AJA LUT-box User Manual

Mini-Converter

LUT-box

Installation & Operation Guide

Version 2.1r1
Published: December 4, 2014

Table of Contents

Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Contacting Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Block Diagram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

About LUT Data Write and Read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

I/O Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 2: Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

DIP Switch Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

USB Control and Setup—Using AJA MiniConfig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Installing MiniConfig on a Mac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Installing MiniConfig on a PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Running MiniConfig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

PC Startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Mac Startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Saving Setups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Operating MiniConfig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Tabbed Screens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

LUT Write and Read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Write and Read Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Write LUT Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Read LUT Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Sample LUT Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Input Tab Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Input Video Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

HDMI Output Tab Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

HDMI Output Video Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

SDI Output Tab Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

SDI Output Video Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Audio Tab Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Audio Selections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

LUT Tab Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

LUT Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Update Tab Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Software Update Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Info Tab Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Appendix A: Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Video Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Input Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Video Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Audio Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Audio Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

LUT File Format Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

LUT-box Mini-Converter v2.1r1 www.aja.com

2

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Size. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Appendix B: Safety and Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Compliance Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Class B Interference Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

FCC Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Canadian ICES Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

European Union and European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

Regulatory Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Korea KCC Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Taiwan Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Japanese Compliance Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Recycling Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Translated Warning and Caution Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Before Operation Please Read These Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

LUT-box Mini-Converter v2.1r1 www.aja.com

3

Notices

Trademarks

AJA®, lo®, Ki Pro®, KONA®, KUMO®,T-TAP®, Because it matters.® and ROI® are registered
trademarks of AJA Video Systems, Inc. in the United States. AJA and Ki Pro are trademarks
of AJA Video Systems, Inc. registered in other countries. AJA Control Room™, CION™,
Corvid Ultra™, FiDO™, Science of the Beautiful™, TruScale™, TruZoom™, V2Analog™ and
V2Digital™ are trademarks of AJA Video Systems, Inc.

AirPort, Apple, Apple logo, AppleShare, AppleTalk, FireWire, iPod, iPod touch, Mac and
Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Final
QuickTime

Avid, Avid DNxHD and Media Composer are registered trademarks of Avid Technology,
Inc.

HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or
registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing, LLC.

DVI is a registered trademark of DDWG.

logo are trademarks of Apple Inc.

Cut Pro, QuickTime and

Copyright

Contacting Support

Telephone: [phone]

FAX : [phone]

TASCAM is a registered trademark of TEAC Corporation.

Dolby® and the double-D Dolby logo are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories
Licensing Corporation.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Copyright © 2014 AJA Video Systems, 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
Video Systems, Inc.

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

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

Web: http://www.aja.com

Support Email: [e-mail]

Sales Email: [e-mail]

LUT-box Mini-Converter v2.1r1 www.aja.com

4

Chapter 1: Introduction

Overview

Working with material outside the normal REC709 video color space (such as LOG
material) can cause confusion both on set and in the edit suite with colors that are not
properly represented for client review and approval. LUT-box ensures that every monitor
is showing the correct color “look” for any source signal while still allowing the footage to
maintain its original color look and take advantage of additional dynamic range.

Features

Load two custom 1D LUTs and two custom 3D LUTs (four total) into LUT-box to adjust the
“look” for any source signal with simultaneous outputs to HDMI and SDI monitors from a
single LUT-box. Auto controls are available to configure the unit automatically to match
the input and output video parameters. Switch between two LUTs, using MiniConfig or
DIP switches, to quickly A/B compare between the two. You can even apply a 1D LUT and
a 3D LUT simultaneously, feeding the output of the 1D LUT to the input of the 3D LUT for
serial processing.

Once configured, the settings are non-volatile. The unit can be disconnected from USB,
powered down, moved to a new location, and placed into operation there, retaining that
configuration.

1D and 3D LUTs LUT-box supports 10-bit and 12-bit 1D LUTs, and 3D LUTs at 17x17x17 or 16x16x16 with

12-bit processing for accurate color representation.

Multiple LUT formats are supported. See “LUT File Format Support” on page 22 for a
complete listing.

Connectivity LUT-box accepts 3G and Dual-Link input in a wide range of signal formats. Simultaneous

SDI and HDMI outputs allow multiple monitors to view the corrected color signal, and in­line monitoring of an SDI feed.

LUT-box Mini-Converter v2.1r1 www.aja.com

5

Video

Video

Audio

Audio

D/A

Video

Audio

HDMI

Transmitter

Video

Audio

Audio

SDI

Transmitter

2-Channel
Analog Audio
Monitor Output

HDMI 1.4a
Output with
Embedded Audio

HD/3G-SDI

1D LUT Flash

Slot A

Slot B

HD/3G-SDI with

Embedded Audio

Input 1

SDI Receiver

HD/3G-SDI

Input 2

USB Port

(connect to

PC or Mac)

SDI Receiver

MiniCong

1D LUT
Enable

3D LUT
Enable

DIP

Switch

User

Interface

Control

1D LUT

Video

Processing

Audio

Processing

3D LUT Flash

Slot A

Slot B

3D LUT

Video

Processing

Audio Integration Up to 8-channels of embedded SDI and HDMI audio output are supported. You can

select which SDI embedded audio input channels are used (Ch 1-8 or Ch 9-16), and can
choose to route all eight or just one pair of these channels to the HDMI output. Two
channels of analog audio output allow direct external monitoring without the need to
disembed the audio separately.

