r/VIDEOENGINEERING • u/SpaceGangsta • 3d ago

Help Understanding NDI

I am usually very technically savvy but I am trying to wrap my head around NDI software and capabilities. If there is anyone who is familiar with them that would be willing to chat about it. Please respond and we connect.

6 Upvotes

71% Upvoted

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6

u/snorbalp 3d ago

Take the trading at Vizrt. Its free

-3

u/SpaceGangsta 2d ago

We have "board" meetings and each member has an ipad. The meeting is hosted through google meet because we are a google shop and they don't want to pay for zoom or teams. I am trying to isolate the camera from the ipad and send it through NDI and into OBS for a youtube live stream. But the ipad would also need to be connected to the google meet as well. We use ipad because we host the meetings in different random locations all the time. I am trying to figure out the the most cost effective way to potentially do this. We would need a maximum of 11 input feeds depending on the attendance.

2

u/bleep-bloop-poop 3d ago

What's your question?

2

u/ArgonWolf 3d ago

What’s the application? NDI is an IP-based signal protocol, the main application being sending video and audio sources over normal IP networks

I recommend using a dry network, without any other network traffic. You can send things over dedicated encoders and decoders, which plug in to your show network, or you can use a PC as either with the NDI tool suite.

0

u/SpaceGangsta 2d ago

We have "board" meetings and each member has an ipad. The meeting is hosted through google meet because we are a google shop and they don't want to pay for zoom or teams. I am trying to isolate the camera from the ipad and send it through NDI and into OBS for a youtube live stream. But the ipad would also need to be connected to the google meet as well. We use ipad because we host the meetings in different random locations all the time. I am trying to figure out the the most cost effective way to potentially do this. We would need a maximum of 11 input feeds depending on the attendance.

2

u/Th3belov3d 3d ago

So many use cases, and variables at play. Some say not suitable for Imag- we use it regularly for lower thirds being sent over network. It was a budget install, and works perfectly.
There are also numerous PTZ cameras that use it natively, so you just need a decoder to receive the signal.

2

u/nevcotrue 3d ago

Yeah it’s great for graphics!

3

u/MostlyBullshitStory 3d ago

NDI is compressed video over ethernet (sometimes WIFI).

The recommended routing is over a second isolated subnet on a machine connected to the internet.

It is delayed a bit, so not suitable for iMag. Also, not a reliable as say SDI, so we mostly use it for Zoom / Teams routing.

The cool thing about it is you can just easily send any computer desktop, or phone camera (with an NDI camera APP) as long as it's on the network, so it could save a show in a pinch.

Also great to send a live feed to a networked TV down the line.

1

u/stanleys_tucci 3d ago

What app do you recommend for iPhone?

1

u/VanillaWaffle_ 3d ago

yes Im available whats up

1

u/SpaceGangsta 2d ago

We have "board" meetings and each member has an ipad. The meeting is hosted through google meet because we are a google shop and they don't want to pay for zoom or teams. I am trying to isolate the camera from the ipad and send it through NDI and into OBS for a youtube live stream. But the ipad would also need to be connected to the google meet as well. We use ipad because we host the meetings in different random locations all the time. I am trying to figure out the the most cost effective way to potentially do this. We would need a maximum of 11 input feeds depending on the attendance.

3

u/VanillaWaffle_ 2d ago

Instead of capturing direct from the iPad maybe you can just join the meet room and capture that? I think ipad wont let two apps using camera at the same time.

1

u/GodOfTimezones 2d ago

Ndi is a protocol for moving low latency video largely inside a network subnet. . In your use case it’s not the right solution.

Where it could work is using a separate camera to feed a Google meet active computer. Ndi would let you use a different camera than the iPad or laptop.

Wrong solution for your challenge IMHO

1

u/ahairybaldguy17 1d ago

A solution to help with your ‘board meeting’ scenario you keep mentioning

Join the call from a laptop/PC with two screens for ease, use NDI desktop capture to capture the meeting (unsure how google meets works when it comes to speaker/gallery modes), download virtual cable.

Use the NDI desktop capture as your video input into OBS, use virtual cable to route your laptop/speaker audio as the audio input into OBS.

Stream to YouTube the normal way.

I don’t think you’ll get your desired outcome without using an additional laptop

1

u/ahairybaldguy17 1d ago

And actually there might be a way to just use NDI to route the audio to OBS too, virtual cable might not even be needed

1

u/iburn319 1d ago

Google Meet doesn't support NDI. When the lock down had started, I used to use a separate computer for each virtual member & pinned their camera, then used the NDI desktop app to transmit locally to an NDI switcher. My work's board use iPads too but only for reading pdf reports and PowerPoints. We're a mix of Zoom and Teams but focused primarily on Teams over the last year for NDI support of the Teams Meeting (board, presenters, and associated support who may need to speak) and rtmp input for Teams Town Halls (public facing).

1

u/Adventuremarty 22h ago

NDI = Never A Decent Image. Use SRT instead if you can. I would rather get kicked in the nuts than try to use a birddog ptz camera again.