Amsterdam, Netherlands, IBC Conference Stand 7.B19 (September 13, 2024) – AJA today unveiled OG-ColorBox, a new device that packs AJA’s proven ColorBox color management and conversion toolset and intuitive web UI into an openGear form factor, and launched a v3.0 update for ColorBox. OG-ColorBox delivers ultra-low latency, high-density 4K/UltraHD high dynamic range (HDR) wide color gamut (WCG) video processing, extensive HDR/WCG conversion options, color correction, and custom look-up table (LUT) processing for live production. Its powerful feature set gives professionals the confidence to meet nearly any live production color needs, from color correcting specialty cameras to processing camera Log and transforming SDR to/from HDR in real-time, and more. 

“The visual bar for live productions just keeps getting higher, especially with HDR and cinematic workflows becoming more common in the live event space. Producing and delivering advanced format content to audiences, however, introduces challenges that demand greater pipeline flexibility for look management and color transforms,” shared AJA President Nick Rashby. “OG-ColorBox provides an arsenal of tools to alleviate these pain points, taking the incredible, field-proven feature set of our award-winning ColorBox and integrating it into the high-density, industry-standard openGear form factor. It supports multiple color and look management approaches and enables conversion between SDR and HDR for single master HDR workflows, conversions that require real-time processing using custom LUTs, and more, all with unprecedented low latency.”  

Boasting less than half a video line of latency, OG-ColorBox prevents video delays while supporting 4K/UHD HDR workflows up to 4:2:2 10-bit 60p with 12G-SDI connectivity. Built-in HDR/WCG conversion – including custom LUT processing and standard color correction tools – provides a wealth of color options while UltraHD to 1080p down-conversion enables additional processing to be combined into a single step. Integrations with third-party remote control panels from AJA partners Cyanview and Skaarhoj make it easy to control multiple ColorBox color correctors simultaneously using tactile knobs. Enabling up to ten channels of UltraHD or HD processing in a 2RU openGear frame, which offers redundant power supplies, OG-ColorBox requires less space and power in studios, trucks, venues, and flypacks. 

With OG-ColorBox, it’s easy to load LUTs, convert SDR/HDR with built-in options from NBCU and ACES, or purchase additional licenses to support other various color processing pipelines. The integrated AJA Color Pipeline offers a 33pt 3D LUT processor and tetrahedral LUT interpolation; additional 4x 1D LUTs, each individually configurable with user LUTs or as RGB color correctors; and 2x 3x3 matrices that are individually configurable as ProcAmps. Support for Academy/ASC Common LUT Format (CLF) files, and Color Transform Format (CTF) files, the native format for Autodesk products like Maya, Flame, and Lustre, has also been added. Additionally, OG-ColorBox offers a configurable ACES AMF pipeline that allows users to override an input and/or output transform while maintaining the rest of the AMF transform or even simply set the input and output transform without having an AMF. This generic ACES mode lets users select an ACES v1.3 input and output device transform to quickly convert various camera Log inputs to SDR, HLG, and PQ. 

Among the licensable OG-ColorBox options for advanced color-managed workflows is a Colorfront add-on, which unlocks TV Mode with Sony SLog3; Live Mode, including the new ARRI 35 LogC4 Wide Gamut 4 WVO support; and a new SDR to Dolby Vision Preview mode. This mode, together with Colorfront Transkoder, enables productions to deliver HDR/Dolby Vision content more rapidly while keeping costs low. With the same simple set of controls for highlight and contrast in both products, colorists can grade in SDR and preview in real-time what the Dolby Vision HDR will look like using ColorBox prior to Transkoder encoding it with the proper Dolby Vision metadata. This enables fast creation of Dolby Vision HDR-    graded content that guarantees a precise roundtrip match between the original and derived SDR content. While the tool is primarily used for preview, it can also be applied as an SDR to HDR conversion in live production to produce a perceptually matching HDR output. Additional license options include ORION-CONVERT, which uses floating point math to eliminate interpolation errors, and industry-standard BBC HLG LUTs. All licensable options are available for testing with the output watermarked until the license is applied. 

OG-ColorBox feature highlights include:

• Ultra-low latency keeps sources within the timing window of the downstream switcher.
• openGear frame reliability with optional redundant power supplies ensures live productions run uninterrupted.
• Robust AJA Color Pipeline enables more processing nodes for image manipulation/correction.
• Built-in SDR and HDR transforms with NBCU LUTs and configurable ACES AMF support are included, providing a base set of comprehensive and easy-to-use conversion tools. 
• Licensable Colorfront, ORION-CONVERT, and BBC HLG LUT options provide access to color processing for a wide range of applications.
• 12G-SDI I/O supports 4K/UltraHD and 12-bit RGB 4:4:4 workflows, enabling the highest possible image quality at the highest resolutions. 
• 4K/UltraHD down-conversion to 1080p lets users apply color correction and down-conversion in a single low-latency processing step.
• HDMI 2.0 output ensures seamless output of 4K/UltraHD HDR content to professional or consumer-grade HDMI monitors.
• Channel-based presets reduce errors, making it simple to create, store, recall, and share presets between OG-ColorBoxes with the push of a few buttons. 
• A powerful test pattern generator lets users access a wide range of test patterns to accelerate setup and signal path validation for a wide range of video formats and frame rates. 
• Powerful overlay function for custom images that performs like a downstream keyer.
• ANC metadata management provides HDR VPID and Infoframe signaling management and all other ANC metadata pass-through.
• An extensive API/SDK enables support for any third-party technology like Cyanview and Skaarhoj color correction hardware controls panels; Assimilate Live Looks and Live Assist, Pomfort Livegrade, and QTAKE on-set look management software; and Portrait Calman and ColourSpace Light Illusion monitor calibration software.

ColorBox v3.0, available in October 2024 as a free download, brings a host of OG-ColorBox features to the ColorBox device, including access to the new SDR to Dolby Vision Preview mode and ARRI Alexa 35 LogC4 Wide Gamut 4 WVO support in Live Mode via the Colorfront license. With the update, ColorBox users also gain a configurable ACES AMF pipeline, added support for .CLF and .CTF files, the ability to configure the SDI and HDMI outputs for color space and bit depth, and other improvements. 

OG-ColorBox Pricing and Availability
OG-ColorBox will be available in October 2024 for $1995 US MSRP. The following Colorfront, ORION-CONVERT, and BBC HLG LUT licenses will also be available for purchase:

• CB-LIC-CF - $995 US MSRP
• CB-LIC-OC - $695 US MSRP
• CB-LIC-BBC -$145 US MSRP

Find out more about ColorBox, and come see it in person at IBC 2024 in Amsterdam from 13-16 September at the RAI, hall 7, stand B.19. 

About AJA Video Systems 
Since 1993, AJA Video Systems has been a leading manufacturer of cutting-edge technology for the broadcast, cinema, proAV, and post production markets. The company develops a range of powerful, flexible video interface and conversion technologies, digital video recording solutions, and color management, streaming, and remote production tools. All AJA products are designed and manufactured at our facilities in Grass Valley, California, and sold through an extensive sales channel of resellers and systems integrators around the world. For further information, please see our website at www.aja.com. 

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Media Contact:
Katie Weinberg
Raz Public Relations, LLC 
310-450-1482, aja@razpr.com