AJA Ki Pro User Manual

®

Installation and Operation Guide

Version 3.2

Published: October 9, 2013

Table of Contents

Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Contacting Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Apple ProRes 422 Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

In This Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Chapter 2: Ki Pro at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Operator Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Controls and Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Buttons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Displays and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Other Front Panel Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Connector Side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

LTC Timecode Input And Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

SDI Input and Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Component YPbPr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

CVBS Composite NTSC/PAL Output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

HDMI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Analog 2 Channel Balanced Audio Input and Output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Analog 2 Channel Unbalanced Audio Input and Output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

9-pin Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Host (FireWire 800) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

CTRL/TC (FireWire 400) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

LANC Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Lens Tap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

LED Indicator for IEEE 802.11 Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Power Connector (back of unit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

ExpressCard/34 Memory Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Removable Storage Modules (HDD or SSD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Formatting Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Using Ki Pro Media in Final Cut Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Chapter 3: Ki Pro Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

What’s In The Box? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Stand-Alone Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Camera Mounting with Exo-skeleton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

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Exo-skeleton Setup and Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Accessory Rod Kit Setup and Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Applying Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Using AC Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Using DC Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Remote Network Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Network Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

TCP/IP Information You’ll Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Networking via DHCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Networking Ki Pro using a Static IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Networking Ki Pro using the Factory Default IP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Test Ki Pro’s Network Connection with “Ping” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Mac Ping Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Controlling Ki Pro from a web-browser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Controlling Ki Pro via 802.11b/g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Chapter 4: Front Panel Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

TRANSPORT Mode (default) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Recording a Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Recording Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Playing Back a Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Deleting Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

STATUS menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Record and Play Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Alarm Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

MEDIA menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Media Menu Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

12.1 Media State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Data-LAN and Data-FW Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

14.1 ENCODE TYPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

15.1 PLAY MEDIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

15.2 LOOP PLAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

15.3 PLAYLIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

15.4 DROPPED FRAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

16.1 FORMAT MEDIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

16.2 DELETE CLIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

17.0 REEL NAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

17.2 CLIP NAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Clip Naming—Two Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

17.3 CLIP NUMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

17.4 CLIP APPEND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

17.5 ALPHA APPEND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

17.8 TAKE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Custom Clip Naming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

19.1 USE CUSTOM CLIP NAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

19.2 CUSTOM CLIP NAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

19.4 CUSTOM TAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

22.1 GANG CLIP NAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

CONFIG menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

CONFIG Menu Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

1.1 RECORD TYPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

1.3 1080p PLAYBACK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

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1.4 IN CONVERT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

1.5 OUT CONVERT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

1.6 SDI OUT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

1.7 COMPONENT OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

1.8 HDMI OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

1.9 SUPER OUT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

2.1 VIDEO INPUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

2.2 AUDIO INPUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

2.3 AUDIO CHANNELS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

3.1 COMPONENT IN LVL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

3.2 COMPONENT OUT LVL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

3.4 NTSC CONFIG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

4.1 ANALOG AUDIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

5.1 UP CONVERSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

5.2 DOWN CONVERSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

6.1 GENLOCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

8.0 TC IN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

8.1 TC VALUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

8.2 TC TYPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

8.3 ARM RECORDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

9.0 INTERVAL RECORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

9.1 INTERVAL FRAMES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

9.2 INTERVAL TIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

13.1 CAMERA DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Important Notes About The Various Cameras Supported by 13.1 . . . . . . . . . . 62

32.0 Loss of Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

35.2 REMOTE CONTROL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

41.1 VIDEO SG FRMT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

41.2 VIDEO SG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

41.3 AUDIO SG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

50.1 IP CONFIG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

50.2 IP ADDRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

50.3 SUBNET MASK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

50.4 STATIC GATEWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

50.5 SYSTEM NAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

50.6 MAC ADDRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

50.7 802.11 MAC ADDRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

50.9 USER AUTHENTICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

53.0 802.11 AVAILABLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

53.1 802.11 CONTROL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

53.2 802.11 NETWORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

53.3 802.11 SECURITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

53.4 802.11 PASSWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

53.5 HIDE 802.11 PASSWORD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

54.1 802.11 IP CONFIG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

54.2 802.11 IP ADDRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

54.3 802.11 DHCP MASK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

55.4 DATE SET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

55.6 TIME SET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

70.1 SCREEN SAVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

70.2 DISPLAY INTENSITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

70.3 FAN SPEED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

80.1 SERIAL NUMBER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

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80.2 SW VERSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

91.1 RECALL PRESET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

92.1 STORE PRESET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

99.1 FACTORY RESET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Chapter 5: Browser Remote Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Remote Control Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Resetting Values To Factory Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Web Browser via Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

General Screen Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Config Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Media Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Transport Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Presets Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Network Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Wireless Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Playlists Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Alarms Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Update Firmware Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Preparing to Update Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Upload and Install the Software on your Ki Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Web Browser via Wireless Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Using Wireless Devices to Control Ki Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

iPhone Ki Pro Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

When Using an iPhone to Control Ki Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Config. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Advanced Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Controlling Multiple Ki Pros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Gang Recording. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

How to Use Gang Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Gang Recording Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Using Playlists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Working with the All Clips Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Creating a Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Playback of a Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Using Presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Storing a Preset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Recalling Presets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Appendix A: Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Panel User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Serial Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

FireWire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Hardware Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

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Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Warranty and Liability Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Limitation of Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

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Notices

Trademarks

Copyright

Contacting Support

Telephone: [phone] or +1.530.271.3190

Web: http://www.aja.com

AJA®, KONA®, Ki Pro®, KUMO® and XENA® are registered trademarks of AJA Video, Inc.,
Ki Pro Mini™, Io Express™, Io HD
AirPort, Apple, the Apple logo, AppleShare, AppleTalk, FireWire, iPod, iPod Touch, Mac,
and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Final Cut Pro,
QuickTime and the QuickTime Logo are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Avid, Avid
Media Composer and Avid DNxHD are trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Copyright © 2013 AJA Video, Inc. All rights reserved. All information in this manual is
subject to change without notice. No part of the document may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying or recording, without the express written permission of AJA Inc.

When calling for support, have all information at hand prior to calling.

To contact AJA Video for sales or support, use any of the following methods:

™

, Io™ and “Work. Flow.” are trademarks of AJA Video, Inc.

