What is NDI?? Understanding NDI Protocol and its Applications in Broadcast and Pro AV Production

What is NDI??

NDI (Network Device Interface) is a video-over-IP protocol developed by NewTek and owned by Vizrt Inc. that offers significant benefits in video production. It enables high-quality, low-latency video transmission over standard Ethernet networks, revolutionizing how video content is captured, managed, and distributed in broadcast and pro AV productions. NDI‘s key advantage is its ability to allow multiple devices to connect and share video across a network without the need for expensive or complex cabling. This technology simplifies workflows and reduces costs and setup time, making it a valuable asset in video production.

NDI Use Cases in Broadcast and Pro AV

NDI simplifies workflows in various professional environments by providing seamless video transport over IP. Its versatility, from live event production to corporate AV and video conferencing, makes it a viable tool for every broadcaster’s toolkit.

Live Event Production

NDI enables multi-camera setups in live events by connecting all cameras and devices to a central network. This simplifies video switching and management without extra cabling, allowing event producers to switch between camera feeds in real-time with minimal latency.

Remote Production and Live Streaming

NDI is invaluable in remote production setups, allowing video sources from different locations to be shared across networks. This setup is handy for live streaming, where content from other places needs to be aggregated in a central control room.

Corporate AV and Video Conferencing

For corporate AV, NDI enables efficient video sharing across conference rooms, allowing for seamless presentations, training sessions, and town halls. NDI is also widely used in video conferencing systems, providing high-quality, low-latency video over standard IP networks.

Types of NDI Formats

There are two primary formats of NDI, each designed for specific use cases and network capabilities:

NDI HX2

NDI HX2 is a compressed version of the NDI protocol designed to make video transmission over IP more bandwidth-friendly. This format reduces network data load, making it ideal for setups where bandwidth is limited or multiple video sources need to be connected over Wi-Fi. It uses H.264/H.265 compression to deliver good-quality video with minimal impact on network performance, allowing efficient use of resources.

Compression and Bandwidth

NDI HX2 compresses the video feed to balance video quality and network efficiency. This allows you to stream high-quality video without using excessive network bandwidth, which is especially useful in mobile and remote setups where available bandwidth may vary.

Applications

NDI HX2 works well in live event setups, remote broadcasts, and installations with numerous video sources on the same network. Its lightweight nature makes it ideal for compact, POV, or mobile cameras that don’t require the full resolution of studio-quality output but still need to deliver smooth, reliable video.

Advantages

NDI HX2 maintains reasonable video quality while consuming less bandwidth, allowing for more connections on the same network without compromising performance.

NDI HX3

NDI HX3 is the latest addition to NDI’s product line, designed to offer a middle ground between NDI HX2 and High Bandwidth NDI. It provides higher quality and lower latency than NDI HX2 while still being more bandwidth-efficient than High Bandwidth NDI. HX3 uses advanced compression techniques, enabling it to deliver nearly lossless video with very low latency over standard networks. It is suitable for professional applications that need high-quality video but don’t have the infrastructure to support High Bandwidth.

Improved Compression & Latency

NDI HX3 strikes a balance by offering better video quality and lower latency than HX2. This makes it ideal for scenarios where High Bandwidth NDI may strain the network, but high-quality, responsive video is still essential.

Applications

NDI HX3 is great for broadcast-quality video in resource-constrained environments, such as remote productions, smaller studio setups, and complex multi-camera networks. It’s beneficial in mobile and hybrid environments where flexibility is key without sacrificing video fidelity.

Advantages

NDI HX3 offers almost lossless video quality with significantly lower bandwidth than High Bandwidth NDI. The format achieves lower latency than NDI HX2, ensuring a smooth, real-time video transmission even in multi-camera setups, remote productions, and complex broadcast workflows.

NDI HX3 Certification

AIDA’s NDI HX3 cameras are NDI Certified, meeting the highest standards for video quality, reliability, and network efficiency in IP video transmission. This certification guarantees easy integration into any NDI-based production workflow, offering users peace of mind knowing their AIDA camera is optimized for performance and compatibility. With NDI HX3 certification, our cameras deliver almost lossless video quality with efficient bandwidth usage, making them an ideal choice for professional broadcast environments and Pro AV setups where dependability is required.

High Bandwidth NDI?

High bandwidth NDI offers the highest-quality video by delivering an uncompressed (or lightly compressed) stream, achieving virtually zero latency and exceptional visual fidelity. Unlike NDI HX2, High Bandwidth NDI doesn’t prioritize bandwidth efficiency but focuses on transmitting the most accurate video possible, which is optimal for large productions where the network infrastructure can support higher data loads.

Quality and Latency

With High Bandwidth NDI, video quality remains pristine, making it ideal for applications where every detail matters. It maintains very low latency, crucial for live production environments, allowing seamless real-time video switching.

Applications

High Bandwidth NDI is typically used in high-end broadcast setups, studio productions, and environments where video quality is non-negotiable. It’s perfect for PTZ cameras in close-ups, detailed shots, or multi-camera arrangements in professional studios, where the network can handle the higher data requirements.

Advantages

With High Bandwidth NDI, video quality remains exceptionally high, making it perfect for applications where visual fidelity is paramount.

AIDA's NDI Camera Applications

At AIDA Imaging, we incorporate NDI technology across our POV and PTZ cameras to enable high-quality, networked video solutions for broadcast and Pro AV applications. Our cameras stand out for their compact design, high-quality video output, and seamless integration with NDI technology, making them ideal for a wide range of professional applications.

POV Cameras

AIDA’s HD-NDI-CUBE provides compact NDI-enabled video streaming, perfect for capturing unique perspectives in low-bandwidth environments. With NDI HX2 support, this camera can be integrated into networked multi-camera setups, offering flexible, high-efficiency video transmission.

AIDA’s UHD-NDI3-X30 is our most popular NDI HX3 POV camera, designed for capturing ultra-high-definition video with the efficiency of NDI HX3. This camera combines the clarity of 4K resolution with HX3’s low latency and bandwidth optimization, making it ideal for complex, multi-camera setups in network-limited environments. With 30x optical zoom, the UHD-NDI3-X30 captures detailed shots in remote and on-site productions.

PTZ Cameras

Our PTZ4K12G-FNDI-X30 combines High Bandwidth NDI capabilities with PTZ functionality, making it ideal for capturing high-quality video across various scenes. This camera is built for larger productions where detailed, close-up shots are essential, offering smooth, remote control and crisp image quality. Additionally, our PTZ camera provides other NDI formats in HX2 and HX3.

NDI 6 Advancements in Color Accuracy and Remote Connectivity

NDI 6 brings notable upgrades, including support for 10-bit color depth and HDR for enhanced color accuracy and contrast, making video output more vibrant and detailed. It also introduces the NDI Bridge Utility for Hardware, enabling secure, encrypted video transmission over WAN. This simplifies remote connectivity by allowing NDI devices to join networks from any location. These advancements help broadcasters and pro AV professionals deliver higher-quality video and streamlined remote production.

Conclusion

NDI has transformed video production by enabling high-quality, low-latency video over standard IP networks. Whether using NDI HX2 for efficient video streaming, High Bandwidth NDI for uncompromised quality, or NDI HX3 in the middle ground, AIDA’s range of POV and PTZ cameras provides flexible, robust solutions to meet any professional broadcast or Pro AV need.

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*NDI? is a registered trademark of Vizrt AB Group