USB and MiniConfig

Support

AJA’s free MiniConfig software can be used with any USB-enabled AJA Mini-Converter
and provides an easy-to-use graphical interface with detailed information about the
current input and output formats. Control all the parameters of any supported AJA Mini­Converter as well as loading firmware updates from AJA that add new features and
functionality.

DIP Switch Control DIP switches on the bottom of the unit allow local control of some features without a

computer. One of the DIP switches is a “Local/Remote” switch. When in the “Local” mode,
the remaining DIP switches support a subset of the user controls. When in the “Remote”
mode, the normal Mini-Converter non-volatile registers control the unit (as last set).

Universal Power Supply All AJA Mini-Converters ship with a Universal Power Supply that includes international

plug connections for use around the world.

5-year Warranty All AJA Mini-Converters are covered by a 5-year warranty and AJA's advanced

replacement policy. If a replacement is necessary, AJA will ship a new unit immediately
without the need to send the original unit back first, ensuring you are up and running
again as quickly as possible.

Block Diagram

Figure 1. LUT-box Converter, Simplified Block Diagram

About LUT Data Write and Read

The LUT-box has four areas that can store LUT data,1D LUT slots A and B, and 3D LUT slots
A and B. Externally accessed (via USB) LUT file data is written directly into a LUT-box slot,
where it acquires a proprietary internal data structure. The file name of the source of the
LUT data written into the slot is displayed on the MiniConfig LUT screen. Data residing in
one of the LUT-box slots can be read from that slot, and then be sent to an external
location via USB. When sending the data, you can select a LUT file format (.txt, .3dl, .lut,
.cube) for the data, and produce a file at that destination location that can be used with
other LUT-boxes and color management applications. This also makes it possible to
convert LUT files from one format to another. However, due to internal math rounding

LUT-box Mini-Converter v2.1r1 www.aja.com

errors, converted LUTs may not perfectly match each other, though any differences will
be extremely small.

6

I/O Connections

USB

Port

3G/HD-SDI

Input BNC 1

Signal
Presence
Lock LED

2 Channel
Unbalanced
Analog Audio
Out (RCA Jacks)

DC

Power

Input

DIP switches on bottom.

HDMI
Output
Connector

3G/HD-SDI

Input BNC 2

3G/HD-SDI
Outputt BNC

NOTE: The Lock LED indicates valid input video by color. Red is HD video, amber is 3G video, off

Figure 2. LUT-box Converter

is no input.

Installation

Typically, LUT-box installation consists of the following steps:

1. Ensure the LUT-box is disconnected from power.

2. Connect equipment to the SDI input connector(s), and to the SDI out and/or HDMI
out connectors.

3. Connect audio equipment to RCA output connectors (optional).

4. Apply power to the converter (AJA power supply included).

5. The converter will now run using the default factory settings. This default
configuration applies no conversion, passing the incoming video to the outputs, and
routes the first two channels of embedded audio (if present) to the RCA jacks.

6. To use the LUT box you need to load one or two custom LUTs, using MiniConfig:

• Install the AJA MiniConfig software (supplied on CD) on your computer.

• Attach the converter via USB.

• Make your changes using MiniConfig setup screens.

This process is detailed in “USB Control and Setup—Using AJA MiniConfig” on page 9.

7. When configured with the correct LUT, the LUT-box can be powered down, moved to
the target display, and when powered back up retains those configuration settings.

LUT-box Mini-Converter v2.1r1 www.aja.com

7

Chapter 2: Operation

ONOFF

DIP Switches

Version 2.0 Label Original Label

DIP Switch Settings

Eight DIP switches are located on the bottom of the unit. The default shipping position
for these switches is Off (left). By default, DIP switch configuration is enabled, and
MiniConfig control is disabled.

The DIP switch label identifies the functions of the switch positions. The LUT-box
originally shipped with a label showing Aux 1, 2, and 3 functions. For LUT-box version 2.0
additional 1D LUT functions were added.

Figure 3. LUT-box DIP Switches

Table 1. LUT-box DIP Switch Setting Descriptions, version 2.0

SWITCH FUNCTION OFF (Left) ON (Right)

1 Control Selects Local (DIP), and

blocks MiniConfig control.