Support Email: support@.aja.com

Sales Email: [e-mail]

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Chapter 1: Introduction

Overview

Ki Pro is an all new way of connecting production and post. With it, you can now acquire
with the same codec you edit with—Apple ProRes 422—in all 4 types (including HQ, LT
and Proxy). Ki Pro simplifies the link between production and post by acquiring on the
best codec for use with Apple Final Cut Studio or Apple Final Cut Pro X from virtually any
camera, regardless of format. With its extensive analog and digital connectivity, virtually
any video and audio source can be fed into Ki Pro. Also included is AJA's powerful 10-bit
realtime up/down/cross conversion, allowing you to record in the format you want to
edit and deliver.

Small and portable, AJA’s Ki Pro was designed as a field recorder for creating “ready-to­edit” professional digital video. Ki Pro supports an Apple “file-based” workflow by
recording standard Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime files on industry standard media. Ki Pro
supports analog and digital audio/video I/O and records on either removable 34mm
ExpressCards or a removable storage module. Two types of storage modules are also
available for Ki Pro: a 2.5” SATA hard drive (supplied with the base system), or a Solid­State-Drive (SSD) module you can optionally purchase. When removed, storage modules
function as a standard FireWire 800 drive when connected to a Mac.

NOTE: ExpressCard storage is not supported with firmware versions 1.0, 1.0.1, 1.1, or 2.0. Beginning

with version 3.0, ExpressCard storage is supported (for Slot 1 only).

Ki Pro's multi-purpose mechanical design and small form factor allow both “stand-alone”
and camera configurations. In standalone mode, it can connect to a camera while sitting
on a desk or flat surface. In a camera configuration it mounts between the camera and a
tripod using an optional “Exo-skeleton” frame. The frame option allows for flexible
positioning of the camera and accessories and serves as an attachment to a professional
tripod.

Internally, Ki Pro natively supports the Apple ProRes 422 codecs in hardware, allowing
realtime capture directly to Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime files. In fact, while the camera is
recording to its own tape or file-based memory, Ki Pro can simultaneously capture the
media as ProRes so it’s instantly ready to edit when the removable storage module is
connected to a Mac. With this kind of flexibility, you can save time, steps, and get your
project done quicker and with the highest quality.

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Like AJA’s famous KONA and Io HD desktop products, Ki Pro offers unparalleled
connectivity. Within its portable and rugged form factor, Ki Pro offers SD/HD analog I/O,
SD/HD digital I/O including SDI, HD-SDI and HDMI, two channels of balanced and
unbalanced analog audio with switch selectable line/mic levels, and LTC timecode in/out.

Control options are also varied and flexible. Ethernet 10/100/1000 connection is possible
via an RJ45 connector, allowing remote control and configuration from a Mac or PC web
browser.

NOTE: Firewire 400 was not supported in versions 1.0, 1.0.1, 1.1 or 2.0. Version 3.0 firmware enables

the FireWire 400 (1394a) connector that allows passing control (start/stop) and timecode
information from the camera. Additionally, the FireWire 800 connector was not supported in
versions 1.0, 1.0.1, 1.1 or 2.0. Beginning with version 3.0 firmware, the FireWire 800 port on the
Ki Pro will allow a Mac to mount Ki Pro’s storage devices (SSD, HD, and ExpressCards) as media
volumes.

For wireless control, Ki Pro features an internal 802.11b/g antenna and radio for
connection to wireless devices such as iPhone, iPod Touch, or 802.11 equipped
computers. (For detailed illustrations and discussions of Ki Pro connectors and control
features, see Chapter 2.)

This manual covers the installation and operation of Ki Pro and its optional accessories.

Features

Ki Pro offers a large number of unique features for optimum quality, ease of use, and
support for a wide variety of workflows and environments. Ki Pro provides flexible
standard and high definition recording, with hardware up/down/cross-conversion for
versatile operation in a mixed SD/HD environment, plus a wide variety of control
methods and storage options.

Hardware • Apple ProRes 422, Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), Apple ProRes 422 (LT), and Apple ProRes 422

(Proxy)—SD, HD 720/1080, full-raster 10-bit 4:2:2, realtime, implemented in hardware

• Up/down/cross-conversion, 10-bit, realtime, implemented in hardware

• Component HD/SD analog video I/O (6 BNC)

• Composite video output (1 BNC)

• HD/SD SDI I/O (2 BNC)

• HDMI I/O (2 HDMI)

• 2 channel balanced and unbalanced analog audio I/O (4 XLR, 4 RCA)

• LTC I/O (2 BNC, non-looping output during recording)

• IEEE 802.11 wireless

• 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN

• Panel user interface features a VFD display (2 line character display), with 14 control
buttons, 3 control knobs, and a power button

• Storage Module (HDD) with FireWire 800 port for use with Apple Mac® computers
(HFS+ file system)

• 12 Vdc AC adapter with industry standard 4-pin XLR connector

•3-year warranty

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s with camera mount

Knurled thumbscrews
secure Ki Pro chassis

to Exo-skeleton

Software • Remote Browser control software. When a Mac®, PC, or 802.11b/g enabled device such

as an iPhone are connected via the Ki Pro Ethernet port or its 802.11b/g connection, the
device can control the Ki Pro via a web browser

• 20 Preset registers for storing and recalling system preset configurations

• Embedded internal web server for remote control via 802.11b/g or LAN

• Gang recording via multiple Ki Pro units controlled by a master Ki Pro unit

• RS422 control of Ki Pro for VTR-like interaction with edit controllers or non-linear
editors

• Alarms to alert you to conditions that may need your attention

Options AJA’s Ki Pro can be enhanced by purchasing several options:

• Ki Pro Exo-skeleton—provides a surrounding chassis for the Ki Pro that can both mount
to a tripod and provide a mount for a camera on top; this combination allows
convenient access to controls

Figure 1. Ki Pro Exo-skeleton Option.

Figure 2. Storage Module Options: SSD or Hard Drive

• Ki Pro SSD Storage Module—although the Ki Pro comes standard with a removable
HDD Storage Module, an optional SSD Storage Module is also available. The Ki Pro Solid
State Storage Module (SSD) is recommended for mobile environments where shock­proof sturdiness may be needed. The Ki Pro SSD Storage Module offers the ultimate in
media reliability.

