AJA IP25-R update enables bi-directional 12G-SDI and ST 2110 conversion

This firmware shift effectively doubles the utility of existing hardware investments, allowing broadcasters to repurpose monitoring gear as ingest points via a simple software toggle. As facilities transition to all-IP environments, the ability to bridge legacy 12G-SDI signals into ST 2110 workflows without purchasing dedicated encoders facilitates a more granular, cost-efficient migration path. This move signals a wider industry trend toward software-defined hardware, where the role of a device is determined by its digital configuration rather than its physical ports. Watch for whether competitors like Grass Valley or Matrox match this bi-directional flexibility in their own compact converter lines.

AJA first introduced the IP25-R at IBC 2025 as a receive-only ST 2110 to SDI converter, and the v2.0 firmware announced ahead of NAB Show 2026 transforms it into a bi-directional device. The update was demonstrated at AJA's NAB Show 2026 booth alongside the company's broader IP conversion lineup, where AJA staff described the product as part of a philosophy of making transitions to newer technologies easier for broadcast facilities. The unit's $3,995 US MSRP positions it below dedicated ST 2110 encoders from larger broadcast infrastructure vendors, and the free firmware model means existing IP25-R owners gain transmit capability without additional capital expenditure.

The IP25-R v2.0 firmware supports NMOS IS-04 and IS-05 discovery and connection management, aligning the device with the AMWA-registered control layer that broadcasters increasingly require for ST 2110 deployments. AJA's product specifications confirm dual 25 GigE SFP28 cages with ST 2022-7 seamless protection switching and PTPv2 timing via ST 2059-2, features typically found in higher-priced gateway products. The compact form factor allows three units in a single rack unit, yielding up to 18 channels of ST 2110 to 12G-SDI conversion or 12 channels in the reverse direction, which suits OB trucks and control rooms with limited rack space.

Broadcast Beat covered the announcement as part of its NAB Show 2026 product roundup, noting that AJA's firmware approach expands the IP25-R feature set with a new transmit mode for 12G-SDI to ST 2110 or HDMI conversion. The bi-directional capability places the IP25-R in direct competition with larger, more expensive ST 2110 gateway products, offering a lower-cost entry point for facilities that need only a handful of conversion channels rather than full-scale baseband-to-IP migration.