Technology Archive

NDI — Network Device Interface

NDI (Network Device Interface) is a protocol developed by NewTek for the transmission of high-quality video and audio signals via an Ethernet network.

Streamboxstudios utilizes the advantages of NDI, depending on the task and local conditions:

High-quality video: NDI supports the transmission of high-quality video signals up to a resolution of 4K without loss of quality.
Low latency: NDI was developed for real-time applications. The protocol is optimized for low latency so that it can be used for live events or real-time video productions.
Simple integration: NDI is an open protocol. It enables the integration of a wide range of hardware and software products. NDI can be used with your existing production tools — provided their firmware allows this.
Flexible workflow: With NDI, video and audio signals can be transmitted over a network to create flexible, distributed production workflows. For example, video signals can be transmitted between different locations via NDI or videos can be streamed to several devices simultaneously.
Cost-effective: NDI enables the use of conventional CAT cables (5e/6e).

Overall, NDI offers a number of benefits for video production, including high quality video, low latency, easy integration, flexible workflow and cost efficiency.

Using suitable converters, HDMI signals can also be converted to NDI and thus transmitted via networks.

Slido

Slido is a platform for interacting with the audience — both on site and digitally. Slido can be used to create surveys, questions and answers, quizzes and word clouds.

Some of the advantages of using Slido are:

Increased audience engagement: Slido enables presenters to engage with their audience in real time, encouraging participation and making the presentation more interactive.
Improved feedback: Slido allows viewers to ask questions and give feedback anonymously. This leads to more honest and valuable feedback.
Real-time insights: Through live polls in real time, Slido offers insights into the opinions, preferences and knowledge gaps of the audience.
Integration with presentation tools: Slido can be integrated into presentation tools such as PowerPoint and Google Slides.
Customization: Slido can be adapted to corporate design.
Accessibility: Slido is accessible to target groups with different abilities and preferences. Subtitles, keyboard navigation and color contrast adjustments are offered.
Data analysis: Slido provides data analysis and reporting so presenters can analyze audience participation and feedback after the event.
Overall, Slido can improve the audience experience and make presentations more engaging, interactive and effective.

You should consider using Slido if you want to interact through your presentations and with your audience. Improve audience retention with Slido: When your audience is engaged and actively participating, they are more likely to retain the information you present.

Multi-camera production

In multi-camera production, a scene is shot simultaneously from different angles. Two or more cameras are positioned around the set or the protagonists. The resulting video footage is combined in post-production to create a polished, seamless and dynamic end product.

At Streamboxstudios, we work with timecode generators so that the recordings can be combined seamlessly.

In addition to faster production and more dynamic shots, multi-camera productions can also save money on production costs as they require fewer takes to record a scene.

Streamboxstudios produces with Canon and Blackmagic cameras. High-quality interchangeable lenses or fixed zoom lenses are used. The cameras can all record in 4K. Our PTZ cameras are controlled remotely via controllers. The video signal is transmitted to the editing suite either via HDMI, fiber optic or CAT7 cable.

Encoder

No matter how realistic your sound is, no matter how breathtaking the images, no matter how varied and exciting the editing, without a suitable encoder only you will see the result of your work.

To create a stream, you need an encoder. The encoder takes the audio and video data and compresses it into a format that can be transmitted over the Internet and received by the platform of your choice, for example YouTube or Vimeo, processed and then displayed on the user’s end device.

The role of an encoder in live streaming is crucial as it allows you to send high quality audio and video content to your audience in real time. Without an encoder, your audio and video data would be too large to send over the internet and your live stream would be choppy, blurry and unattractive to watch.

An encoder can be hardware-based, i.e. it is a physical device that you connect to your computer or network. Alternatively, an encoder can be software-based. A program on your computer takes over the “translation”.

Common video formats generated by encoders include H.264 or H.265, for example. Forwarding takes place via protocols such as WebRTC, SRT or RTMP or RTMPS.

This also explains the issue of latency, as each calculation step takes time. However, the latency also depends on the protocol used. For example, streams via RTMP or RTMPS are significantly slower than those via SRT.

The choice of encoder depends on the specific requirements of your live streaming setup and the level of quality you want to achieve.