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Kit components:
2 endplates
4 screws (5/32 allen)
4 knobs with plastic washers

Optional Rod Accessory Kit Assembly

• Ki Pro Hard Drive Storage Module—although Ki Pro comes with one removable HDD
Storage Module standard, you can buy extras and simply swap them as needed.

• Ki Pro Rod Accessory Kit—this kit adds endplates to the Exo-skeleton so you can attach
two user-supplied 15mm camera accessory rods. The endplates have knobs for
adjusting the height of the rod brackets relative to the camera, as well as a set of knobs
for securing the rods in the brackets.

Figure 3. Rod Accessory Kit Option

System Requirements

Apple ProRes 422 Advantages

• AJA Lens Tap Cable Accessory—this AJA proprietary cable allows Ki Pro to connect
between the lens tap control connector on a lens and camera body, thereby
intercepting the lens control signals for use in simple start/stop Ki Pro recording
operations. This option is not yet available.

AJA Video recommends that the Mac Pro or MacBook Pro used with the Ki Pro offer a
FireWire 800 port and support Apple ProRes 422 with a satisfactory level of performance.
Consult Final Cut Pro documentation when setting up and configuring your system for
editing; ensure you have an adequate storage system (RAID array) and any needed
video/audio interfaces.

Quality: Excellent, broadcast quality. Captured media is virtually indistinguishable from pristine

uncompressed sources. Better yet, ProRes maintains the quality during editing, surviving
multiple encoding/decoding generations without degradation. It was designed by Apple
for editing, rather than as a transmission/distribution codec as are most popular codecs.
Some of the advantages include:

• Full-size 1920-by-1080 and 1280-by-720 HD resolutions.

• Full-size 720-by-486 and 720-by-576 SD resolutions.

• 4:2:2 chroma sampling. Provides precise compositing and blending at sharp saturated­color boundaries.

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Data rates: 220 Mb/second Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), 145 Mb/second Apple ProRes 422, 100 Mb/

In This Manual

Chapter 1 Lists features, options, and system requirements.

•10-bit sample depth. Preserves subtle gradients of 10-bit sources (perfect for green­screen compositing, graphics or color correction) with no visible banding artifacts.

• I frame-only encoding. Ensures consistent quality in every frame and no artifacts from
complex motion.

• Variable bit-rate (VBR) encoding. “Smart” encoding analyzes the image and allocates
more bits to complex frames.

• Low data rate requirements make for more storage options and require less drive space
to store high quality video.

• Optimized for efficient Real-Time effects.

second Apple ProRes 422 (LT), and 36 Mb/second Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy)—all
supported by internal system drive or attached storage.

NOTE: Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) is for high-quality offline editing at the original frame size, frame

rate, and aspect ratio.

Chapter 2 Provides a Ki Pro overview.

Chapter 3 Explains how to install Ki Pro.

Chapter 4 Provides complete instructions for operating the Ki Pro from the front panel.

Chapter 5 Discusses remote web browser control of Ki Pro via Ethernet or 802.11b/g.

Appendix A Provides specifications for various aspects of the system.

Index

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12

Chapter 2: Ki Pro at a Glance

Overview

When using Ki Pro, you’ll make media cable connections to a variety of equipment based
on how it’s being used. Chapters 2 and 3 discuss how to operate and use the Ki Pro in its
many configurations—this chapter introduces the operating configurations, power
supply options, plus all indicators, controls, and connections so you’ll have a working
knowledge of how it can be used to tie together the worlds of acquiring media
(production) and post-production. For ease of explanation, we’ll talk about these two
ways of using the Ki Pro:

• Stand-alone—in standalone use for acquiring media, the Ki Pro unit is placed on a
desktop or surface and connected by cable to video/audio sources, usually a camera or
camcorder. After acquiring media, you can use the media on a Mac, by removing the Ki
Pro storage module and directly connecting it to the Mac via FireWire 800.
Alternatively, the whole Ki Pro unit can be connected to a Mac via a FireWire 800 cable.

• Camera Mount with Exo-skeleton—for the optimum in onset flexibility, an optional Ki
Pro Exo-skeleton camera mount can be attached to a tripod, the Ki Pro mounted within
it, and the camera mounted on top of the Exo-skeleton. This creates a complete self
contained acquisition system for acquiring Apple ProRes 422 media in realtime as the
camera is shooting. As in the standalone mode, the storage media can be easily
inserted or removed for shooting and shuttling to your editing system—without
having to remove Ki Pro from the tripod. The Exo-skeleton offers many adjustments
and an optional rod accessory kit is available for vertical/horizontal camera adjustment
with respect to the rod and accessories.

Learning about the front panel indicators will be useful in selecting operational modes
and monitoring what is happening on Ki Pro as well as troubleshooting problems that
can occur. Becoming familiar with the Ki Pro operator-side and connectors will simplify
installation, setup, and operation of the system.

On the following pages are front and rear panel illustrations with notations that
summarize all of the connectors and indicators. Detailed descriptions of each of the
connectors and indicators follow afterward.

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13

Operator Side

STATUS

DELETE

CLIP

SLOT

ADJUSTSELECT

CONFIG

MEDIA

CLIP xxxxxxxx

REEL xxx

01 1 4% S

00:01:21:13

Storage Module (slides into slot)

Slot LED Status Indicators show:
Media Selected—Green
Not-Selected—not illuminated
Recording—ashes Green, On and O

Expresscard Memory Slots (2) — 34mm 1-lane PCIe

(press card in to mount; press again to eject)

4-pin XLR
Battery Power
Connector

(on side)

VU

Meters

(2 Channel)

Audio

Input

Level

Adjust

(Press in and

knob will pop out

for easy adjustment)

Mic/Line

Phones

L R

1

2

Head
Phone
Jack

Head

Phone

Volume

(Press in and

volume adjust

knob will pop out

for easy adjustment)

Storage Module

Release

Button

(press and hold button down
while removing Disk Storage

Cartridge)

140 x 16 pixel

Alphanumeric

and Graphics Display

(typically 2 x 20 characters)

Transport Control Buttons

(Reverse/Stop/Play/Record/Fast Forward)

Power
ON/OFF

(Press to power up,
press and hold for 2 seconds to
power-down; abort power-down
by removing finger before 2 seconds)

Cover Plate
over 802.11 b/g
Antenna

Caution!

