NDI at Ten: Why It’s Now Mission-Critical

The Network Device Interface (NDI) standard celebrated its tenth anniversary at IBC 2025 in Amsterdam, but it’s clear that this is not a moment for resting on laurels. From modest beginnings as a tool for replacing individual video cables in local studios, NDI has grown into a broad ecosystem, deeply embedded in broadcast, production, and increasingly in corporate, educational, and live event sectors.

To see all AVNation’s coverage of IBC 2025 go here.

At its core, NDI at ten now enables low-latency, high-quality transport of video plus audio and metadata over standard networks. This makes it useful in situations where traditional SDI cabling becomes cumbersome or prohibitive. Especially when you need multiple video sources, flexible camera positioning, or remote inputs. Over IBC’s last show cycles, as IP-based workflows have matured, NDI’s role has expanded beyond mere transport to include discovery, control, monitoring, and integration with cloud and software tools.

What Was New at IBC 2025

One of the key announcements was the release and preview of NDI 6.2 / 6.2.1 and the upcoming 6.3. These versions bring refinements in discovery, monitoring, and control features—important when there are many NDI streams on the network. The Discovery Server tools are better at helping devices identify each other, checking compatibility (number of audio channels, codec support) before connections are made, which helps reduce errors and simplified setup.

Another focus is on expanded hardware and partner ecosystem. Brands like RØDE introduced their first NDI-enabled audio devices. Panasonic showed NDI-enabled remote camera controllers and multi-purpose cameras. This trend of traditionally analog or SDI-oriented hardware becoming “NDI smart” gives organizations more choice and flexibility.

Also at IBC, “NDI Connected Talks” panels dove into cloud production, the consumerization of broadcast tools, audio-over-IP, and workflows for hybrid/remote production. For corporate or educational users, these are not merely theoretical: they map directly onto problems like under-resourced AV teams, distributed campuses, or remote contributors.

NDI at Ten with Higher ED and HOW

In corporate communications, higher education, and houses of worship, the pressures are similar: greater expectation for video quality and more channels or outlets (internal streaming, external, recording, and virtual meetings), often with limited staff, variable budgets, and sometimes older infrastructure. NDI addresses many of these challenges.

Because it works over regular networks and often requires much less physical cabling or dedicated hardware, NDI can reduce setup time, logistical complexity, and staffing needs. For example, you can have PTZ or mobile cameras, even phones, feeding into the system over Ethernet or WiFi, send graphics or presentation systems as NDI sources, monitor feeds via standard PCs. The simplified discovery tools in newer versions mean fewer manual interventions or troubleshooting. The ability to carry metadata (tally, camera control, remote control) further reduces ancillary gear. (General technical details from the standard, use cases across sectors).

Case in point: A recent event production workflow (MMG Events via Atomos) used over 200 simultaneous NDI streams across countries to deliver hybrid sessions with tight delivery windows. That kind of scale shows NDI is not just for “small setups” but can scale.

For worship venues, which often juggle streaming, overflow screens, social-media video, and volunteer teams, NDI permits reusing existing Ethernet infrastructure, reducing dependency on SDI patching or physical signal routing, and enabling remote monitoring or control. Education environments similarly benefit: lecture capture, remote guest lecturers, hybrid classes, streaming to multiple rooms or platforms. All become more manageable.

Challenges & Considerations

That said, NDI is not without trade-offs. The network infrastructure needs to be up to the task: bandwidth, switching, buffering, multicast/ discovery etc. Latency, while generally very low, depends heavily on the quality and design of the network. Misconfigured or overloaded networks can introduce delays or quality drops. Also, while many devices now support NDI, integration, training, and compatibility with legacy systems (SDI, HDMI, existing switchers) need to be planned. Some users report that in older articles.

What’s Next

The roadmap (NDI 6.3, expanded partner hardware, better control/discovery) suggests that NDI will continue shifting from being a transport protocol to being a full connectivity platform for AV/IT producers. As more devices support it out of the box, as cloud workflows mature, and as hybrid production becomes more common, NDI’s role will only grow. For corporate users, educational institutions, and houses of worship, that means more opportunities to deliver polished video content without having to build a full-broadcast infrastructure.