In this guide
1. NDI™ connects video sources on a production network
NDI™ stands for Network Device Interface. The technology carries video, audio, and metadata over IP between compatible devices and programs. A camera, a smartphone, or a second computer can show up as a source in OBS without an extra capture card.
In a typical IRL setup, NDI™ is the local leg to the control desk, not automatically the transport over cellular to the remote server. For that you need a suitable internet path afterward.
2. NDI™ High Bandwidth and NDI™ HX
NDI™ is not just NDI™: the formats differ a lot in how much network they need. The following 1080p60 values are reference figures from the official NDI™ documentation, not a guarantee for every device or scene.
| Format | Reference value | What matters for planning |
|---|---|---|
| NDI™ High Bandwidth | about 130 Mbit/s | high image quality and low latency; prefer a wired gigabit LAN |
| NDI™ HX2 | about 11-16 Mbit/s | H.265 or H.264; lower network needs, but mind encoding and decoding |
| NDI™ HX3 | about 50-62 Mbit/s | H.265 or H.264; not automatically leaner than HX2 |
The reference figures come from the NDI™ descriptions for High Bandwidth, HX2, and HX3. Actual load and latency also depend on the source, resolution, frame rate, and network.
3. Where NDI™ makes sense in IRL streaming
- use a smartphone or camera on the same local network as an OBS source
- exchange picture and sound between two computers at the production location
- send a mobile camera wirelessly to a nearby control computer
- distribute a program or preview image on your own production network
- hand a local source to OBS before the actual internet uplink begins
For a stream from changing cell sites to a remote server, SRT or SRTLA are usually the better fit. These paths are built for fluctuating public networks, buffering, and retransmission of lost packets.
4. Using NDI™ with OBS Studio
- Connect all devices involved over gigabit Ethernet if possible, or over a capable, controlled Wi-Fi.
- On the sending device, turn on an NDI™-capable camera app, software, or hardware output.
- For OBS, use a current NDI™ integration that matches your installed OBS and NDI™ versions. The former OBS-NDI™ project is now called DistroAV.
- Close OBS completely, install the matching DistroAV version following the official instructions, and restart OBS.
- In OBS, add an NDI™ source and pick the source you want.
- Test picture, sound, sync, and a failure situation for at least several minutes.
5. When OBS can't find an NDI™ source
An empty source list doesn't automatically mean the camera isn't sending a picture. Often the discovery on the network already fails.
- Check that the sender and the OBS computer can reach each other on the same local network and that NDI™ output is really active at the source.
- Check guest Wi-Fi, client isolation, and separate VLANs: they can block automatic source discovery.
- Check firewall rules and the network profile on the OBS computer, and only for the trusted production network.
- Match your OBS version, DistroAV, and NDI™ Runtime against the current DistroAV installation notes; the old OBS-NDI™ plugin must not be installed alongside.
- Only then test picture and sound in OBS. If sources stay invisible, document how NDI™ discovery behaves and look specifically at network segments.
The NDI™ documentation describes local discovery over mDNS and notes that routers can block it between network segments.
6. NDI™ Bridge for remote networks
NDI™ doesn't have to stay within a single LAN: NDI™ Bridge can connect NDI™ sources between remote production networks and use H.264 or H.265 for that. This is a separate workflow you have to set up on top, not the normal local NDI™ source discovery.
For a mobile IRL uplink over changing cellular networks, Bridge is not automatically the best choice. Test bandwidth, latency, security, access, and reconnection first. If what matters most is a robust path from the field to the control desk, SRT or SRTLA are often the more obvious points of comparison.
7. Comparing NDI™, SRT, SRTLA, and RTMP
| Path | Typical use | IRL fit |
|---|---|---|
| NDI™ | video on a local production network | good for the internal leg to the control desk or OBS |
| SRT | reliable transport over one internet path | good for fluctuating connections with a suitable buffer |
| SRTLA | SRT-based transport over several connections | strong mobile uplink with redundancy |
| RTMP/RTMPS | encoder or OBS to the platform | widely used; RTMPS encrypts the connection |
| RIST | professional IP and broadcast transport | less common in consumer IRL streaming |
8. Network, security, and privacy
- Use NDI™ on its own trusted network or VLAN if possible.
- Don't open your production Wi-Fi to the public, and use a strong Wi-Fi key.
- Configure the firewall and network profile so sources are visible only where they're needed.
- Open NDI™ Bridge or VPN access only deliberately, and secure it with current credentials.
- Before screen sharing, close notifications, account details, and private windows.
The NDI™ documentation and DistroAV are only linked on this page, not embedded automatically. So just reading this guide creates no connection to these external services.
9. Common questions
What is NDI™?
NDI™ stands for Network Device Interface. It carries video, audio, and metadata over IP between compatible devices and programs. That way a camera or smartphone shows up as a source in OBS without a capture card.
Is NDI™ suitable for the cellular uplink?
Usually not. In a typical IRL setup, NDI™ is the local leg to the control desk. For changing cellular networks to a remote server, you're generally better off with SRT or SRTLA.
Why can't OBS find my NDI™ source?
Often it's guest Wi-Fi, client isolation, or separate VLANs. Firewall rules and mismatched versions of OBS, DistroAV, and the NDI™ Runtime can get in the way too. You'll find a step-by-step check in the section When OBS can't find an NDI™ source.
What is DistroAV?
The former OBS-NDI™ project is now called DistroAV. Old OBS-NDI™ and new DistroAV installations shouldn't run side by side. Read the current release notes before you download.
NDI™ HX needs little bandwidth, so is it suited for mobile use?
Not automatically. Even compressed NDI™ HX can be a lot for a mobile uplink, and HX3 is not necessarily leaner than HX2. Measure on the real network before you go live.
Setup service & consulting
If you want to fit NDI™ into an existing OBS or IRL workflow, you can reach out in the IRL4YOU Discord.