This device is a Class A product. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is
likely to cause harmful interference, in which case users will be required to take
whatever measures may be necessary to correct the interference at their own
expense.

Caution!

The AJA Ki Pro contains a lithium battery soldered in place permanently (it is not user
replaceable). If you ever dispose of the Ki Pro, ensure you follow local regulations for
safe disposal. The lithium battery shall not be exposed to excessive heat, such as
sunshine or fire.

Figure 4. Ki Pro Operator Side (front panel)

Controls and Displays

The Operator Side of Ki Pro features a variety of buttons, knobs, jacks, and indicators for
operating Ki Pro directly. Each of the items found on the “Operator Side” are described
here and on the following pages. This side is referred to as the “Operator Side” because
when mounted in the Exo-skeleton, it matches the operator side of the camera. When
controlling camera features, you’ll also be looking at all the Ki Pro control features for
ease of use.

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14

The front panel of Ki Pro operates in two modes: the “TRANSPORT” mode (default), and
the “MENU” mode. Some controls have different functions in these two modes. The
TRANSPORT mode (shown above) controls basic play, record, clip select, etc. functions.
The MENU mode is for set-up and configuration of Ki Pro. There are three menu groups:
STATUS, CONFIG, and MEDIA - these menus are accessed by depressing the
corresponding Menu buttons on the left of the panel.

Buttons

Power ON/OFF Button: Controls system power on/off and shows whether power is ON (when illuminated) or

OFF. To turn power on, press the button once. It isn’t necessary to press hard or depress
the button—it’s a “soft” button sensed by the processor inside. When OFF, and the
button is touched, it will begin powering up and display start-up progress on the
alphanumeric display.

To power down, you must press and hold the power button down for 2 seconds. This
action prevents accidental power-off during normal operation. When the unit is
powering down you can abort the power-down process by simply removing your finger
from the power button before 2 seconds have elapsed.

STATUS Button: Pressing the STATUS button, when not lit, enters the I/O Status menu. Pressing STATUS

when it is lit turns off the Status menu and returns you to Transport mode. STATUS menus
can be accessed at any time—including when the machine is in an active transport mode
(PLAY, RECORD, FF, REV). The ALARM state presented on the display shares functionality
with STATUS. The Select buttons can be used to cycle through alarms and I/O status. All
menus and front panel operations are described in Chapter 3.

CONFIG Button: Pressing CONFIG when not lit, enters the CONFIG menu. Pressing CONFIG when it is lit

turns Off the CONFIG menu (returning you to the default TRANSPORT menu). The
CONFIG menu can only be entered from the STOP mode. The CONFIG menu remembers
which parameter it is set to when exited, and will return to that same parameter when
the menu is re-entered.

MEDIA Button: Pressing MEDIA when not lit, enters the MEDIA menu. Pressing MEDIA when it is lit will

turn Off the MEDIA menu (returning to the default TRANSPORT menu). The MEDIA menu
can only be entered from the STOP mode. The MEDIA menu remembers which
parameter it is set to when exited, and will return to that same parameter when the
menu is re-entered.

Transport Control Buttons: The transport buttons are always active.

STOP : The STOP button has a dual function. When playing back a clip (PLAY, FF, or REV)
the first push of STOP acts as a “pause” mode: the playback is paused, the current point of
the clip is displayed, and the STOP button flashes. A second push of STOP completely
stops the playback and directs Ki Pro's outputs into an “E to E” mode (the currently
selected inputs bypass to the outputs). To determine at a glance if the STOP button is in a
“pause” mode, note that the stop button will flash if media playback is paused. The STOP
button is fully illuminated in “stop” mode.

PLAY : Press PLAY to begin forward playback of the current clip at normal speed.

RECORD : Press the red button to begin recording. Once in RECORD mode, all other
transport buttons are locked-out except the STOP button.

FFWD : Press button to begin fast playback of the current clip at 2x speed. Successive
pushes increase the speed to 4x, 8x, and 16x. (Pushing the button after 16x speed is
reached has no further effect.) When fast-forwarding, audio is muted.

Ki Pro v3.2 www.aja.com

15

ADJUSTSELECT

REV: Pressing REV when not lit, begins playback of the current clip in reverse at 1x
speed. Successive pushes increase the speed to 2x, 4x, 8x, and 16x. (Pushing the button
after 16x speed is reached has no further effect.) When playing in reverse, audio is muted
for all speeds.

SELECT (up/down): The SELECT up/down buttons operate differently depending on
whether Ki Pro is in the TRANSPORT mode or the MENU mode. In the TRANSPORT mode,
the SELECT buttons select clips and operate like “previous” and “next” keys. When a clip is
selected, Ki Pro “cues” it to the beginning. Note that ordering and playback of clips is
based on timestamp order (creation date), not clip name. However, in a playlist, ordering
and playback is determined by playlist order. In the MENU mode, the SELECT buttons
select parameters for adjustment. Holding down either of the SELECT buttons causes
them to repeat.

ADJUST (up/down): The ADJUST up/down buttons operate differently
depending on whether Ki Pro is in TRANSPORT mode or MENU mode. In
TRANSPORT mode, and in the “Pause” mode (single push of STOP from PLAY
mode), the ADJUST buttons “single step” the current clip at a rate of one
frame per button push (up=forward, down=reverse). In the MENU mode, the ADJUST
buttons adjust the selected parameter. Holding down either of the ADJUST buttons
causes them to repeat.

DELETE CLIP Button: Dedicated button that when pressed, deletes the currently selected clip. When pressed,

the system displays a precautionary “ARE YOU SURE?” prompt. Press the up-arrow
ADJUST button to delete the clip, or the down-arrow ADJUST button to abort the
deletion. When a clip is deleted, the next clip is cued for deletion. Pressing DELETE CLIP,
STOP or any other button—while “ARE YOU SURE” is displayed—cancels the deletion.
Pressing any button other than ADJUST up always aborts deletion.

SLOT Button: The SLOT button serves two purposes. First, it selects which storage is accessed by the

NOTE: On power up, the storage module is the initial storage system selected and accessed by Ki Pro.

Disk Storage Module Release

Button:

DELETE CLIP can be used in either the TRANSPORT menu or the MEDIA menu. When
pressed in the TRANSPORT menu with a current clip active (PLAY, REV, FF, RECORD), the
active mode will continue until the DELETE CLIP is confirmed.

system—either the storage module slot or one of the ExpressCard slots (only Slot 1 is
functional in firmware version 3.0). Second, the SLOT button is used to unmount a
currently selected piece of media.

