Using NDI in your Real Time Live Streaming Production Workflow
Tags: streaming, contentproduction, webdev
Published: 2022-11-07 20:18:33

If you're a developer who's also creating live streams and content you know that it takes a lot of effort setup a solid content streaming workflow. 

## NDI to the rescue!
NDI® (Network Device Interface) is a free protocol for Video over IP, developed by NewTek. The innovation is in the protocol, which makes it possible to stream video and media across networks with low latency from many device sources. These NDI device sources can be physical hardware or software based. This makes it possible to connect to any device, in any location, anywhere in the world – and transmit live video to wherever you are.  There are a suite of [NDI tools](https://www.ndi.tv/tools/) that work directly with NDI systems and sources on your network. Combine NDI with [Dolby.io](https://Dolby.io) Real-time Streaming to deliver real time video for remote or interactive experiences.  

Dolby.io Real-time Streaming offers incredibly low latency streams typically under a second. And even better, besides having the ability to white-label your own stream with their viewer, or [develop a complete streaming solution](https://docs.dolby.io/streaming-apis/docs/getting-started), that same stream can also be distributed through streaming services such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitch. 

## Devices Everywhere

There are many low-to-moderate cost prosumer video devices, PTZ cameras and security systems that offer NDI support. 

If you do not have a camera that supports NDI, you can simply download one of many software-based solutions that stream video and audio over your network over NDI. 

In fact, that shiny new iPhone with the amazing and gorgeous camera might actually provide the best camera solution for live streaming content over NDI. 

Some of our customers have had great success with various apps that are available in the App Store. 

[NDI HX Camera](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ndi-hx-camera/id1477266080) by NewTek and [Stream Camera for NDI HX](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stream-camera-for-ndi-hx/id1633326432) by fellow iOS developer Thomas Backes.

## Streaming Workflow

Everyone has their own opinion on what a good live streaming content workflow actually looks like. You decide.   We've created a [quick guide](https://docs.dolby.io/streaming-apis/docs/using-ndi) to make it easy for you to integrate **_your_** workflow; you have multiple options to publish NDI out with your Dolby.io account. This [guide](https://docs.dolby.io/streaming-apis/docs/using-ndi) will walk you through two of these options and assumes NDI tools are already installed on your computer.

> Dolby.io recently acquired Millicast; you many note some references in the documentation. 

## OBS WebRTC
Besides our web application, we also provide a forked version of OBS that's fine tuned for advanced 4K streaming and other features of the Dolby.io platform. 

Download the [OBS WebRTC](https://github.com/CoSMoSoftware/OBS-studio-webrtc/releases) publisher.

In OBS create your NDI scene and add your NDI source, which can be from a camera or a mobile app. 

![Image of OBS NDI settings panel](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/78evnzga9brqzlc42g96.png)

You are now ready to start publishing using NDI with OBS WebRTC for a real time broadcast at scale.

For the stream, OBS has the following settings:

VP9
1920x1080
Bitrate 4000Kbps
FPS 30

You can adjust the OBS WebRTC settings as needed to deliver the best quality and experience. 

[Sign up](https://dashboard.dolby.io/signup) to get started and then choose streaming to navigate to the Real-time Streaming API section.