There are several things to consider before choosing an NDI network interface driver. Specifically, consider the following: Does NDI use PTP?, network interface drivers, and the SSSE3 instruction set. These technologies are designed to allow you to connect devices over a network without the need for a special driver. For optimal performance, NDI Cameras should be used with a network interface driver that supports both SSSE3 and PTP.

NDI uses PTP

PTP is a common protocol used for video distribution and is commonly used in HDTV and broadcast environments. The format is used to transport video and audio over IP networks. It uses IP packet formats such as VSF TR-03 to carry video and audio data, while ASPEN formats are used for metadata. A network adapter’s time stamps can help software manufacturers align video frames using the PTP protocol, but they will add latency to the process. NDI processes frames as they come off the network. It is this approach that produces the lowest latency. However, NDI does not eliminate the need for genlocking traditional video sources.

The biggest downside of NDI is its closed-source nature. While NDI uses PTP to communicate between devices on the same LAN, its vendor has a history of violating open-source licenses and presents itself as a cozy small business. Fortunately, NDI is easy to implement and requires no configuration. However, the technology itself is a bit lacking. So, I recommend avoiding NDI in favor of other protocols instead.

NDI uses network interface drivers

NDI is a standard for video communication. It was developed by Dr. Andrew Cross. The 5.0 version has improved multi-platform support, native support for Apple Silicon, plugins for audio and video sharing, reliable UDP, and NDI Bridge. Users can share their NDI sources and destinations across two or three locations. NDI is a layer 2 protocol, but it is always viewed as a local protocol.

NDI has two distinct types of metadata. The internal metadata is used by NDI to perform connectivity and fundamental tasks, such as tally. It is largely invisible to NDI clients. The defined public metadata is the NDI PTZ Protocol, which is included in NewTek SDK. Third-party metadata schemas are designed to provide an even more granular interface to NDI.

NDI uses SSSE3 instruction set

NDI, or Next-Generation Interconnect, uses the SSSE3 instruction set to run video and audio. The SSSE3 instruction set is supported by many current CPUs. X64-based processors should support SSE3, including the Intel Pentium 4 and AMD Athlon 64. The SSE3 instruction set is also supported by AMD’s Bulldozer, Bobcat, and Jaguar.

NDI has been designed to run on a wide variety of CPU architectures. AMD added SSSE3 support in 2011 and NDI can run on both 64 and 32-bit CPUs. Earlier versions only supported encode and decode on ARM processors, but NDI 5.x adds full support for both. Neon instructions are also supported by Apple Silicon processors. SSSE3 and AVX are similar instruction sets, but are not completely compatible.