How to Enable Skype for Content Creators Mode with NDI

From The Windows Club Making a more engaging show is something every producer tries to do for whatever project they're working on. Now with the popularity of podcasts only rising, the same applies for anyone embarking on such an endeavor. Something we do for our Videoguys News Day 2sDay live webinars (which are live every Tuesday at 2pm) is bring in guests live in-studio or via Skype from wherever they are in the world. We've done this a number of times and with our viewer base growing each guest we bring in. Rather than just having our host spouting off news and information about products we sell, when we have a guest it becomes an engaging interaction that helps break down the show and makes it more fun for our audience as well as the talent and crew. We produce our shows using a NewTek TriCaster TC1 which is an NDI-compatible live production system which allows us to do many things a typical live streamer or podcaster couldn't. However, Skype has integrated NewTek's NDI technology in their standalone program that can allow for this same integration for content creators of all kinds. We still love our TriCaster TC1 for so many more reasons but now with this advancement from Skype, users won't necessarily need a unit like this to achieve the same interaction with a guest and also their audience. Skype has always been at the forefront of this communication technology, but now seeing the potential in NewTek's NDI technology, they've yet again found a way to bring people together.

As known, podcasts are perfect instruments for storytelling and what makes it so appealing is their characteristic of being just domain specific. For example, most podcasts focus only on the subject in which they have good expertise. This is the opposite of typical news which seems to be a random assortment of whatever is current and popular.

NDI or Network Device Interface is the world’s premier software-driven IP video technology. When enabled, it allows compatible systems, devices, and applications to connect and communicate over IP to share video, audio, and data. Getting started with NDI® is equivalent to adding connected devices to your network at home or the office

Moreover, the cost of transitioning to NewTek NDI doesn’t require heavy investment in expensive facility upgrades, new network infrastructure, or proprietary hardware....[continue reading]