NDI output, full or hx? And what about vs 3 or 4?

plem

I want to start using the Stage NDI output. But at the end of the road I’ll have to go back to HDMI (for my beamers). So I need a NDI > HDMI decoder. But what about the different types of NDI. Is Isadora sending NDIfull or NDIhx? And do I have to take in account that it could be different versions of NDI (3 or 4).

(You probably notice that I try to keep up with the NDI happening, but still lack a lot of insight)

Thanks

Peter

Michel

@plem

I am not sure what you want to do. You want to go out of your computer with NDI and then convert it to HDMI just before the beamer? I don't think this makes a lot of sense, especially because NDI is quite hard on your CPU. If you want to avoid long HDMI cables you would rather use HDBaseT converters or HDMI-SDI and back.

Best Michel

plem

@Michel

Hai Michel,

That, indeed, was my intention. Thinking that working with NDI was more general (and future proof, and maybe even cheaper) then specific solutions that send HDMI over a cat-cable. I was even hoping a little bit, that I could send a lower res-image (1280x720) over a dedicated router. But maybe that was to optimistic? And cpu-wise? Would that really be to much burden for a MacBook Pro 2019, giving the fact that the patch now uses an average of 30% cpu? Do you have any experience on things like this? Any recommendations?

Michel

@plem

Here is an post from @Mark about how NDI is working: https://community.troikatronix...

A HDBaseT extender set costs around $500.-: https://www.purelink.de/en/sig...

Birddog planned to ship a NDI to HDMI converter in September for $400.-, but it seems it did not ship yet: https://bird-dog.tv/flex-overv...

As @Mark has written NDI has the downside of pulling from the GPU to the CPU and 1 signal may work fine but if you sending to 3 different projectors or more this can be unusable depending on your computer specs. I don't have a tried any NDI to HDMI converter yet and can not say how workable it is.

Best Michel

Fred

@plem just to add that if it is only extension and 1280*720 is OK, I would go with SDI, the blackmagic micro convertors are €45 each way, and a lossless conversion to SDI and back. SDI cables (paricularly those capable of 720p) as cheap and easy to repair on site if need be. I would definitely use a hardware conversion for signal extension, things like getting an EDID handshake and not doing any frame rate or size conversion will be more transparent than if you use NDI. You can also flood your network and overwhelm a mid range router or switch with enough NDI.

There are also a lot of cheaper HDbaset options you can look for as well. Michel linked to a good system though.

Magewell do have an NDI to HDMI out now - Magewell Pro Convert for NDI to HDMI.

Fred

plem

@Fred

Just curious. What cables do you use for SDI? The standard, old fashioned, 75ohm coax cables? They will last for 50 meters extension?

plem

@Michel

The pictures start to get clearer. And, as always, the remarks of Mark shed a lot of light.

Thanks for your answers.