BirdDog Australia SDM NDI Decoder with DisplayPort User Guide
- June 9, 2024
- BirdDog Australia
Table of Contents
USER GUIDE
March 2023
NDI
Copyright
Copyright 2023 BirdDog Australia all rights reserved. No part of this manual
may be copied, reproduced, translated, or distributed in any form or by any
means without prior consent in writing from our company.
Trademark Acknowledgement
and other BirdDog trademarks and logos are the property of BirdDog
Australia. Other trademarks, company names and product names contained in
this manual are the property of their respective owners.
- Microsoft, Windows, ActiveX, and Internet Explorer are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
- HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are the trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing, LLC in the United States and other countries.
- Other trademarks, company names and product names contained in this manual are the property of their respective owners.
- NDI® is a registered trademark of NewTek, Inc.
Important Information
Legal Notice
To ensure account security, please change the password after your first login.
You are recommended to set a strong password (no less than eight characters).
The contents of this document are subject to change without prior notice.
Updates will be added to the new version of this manual. We will readily
improve or update the products or procedures described in the manual. Best
effort has been made to verify the integrity and correctness of the contents
in this document, but no statement, information, or recommendation in this
manual shall constitute formal guarantee of any kind, expressed or implied.
We shall not be held responsible for any technical or typographical errors in
this manual.
The product appearance shown in this manual is for reference only and may be
different from the actual appearance of your device. Due to uncertainties
such as physical environment, discrepancy may exist between the actual values
and reference values provided in this manual.
Use of this document and the subsequent results shall be entirely on the
user’s own responsibility.
Regulatory Compliance
FCC Part 15
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment
is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is
likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required
to correct the interference at his own expense.
This product complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
- This device may not cause harmful interference.
- This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
LVD/EMC Directive
This product complies with the European Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC and
EMC Directive 2004/108/EC.
Welcome to BirdDog
Thank you for purchasing your BirdDog SDM module. If you have any questions regarding the device, please contact your authorized dealer.
Using This Manual
Your BirdDog SDM module is a sophisticated device, so please read this manual
and retain for future reference.
Tip
When viewing the diagrams in this manual, use the zoom controls in your
browser or PDF reader to reveal more detail.w
First Step
Firmware Upgrade
Before you use your new SDM module, it’s a good idea to upgrade to the lastest
firmware. We are always adding new features and improving the performance of
our products, so installing the latest firmware will provide you with the best
user experience.
To upgrade the firmware, please follow the Firmware Upgrade Instructions
located in your firmware download folder and perform upgrade process.
The latest firmware files are available for download here: Firmware Updates
We’re Invested In Your Success
We pride ourselves on being approachable and easily contactable. We’d love to
hear from you.
Welcome to the Future
What is NDI®?
Your new SDM module has been designed to support the cutting edge NDI® video
transmission standard.
NDI® (Network Device Interface) is a high-quality, low-latency, frame-accurate
standard that enables compatible devices to communicate, and deliver and
receive high definition video over your existing Gigabit Ethernet network.
Operating bi-directionally, NDI® devices can be auto-detected, powered and
controlled over the same Ethernet able used to send the video and audio. If
you have a Gigabit network, you have the potential for a streamlined,
interconnected, video production environment.
With the introduction of NDI® 5, you can now securely share network sources
between remote sites anywhere in the world – on a single network port. Even a
smartphone can be a NDI® source.
Transitioning to NDI® can also occur gradually. Existing SDI or HDMI signals
can easily be converted to an NDI® stream and piped where required on your
network and converted back only at the necessary endpoints.
BirdDog has been on the NDI® journey since the very beginning, and your SDM
modulew is just one of our products designed to take advantage of the
features and potential of NDI®.
For more information on NDI®, please refer to this page on our website.
BirdDog SDM Overview
Built upon the Intel® SDM platform, the BirdDog SDM module easily installs
inside an SDM compatible flat panel display providing integrated and scalable
NDI® video from any compatible source. Power to the module is automatically
provided by the host display.
The modules are controlled by BirdDog OS, which features built in Crestron
control and RESTful API support for complete remote automation.
There are two BirdDog SDM modules to choose from – M1 and M2.
- M1 is a full NDI® Sender and Receiver based on the Intel SDM-L form factor.
