By Dacast Editorial Team | Reviewed by Jon Whitehead, COO at Dacast | Updated May 2026<\/i><\/p>\n
NDI (Network Device Interface) is transforming video production by making it possible to transmit high-definition, low-latency video over standard IP networks, replacing expensive SDI cabling with the ethernet infrastructure most facilities already have in place.<\/span><\/p>\n In this guide, we cover everything broadcasters need to know about the NDI protocol: how it works technically, what makes it different from other streaming protocols, and how to implement it in a live production environment.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Network Device Interface (NDI)<\/a> is a proprietary protocol developed by NewTek (now part of Vizrt Group). It enables video-capable software and hardware to communicate, deliver, and receive high-definition video over standard IP networks, including LAN and, since NDI 6.3, cloud-based transport, with minimal latency.<\/span><\/p>\n NDI 6.3 (released 2024) introduced native cloud transport support, allowing NDI sources to be routed across the internet without requiring VPN tunnels or NDI Bridge workarounds. This is the most significant architectural change to the protocol since its launch.<\/span><\/p>\n NDI is widely adopted in broadcast, live events, remote production, and AV installations. It can replace costly SDI runs and HDMI cables with standard Cat5\/Cat6 ethernet, simplifying infrastructure and reducing setup costs across all production scales.<\/span><\/p>\n NDI\u2019s ability to transmit high-definition video over IP networks with minimal latency makes it valuable across a wide range of production environments, from live events<\/a> to remote collaboration.<\/a> By leveraging existing ethernet infrastructure, it eliminates the need for dedicated SDI cabling while maintaining broadcast-quality output.<\/span><\/p>\n The protocol uses advanced compression techniques to minimize bandwidth while preserving video quality, making [low-latency streaming] practical on standard gigabit networks without specialized hardware.<\/span><\/p>\n NDI uses a proprietary codec built for real-time, high-quality video compression.<\/a> The network layer relies on mDNS (Multicast DNS) for automatic device discovery and identification on a local network. NDI supports both unicast (point-to-point) and multicast (point-to-multipoint) delivery, making it adaptable to a wide range of production topologies.<\/span><\/p>\n NDI uses intra-frame compression<\/a>, each frame is processed independently, which minimizes encoding<\/a> latency and makes it suited for live, real-time applications. The codec is optimized for high-definition video while maintaining manageable bandwidth requirements on gigabit ethernet networks.<\/span><\/p>\n NDI is bandwidth-intensive compared to compressed streaming protocols. A single 1080p NDI stream typically requires 100\u2013150 Mbps on a gigabit ethernet network. NDI HX (High Efficiency) and NDI HX3 are lower-bandwidth variants designed for environments where full NDI bandwidth is impractical, these sacrifice some latency in exchange for reduced throughput.<\/span><\/p>\n NDI Protocol Variants at a Glance:<\/span><\/p>\nTable of Contents<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What is the NDI protocol?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"newtek](\"https:\/\/prod-images.dacast.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/NewTek-NDI-zsystems.jpg\")
Technical Overview of NDI<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Protocol Stack and Architecture<\/b><\/h3>\n
Encoding and Transmission<\/b><\/h3>\n
Bandwidth Requirements<\/b><\/h3>\n
Key Features of NDI for Video Streaming<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"live](\"https:\/\/prod-images.dacast.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/live-streaming-video.jpg\")