BirdDog Flex 4K Out Full NDI Decoder User Guide

FLEX OUT
THE SMALLEST 4K NDI ON THE PLANET.

USER GUIDE
September 2022

Flex 4K Out Full NDI Decoder

Copyright
Copyright 2022 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 log in. 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 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 4K FLEX OUT Converter. If you have any questions regarding the unit, please contact your authorized dealer.

Using This Manual

Your 4K Converter is a powerful and sophisticated device, so please read this manual before use 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.

First Step
Firmware Upgrade
Before you use your new converter, it’s a good idea to upgrade to the latest 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.

We’re Invested in Your Success
We pride ourselves on being approachable and easily contactable. We’d love to hear from you.

Dan Miall
Co-Founder and CEO
dan@bird-dog.tv| Eamon Drew
Co-Founder and CMO
eamon@bird-dog.tv
---|---
|

Welcome to the Future

What is NDI®?
Your new camera 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
cable 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 camera 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.

Getting to Know Your Converter

Thanks for purchasing your BirdDog 4K Converter. Please take some time to read this document to allow you to get the most out of your purchase and familiarize yourself with the features available in the unit.

Physical Connectors

Powering Your Converter
This converter is equipped with a sophisticated system allowing power from various sources:
PoE+ (Power over Ethernet)
PoE+ is a convenient way to power this converter as it allows both data and power to be sent through the same standard Ethernet cable. To take advantage of PoE+, the network switch that the converter is directly plugged into must support PoE+(802.11at).
Different network switches are capable of providing differing amounts of total power to all connected devices. This FLEX 4K converter uses approximately 14 watts in PoE+ mode.
DC In
Located at the side of the 4K converter is a DC connection port. This power input is capable of accepting 12v DC power.
Thermal Management
This product has been engineered to be actively cooled. In order to achieve best thermal performance, the fan assembly has been carefully designed to provide optimum cooling while remaining extremely quiet. It is normal for warm air to pass through the vent voutlets. The main processor is capable of operating up to 100º C / 212º F.

Operating Your Converter

Boot Up
When FLEX is booted, the Halo Tally light will illuminate orange and the network activity indicator will begin to flash indicating that the device’s detection of the computer network. After approx. 20 seconds, the Halo Tally will flash Red and then Green, indicating NDI video detection. The unit is now completely booted and ready for operation.

Web Configuration Panel
In this release, the web configuration panel (WebUI) allows you to alter key settings of your converter, specifically A/V settings, and video frame rates, restarting the video processing engine, changing networking parameters and applying firmware updates.
Access via a Web Browser (URL)
To access the web configuration panel please point your computer web browser to: http://birddog-xxxxx.local. Here “xxxxx” is the last five digits of the serial number of the converter, the serial number is printed on the box and on the main unit. Note the web address is case sensitive and all lower case. Your computer will need to have ‘Bonjour’ services loaded in order to access the unit as described above. Apple devices come pre-installed with Bonjour, while Windows devices need a small plugin available here.
Access via IP Address
Your converter is configured to automatically receive a network IP address from the computer network via DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Most corporate, education and home networks have a DHCP server present on the network to allow this to occur. Usually your Internet Router provides this. If your device receives an IP address automatically from this server (DHCP) the IP address can be discovered in several ways, including BirdDog Central Lite available from here.
Access Without a Network DHCP Server
Some standalone or private networks may not have a DHCP server. After 30 seconds of waiting for an automatically assigned IP address, the device will fall back to a default address which is: 192.168.100.100. In order to access the web configuration panel on a network which is configured to a different subnet, change your computers IP address to match the BirdDog unit’s IP address range. Once you gain access to the BirdDog web configuration panel choose your IP address to match the rest of the devices on your network.
For instructions on setting your computers IP address please consult your computer operating system manual or IT support resources.

Password Management
Once you direct your web browser to the web configuration panel you will need to log in to change any settings.
Default Password

The web configuration panel is secured by a user-selectable password. The default password is: birddog (one word, lower case).
To change the password simply log in using the default password, navigate to the network tab in the web interface, and select change password.
It is recommended to change this password in a network environment where your device is shared with other users (e.g. not private), since this password grants full access to the configuration settings and could interrupt a live program.

Dashboard

The Dashboard summarizes the important settings for the converter in one convenient location. You can also reboot the device or restart the video processing engine.
Reboot Device
Click this button to reboot the unit after changing key network settings or the BirdDog name.
Restart Video
Click this button to restart the NDI® stream. This may be necessary after changing key image settings e.g., resolution.

Network

Most computer networks provide for both automatic and manual configuration of network devices and FLEX can accommodate both.
Configuration Method
Here you can set the network configuration to either DHCP (default) or Static. DHCP simplifies the management of IP addresses on networks. No two hosts can have the same IP address, so assigning them manually can potentially lead to errors. If your network is set up for DHCP, this is generally the best configuration to choose. If you do choose to go with a Static IP address, you’ll need to add the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Gateway Address information according to the requirements of your network.
DHCP Timeout, Fallback IP address, Fallback Subnet Mask
You can set the timeout period during which FLEX will look for a DHCP IP address. After this period, the camera will default to the designated fallback IP address.
This can be useful if you use your camera in other network environments. For example, if a DHCP server is available in your normal office or studio application, FLEX will use the DHCP supplied IP address. If you then use the camera in another application without a DHCP server, your device will always default to the known fallback IP address.
NOTE: Do not set the fallback IP address the same as the device IP address. It is recommended to keep the default fallback IP address.
IP Address Recovery
In the event that the device is not visible on the network, the network has changed, or the static IP address details have been lost, reset the BirdDog back to its default settings by following the factory reset procedure.
BirdDog Name
You can give your device a meaningful name to make identification easier when viewing NDI® sources on a receiver such as a TriCaster, vMix or Studio Monitor. Be sure to make the name unique, as no two devices on the network should have the same name. The name can be any combination of a-z, 0-9, and –.
After renaming your device, navigate back to the System menu and click the REBOOT button. The camera will re-initialize and you’ll be good to go.