Caution!

Not using the SLOT button to unmount the media can lead to issues with the media if
the media is removed prior to this action.

Pushing the slot button cycles between unmounting media and selecting media. This
function is only active when in the “STOP” mode and requires a “PRESS STOP TO
CONFIRM” if not stopped. After you select a slot, the system returns to the last selected
clip and timecode for that slot. If the media has been changed since the slot was last
selected (physically removed/media replaced), then the “first” clip on the media will be
“cued” to its start point. If inserted media has any issues, additional prompts may be
displayed as appropriate such as: “WARNING Backup and Reformat” or “WARNING Media
Unrecognized.”

Press and hold to physically release a storage module from the unit; you must pull out
the storage module while pressing the button. This action prevents a storage module
from accidental removal while recording/playing. For safe removal of any media, either

Ki Pro v3.2 www.aja.com

16

storage module or Expresscards, the corresponding slot LED must be unlit. Note: the
ExpressCard/34 media is push-to-eject media and does not require this release button to
be pressed for removal.

Caution!

Removing any media while the slot LED is lit or flashing can result in corrupted media
or potential damage to the SSD, hard drive or ExpressCard/34 media.

Analog Audio Input Level

Adjust Knobs:

NOTE: Digital audio via embedded SDI and HDMI is not affected by the adjustment knobs.

Headphone Volume Knob: To adjust headphone listening level, press the knob inward and the knob will then pop

Knobs underneath the VU meters allow you to adjust the analog input levels for each of
the two audio channels.

To adjust an analog audio level, press the knob inward and the knob will then pop out for
easy adjustment. This feature allows the knobs to be recessed, preventing accidental
changes in a production environment.

out for easy adjustment—just like the audio input level knobs.

Displays and Indicators The displays and indicators consist of an alphanumeric and graphics display, analog

audio level VU meters, and LED status indicators for each of the 3 media slots (S1, S2, D1).
Display and indicator details are as follows:

Alphanumeric and Graphics

Display:

Display details: The display is a 140x16 Graphics display. Normally, it will be configured in
a 2x20 character format. All menus are designed to fit into this format, so some words
may be truncated to fit the display limits.

Operational note: The display power consumption is directly related to the number of
pixels that are turned on and the intensity. Therefore, the default brightness is an
intensity value of 6 (on a scale of 1-8) and users will be able to diminish this value as they
see fit in order to conserve as much as 22% power consumption for the VFD. The
intensity setting of the VFD also correlates to the backlit buttons on the unit (play, select
up, select down, etc.).

During a period of 3 minutes of inactivity, the VFD will go to a screensaver mode— if the
Screen Saver parameter has been set in the CONFIG menu.

VU Meters: 7-segment LEDs show audio input levels for the 2 analog audio channels (respectively).

Knobs underneath the VU meters allow you to adjust the input levels independently to
prevent clipping and ensure proper signal amplitude.

Green—audio source signal level is in the “safe” area (no clipping). Vertically, the green

LEDs also show the signal strength, so you can see if the signal level is low. Generally,
it’s preferred to have the signal near the top of the green or even occasionally
peaking into the yellow LEDs.

Yellow—audio source signal levels are at the peak edge of the safe area before clipping

occurs.

Red—audio source amplitude is too hot and the signal is clipping at its signal peaks. You

should reduce the input gain at its source (camera, mixer or source equipment
supplying the signal).

Disk Storage Module LED

Status Indicator:

Ki Pro v3.2 www.aja.com

The following states for the LED indicator denote the media status:

• LED lit/on: selected media

• LED unlit/off: inactive media, okay to eject or no media inserted

17

• LED flashing: recording in progress

ExpressCard Slot LED Status

Indicators:

The following states for the LED indicator denote the status of the media:

• LED lit/on: selected media (only Slot 1 is functional in firmware version 3.0)

• LED unlit/off: inactive media, okay to eject or no media inserted

• LED flashing: recording in progress

Other Front Panel

Features

ExpressCard Memory Slots (2): Both of these slots accept ExpressCard/34 (34mm wide) memory cards (not ExpressCard/

54). Only cards qualified for use by AJA should be used with the Ki Pro.

NOTE: ExpressCard memory is not supported in Ki Pro firmware versions 1.0 through 2.0. Support for

ExpressCards is enabled for Slot 1 only

Head Phone Jack: 1/8” (3.5mm) miniature stereo TRS connection for standard stereo headphones.

, beginning with firmware version 3.0.

Connector Side

Connect any camcorder, camera, or audio source—digital or analog—regardless of
brand or format, to Ki Pro’s many connectors. The connector side of Ki Pro contains the
available audio/video connections, which are protected by handles that extend past the
connectors. These handles make for an easy grip when inserting or removing the Ki Pro
from the optional Exo-skeleton. On the back side of the unit, a single power connector
supplies the 12-Volt DC operating voltage (see Installation later in this chapter).

The function of Ki Pro’s inputs and outputs depend on the operational mode. Ki Pro’s
active input (the one to be recorded) is selected by front panel, web browser, or wireless
device browser. Ki Pro’s outputs are active all the time. In other words, the same output
video appears simultaneously on the HDMI, SDI, component, and composite outputs.

NOTE: You should be aware of the limitations of each output. The composite output is by definition

an SD signal, so it will not output HD. The HDMI output is by definition an HDMI-compatible
signal, so 1080PsF formats cannot be output via HDMI; instead use a true progressive format
for the HDMI output.) This method of operation allows simultaneous connection to source
devices, onset monitoring displays, and audio equipment.

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18

Figure 5. Ki Pro Connector Side and Back Sid

Connections • HDMI—video with embedded audio, 2 channel input and recording support as of v2.0

firmware. 1x connector for input and 1x connector for output.

• HD/SD SDI Input and Output, with 2 or 8 channel embedded audio as of v2.0 firmware
(2x BNC)

• HD/SD Component YPbPr/RGB Video, 3x BNCs for input, and 3x BNCs for output.

