Las Vegas, NV, NAB Conference, Booth SL920 — AJA Video Systems, a leading manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, announced that it has collaborated with Avid to enable the AJA Ki Pro portable digital video recording device to record high-quality Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime files that are directly compatible with Avid® Media Composer® and Symphony™ systems via the Avid Media Access (AMA) architecture.

The AJA Ki Pro is a portable, rugged tapeless video recording device that records high-quality Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime files onto computer-friendly media. It connects production directly with post by enabling filmmakers, broadcasters, video professionals and prosumers to skip the process of re-rendering to an editing codec by providing immediate access to full raster edit-ready files directly from camera. Through its AMA plug-in architecture, Avid enables users to connect the AJA Ki Pro media to Mac-based Media Composer and Symphony systems to view, edit and play back ProRes QuickTime files with access to all clip metadata.

With Ki Pro compatibility, Avid Media Composer and Symphony customers will be able to:

• Record hours of pristine Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime media to a removable storage module with built-in FireWire800 for immediate editing and file access on OS X
• Record natively to Apple ProRes 422, ProRes 422 HQ, ProRes 422 (Proxy) and ProRes 422 (LT) for full raster 10-bit 4:2:2 HD/SD
• Bridge proprietary compression schemes by recording to edit-friendly Apple ProRes 422
• Connect any digital camera via SDI or HDMI, or any analog camera with multiple input options
• Convert in real time from SD to HD, or 720 to/from 1080, in full 10-bit quality
• Extend client review capabilities with simultaneous recording to camera and Ki Pro
• Extend productive life of existing cameras and embrace future workflows with powerful conversion capabilities
• Use built-in wireless 802.11 and Ethernet for complete control via a web-browser or iPhone
• Leverage new capabilities planned for summer 2010 including support for 8-channel embedded SDI audio, gang recording with multiple Ki Pro devices via web-based UI and RS 422 device control

“Opening up the Avid workflow to read native ProRes QuickTime files directly through the Ki Pro gives our customers access to new ways of working that increase productivity and reduce costs,” said David Colantuoni, senior product manager, Avid. “AJA Ki Pro is a great option for new workflows and empowers our customers to have more flexibility across their project pipelines.”

AJA President Nick Rashby said, “The reception for Ki Pro, introduced last year at NAB, has been incredible. It is delivering significant efficiencies and savings in workflows for everything from live events to broadcast news to sports, feature film, video assist, commercials and more. We are excited to have worked with Avid to extend those benefits to their enormous community of users through the AMA architecture.”

AJA Ki Pro support within Avid systems is planned for availability in June 2010. The AJA Ki Pro has supported direct recording of Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime files within Apple Final Cut Pro since its release in 2009.

About Avid
Avid creates the digital audio and video technology used to make the most listened to, most watched and most loved media in the world – from the most prestigious and award-winning feature films, music recordings, television shows, live concert tours and news broadcasts, to music and movies made at home. Some of Avid’s most influential and pioneering solutions include Media Composer, Pro Tools®, Avid Unity™, Interplay®, Oxygen 8, Sibelius® and Pinnacle Studio™. For more information about Avid solutions and services, visit http://www.avid.com/

Avid, Avid Unity, Media Composer, Pro Tools, Avid Unity, Interplay Sibelius, Symphony and Pinnacle Studio are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.

About AJA Video Systems, Inc.
Since 1993, AJA Video has been a leading manufacturer of high-quality and cost-effective digital video interface, conversion and Desktop solutions supporting the professional broadcast and post- production markets. With headquarters in Grass Valley, California, AJA maintains an extensive sales channel of dealers and systems integrators around the world. For further information, please see our website www.aja.com.