2 SDI Input

Mode

3 HDMI mode HDMI DVI

4 SDI Pass

Through

5 1D LUT

Select

6 1D LUT

Enable

7 3D LUT

Select

8 3D LUT

Enable

SDI 1 SDI 1+2 (Dual Link)

Apply LUT processing, if
enabled, and any PsF to P
conversion on the SDI output.

1D LUT Slot A 1D LUT Slot B

Bypass - No 1D LUT
processing is applied

3D LUT Slot A 3D LUT Slot B

Bypass - No 3D LUT
processing is applied

Selects Remote (MiniConfig),
and disables DIP switches 2-8.

Bypass LUT processing, if
enabled, and any PsF to P
conversion on the SDI output.

Enable - The selected 1D LUT
processing is applied.

Enable - The selected 3D LUT
processing is applied.

LUT-box Mini-Converter v2.1r1 www.aja.com

8

USB Control and Setup—Using AJA MiniConfig

Installing MiniConfig on a Mac

NOTE: Macintosh computers must be Intel-based (G5, G4 and earlier models will not work with

Installing MiniConfig on a PC

To install the application on a Mac, insert the CD supplied with the
Mini-Converter into the computer, drag the “AJA MiniConfig”
application for your platform (Mac or PC) to your desktop or an
applications folder.

MiniConfig).

To install the application on a Windows PC, insert the CD supplied with the Mini­Converter into the computer, locate the “MiniInstaller” application, and then double­click it.

Figure 4. MiniConfig Setup Wizard on PC

A Setup Wizard will guide you through the installation. Just click Next to begin.

Answer all questions in the subsequent dialogues; when done, you will be able to locate
the MiniConfig application in the AJA folder in the Programs listing.

Running MiniConfig Connect the Mini-Converter to the PC or Mac via the supplied USB cable. Connect the

external power supply (supplied) to the Mini-Converter.

PC Startup To run MiniConfig on a PC, find the AJA MiniConfig in the program list and locate the AJA

MiniConfig application.

LUT-box Mini-Converter v2.1r1 www.aja.com

9

Figure 5. PC MiniConfig Startup

Mac Startup To run MiniConfig on a Mac, double-click the Applications folder and locate the AJA

MiniConfig application. Double-click the application to launch it.

Figure 6. Mac MiniConfig Startup

Saving Setups A File menu at the top of the MiniConfig application menu bar allows you to Save the

Operating MiniConfig

NOTE: On a Mac, when the Mini-Converter is connected to the USB port, you may see an alert like

that shown below. If you do, press Cancel—this alert can be ignored.

Figure 7. Mac Network Message (ignore)

state of the Mini-Converter, with your current settings, to a file for later recall. This allows
you to set up the converter for different applications, storing each (with Save) to a unique
name for easy recall—using the Open menu item. A Revert to Factory Settings menu item
similarly allows you to change the settings back to AJA’s factory defaults. An Edit menu
allows you to cut and paste values to/from fields, just as in other applications.

The MiniConfig application provides a graphic interface for viewing settings and
updating software. It consists of an information area at the top that shows the available
Mini-Converters attached to the computer via USB, with a graphical rendering of the
selected Mini-Converter showing all the connectors and their current state.

Colored text next to the connectors indicates the signal type and what the Mini­Converter is doing:

• Blue text indicates the values automatically selected

• Black text indicates values that you have manually selected

• Red text indicates the Mini-Converter is not detecting a signal or cannot negotiate with

the attached device

LUT-box Mini-Converter v2.1r1 www.aja.com

10

Tabbed
screens

Message
showing
status

Firmware
version
and serial
number

Each connector is labeled with
the signals currently detected.

Select a USB
port and an
attached
Mini-Converter
(name in
parentheses)

Signal
presence
Lock LED

NOTE: Even if no output device is detected, it still shows the signal it is outputting.

NOTE: Configuration settings in red will change based on the attached output device as well as input

signals. For improved accuracy and reliability, you should configure the Mini-Converter only
when the target output device is attached and input signals are supplied at the inputs.

Screens are virtually the same on both PC and Mac, with subtle differences that reflect
the general look of the platform environment.

Running Multiple Mini-

Converters:

MiniConfig can manage multiple AJA Mini-Converters connected via USB—even when
they are of differing types. However it only connects to one at a time. You can choose
which Mini-Converter you wish to control using the pulldown menu in the upper right
hand corner. If you want to configure and update multiple Mini-Converters in parallel,
you can do it by running multiple instances of the MiniConfig application and have each
control a different Mini-Converter.

Figure 8. MiniConfig Screen Description

LUT-box Mini-Converter v2.1r1 www.aja.com

NOTE: The Lock LED indicates valid input video by color. Red is HD video, amber is 3G video, off is no

input.

Selecting a Mini-Converter with the dropdown menu causes this application to connect
to the selected converter. The graphic of Mini-Converter and text below it provides:

• Type of converter

• Firmware version

• Serial number of the unit

A status field at the bottom of the screen shows if your application is connected and
communicating with the Mini-Converter.

11