• Composite video output (CVBS, 1x BNC)

• 2 channel balanced analog audio Input and Output (4x XLR)

• 2 channel unbalanced analog audio Input and Output (4x RCA)

• Line/Mic Level Switch (analog XLR audio input level)

• LTC Input and Output (2 BNC, non-looping output during recording)

•Lens Tap*

•LANC

• 1394a FireWire port (connection to camera for timecode and control)

• 1394b FireWire port (connection to host computer)

• LED Indicator for IEEE 802.11 Radio ON/OFF

• 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN

• 9-pin serial port for RS422 control of Ki Pro via external editing systems

NOTE: Above item marked with an asterisk (*) is not supported in Ki Pro versions 1.0 through 3.0

software.

LTC Timecode Input

And Output

Two BNCs provide connections to the house LTC timecode generator or
source. Connections are high impedance. One BNC is for input and the other
for output. Note: the Ki Pro LTC output does not provide output during EE or
recording operations; the output is only for use during playback, as might be

Ki Pro v3.2 www.aja.com

19

used for dubbing content to another device with matching timecode. For timecode to
multiple Ki Pro units, the use of a timecode generator and a timecode distribution
amplifier is recommended.

SDI Input and Outputs Two BNC connectors are provided for SDI input and output. SDI input and

output supports SD-SDI and HD-SDI video and embedded 24-bit digital audio.
If your camera has multiple outputs, look to see if it has SDI, and use it where
possible for the highest quality.

Component YPbPr Connect component YPbPr video cables from a VTR, Camera, or other

source to the three YPbPr input BNCs: Y/G, Pb/B and Pr/R. Then
connect the YPbPr Out BNCs to a monitor, or other component device.
Component input video signals are A/D (input) converted (10-bit).
Similarly, component output video signals are D/A converted (10-bit).
Component video signals are higher quality than composite.

A Note About RGB—Although RGB is used less frequently in today’s video systems, Ki

Pro supports it at output. Because Ki Pro’s (and SMPTE SDI) native format is YPbPr,
AJA recommends the use of YPbPr whenever possible. Although component video
monitors often have RGB inputs, it’s better to use YPbPr when the monitor supports
it. The YPbPr format provides “headroom” for “superwhite” and “superblack”—and
these video levels will be clipped when transcoding to RGB. Also, the RGB/YPbPr
transcoding involves a level translation that results in mathematical round-off error.

A Note About YPbPr—Component Video, or YPbPr, has been given several names over

time. YUV, Y/R-Y/B-Y, and YCbCr, are just some examples. Although these various
formats have some differences in levels, they are all basically the same. Ki Pro
supports three different types of YPbPr: SMPTE/EBU N10, Betacam (NTSC), and
Betacam (NTSC Japan). These three formats differ in level only.

Note About BETA Setting—Setting the Ki Pro component input and/or output to "Beta"

for HD material results in an "Invalid Selection" alarm that must be corrected before
recordings or other operations may take place.

CVBS Composite NTSC/

PAL Output

NOTE: Composite video output follows the settings made for the component video output; because

One BNC connector supplies composite NTSC or PAL output. Connect the
CVBS Out BNC to a monitor, or other Composite video device. Composite video
signals are D/A (output) converted (10-bit).

of this, if a composite output is desired when working with HD, the component video output
must be set to SD.

HDMI Two HDMI connectors provide for input and output of HDMI compatible video

and embedded audio. HDCP sources are not supported on the input. The HDMI
input is designed to support long cable runs: up to 100 feet (30.48m) when using
22 or 24AWG HDMI cable, or up to 50 feet (15.24m) using 28 or 30AWG HDMI
cable. The HDMI output supports standard HDMI cables only.

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20

HDMI formats supported:

• 525i 29.97

• 625i 25

• 720p 50, 720p 59.94

• 1080i 25, 1080i 29.97,

• 1080p 23.98, 1080p 24, 1080p 25, 1080p 29.97

NOTE: When using Ki Pro HDMI connections and attaching it to any HDMI audio or video accessory,

you must use one each of the ferrite beaded HDMI cables, HH-28F-06, between the input and
output ports of the Ki Pro and the HDMI accessory to maintain regulatory compliance.

Analog 2 Channel

Balanced Audio Input

and Output

Analog 2 Channel

Unbalanced Audio

Input and Output

Four XLRs, 2 female for input and 2 male for output, provide 2
channels of balanced audio. Audio is high-quality 24-bit A/D
input and D/A output at 48kHz. Level adjustments are made via
software and a switch for line-level inputs. Software level
adjustments for analog audio (parameter 4.1) apply to balanced
audio (XLR) using the “Line” setting on the switch. The Mic and
Mic +48 settings offer a lower input level suitable for
microphones and their associated input impedance. Use Mic +48
for microphones with phantom power (condenser mic.), or Mic for microphones without
phantom power (dynamic micrphones).

Two RCA connectors provide an unbalanced stereo audio input pair for use with
consumer camcorders, VTR/VCRs and other A/V devices. For output, two RCA connectors
provide an unbalanced stereo audio output pair for driving inexpensive audio
monitoring systems.

9-pin Connector Ki Pro features a 9-pin serial port that may be used with some RS-422

devices.

IMPORTANT: Not all RS-422 devices have been tested with Ki Pro, so AJA cannot definitively say which

devices may or may not communicate as expected with Ki Pro when operated under RS-422
remote control. Refer to the latest Release Notes document for which devices or non-linear
editors have been tested with Ki Pro operating under RS-422 control.

Host (FireWire 800) IEEE 1394b FireWire connector allows for data transfer to or from an Apple

FireWire 800 equipped computer. This connector does not support connection
to any other FireWire devices such as cameras or hard drives.

CTRL/TC (FireWire 400) IEEE 1394a FireWire™ connector for connecting Ki Pro to a camera for timecode

control. This connector does not support data transfer of compressed audio/
video signals nor does it support connection to hard drives.

Ethernet An RJ45 connector provides a 10/100/1000 Ethernet port for connecting Ki Pro

directly to a computer or Ethernet hub or switch for connecting to a LAN. Ki
Pro is compatible with CAT-5 straight-through or cross-over Ethernet cables,
automatically detecting which is used. Once connected and properly
configured, Ki Pro can then be controlled by a web browser on the LAN.

