NDI Interoperability Keeps video Flowing Over nerworks

Digial World Media wrote a great article  n the NDI factor where they spoke to Miguel Coutinho, Head of Strategy at NDI. Network Device Interface (NDI) has major significance in the broadcast, video production, and distribution industries. NDI is a widely used video-over-IP network protocol that has expanded its applications beyond traditional broadcast and Pro AV to areas such as cloud production, content creation, streaming, surveillance, corporate, healthcare, and education.

NDI boasts an extensive ecosystem with over 550 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), 200-plus software applications, and more than 600 thousand devices utilizing its connectivity features. These features include discovery, registration, video, audio, metadata, and control. The adoption of NDI simplifies system building, transmission, and signal management within systems, leading to more straightforward and flexible system design, integration, application, and maintenance.

The transition from hardware to software-based operations in TV and video production studios is associated with cost reduction. The shift results in smaller on-site teams and fewer devices required for production. This move toward software-based operations aligns with the broader industry trend.

Miguel Coutinho talked to Digital Media World about what the team has been working toward since the protocol’s release in 2016 – specifically, NDI’s expansion into more varied industries and how to facilitate that trend into the future.

More Industries, More Connected

"Looking at specific segments, in the last couple of years we have seen NDI extend beyond traditional broadcast. It has moved into uses like conferencing, where multi-camera rooms are becoming the norm, large-scale AV installations where the ability to scale inputs and outputs easily is essential, and prosumer content creation where we see more multi-device setups.”
Miguel Coutinho

NDI's goal is to create a seamless and efficient ecosystem for multimedia systems to connect and share video, audio, or metadata. This connectivity is beneficial in various situations, whether it involves two hardware devices, two software programs, or a combination of both. The key objective is to enable instant connections between systems with minimal effort required from users, even in complex environments.

 Adapting and Optimising with NDI

Miguel noted that the difference between building software or a device from the start with NDI support, and adding it later, is not significant.

"Both types of companies are coming to us. Some of them are defining the requirements for a device and want to understand how to add NDI before shipping the devices. Others license the technology and make it available to users through free software updates. What we are noticing, though, is that users are starting to value and demand devices where extensive NDI support is guaranteed."
Miguel Coutinho

The Next Goal

While NDI offers developers a straightforward integration process, the reality is that the vast and expanding range of NDI-enabled devices and applications can introduce complexity for end-users and licensees. Miguel said, “A product’s functionality may well be prioritised over compatibility. What certification gives is a guarantee for those users who aren’t willing to risk the performance and quality of their setups.” 

Check out the full article here!