AJA Ki Professional Go2 overview
The Ki Professional Go2 comes full of a spread of options geared toward assembly the wants {of professional} manufacturing environments. Right here’s a breakdown of what it affords and the place it shines.
Multi-channel HD/SD recording
The Ki Professional Go2’s capacity to file as much as 4 HD or SD channels concurrently is its core perform. This function is helpful for occasion producers or anybody trying to seize a number of feeds without having separate recorders.
Versatile storage choices
The Ki Professional Go2 gives 5 USB recording media ports, making it appropriate with off-the-shelf USB 3.2 Gen 1 media. This setup provides customers lots of freedom to handle and develop their storage with out breaking the financial institution. So, in the event you’re capturing lengthy occasions and even simply needing further house on the fly, the Ki Professional Go2 makes it straightforward to maintain recording with out interruption.
Take a manufacturing group filming a multi-hour convention. With a number of USB ports, they will swap drives the second one fills up. And since it makes use of off-the-shelf media as a substitute of expensive proprietary storage, crews can journey lighter and cheaper. For customers on location with restricted assets, these versatile storage choices imply they don’t have to convey a great deal of backup drives; a handful of USB sticks can deal with the job, saving each cash and trouble.
8 and 10-bit 4:4:4
The Ki Professional Go2 helps HD recording in each 8-bit and 10-bit 4:4:4, permitting for higher shade depth and accuracy. This functionality is especially helpful for productions that require high-quality shade illustration, like chroma keying or visible results. The ten-bit 4:4:4 format captures a richer shade vary, which minimizes banding and delivers extra pure transitions between shades.
This actually comes into play with inexperienced display work. Capturing a full spectrum of colours with precision makes eradicating the background a lot simpler. Take a business shoot with a spokesperson in entrance of a inexperienced display. Utilizing the 10-bit 4:4:4 format ensures the inexperienced background is captured in superb element, making it simpler to take away with out leaving artifacts. This high quality enhance can save money and time in post-production, as editors don’t should wrestle with shade inconsistencies. For manufacturing groups targeted on high-fidelity shade or visible effects-heavy tasks, the Ki Professional Go2’s assist for 8 and 10-bit 4:4:4 is a robust asset.
Much more, it could seize as much as 12-Bit 4:2:2 if bit charge is extra vital than shade depth. Regardless of your mission, in the event you’re recording in HD, the Ki Professional Go2 has the potential to ship.
LCD show
The system features a shade LCD for monitoring and navigating menus. This display permits customers to verify recording standing and make changes without having exterior screens. Whereas useful, the small show will not be ample for professionals preferring bigger screens for previewing video.
HDMI and SDI inputs and outputs
Providing each HDMI and 3G-SDI inputs for every recording channel, the Ki Professional Go2 is flexible dealing with both digital camera supply. For customers working with combined setups, this function is a large plus.
Versatile format and backbone
The system is appropriate with a number of resolutions and body charges, starting from SD to 1080p. This flexibility can accommodate different mission necessities, though the shortage of 4K assist limits its utility in high-resolution tasks. In lots of circumstances, purchasers are hesitant to pay extra for 4K tasks.
Community connectivity
The Ki Professional Go2 has a built-in web-based UI for distant management, configuration and monitoring by Ethernet. This community function is good for groups managing the recorder from a distance, akin to these dealing with reside occasions from a management room.
Timecode and Genlock assist
This recorder ensures exact sync throughout multi-camera productions, which is important in multi-cam setups to maintain all feeds aligned. It’s particularly helpful in reside broadcasting environments.
Placing the AJA Ki Professional Go2 to the check: Strengths and weaknesses
With options that attraction to various manufacturing wants, it’s straightforward to see why the Ki Professional Go2 stands out in its class. But, for a tool designed with multi-channel recording in thoughts, there are some shortcomings.
What we like
Multi-channel flexibility
The Ki Professional Go2’s flexibility in multi-channel recording is its most important attraction. It data as much as 4 HD channels concurrently, supporting each H.264 and H.265 codecs. For manufacturing groups, this implies a capability to seize totally different digital camera angles with out the necessity for extra gear. This functionality additionally caters properly to reside occasions the place getting a number of views is essential, like capturing totally different angles at a sports activities occasion or a live performance. It’s significantly useful for many who want a conveyable answer with out sacrificing recording capability or format high quality.
In an setting the place each second counts, having a tool that may deal with a number of channels is a large asset. It’s not solely environment friendly but additionally simplifies post-production workflows by consolidating recordings right into a single system. Whereas this flexibility is commendable, it’s vital to notice that this system is proscribed to HD recording solely, which could not be ample for tasks that require 4K or greater resolutions.
Redundant recording
The Ki Professional Go2 comes geared up with redundant recording. Redundant recording is a extremely valued function in high-stakes productions. It permits recordings to be saved concurrently on each USB drives and community storage. That is splendid for anybody managing content material the place knowledge loss might imply a reshoot.
Take into account a convention the place a panel dialogue must be recorded for each livestreaming and post-event publishing. Having redundant recording ensures that even when one storage fails, the content material stays protected. Nonetheless, for groups that don’t want this degree of safety or have already got different backup strategies, this function won’t be as compelling.
