By Mike McCarthy
AJA has released the T-Tap Pro, a new video output device for editors, colorists and VFX artists, targeting 4K and HDR workflows. Last fall, I wrote a series of articles about the various components of an HDR editing workflow. Covering software, workstations, GPUs, I/O cards and monitor options, I looked at the state of Adobe-based HDR post production at the time. But new things continue to be developed all the time. One of those things is this new device from AJA. It’s a hardware output solution that is much more tailored to the needs of most editors, who must output and view HDR content.
The Kona 5 is a great tool that supports nearly everything you can think of for both input and output from SD to 8K, but most editors are now using file-based workflows that have no need to input via SDI or HDMI, (or even output those ways, aside from monitoring purposes). And few users are viewing content in 8K. This means that what a majority of editors and other video professionals need is a solid and reliable way to output UHD and 4K content to their monitor or other device, one that offers them support for — and control over — HDR color settings.
This is where the new T-Tap Pro comes in. The original T-Tap was introduced in 2014 for $295 and offered HD-SDI and HDMI 1.3 output in a tiny Thunderbolt 1-connected package. The new T-Tap Pro is a considerable step up from that, supporting 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 with HDR simultaneously. It even supports 12-bit RGB for demanding color work while also adding analog audio output and a rotary volume control with visual meters. This necessitated a larger box with a separate power supply and a price tag of $795.
For most people, the T-Tap Pro takes just the features you actually need from a Kona 5 card or Io 4K Plus (single 12G-SDI out, HDMI out, analog out) and places them in a much more affordable package. I tested the T-Tap Pro on my Razer Blade, outputting to my Canon Reference Display, in direct comparison to the Kona 5 card in my workstation.
Being able to output HDR from my laptop to my reference monitor is great, and having full control over the output options from HLG or PQ in various color spaces is very helpful in ensuring that what I’m seeing on the display is an accurate representation of the images I am editing. The volume control is interesting in that it can control either just the analog headphones output or the audio being output and embedded in the SDI and HDMI signals. I can see use cases for both options, but it defaults to headphone control so as to wisely avoid unintentionally tampering with the main output levels.
AJA also released Version 16 of its drivers and utilities for Kona and Io devices. Among many new features, Version 16 includes more support and options for HDR workflows on a wider variety of AJA devices, including new support for HDR over SDI and the recognition of HDR metadata for both capture and playback of Movoe files. For Kona 5 users, the new drivers allow “fast switching” into 8K firmware without rebooting, which I have been benefitting from during testing. It also improves the integration with Premiere Pro, giving better support for existing HDR options and fixing a UI bug that got introduced by a recent Windows update. AJA also has a big push to support new remote workflows, a few of which it details in a new section of its website.
The other new development that has been announced — relevant to HDR monitoring for Premiere Pro users — is that Adobe is working to support native HDR output for PC users by replacing the existing OpenGL playback engine with a new DirectX 12 playback engine that natively supports HDR on Windows. I have been testing this in the public beta builds, and it is very promising, but it still needs some work before it is ready for prime time. This new engine allows HDR content to be viewed in HDR directly in the IU panels, as long as the UI monitor is HDR-compatible in Windows and/or output from the GPU to an external full-screen display happens via Mercury Transmit.
This approach only supports HDR10 output, as that is the only method by which Windows supports HDR content at the GPU level. But Premiere Pro can convert HLG content to HDR10 on the fly for playback on Windows HDR displays. This offers PC users a cheaper, software-based alternative to hardware I/O out, albeit one limited to HDR10, and with less control over the accuracy of the processing pipeline.
This will eventually remove the absolute requirement for a dedicated I/O card for Windows users, although those still offer certain advantages, including more reliable control over the output pipeline, audio sync, and support for SDI signals as well as offloading CPU/GPU tasks. It allows the project, source and program panels to display content in HDR and transmit full-screen output from the GPU, which will benefit HDR editors even if they already have and use a hardware output card. Adobe also added HDR viewing support to After Effects by adding DirectX 12 playback. This requires projects to use 32-bit color processing, set an HDR-compatible working space and enable display color management. It also allows editors or VFX artists on a laptop to connect an HDR TV to their system and start viewing and editing content in HDR.
Mac-based Premiere editors, on the other hand, will require a hardware output to view content in HDR, and the T-Tap Pro is a solid choice for those looking for a hardware video output solution. The device is also supported in FCP, Avid, After Effects and most other applications that support Kona and Io 4K products.
The device does run hot due to its size and capabilities, and the power connector is an unusual four-pin square that looks like an ATX connector, so don’t lose the included power supply. I’d like to see a PCIe version of this, even though that wouldn’t support the volume control and meters. Remember, this is also coming from a PC user who doesn’t have Thunderbolt on every system. AJA provides a list of tested PC systems if you want to ensure compatibility. Mac users will be well-served by the new T-Tap Pro whether they are on a MacBook, an iMac or a Mac Pro. I’d also love to see an HDMI-only version that is fully bus-powered — a true replacement for the original T-Tap since 99% of editors are going to be outputting to an HDR TV over HDMI, especially since Mac users have no alternative for getting HDR content out to their display. But this should meet the monitoring and output needs of most users who are working with HDR content in UHD or 4K, and for much lower cost than AJA’s other existing options.
Mike McCarthy is an online editor/workflow consultant with over 10 years of experience on feature films and commercials. He has been involved in pioneering new solutions for tapeless workflows, DSLR filmmaking and multi-screen and surround video experiences. Check out his site.
