NDI is no stranger to the video over IP world. It has long been the gold standard in terms of ease of use and flexibility and they have continued to iterate on the features and continues to drive its mission to bridge the gap between professional broadcast quality with the accessibility of standard Ethernet networks.
Building on the foundation of NDI 6, we now have NDI 6.3. NDI 6 was revolutionary for the introduction of native HDR support and 10-bit color, but 6.3 takes it to the next level through increasing stability, enhancing metadata handling and a focus on optimizing the “bridge” technology. So let’s take a deep dive into what’s new and why you should care about how it can change your production workflow.
1. Refined HDR and 10-Bit Color Management
While NDI 6 brought us the capability for high dynamic range (HDR), version 6.3 refines how that data is signaled across the network.
- The Impact: Improved color space conversion ensures that when you send an HDR signal from an 8K camera to a multiviewer or a production switcher, the highlights and shadows remain consistent without manual “tonemapping” tweaks. This makes 10-bit workflows practical for live events, not just post-production.
2. Optimized NDI Bridge (Global Connectivity)
NDI Bridge is one of the most unique and powerful features of the NDI ecosystem. Having a tool to be able to not only share but interact with NDI sources across the internet as if they were on the same local network opens so many doors for remote productions.
- What’s New: NDI 6.3 has introduced a new more efficient codec for NDI Bridge. This codec can intelligently analyze your available bandwidth and adjust the bitstream in real time. That means less stuttering, and a more consistent video signal without hiccups. Whether you’re doing remote interviews or a cloud based production you should notice increased reliability.
3. Enhanced Security and Discovery
With IP video, there is also the concern of network security. Thankfully, NDI offers encrypted bidirectional transmission, meaning that you can securely connect to NDI networks over the public internet and that your content can’t be accessed without the proper key.
To take it one step further, there was an update to the NDI Discovery Tool, specifically for Sender Monitoring. This update makes it easy for a user to visualize and monitor the detailed stream information from NDI devices, all in real time. This means a quick and cohesive one stop shop for a complete view of all of your NDI workflows.
Why Should You Update?
The first reason you should update is that it’s free! But to take it a step further, this jump in technology is all about future proofing and efficiency. As higher resolutions and framerates begin becoming more popular and more demanding color rendering becomes the standard, the efficiency of the 6.3 update becomes more essential. To put it simply, this update allows for you to do more with NDI without needing an overhaul of your current 1G or 10G network infrastructure, and that’s an attractive prospect. .
Is your gear ready for the update? Most gear should be if they are already NDI compatible, they just might need a simple firmware update. However check with your hardware manufacturer in order to double check and ensure that you are getting the most out of your NDI experience.