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21

LANC Loop This connector accepts a LANC plug (2.5mm 3-conductor TRS jack) and then

loops it through to a second connector (loop). LANC or Local Application
Control Bus System (sometimes called Control-L) is a Sony protocol for
synchronizing cameras. Available on many brands of cameras, LANC enables
accessories to control camera and Ki Pro record/stop functions.

Lens Tap This connector supports an optional “Lens Tap” kit AJA offers for controlling Ki Pro. A

proprietary AJA cable connects between the camera body and the lens, intercepting the
camera’s own interconnecting cable. This enables Ki Pro transport control (record/stop)
by simply operating the shutter/record button on the camera. Lens tap is not supported in

versions 1.0–3.1, but may be supported by a future version.

LED Indicator for IEEE

802.11 Radio

Power Connector (back

of unit)

Storage

This LED shows the status of the internal 802.11 radio used to transmit and receive
data. When illuminated, the LED shows the radio is ON.

On the back of Ki Pro is a standard 4-pin male XLR connector for
supplying 12-Volt DC power to the unit. You can use either the supplied
AC Adapter or furnish your own battery source. Since the connector is
an industry standard pinout, choices are varied and flexible. Many 3rd
party vendors offer products using this standardized power connector.

Pin 1: ­Pin 4: +
Pins 2 and 3: not used

Record hours of media to a portable removable hard-drive storage module with built-in
FireWire 800, or to flash-based ExpressCard/34 cards (only Slot 1 is enabled). Both media
types mount on your OSX desktop for immediate editing and file access. Ki Pro ships with
a 250GB hard disk that can store up to 2 hours of 1080i Apple Pro Res 422 HQ media or 3
hours of standard 1080i Apple Pro Res 422 (more for standard definition).

Caution!

Failure to properly mount or dismount media, or an unexpected loss of power while
recording, can result in an unrecoverable data loss.

ExpressCard/34 Memory Cards

Ki Pro v3.2 www.aja.com

Although AJA doesn't manufacture or sell ExpressCard/34 memory cards, Ki Pro accepts
qualified ExpressCard media beginning with firmware version 3.0 (only Slot 1 is enabled).

Figure 6. ExpressCard/34 Memory Card

22

Firewire 800
Connector

Power connector
(AC Adapter)

Since cards have to be fast enough to sustain throughput without dropping frames, not
all ExpressCard/34 cards will qualify for Ki Pro usage. Also note that some supported
ExpressCard/34 memory cards have a PCIe connector on one end and a USB connector
on the other end. Only the PCIe connector is functional on such cards when they are used
with Ki Pro; do not connect the USB connector to any device while the card is inserted in
the Ki Pro.

Visit the Ki Pro support page on our website for a list of AJA-qualified cards:

http://www.aja.com/support/ki-pro/ki-pro.php

Removable Storage Modules (HDD or SSD)

Although the Ki Pro comes standard with a removable 250GB HDD Storage Module, an
optional SSD Storage Module is also available. The Ki Pro Solid State Storage Module
(SSD) is recommended for mobile environments where shock-proof sturdiness may be
needed. The Ki Pro SSD Storage Module offers the ultimate in media reliability.

You may also choose to purchase extra HDD or SSD Storage Modules so you can quickly
load and unload media from the Ki Pro unit while on set.

Storage Modules can be powered via the FireWire 800 cable, or via an AC adapter
(supplied).

Check with your AJA dealer or the AJA website for Storage Module offerings as capacities
and models may change.

Figure 7. Storage Module (HDD and SSD look identical—see label underneath for type)

Formatting Media To reformat storage media, it must first be selected using the SLOT button (see previous

topic). After selecting the media, follow these steps:

1. Press the STOP button

2. Press the MEDIA button

3. Press SELECT (up or down) repeatedly until you see the menu 16.1 Format Media.

4. Press ADJUST up arrow. Ki Pro will display “FORMAT”.

5. Press the ADJUST up arrow button. Ki Pro will display “CONFIRM ERASE”

6. Press and hold the ADJUST up arrow button for 2 seconds or longer. Formatting will

then begin. Ki Pro will display progress, and when it is done, “Format D1 Complete”
will be displayed

7. Press the STOP button to begin using the newly formatted media.

Using Ki Pro Media in Final Cut Pro

Ki Pro v3.2 www.aja.com

When a Ki Pro storage module (HDD or SSD) is removed and connected to a Mac via a
FireWire 800 cable, the module will mount as a normal Apple HFS+ filesystem. The REEL
NAME parameter is the name of the media that will appear mounted on the OSX
desktop.

23

Once a Ki Pro storage device (storage module or ExpressCard/34) is mounted, each clip
recorded by Ki Pro will be a file on its file system that can be opened in Final Cut Pro.
Because the clips were recorded as Apple ProRes 422, Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), Apple
ProRes 422 (LT), or Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) with proper Final Cut Pro metadata, they’re
instantly ready to edit. While the Ki Pro clips can be accessed and used by Final Cut Pro
directly from the Ki Pro media, AJA recommends backing up your clips to your local
storage for editorial.

In Final Cut Pro's browser window you will see some of the information Ki Pro saved as
data to describe the media. Ki Pro saves the “Name”, “Media Start”, “Media End” and “Reel”
for Final Cut Pro.

NOTE: From the Storage Module, Ki Pro supports the playback of Apple ProRes 422, Apple ProRes 422

(HQ), Apple ProRes (LT) and Apple ProRes (Proxy) QuickTime files with appropriate 24-bit
48kHz audio in formats and frame rates noted as supported by the latest firmware release.
Files created in other codecs or at other frame rates or frame sizes will not result in playback if
placed in the "AJA" folder on the Ki Pro Storage Module. Placing non-Apple ProRes QuickTime
files in the "AJA" folder can lead to problematic issues when attempting "Play All" operation of
clips; if media other than Apple ProRes QuickTime files must be kept on the Ki Pro Storage
Module, they should be placed outside of the "AJA" folder on the drive.

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Chapter 3: Ki Pro Installation

Installation Overview

The installation and set up of a Ki Pro is straight-forward. If you’ll be controlling the unit
from the front panel buttons and display, it’s ready right out of the box. Just cable the
system’s audio and video sources, VTR(s), monitors, and audio equipment, mount the Ki
Pro unit as desired, and begin recording.