Software-based encoders require PCs with high computing power. These include VMix, OBS and Ecamm Live, for example.

We decided to use hardware-based encoders from Blackmagic and Epiphan because they are built specifically for this one important task. This enables us to guarantee high quality streams.

Streamboxstudios is able to realize multi-streaming. We address several platforms at the same time. Consider, for example, simultaneous broadcasting via your YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook or Instagram account.

Countdowns

We recommend the use of countdowns for our live streams for good reason: digital participants often tune into your channel, for example on YouTube or Vimeo, long before the stream starts so that they don’t miss anything. However, a standing picture does not convey anticipation or even excitement and tension. Users also do not know whether everything is really running or whether there are technical problems.

The display of a countdown, on the other hand, conveys expectation and indicates that it will start soon. Coupled with suitable music, the tension increases.

Important: You should start exactly at the end of the countdown. A delay of sometimes just a few seconds does not go down well with the digital audience.

If you use the countdown in social media, you have the opportunity to create an expectant background noise. By promoting your countdown on social media and other channels, you can attract a larger audience and generate more hype.

Countdowns can also be used for break times, for example, as many visitors like to stay online during the break because they don’t want to miss anything. By imagining a countdown, however, they can also relax and take a break, because they know when it will continue.

If a countdown is streamed in combination with a video image from the conference room, digital users are even more involved and have an even greater feeling of being there.

Streamboxstudios can use suitable tools to customize countdowns to your corporate design.

Streamboxstudios sets up stage monitors so that speakers on location always know exactly how much time they have left for their contribution or so that presenters know what the current broadcast time or the running time of video or audio inserts is. The persons involved can see all relevant time on these. These monitors can also be used to pass on stage directions.

NDI|HX 3: Quality and lower latency

NDI|HX 3 offers the ability to provide low latency and reduced bandwidth transmission while maintaining the visually lossless standards that NDI users demand. This allows users to deliver broadcast quality video in any environment without having to upgrade their technology.

“The diverse ways in which NDI partners and users apply the standard and integrate it into countless workflows, products and projects never ceases to amaze us. To keep up with the market demand to utilize NDI technology and enable limitless content creation for every user, our team is committed to consistent innovation to push the boundaries of moving video. NDI®|HX3 is a shining example of this commitment as it strikes the perfect balance between quality and efficiency without compromise to set a new standard in visual storytelling,” comments Michael Namatinia, President, NDI.

Source: www.ndi.tv/blog/ndihx3/

SRT and NDI

Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) and Network Device Interface (NDI) stand for AV-over-IP solutions that enable high-quality video transmission with low latency, but still serve different applications.

SRT has an integrated two-way return channel that transmits essential performance information during streaming. This enables the protocol to detect and rectify problems. To use SRT, the encoder and decoder must be SRT-compatible. When using SRT, bandwidths of 2–8 Mbit/s are sufficient to stream in high quality.

Advantages of using SRT

reliably delivers videos with low latency and high quality
enables simple and cost-effective deployment of remote locations
Easily overcomes firewalls between source and destination
High security (up to 256-bit AES encryption)

NDI stands for a software standard with which videos can be transmitted and received in high quality and with low latency via a local area network (LAN). This means that several audio and video devices in the network can be accessed via a single LAN connection.

The main prerequisite for NDI streaming is that the sending (NDI-capable) and receiving device are in the same network. For example, the video image from an NDI-capable PTZ camera can be sent and received via a company-wide network. At the same time, the camera can be controlled via the network. Other devices may require additional setup.

NDI technology uses a special codec and a transport method to achieve virtually lossless image quality without latency. However, this means that NDI requires a very high network bandwidth. A single 1080p NDI stream at 30 fps requires a bandwidth of at least 125 Mbps.

Until recently, these high bandwidth requirements meant that NDI-based video workflows were only plausible over stable local networks. With the release of NDI 5, this limit has now been exceeded. By using the NDI bridge tool, two remote NDI networks can be connected to each other. Live audio and video can be contributed via a URL using the NDI remote tool.

Advantages of using NDI

Almost lossless quality without latency
All video sources are easily accessible from anywhere in the network
offers cost-effective video production via LAN

Source: epihan.com