AJA Video Systems Now Shipping Io; The First Uncompressed Audio/Video FireWire Capture Device for Final Cut Pro 4 is Now Shipping to Select Stores

Business Wire, June 12, 2003

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

GRASS VALLEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 12, 2003

AJA Video Systems Inc. is proud to announce that Io, the first uncompressed audio/video FireWire capture device for Final Cut Pro 4(TM), is now shipping to select dealers and distributors.

On Saturday, June 14, Io will be shown at participating Apple stores including SoHo, New York, and The Grove, Los Angeles, during Apple's 4@4 kick-off event to launch Final Cut Pro 4. At the 4@4 event in SoHo, John Abt, president of AJA, and Ted Schilowitz, worldwide product manager for Io and the Kona product line, will attend and demonstrate Io's capabilities. The 4@4 event begins at 4:00 p.m. local time for each store.

A high end, 8 or 10-bit broadcast video device, Io allows a user to connect professional analog or digital audio/video to an Apple PowerPC G4 or PowerBook G4 through a simple FireWire interface.

Io was developed in close cooperation with Apple and is designed to take advantage of the many new features of Final Cut Pro 4. The new I/O framework and new 8 and 10-bit broadcast quality codecs of Final Cut Pro 4, combined with the input and output capabilities of Io, will provide users with a powerful, flexible, and affordable solution for uncompressed SD editing on the Mac in a professional broadcast or production environment.

"Because Io simply provides the professional audio/video interface function, it is essentially future proof," said John Abt, president of AJA Video Systems. "As Final Cut Pro becomes more powerful, and as newer, faster machines become available, Io will still be there."

First introduced as part of the Final Cut Pro 4 ecosystem at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in Las Vegas on April 6, 2003, Io has quickly become the 'new tool to have" for cutting edge professional broadcasters and production facilities. Since NAB, users, retailers, dealers, pro video VARS and distributors have clamored to place their orders for the first Io to come off the line.

The ultimate break out box, Io supports 10 bit component and composite analog video, SDI digital video, multiple audio formats including balanced and unbalanced analog, AES/EBU digital, optical ADAT, optical S/PDIF, RS-422 machine control, and genlock. Io's sleek, silver box was designed to complement Apple's Xserve and Xserve RAID in a rack, or sit conveniently on a desktop.

Io is made in the USA and carries a three-year, unconditional warranty. The suggested retail price is $2,290 (US).

About AJA Video Systems, Inc.

Since 1993, AJA Video has been a leading manufacturer of professional digital video solutions for the professional broadcast and post production markets. AJA offers SDI and HD SDI QuickTime PCI capture cards, miniature stand-alone converters, and a complete line of rack mount interface and conversion cards and frames. With headquarters located in Grass Valley, California, AJA Video designs and manufactures all of its products in the USA, with an extensive sales channel of dealers and systems integrators around the world. For further information, please see our website at www.aja.com.