitor using one connector.
You can choose 2-wire or 4-wire input and output (depending on the type of
signal). If the number of links selected is not sufficient, the number of links is
automatically increased to accommodate the signal. UltraHD or 4K SDI signals 30
fps and below can be input and output simultaneously, using two connectors in
each direction. However, all four connectors are required above 30 fps. You will be
able to either input or output a high frame rate SDI signal, not both at the same
time. In this situation, you can use the HDMI output or a down-converted Analog
output to monitor the input signal.
Specifying the number of wires for output forces Quadrant mode. You cannot
specify the number of links when 2SI output is selected (the lowest number of
links will be set automatically).
Single-Wire Mode
KONA 5 supports 12G SDI and 6G transport over a single link. All formats
described above can be carried on this link, but the associated source and
destination equipment must support single-link 12G (high frame rate) or 6G
(lower frame rate) video.
In Single-Wire 12G output mode, KONA 5 automatically outputs a down-
converted 2K or HD signal on SDI output 4, along with the 4K/UltraHD signal sent
to SDI output 3.
See
"8K Transport Modes" on page 73 , for more information about 8K video.
About SMPTE Standards
The SMPTE standards actually specify only 2SI for 4K/UHD (no SQD), and only the
following multi-link transports are defined to support 4K/UltraHD:
Table 2. SMPTE Standards
2x6G-SDI 2SI Low Frame Rate (30 or less) or
High Frame Rate (up to 60)
4x3G-SDI 2SI LFR/HFR Level A or Level B-DS
2x3G-SDI 2SI LFR only Level B-DS only
However, the SMPTE standards recognize that manufacturers have built multi-
link transports that use SQD, possibly developed before the standards were
established. These recognized multi-link transports are:
Table 3. SMPTE Recognized Alternative Transports
4x3G-SDI SQD LFR/HFR Level A or Level B-DS
2x3G-SDI SQD LFR Level B-DS
Because of the unofficial nature of the alternative transports above,
manufacturer's products may not interpret these signals correctly. For example,
a downstream device may not accept them because the VPIDs are incorrect,
no VPID exists for square division transports, or the image may display all four
quadrants superimposed on top of each other.