- M2 is an NDI® Receiver built on the Intel® SDM-S module. With support for resolutions all the way up to 4Kp60, there is also a RESTful API for programming completely automated spaces.
With the optional Dante activation licence, both the M1 and M2 have Dante
audio support. The M1 can embed Dante audio to, and de-embed Dante audio
from, the NDI® stream while the M2 features Dante embedding.
BirdDog Central
BirdDog Central is a natural partner for your SDM module. By teaming up
Central with any NDI® source, including all BirdDog hardware capable of
creating NDI® sources, you can easily direct your NDI® streams to your SDM
enabled displays.
For complete Technical Specifications, please see this webpage.
Supported Video Formats
- (4K) 2160p 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60
- (HD) 1080p 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60
- (HD) 1080i 50, 59.94, 60
- (HD) 720p 50, 59.94, 60
Card Installation
ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) Precautions
Electrostatic energy can be destructive to electronic components. The warranty
may be void if equipment is damaged by ESD.
- Always wear a grounded anti-static wrist strap when handling cards.
- Always hold the card by the corners and avoid direct contact with any of the components.
- Never let the card come in contact with clothing. Clothing can generate high levels of electrostatic energy.
General Installation Procedure
Please consult the manual for your specific display for directions on module
installation. However, the general procedure to install a Display option
board, such as the SDM module, is as follows:
-
Turn off the display main power switch.
-
Remove the screws from the option board slot cover plate and remove the cover.
-
AIign the SDM module to the rails of the slot and gently slide the module into place until it is firmly seated.
Secure the module in place with the removed screws. -
Turn on the display. The SDM module will show as an available input in the display OSD menu.
BirdUI
Connect one end of a CAT5e or CAT6 Ethernet cable to the NDI® port of the
module and connect the other end to your switch or computer. Ensure that you
are on the same subnet as the module, open a connected browser and type
192.168.100.100 into the address bar and press [Enter]. The read only SDM
module Dashboard window should display. If it does not, please check your
connections or consult your IT professional.
The BirdDog web user interface panel (BirdUI) allows you to configure module
settings. While the BirdDog SDM has default settings that will usually
provide an immediate ‘plug and play’ experience, you can fine tune the card to
provide optimum performance for your particular application.
BirdUI Layout
The BirdUI is organized into the following panels:
-
Dashboard
Overall view of important information such as the network connection type and NDI® video stream format and resolution. -
Network
General network settings such as DHCP IP Address details, timeout fallback address and camera network name, as well as NDI® specific network settings -
System
System admin functions such as updates, password change, designation of group access and system reboot. -
AV Setup
Settings for NDI® decode / encode management and audio settings. -
Logout
Click to logout from the BirdUI.
Dashboard
The Dashboard displays an overall view of important module settings.
-
System Info
Current computer system CPU utilization. -
Device mode / Source Status
Displays the Encode or Decode mode of the unit and whether the selected source is available. -
Network Bandwidth
Network bandwidth consumption of the current NDI® output stream(s). -
Status
Operation mode and format of the selected NDI® source or output. -
Stream Info
a. Video Resolution.
b. Video Frame Rate. -
System Details.
a. SDM module name.
b. Network details.
c. Online status of the camera.
d. MAC address and current firmware version of the camera. -
Device Restart
Click this button to restart the NDI® video engine to ensure that any manual setting changes will be processed correctly. -
System Reboot
Click this button to soft reboot the module, for example, after installing new firmware.
Login
To make any changes via the web browser interface BirdUI, you’ll need log in.
The BirdUI is secured by a user password. The default password is: birddog
(one word, lower case). Refer to Password Settings to change the default
password.
Network Details
Configuration Method
You can configure the SDM module to operate on the network with a dynamic
(DHCP) IP address or a fixed address.
For smaller networks, DHCP networking is generally suitable, however larger
managed networks will often require that each device has a dedicated, static
IP address.
DHCP
DHCP is set as the network configuration by default.
Static
To enable a static IP Address, change the Configuration Method to Static and
add the Address, Mask and Gateway information. Particular attention should be
paid to the Address and Mask fields, as incorrect information will result in
the SDM module not being visible on the network. If you cannot find SDM on
the network, you can use the IPv6 method to retrieve it.