Audio versatility
Audio is one other space the place the Ki Professional Go2 reveals power. The recorder helps a number of audio configurations, permitting customers to work with embedded audio from SDI and HDMI sources. It additionally has analog XLR inputs with phantom energy, which gives flexibility in various audio setups.
This makes the system appropriate for environments with various sound necessities. Nonetheless, it’s vital to contemplate that audio versatility won’t be as essential to customers who depend on post-production modifying for audio synchronization or who don’t want XLR inputs of their setup.
Sturdiness and portability
The Ki Professional Go2’s compact two rack unit (2RU) design means it’s transportable and sturdy. The construct high quality ought to enable it to face up to the wear and tear and tear of being moved often. Its portability doesn’t come on the expense of durability, which means that manufacturing groups can really feel assured taking it into the sphere in difficult environments.
What we dislike
Whereas the Ki Professional Go2 brings loads to the desk, there are notable drawbacks that potential patrons ought to think about.
Single-Channel Playback Solely: A Hindrance to Multitasking
One of many Ki Professional Go2’s largest drawbacks is its single-channel playback. The system can solely play again one channel at a time, which will be limiting for customers who have to evaluate a number of feeds directly.
As an example, a reside occasion crew may need to verify a number of digital camera angles aspect by aspect, however the Ki Professional Go2 doesn’t provide that possibility. This restriction might result in frustration for professionals who’re used to extra superior playback choices. Whereas it’s nonetheless potential to evaluate every channel individually, the method is time-consuming and different units on this worth vary provide extra versatile playback.
No Cross-Conversion: A Limitation in Versatile Workflows
The opposite shortfall of the Ki Professional Go2 is its lack of cross-conversion capabilities. The system doesn’t convert enter codecs, which is usually a disadvantage in workflows that require mixed-resolution outputs. For manufacturing groups working with totally different cameras or needing different output resolutions, this is usually a problem.
Take into account a setup with each 1080p and 720p feeds. With out cross-conversion, the Ki Professional Go2 can’t seamlessly deal with these variations, which could result in compatibility points in sure workflows. For groups that depend on changing inputs inside the recorder, this function’s absence might restrict flexibility.
Market
The Ki Professional Go2 has competitors, though the sphere isn’t crowded. Let’s check out a comparable system.
Datavideo HDR-80
The Datavideo HDR-80 is a four-channel HD recorder. It lacks the audio flexibility that Ki Professional Go2 has. Whereas it affords nice options, it doesn’t match the Ki Professional Go2’s versatility in audio setups or portability for discipline work.
The decision
The Ki Professional Go2 is a strong alternative for professionals who want reliable HD multi-channel recording, sturdy audio assist, redundant storage, and versatile inputs. It’s well-suited for reside occasion producers, cell studio crews and anybody engaged on HD-focused tasks.
That mentioned, its lack of 4K recording and multi-channel playback could also be deal-breakers for some. If these options are important, different units on this worth vary is perhaps a greater match.
Total, the Ki Professional Go2 delivers dependable efficiency for the suitable viewers. In case your workflow facilities on HD recording and also you worth sturdiness and suppleness, this recorder checks the containers. However in the event you want 4K or superior playback choices, you’ll need to discover alternate options.
Strengths
Multi-channel flexibility
Redundant recording
Audio versatility
Sturdiness and portability
Weaknesses
Single-channel playback solely
No cross-conversion
Tech specs
Video I/O4 x BNC (3G-SDI) input4 x HDMI 1.4a input5 x BNC (3G-SDI) output1 x HDMI 1.4a output5 x USB-A 3.0 / 3.1/3.2 Gen 1 outputEmbedded audioHDMI: 2-channelSDI: 2-channelAudio I/O2x XLR input2x RCA monitor output1x 1/8 inches / 3.5 mm headphone outputPower I/O2x XLR 4-pin inputOther I/O1x RJ45 (LAN)Media/reminiscence card slotNoWi-FiNoBluetoothNoMobile app compatibleNoVideo formatHDMI (8/10-bit 4:4:4 RGB)1080p: 60/59.94/50/30/29.97/25/24/23.981080i: 60/59.94/501080PsF: 30/29.97/25/24/23.98720p: 60/59.94/50576i: 50480i: 59.94Timecode supportYesPulldown conversionNoCamera triggerNoPre-roll recordNoEncoding formatsUp to 1920 x 1080H.264 8/10-Bit 4:4:4H.265 8/10-Bit 4:4:4H.264 8/10/12-Bit 4:2:2H.265 8/10/12-Bit 4:2:2H.264 8-Bit 4:2:0H.265 8-Bit 4:2:0Maximum audio tracks2Reference inputLooping (non-terminating), tri-level syncPhantom energy+48 VInput power12 to 18 VDC100 to 240 VAC, 50 / 60 HzBatteryNoPower consumption55 W (typical)Environmental resistanceNoOperating conditions32 to 104°F / 0 to 40°C at 10 to 90% humidityStorage conditions-40 to 140°F / -40 to 60°CDimensions10.59 x 8.64 x 3.31 inches / 268.9 x 219.46 x 84.08 mmWeight5.07 lb / 2.3 kg
