AJA KONA 1 review

The AJA KONA 1 is a professional PCIe card for a workstation with SDI already in its signal chain. It handles one 3G-SDI channel for 2K/HD/SD through 60p, plus a separate output, reference/LTC and RS-422. It is not an HDMI console card, portable USB device or 4K capture board. This is a documentation-based assessment, not a hands-on test.

One input, one output, and a separate sync connection

AJA's manual identifies three BNCs: reference/LTC input, 3G-SDI input and separate 3G-SDI output. The 9-pin RS-422 port is for machine control. AJA documents pass-through monitoring during capture, but the card has no HDMI input or HDMI display socket; this is an SDI production route, not a console-to-TV path.

AJA lists up to 16 channels of embedded SDI audio in and out. Reference and LTC share their BNC; neither is another video input. The v18 manual says KONA 1 uses on-card connectors only, with no breakout cable or box, so verify the exact board, bracket, RS-422 connection and any seller-supplied leads.

Where its 3G-SDI ceiling is useful

The current specification lists 2K at 2048 × 1080, HD through 1080p60 and standard-definition formats. That makes KONA 1 a plausible fit for an established ingest, edit, playback or streaming workstation whose source is already SDI and whose target is within the documented range. It is not an upgrade route for 4K: no KONA 1 4K mode or multi-input setup is documented.

AJA names both Control Room and OBS among the KONA 1 workflows. Its OBS guide includes the exact card in a table that lists a 2K maximum, 3G-SDI input/output and PCIe 2.0. The assessment here is deliberately narrower than the model's full format table: one SDI source at 1080p60 in either application on Windows or macOS. The software name alone does not promise every raster, audio mapping, plug-in version or recording codec. Check the source timing, the host system and the exact AJA driver before treating a maximum format as a complete recording workflow.

PCIe fit and version checks deserve attention

KONA 1 is an internal PCIe card, not a direct Thunderbolt or USB device. AJA's product page, spec sheet and OBS v17.1 guide identify PCIe 2.0 with two lanes; its current NTV2 device reference instead says Gen 2 × 1. The lane-count conflict is unresolved here. Verify the actual card and workstation slot before buying or planning a tight installation.

Operating-system support is versioned. AJA's OBS table includes Windows and both Intel and Apple-silicon Macs. The current Desktop Software v18 macOS installer is for Apple-silicon systems on macOS 14 or later; Intel Mac users need the v17.6 archive. Confirm the actual Mac processor, OS, AJA software branch and OBS plug-in together.

Full-height and low-profile boards are not the same bracket

AJA describes a developer low-profile KONA 1 with the same video functionality but an internal RS-422 header instead of the standard card's external connector. The spec sheet gives different T and S dimensions, but the manufacturer references do not establish a universal retail suffix or seller package for either board. If chassis space or RS-422 deck control matters, identify the exact physical card.

The separately reviewed IO-XPAND-04 is another easy source of confusion: it pairs a KONA 1 card with an Io Xpand Thunderbolt expansion chassis. That bundled workflow is not the standalone card reviewed here, and its enclosure connection should not be transferred to this PCIe model. Likewise, the historical AJA Corvid 1 is not a KONA 1 edition. Check the part name, card image, board connector and included hardware on the actual offer.

HDR is documented, but not a complete match promise

AJA's KONA 1 materials describe HDR signaling and metadata capture over SDI, and the v18 manual explains that HDR capture settings affect metadata saved with captured video. Those are meaningful capabilities for a production chain that has already been specified. The documents reviewed here do not join them into a rate-, OS- and application-specific KONA 1 recording recipe, so this assessment does not claim a particular Windows HDR capture mode or treat the SDI output as an HDR display-passthrough guarantee. Confirm the full source, application, file and monitor workflow before buying around an HDR requirement.

Who should consider it

KONA 1 suits a compatible PCIe workstation with one 3G-SDI capture/playback channel inside AJA's 2K/HD/SD range. Embedded audio, reference/LTC and RS-422 are production-oriented extras; the tradeoff is one input, no HDMI, no 4K and a version-specific driver path.

Before ordering, check the exact board form factor and RS-422 connector, host slot and current AJA driver. The sources establish no universal standalone SKU, seller condition, package, warranty, price or stock. The board image identifies the card, not a seller's contents. For HDMI, multiple inputs, 4K60 or direct Thunderbolt, compare a model documented for that exact signal and host.

Primary references: AJA's KONA 1 product page, spec sheet, KONA Series Manual v18, OBS Quick Start Guide v17.1 and KONA 1 support page; the KONA compatibility chart, KONA comparison and current NTV2 device reference, which differs on PCIe lane count.