The following topic details set up and installation of Ki Pro. There are two different ways
to set up and use the Ki Pro portable recorder:

• Stand-alone use

• Camera and mounting with optional Exo-skeleton (with or without a tripod)

Software setup is the same for both uses. Choices you will make include how Ki Pro will
be controlled (front panel, 802.11 wireless (iPhone etc.), or Ethernet & web-browser) and
the physical system requirements for your application (camera mount or not, video and
audio monitoring choices, and media workflows). First we’ll discuss mounting methods
and then follow up with software configuration and setup.

Warning !

Read and follow all warning notices and instructions marked on the product or
included in the documentation.

Warning !

Only use attachments and accessories specified and/or sold by the manufacturer,
such as the Exo-skeleton.

Warning !

Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

Warning !

Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer's
instructions.

Warning !

Do not use this device near water and clean only with a dry cloth.

Warning !

Unplug this device during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

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What’s In The Box?

Ki Pro Documentation CD

Read Me First Notice
and Registration Sheets

Ki Pro Recorder

AC Adaptor and Line Cord

Storage Module AC Adaptor

HDD Storage Module

Ki Pro
Installation and Operation
Manual
in PDF format on CD

Warning !

Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the
device has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged,
liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the device, the device has been
exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

When you unpack your Ki Pro, you’ll find the following components:

• Ki Pro CD-ROM—this CD contains documentation—including this manual you’re
reading (PDF format).

•Ki Pro Recorder

• Ki Pro 250GB Hard Drive Storage Module and AC Adaptor

• AC Adapter 110/220 with industry standard 4-pin XLR connector for supplying power
to the Ki Pro.

• Read Me First Notice—Contains late-breaking news and/or errata related to
Ki Pro.

• Registration Sheet—allows you to register by mail or online (details provided).

Please save all packaging for shipping the Ki Pro should you wish to do so when moving
or sending it in for service.

Figure 8. Ki Pro Shipping Box Contents

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Stand-Alone Usage

In stand-alone use, Ki Pro is simply a box that connects to the video and audio output
connector(s) from a camera, camcorder, or other professional source, recording media
that is output.

Figure 9. Ki Pro Used Stand-Alone

Here are some typical workflows and applications:

• Recording a live video feed from a camera; Ki Pro is rackmounted, receiving component
video input.

• Recording a corporate video live from a camera; Ki Pro sits on a computer work desk
receiving HDMI audio and video input.

• Recording on location, Ki Pro is truck-mounted, receiving an HD-SDI feed.

• Desk mounted in an AV media library, recording legacy material from a variety of decks,
formats and sources, converting dissimilar media to standardized Apple Pro Res for
archival.

• Recording live house-of-worship services, Ki Pro sits on a shelf receiving a feed from a
wall mounted remote camera and audio feed from the house mixer.

• Recording live music at a remote location, Ki Pro receives video feed from event
producer’s switcher and picks up audio from a stereo pair of phantom-powered
condenser microphones.

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Ki Pro with Exo-skeleton and
optional endplates with user­supplied accessory rods.

Ki Pro with Exo-skeleton and
camera on mount.

Camera Mounting with Exo-skeleton

Ki Pro’s applications become even wider, when you add in the optional Exo-skeleton that
provides for mounting of both a camera and/or a tripod. Here are some typical workflows
and applications:

Figure 10. Ki Pro with Exo-Skeleton and Camera on Mount

Exo-skeleton Setup and Adjustment

• Handheld camcorder with Ki Pro mounted underneath and a battery pack used for live
sports—recorded media is ready to edit immediately.

• Broadcast usage with Ki Pro’s hardware-based conversion capability to take camera’s
(1080 or 720) input and realtime convert to another format.

• On-set application: the camera operator controls shooting via optional LANC controller
and LANC enabled camera—whenever the LANC controller trigger is pressed, record
start/stop occurs for both the camera and the Ki Pro. An assistant remotely names clips
and content using an iPhone communicating with Ki Pro wirelessly.

• Multi-camera shoot, with different brands of cameras, different internal camera codecs,
all mounted with Ki Pros and delivering the same format of media: Apple Pro Res 422,
ready to edit immediately after filming. No log and capture necessary.

When mounting a camera inside the Exo-skeleton frame, all Ki Pro controls will face the
same direction as the camera controls, so the camera operator can easily make
adjustments. Power to Ki Pro exits on the same side as the camera power supply so
cables don’t clutter the lens side of the setup.

The Exo-skeleton option has two configurations. As it comes out of the box, it contains an
adjustable camera mount on top, a plate on the bottom for tripod mounting, and two
thumbscrews for securing the Ki Pro unit to the Exo-skeleton.

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Base Ki Pro Exo-skeleton

chassis with camera mount

Knurled thumbscrews
secure Ki Pro chassis

to Exo-skeleton

Figure 11. Exo-skeleton Option

For most uses with an Exo-skeleton, you’ll want to first mount the camera or camcorder
to the adjustable mount on top, before sliding in the Ki Pro unit and locking it. To mount
a camera, follow these steps:

1. Locate the camera mount locking knob on the Exo-skeleton and loosen it.

2. Slide the camera mount off of the mounting rail.

3. Place the camera on the mount, orienting the mount’s alignment pin to camera’s

corresponding pin socket. Once aligned, tighten the mounting screw to secure the
camera.

Slide the camera and mount back on the rail and tighten the locking knob.

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Base Ki Pro Exo-skeleton

chassis with camera mount

Knurled thumbscrews
secure Ki Pro chassis

to Exo-skeleton

Loosen

Camera

Mount

Locking

Knob

Slide Mount
off of Exo-skelton

Alignment

Pin

Mounting
Screw

Locate the Camera

Mounting screw underneath

(2 sizes provided),

align pin to Camera base

and tighten the Mounting screw

to fasten securely.

Replace Mount on

Exo-skeleton when done,

and tighten Locking Knob

to lock camera in place.

1

2

3

Kit components:
2 endplates
4 screws (5/32 allen)
4 knobs with plastic washers

Optional Rod Accessory Kit Assembly

Figure 12. Exo-skeleton Camera Mounting

Accessory Rod Kit Setup and Adjustment

An option that can be added is an accessory rod kit that adds plates to each side of the
Exo-skeleton frame so that 15mm user-supplied rods can be used with the camera. Rods
are handy for mounting battery packs, matte boxes, and a wide variety of other
accessories.

Figure 13. Rod Accessory Kit Option

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