DHCP Timeout, Fallback IP Address, Fallback Subnet Mask
You can set the timeout period for the unit to be assigned a DHCP IP address.
After this period, the device will default to the designated fallback IP
address which by default is 192.168.100.100.
BirdDog Name
You can name each SDM module with a meaningful name to make identification
easier. Be sure to make the name unique, as no two devices on the network
should have the same name. This name will appear on any NDI® receiver when it
looks for video on the network. The name must not include any special
characters and can be any combination of ‘a-z, 0-9, and –‘.
In this image, the SDM module has been named screen2. After renaming your SDM
module, navigate back to the Dashboard and click REBOOT DEVICE. The device
will re-initialize and you’ll be good to go.
NDI Network Settings
The SDM module operates with the latest NDI® Libraries. There are several options to configure its behaviour in an NDI® network. Each configuration has its benefits, however it is recommended to utilise the default TCP transmit method unless you have reason to change.
Preferred Transmit/Receive Method
TCP
TCP is the default transmission method for NDI®. It operates well within local
networks with predictable latency and limited jitter. BirdDog recommends that
TCP be used for typical applications, and using alternative transports only
for specific reasons.
UDP
UDP is recommended for networks where there is extended latency. The nature of
UDP allows dropped packets and doesn’t establish handshaking dialogues to
confirm each received packet – which can improve performance.
UDP can have some consequences if there are other issues on the network, such
as jitter or packet loss, as lost packets will not be re-sent.
Multicast
Multicast is especially useful for use cases that require a single source to
be received on multiple receivers simultaneously. Using Multicast offloads the
distribution of the NDI® A/V packets from the device to the network
infrastructure. You should take care to ensure your network is specifically
configured to support Multicast, as use on an ill-prepared network can create
unintended network problems.
NDI Discovery
By default, NDI® utilizes mDNS (multicast Domain Name System) to create a zero
configuration environment for network discovery. The primary benefits of
using mDNS is that it requires little or no administration to set up.
Unless the network is specifically configured to not allow mDNS, NDI® sources
will be discovered.
The NDI® Discovery Service is designed to allow you to replace the automatic
discovery with a server that operates as an efficient centralized registry of
NDI® sources resulting in much less bandwidth use. NDI® discovery server also
helps with location of devices that reside on different subnets. The NDI®
Discovery Server is available as part of the free NDI Tools in NDI version 5.5
(C:\Program Files\NDI\NDI 5 Tools\Discovery\ NDI Discovery
Service.exe).
- If you are using a NDI® Discovery Server, click the ON button.
- Enter the IP address of your NDI® Discovery Server.
- Click the APPLY button to save your changes.
**System
**
Password Settings
The WebUI is secured by
a user password. The default password is birddog (one word, lower case). It is
recommended to change this password to retain administration rights to
prevent unauthorized changes since the WebUI grants full access to the
configuration settings.
- Enter the current password.
- Enter the new password. Confirm the new password and click the Apply button.
System Update
We are always adding new features and improving the performance of our
products, so installing the latest firmware will provide you with the best
user experience. To upgrade the firmware please follow the Firmware Upgrade
Instructions located in your firmware download folder and perform upgrade
process.
After updating, click the Reboot button to perform a system reboot.
The latest firmware files are available for download here.
Access Manager Configuration 
Remote IP List
By default, NDI® devices are visible to each other only when they’re on the
same VLAN. If you want visibility or control of a device on a different VLAN,
you need to add it’s address manually as a Remote IP.
- Click the CHOOSE FILE button to load your Remote IP List in UTF8 encoded string format.
- Click the UPDATE button. Do not upload a blank list.
NDI Group List
Set the NDI group list. NDI® groups allow you to restrict communication to
only devices that belong to the same NDI® group. NDI® Groups can be very
useful in larger environments to control visibility and access amongst various
groups.
- Click the CHOOSE FILE button to load your NDI Group List in UTF-8 encoded string format.
- Click the UPDATE button. Do not upload a blank list.
AV
Device Settings
Operation Mode
The SDM module can operate in either Encoder or Decoder mode.
Encode
Encodes the incoming HDMI signal to NDI®.
Decode
Decodes the NDI® input for display on the monitor.
The following settings apply to Decode mode.
