Introduction to the use of NDI Tools

NDI is a good thing. In the era of network streaming media, low-latency and high-quality video transmission is a common pursuit of everyone. NDI solves this very well,

NDI (Network Device Interface) is a network device interface, a copyright-free standard developed by NewTek Corporation of the United States, which enables compatible video products to communicate, transmit and receive broadcast-quality video in a high-quality, low-latency, and frame-accurate manner. video, ideal for switching in a live production environment. See details

At present, many software and hardware support this technology, and the network transmission video has a better experience. These devices include cameras that support NDI, encoders that support NDI, streaming boxes, etc.; there are also many streaming guide software that support NDI: OBS, vMix, Core Image, EZVIZ, GLook, etc.

How to enjoy this technology for free? Today we will talk about NDI Tools.

NDI Tools already has two versions, V4 and V5. V5 only supports 64-bit systems, and V4 supports a wider range, so we will use V4 as a blueprint below. official website

After downloading and installing, there are the following new items in Windows, let’s introduce them one by one

1.  Access Manager: used across network segments. NDI is in a network segment by default, and can automatically discover NDI sources to connect. If it is not in a network segment, this tool is needed as a proxy or router across network segments.
2. Introduction to NDI: This is a PDF file, an introduction to NDI
3. License Agreement: It is also a PDF file, which is a license statement
4. ndi.tv: link to official website
5. Scan Converter: Very important! You can use the local camera and desktop as the NDI source
6. Studio Monitor: NDI monitor that can play NDI sources
7. Test Patterns: Test pattern output, which is also a kind of NDI source, can be used for system testing
8. Virtual Input: virtual input. The real situation is: after the software is installed, a virtual camera and a virtual sound card will also be installed, and these devices can provide collection devices for other software (video collection, broadcasting, streaming, video conferencing...). At this time, the content displayed by the virtual camera (real camera, desktop, Test Patterns) is switched by VirtualInput.

 Let's combine these tools and talk about the specific usage according to several common scenarios.

• Monitor the NDI source in the current network, and play: start Studio Monitor
• Grab screen as NDI source output: Start Scan Converter

         (1) Adjust the frame rate (right-click the icon in the system tray)

                (2) Whether to have a mouse pointer

• Get native camera as NDI source:

• Switch the NDI source played by the virtual camera: Start Virtual Input (right-click to enter from the system tray)

• The machine in the network can remotely obtain the NDI source:
  • OBS

    

• vMix
• GLook of Guangzhou Aoshi
• Let the virtual camera output video files or stream media

   

   

  1. The version of NDI Tools needs to install V5
  2. After the software is installed, in addition to being consistent with V4, there is also a plug-in for VLC player
  3. Set the output of the VLC player: Tools→Preferences→Video→Output→Select: NDI video optput audio also needs to be the same: this machine has an additional NDI source

 In this way, we obtain the following functions:

1. The local camera can be published to the network and become an NDI camera
2. The desktop can be published to the network, and the director can forward the desktop dynamics, such as: PPT, etc.
3. Can publish the local video to the NDI source in the network
4. Various software of this machine can use the virtual NDI camera to play various NDI originals in the network

 Disadvantages: only supports LAN, does not support the Internet. The Internet can use SRT technology, which we will discuss in another article.