KRONOS K8 & K8 R
Industry-proven 4K/UHD
KRONOS K8 can capture and/or playout multi-channel 4K/UHD 3G-SDI.
4K/UHD/2K/HD SDI I/O features
| 12/10/8-BIT YUV | 10/8-BIT 3D YUV | 10/8-BIT RGB | 12-BIT RGB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4K/UHD @ 23, 24, 25, 29, 30 fps | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| 4K/UHD @ 50, 59, 60 fps | YES | YES | NA | NA |
| 2K/HD @ 23, 24, 25, 29, 30 fps | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| 2K/HD @ 48, 50, 59, 60 fps | YES | YES | YES | YES |
Independent bi-directional I/Os deliver unparalleled flexibility
K8 provides flexibility and performance with eight industry-standard HD-BNC video connectors, each allowing 3G/1.5G/HD/SD-SDI input or output. With bi-directional connectivity built-in, developers choose whether they want the HD-BNCs to be input, output, 4K/UHD, 2K/HD, 3D, SD, each HD-BNC connector can be any frame-rate and frequency of your choosing.
Compare features
| KRONOS K8 | KRONOS K8 [R] | |
| Bi-Directional SDI (HD-BNC) | 8 | 8 |
| 1.5G HD/SD-SDI | 8 | 8 |
| 3G-SDI (Level A+B) | 8 | 4 |
| Dual Link 1.5G (4:2:2:4/4:4:4:4) |
YES | YES |
| Dual Link 3G (Level A+B) | YES | YES |
| Quad Link 1.5G | YES | YES |
| Quad Link 3G (Level A+B) | YES | YES |
| 4K/UHD HDR | YES | YES |
| LTC I/O | YES | YES |
| Reference I/O | YES | YES |
| Interlocking I/O | YES | YES |
| Embedded audio | YES | YES |
| Low-latency hardware keyers | 4 | 4 |
| Bypass relays | 4 | 4 |
| Colour space converter | YES | YES |
| Customisable pixel formats and rasters | YES | YES |
| Multi-card support | YES | YES |
| Thunderbolt-compatible | YES | YES |
| 16-bit half float pixel format | YES | YES |
| Full-duplex DMA | YES | YES |
| VBI, HANC & VANC | YES | YES |
| NVIDIA GPUDirect | YES | YES |
| AMD DirectGMA | YES | YES |
| Stereoscopic/3D imaging | YES | YES |
| Range of firmware options | YES | YES |
| Optional AUX I/O via STEM port LTC I/O (HD-BNC) RS-422 (RJ45) AES audio I/O (DB25) Analogue audio I/O (2 x 3.5mm TRS) |
YES | YES |
*Refer to features page for more information.
Ordering & Optional Connectivity
K8 has two primary options in the K8 [R], featuring 8 x 1.5G-SDI and 4 x 3G, and the K8 which features 8 x 3G/1.5G. Optional auxiliary I/O can be added to KRONOS cards via the STEM port interface and optional EX-1 and EX-2 products. EX-3 provides dedicated LTC via Interlock IO.
![KRONOS K8 [R]](/images/products/developer-kronos-k8/kronos-k8-r.jpg)
Part No. K4001
![KRONOS K8 [R] I/O](/images/products/developer-kronos-k8/kronos-k8-r-io.jpg)
Part No. K4001EX1
KRONOS K8 [R] + EX-1 AUXILIARY I/O
Part No. K4001EX2
KRONOS K8 [R] + EX-2 AUXILIARY I/O
Part No. K4001EX3
KRONOS K8 [R] + EX-3 AUXILIARY LTC
Part No. K4002
Part No. K4002EX1
KRONOS K8 + EX-1 AUXILIARY I/O
Part No. K4002EX2
KRONOS K8 + EX-2 AUXILIARY I/O
Part No. K4002EX3
KRONOS K8 + EX-3 AUXILIARY LTC
Part No. EX1
Part No. EX2
Part No. EX3
KRONOS K8 Upgrade
Upgrade any KRONOS K8 [R] SKU to 8x3G for multi-channel 4K/UHD via a licence.
4 x Low-latency video keyers
K8 has four (4) low-latency hardware video keyers, allowing video layers to be combined in hardware with microseconds of delay. This feature allows animated logos, captions, tickers, etc. to be keyed over live video feeds at full 12-bit precision and with minimum input to output delay.
DMA features
The industry's lowest-latency I/O, by design
K8 has, by design, the world's lowest-latency providing access to captured fields or frames to on-board card memory even before the whole field or frame is complete, thereby reducing the latency to sub one field or frame. During a capture or playout, each process can occur at less than or equal to 1 field for interlaced modes, and less than 1 frame for progressive modes.
Low-latency framestores
K8 firmware and driver architecture provides I/O framestores with predictable and short propagation delays enabling the lowest possible latency through the card. The Bluefish444 SDK supports Auto-Capture enabling access to the video field or frame even before the video field/frame has been fully captured. This low-level access to video and audio data provides maximum control over video and audio synchronisation.
FIFO mode protection
K8 firmware and driver architecture supports a FIFO mode that can be utilised for buffering I/O framestores, ensuring that no field/frame will ever be dropped. The FIFO architecture can be used to increase or decrease the I/O latency to a fixed value.
Full-duplex asynchronous DMA engine
K8 developers have full control over the heavily optimised DMA engine via the Bluefish444 SDK. The DMA engine supports full-duplex transfers to and from each of K8’s 8 video channels at the maximum available PCIe bandwidth.
