AJA KONA IP25 review

The AJA KONA IP25 is a professional PCIe capture-and-playout board for a specific kind of source: uncompressed SMPTE ST 2110 video arriving over a managed IP network. It is not an HDMI or SDI connector card, and its 1GbE RJ-45 socket is a control connection, not a video input. That distinction sets the buying decision before resolution or software: this board makes sense when the facility already has an IP-video path to receive, not as a direct adapter for a console or camera cable.

Network input, not a conventional video socket

AJA's product page and v18 manual identify two SFP28 media cages, each configurable for 10 or 25 Gigabit Ethernet, alongside a separate 1GbE RJ-45 for out-of-band configuration and control. The modules are not included. The manual calls for compatible fiber SFPs, matching link speed at both ends, a switch that supports the selected modules and bandwidth, and manual speed configuration; it says direct-attach copper is unsupported. A 25GbE board connected to a nominally fast-looking but mismatched path is not a documented capture setup. Confirm the exact fiber type, SFP compatibility, switch and source standard before treating a port count as a usable signal path.

The distinction between IP input and ordinary copper Ethernet is useful in a system diagram. SMPTE ST 2110 separates uncompressed video, audio and ancillary streams across a network, with timing and control requirements that ordinary HDMI or SDI devices do not use. The card carries on-board PTP and NMOS-related control, but it still needs network configuration and sources that publish the expected streams. AJA's SDK device reference says to configure each media link's speed and address and to provide source addresses for capture; a plain RJ-45 cable to a camera does not replace that work.

4K formats do not mean a guaranteed four-stream workload

The current specification lists 10-bit YCbCr 4:2:2 and 12-bit RGB 4:4:4 formats up to 4K DCI (4096 × 2160) and UltraHD (3840 × 2160) through 60p, as well as HD timings through 1080p60. This is a meaningful ceiling for a correctly assembled ST 2110 workflow. But AJA marks some channel counts as format- or application-dependent, and the developer reference describes two simultaneous receive and two transmit paths across the two SFP cages. Neither headline should be read as proof that any number of mixed 4K feeds can coexist at their maximum rate. The finder plans and this review therefore use one received stream; facility engineers should confirm the intended raster, bit depth, timing, channel mix and application with the current AJA configuration documents.

The sheet also lists support for SDR/HDR transfer characteristics, colorimetry and luminance carried through an SDP file. That metadata capability is not the same as a tested or fully specified HDR capture workflow in every application. I have not assigned a 4K60 HDR recording plan, a monitor passthrough mode, or an OBS workflow from those terms. The card has IP transport and playout, but no direct display-loop path comparable to an HDMI capture card's gaming passthrough.

Control Room is documented; do not assume OBS

AJA's KONA IP25 manual describes AJA Control Room as a cross-platform application for ingest, playback and output with AJA devices, and the exact product page lists Windows, macOS and Linux support. AJA's current KONA-family compatibility chart has a KONA IP25 column; its OBS Studio row is unmarked for this model. That is why the supported sample plan here uses Control Room rather than OBS. Software support changes by application, operating-system version and driver release; on Linux the manual specifically says driver support depends on the application vendor. A product family or generic driver listing is not evidence for a specific application-and-mode pairing.

AJA's v18 documentation also describes an external chassis route: the card can be installed in a compatible Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 PCIe expansion chassis. That can help a supported workstation without an internal slot, but it is a distinct system configuration, not a built-in Thunderbolt port on the card. The chassis must supply adequate power and PCIe lane access. AJA's standard board is full-height and single-slot, so check the workstation, case, bracket and enclosure before ordering. The exact US retail SKU and the included card, SFPs, chassis or accessories were not resolved from the manufacturer page; do not assume an image depicts the seller's package.

Network commissioning is part of the purchase decision

The v18 manual recommends a PTP-aware network clock, managed and IGMP-aware switches, sufficient bandwidth for the expected capture and playback load, and trained network administration for multi-seat deployments. If ST 2022-7 redundancy is required, it says two independent network infrastructures are needed for true redundancy. These are not optional performance tips for a plug-and-play home setup; they are part of what makes the signal path possible. The RJ-45 management port and SFP media ports have separate jobs, and the two SFP cages do not themselves supply a switch, optics, PTP grandmaster, network configuration, source mapping or compatible app.

For a production or broadcast workstation that already needs an ST 2110 endpoint, KONA IP25 combines a PCIe capture/playout card, IP timing/control and 4K-capable uncompressed receive modes in one model-specific path. For a gaming streamer, analog digitizer or casual HDMI camera connection, it is the wrong category of input unless a separate compatible bridge and network workflow are already planned. Compare it with the earlier AJA KONA IP only after checking revision, standard support and software history: the IP25 is a distinct current model, not a renamed or inherited revision of that older board.

Before buying, confirm the exact KONA IP25 model, host slot or separately powered TB3/TB4 chassis, operating-system and AJA Desktop Software release, the chosen 10/25GbE SFP modules and fiber, switch compatibility, PTP/NMOS configuration, intended stream count and current app support. The manufacturer pages document capabilities but do not establish a particular retailer's current stock, package, condition, warranty or successful end-to-end result. This assessment is based on primary documentation; it does not claim hands-on testing or system measurements.

Primary references: the AJA KONA IP25 product page and technical sheet, the KONA IP25 v18 manual, AJA's NTV2 device reference, and its KONA software compatibility chart.