A new AJA SDK integration with AWS CDI will support virtualized video input/output capabilities for cloud-based creative, streaming and broadcast applications built on AWS.
At IBC 2024, AJA showed a preview of Virtual KONA, a new software-defined, virtualised video capture/playback system that the company is developing in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Virtual KONA integrates the AJA NTV2 Software Development Kit (SDK), which developers can use to build workflows with AJA video I/O cards, together with AWS Cloud Digital Interface (CDI). AWS CDI is network software for transporting uncompressed video between applications inside the cloud, reliably and at latency as low as 8 milliseconds.
By combining the AJA SDK and the AWS CDI, users can move past the barriers between on-premises and cloud resources for media production. Third-party developers can build systems across both environments for many types of applications from broadcast to live streaming, post and others.
Virtual KONA and the AJA SDK give users a direct plugin to AWS CDI, making it possible for software applications that supports KONA to connect to the cloud for I/O. Developers do not need to code an integration from scratch, but can access all the same media and metadata capabilities they know from AJA's audio and video I/O cards, but in a virtual environment.
The KONA IP25 supports SMPTE 2110 uncompressed video up to UHD p60. Two channels of bi-directional video, up to 16 channels of audio per stream and ancillary data are carried by two 25Gb SFP modules, supported by SMPTE 2022-7 redundancy. It stands out as a cross-platform 8-lane PCIe 4 card with support for Windows, Linux and macOS, that can handle SMPTE 2110 functions such as PTP and NMOS, on the card. This makes sure users’ computer resources are available for content creation.
TO make KONA compatible with most environments, operators can use the UI accessed from the host computer for configuration and control, or in-band through the media network SFPs, or out-of-band via the RJ45. With all these methods to access the KONA IP25, compatibility is assured in every environment. For developers adding SMPTE 2110 to their systems, the free AJA SDK is available on GitHub.
Third-party applications and hardware devices that use this integration will be able to directly input and output uncompressed, high resolution, HDR video between the cloud and local workstations located nearly anywhere to support VFX, colour correction, editorial, broadcast graphics and playout, streaming and other functions. KONA IP25 is compatible with Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Media Composer, OBS and many other third-party softwares, and features a real-time keyer and low latency, making it suitable for keyable overlays for live events graphics and AR applications.
"As creative and live production workflows grow more distributed, hybrid cloud and on-premises workflows become more necessary. Virtualizing workstations and the third-party applications that run on them, while still being able to stream content down to local workstations for production stakeholders, is crucial for remote teams," AJA President Nick Rashby said.
"AWS CDI handles the networking to transport live content with extremely low latency in the cloud, while Virtual KONA and the AJA SDK support the reliable, fast I/O required to move media and metadata in and out of that network to and from local workstations, making all of these systems highly complementary. Collaborating with AWS on this integration and previewing it at IBC has been exciting."
Virtual KONA is expected in 2025 – pricing information will be available closer to launch. www.aja.com