The DMA engine can independently transfer video and ancillary data and has a selective DMA feature for the transfer of customisable portions of a video field or frame.
Complete access to ancillary data
K8 allows full read and write access to the VBI for standard definition video signals. In high definition signals, read and write access is available for HANC and VANC data allowing AFD, KLV, closed caption data and more.
The industry’s lowest jitter, by design
Building on 25+ years of Bluefish444 innovative hardware development, K8 jitter circuit design surpasses the industry’s minimum standard for jitter and eye pattern measurements by almost twice the permitted tolerance.
High quality 3G/HD bypass relays
K8 features four of the highest quality 3G/HD/SD bypass relays, allowing critical on-air systems to manage system failures, power outages, and other unforeseeable circumstances that can be encountered in the world of live broadcast systems.
MR2 Master Routing Resource
The MR2, Master Routing Resource, within K8, enables a user to flexibly configure main and preview outputs to suit individual workflows. The Master Routing Resource acts like a telephone exchange for super connectivity. Allowing video from SDI or host workstation to be routed to any or all of the K8 outputs simultaneously.
Maintaining a 12-bit processing pipeline
A 12-bit image processing pipeline is standard within K8. This allows 8, 10 & 12-bit SDI video signals to be produced from 8, 10, 12 & 16-bit pixel formats providing the highest image quality available from your source material. A 12-bit image pipe means that 4096 discrete values of red, green & blue are maintained per-pixel; that’s 4 times the colour precision of a traditional 10-bit processing pipeline!
4K/UHD HDR
K8 features eight 3G-SDI I/O allowing multi-channel capture and playout of 4K/UHD video streams. HDR/SDR workflows are supported for capture and playout of multiple channels of 4K/UHD and HD High Dynamic Range content with access to SDI ancillary space for HDR metadata.
VR/AR/Stereoscopic support
With eight 3G-SDI I/O connections VR/AR/Stereoscopic workflows can synchronise multiple SDI inputs into various formats for VR/AR/3D imaging.
IPConnect API
IPConnect API is provided to support Video Over IP workflows for SMPTE IP and NDI protocols. SMPTE 2022-6 Uncompressed IP can be captured from standard off-the-shelf network adapters and used alongside Bluefish444 hardware with full control provided by the Bluefish444 SDK and IPConnect API.
Maintaining the highest quality RGB <=> YUV
Colour space conversion image processing includes a fully programmable 4 x 4 x 33-bit colour matrix providing the highest quality colour space conversions that are a standard requirement in professional video workflows. The fully programmable 4 x 4 x 33-bit colour matrix reduces colour space conversion errors and ensures the highest quality colour accuracy during capture, monitoring and mastering.
Pseudo Sync Pulse Generator (SPG)
Bluefish’s integrated pseudo Sync Pulse Generator (SPG) in the K8 video card provides stable and accurate synchronisation with other Professional AV equipment, including additional K8 or Epoch video cards, cameras, monitors or QC equipment.
The SPG output generates a Bi-level sync signal or a Pseudo Sync, Tri-level compatible sync signal.
The K8 can be connected with the NVIDIA Quadro Sync card and Quadro GPU to lock the SDI and GPU display systems together via the SPG in ways that would not otherwise be achievable.
SDK tools for developers
The Bluefish SDK ships with a number of useful tools for developers to streamline integration and allow for easy troubleshooting.
BlueToolBox provides important card information including the card state, input and output video modes, DMA settings and more. BlueSigGen gives developers the ability to send out test signals in any video mode, so that validating multiple formats is quick and easy.
An extensive set of sample applications and interfaces are provided making integration of Bluefish hardware into applications and systems extremely efficient.
Single system multi-card support
The Bluefish444 SDK provides unrestricted integration of multiple K8 video cards per-system. K8 features an internal interlock system, allowing cards to generate a proprietary interlocking signal which will sync lock additional KRONOS or Epoch | 4K Neutron cards when connected to the internal interlock connector.
Thunderbolt expansion chassis compatibility
Popular PCI Express and Thunderbolt expansion chassis' are designed to be light and portable, and K8 is compatible with most PCIe expansion devices from those featuring a single slot right through to much larger multi-slot devices.
For the full list of qualified third-party chassis' visit Bluefish444 Certified Solutions page.
Access a unified API across Windows, Linux & macOS
The Bluefish444 cross-platform SDK provides rapid distribution across multiple platforms including Windows, Linux and macOS and delivers a unified driver for all models of Bluefish444 hardware.
K8 is compatible with DirectShow filters, the Medialooks MPlatform SDK for Windows and V4L2 offering advanced features like multi-channel, multi-card I/O and 4K/UHD.
K8 supports AMD DirectGMA and NVIDIA GPUDirect in order to reduce memory bandwidth and latency for processing video data on the GPU.
Cross-platform support with industry-leading 3rd-party software
K8 leverages two decades of Bluefish444 software development. It is compatible with industry-leading software developed by Bluefish444 and by 3rd-party developers using our Windows, Linux and macOS Software Development Kit. Strong partnerships with companies like Adobe, Avid, ASSIMILATE, NVIDIA, AMD and many more, allow Bluefish444 to deliver hardware, drivers and software plug-ins for the creative industry.
For a full list of compatible software, visit the software section.
Data Sheet
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