Video Output
Output Mode
Select the required Output mode from the dropdown:
Decode NDI to original video format
Decodes the NDI® video to the original format.
Decode NDI to highest supported
Decodes the NDI® video to the highest format supported
by the SDM module (4Kp60).
Decode NDI to selected scaled
When selected, the Format dropdown is displayed.
Select the format that you wish to scale the output video to.
NDI Decode
- If neccessary, click the Refresh button to add newly discovered sources to the available sources list.
- Click on the Available NDI Sources dropdown to select the source that you wish to decode and display on the monitor.
- Click the Apply Source Change button. The source will then be displayed in the Current Source field along with the source IP address.
The following settings apply to Encode mode.
Encode Settings
A source connected to the HDMI in port can be encoded and output via NDI® or
SRT. SRT is a WAN protocol that wraps a UDP stream.
Broadcast
Select NDI or SRT as the transmission protocol.
When SRT is selected, the following additional settings display:
Company
Select an API Token from the dropdown. Click the Add button to add a new API
Token. Click the
Trashcan button to remove a selected API Token.
Endpoint
Select the desired Cloud Endpoint.
SRT port
Enter the desired SRT streaming port number.
Glossary
Domain
A domain contains a group of computers that can be accessed and administered
with a common set of rules.
Domain can also refer to the IP address of a website on the Internet.
DNS
DNS (Domain Name System) is a system used by the Internet and private networks
to translate domain names into IP addresses.
mDNS
mDNS (Multicast DNS) refers to the use of IP multicast with DNS to translate
domain names into IP addresses and provide service discovery in a network
that does not have access to a DNS server.
EDID
Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) is an AV industry standard which
automatically communicates specification between devices, allowing your AV
source to send the most compatible signal to your screen.
Ethernet
Ethernet, standardized as IEEE 802.3, refers to a series of technologies used
to connect computers and other devices to a LAN (Local Area Network) or wide
area network (WAN).
Firmware
Firmware is a class of software held in non-volatile memory that provides the
low-level control for a device’s hardware.
Gigabit Ethernet (GigE)
An Ethernet capable of transmitting frames at a rate of a gigabit per second.
A Gigabit capable Ethernet network is recommended for NDI® production
workflows.
IP
IP (Internet Protocol) is the communications protocol for the Internet, many
wide area networks (WANs), and most local area networks (LANs) that defines
the rules, formats, and address scheme for exchanging datagrams or packets
between a source computer or device and a destination computer or device.
LAN
LAN (Local Area Network) is a network that connects computers and devices in a
room, building, or group of buildings. A system of LANs can also be connected
to form a WAN (Wide Area Network).
Mbps
Mbps (Megabits per second) is a unit of measurement for data transfer speed,
with one megabit equal to one million bits. Network transmissions are commonly
measured in Mbps.
NDI®
NDI® (Network Device Interface) is a standard allowing for transmission of
video using standard LAN networking.
NDI® comes in two flavours, NDI® and NDI®|HX. NDI® is a variable bit rate,
I-Frame codec that reaches rates of around 140Mbps at 1080p60 and is visually
lossless. NDI®|HX is a compressed, long-GOP, H.264 variant that achieves rates
around 12Mbps at 1080p60. BirdDog uses NDI®.
PELCO
PELCO is a camera control protocol used with PTZ cameras. See also VISCA.
PoE
Power over Ethernet
Port
A port is a communications channel for data transmission to and from a
computer on a network. Each port is identified by a 16-bit number between 0
and 65535, with each process, application, or service using a specific port
(or multiple ports) for data transmission. Port can also refer to a hardware
socket used to physically connect a device or device cable to your computer or
network.
PTZ
Pan, tilt and zoom.
RJ45
A form of standard interface commonly used to connect computers onto Ethernet-
based local area networks (LAN).
RS422, RS485, RS232
Physical layer, serial communication protocols.
Subnet
Subnet or subnetwork is a segmented piece of a larger network.
Tally
A system that indicates the on-air status of video signals usually by the use
of a red illuminated lamp.
TCP
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is a network communications protocol.
UDP
UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is an alternative protocol to TCP that is used
when reliable delivery of data packets in not required.
VISCA
VISCA is a camera control protocol used with PTZ cameras. See also PELCO.
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE.
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