System

Password Settings

The BirdUI is secured by a user-selectable password. To make changes to any settings, you’ll need to log in.
The default password is birddog (one word, lower case). It is recommended that the default password be changed, since the BirdUI grants full access to the camera configuration settings.
You can change the password in the Password Settings tab.

1. Enter the current password.
2. Enter the new password. It is recommended that you change this password to prevent unauthorized changes in a network environment where the device is shared with other users (e.g. not private). 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, download the firmware and follow the Firmware Upgrade Instructions located in the download folder.

Configuration Update

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 can add it’s address manually as a Remote IP. You can upload and download Remote IP Lists for sharing with other cameras. To upload a list:

1. Click the CHOOSE FILE button to load your Remote IP List in UTF-8 encoded string format.
2. 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 to control visibility and access in larger environments. You can upload and download Group lists for sharing with other cameras. Groups also need setting up in NDI Access Manager, available in NDI Tools.

To upload a list:

1. Click the CHOOSE FILE button to load your NDI® Group List in UTF-8 encoded string format.
2. Click the UPDATE button. Do not upload a blank list.

Network Settings
Preferred Transmit Method
TCP
TCP is the default method of transmission for NDI®. It operates well within local networks with predictable latency and limited jitter. BirdDog recommends that TCP be used for typical applications, with alternative transports used 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. Using UDP can have some consequences if there are other issues on the network such as jitter or lost packets as it will not inherently re-sent a lost packet.

Multicast
Multicast is especially useful for use-cases that require a single source to be received on multiple receivers simultaneously. Utilizing Multicast offloads the distribution of the NDI® A/V packets from the BirdDog device to the network infrastructure. You should take care to ensure your network is specifically configured to support Multicast as using it on an ill-prepared network can create unintended network problems.
MultiTCP
MultiTCP is a new NDI transport method that allows users to send NDI video over poor network topography such as WAN (Wide Area Networks) without experiencing packet loss and lost frames. Historically, UDP transport was the only option to send NDI video over a WAN, allowing the NDI video to travel without dropping frames but resulted in dropped packets being missed which could cause unstable video. UDP also places more performance demands on devices sending and receiving the signal.
MultiTCP employs a new method of sending TCP packets whereby it opens a mass of TCP connections over the WAN and uses them in a ‘round robin’ manner. This allows each individual TCP connection enough time to acknowledge the receiving packet, confirm nothing is lost, and prepare for the next one before it’s sent the next TCP packet in the round robin.

NDI Discovery
If you choose to use a NDI® discovery server, you can configure it in this tab. By default, NDI® utilizes mDNS (multicast Domain Name System) to create the zero  configuration environment for discovery. Unless the network is specifically configured to not allow mDNS, NDI® sources will be discovered.
The NDI® discovery service is designed to replace the automatic discovery NDI® uses with a server that operates as an efficient centralized registry of NDI® sources that requires much less bandwidth. NDI® discovery server also helps with location of devices that reside on different subnets. The NDI® Discovery Server is available in the NDI 5.5 version of the free NDI Tools (C:\Program Files\NDI\NDI 5 Tools\Discovery\ NDI Discovery Service.exe).

1. If you are using an NDI® Discovery Server, click the ON button.
2. Enter the IP address of your NDI® Discovery Server.
3. Click the APPLY button to save your changes.

AV

Device Settings
Audio Gain
Controls for adjusting the audio gain.
Audio Output Select
Audio from the NDI® stream is directed to the audio out for camera operator comms.

Decode Settings
Current Source
Select an available NDI source from the Available NDI Sources dropdown list and Click the Apply button to apply the change. You can update this list by clicking the Refresh button.
Colour Space
BirdDog FLEX has built in colour space conversion – choose from RGB or YUV colour space.

Onboard Tally
On/Off: When connected to a Tally capable device, such as a vMix, the Tally light will illuminate Green for Preview and Red for Program.
Video: This selection uses the Tally light to indicate the presence of an NDI source at the input.

Decode Screensaver
Assign a captured frame, black frame, or BirdDog logo as a screensaver.
Capture Screensaver Frame
Click the Capture button to capture the current frame for use as a screensaver.
Failover Source
If the generated NDI stream is interrupted for any reason the receiver can automatically switch to a nominated alternative NDI stream. This is particularly useful for live ‘on air’ productions where there can be no risk of still frames or black being broadcast should any source no longer be available. Select an available NDI source for the failover function from the Available NDI Sources dropdown list. You can update this list by clicking the Refresh button.

NDI Source Status

This screen displays the format details of the selected NDI source.

NDI Video Format Support
The following NDI video formats are supported (all in YUV-422, RGB 8 bit):
2160p30, 2160p29.97, 2160p25, 2160p24, 2160p23.97, 1080p60, 1080p59.94, 1080p50, 1080p30, 1080p29.97, 1080p25 1080p24, 1080p23.97, 1080i60, 1080i59.94, 1080i50, 720p60, 720p59.94, 720p50
Factory Resetting Your Unit
If you have lost network settings or cannot find your BirdDog FLEX device on the network, you can perform a network factory reset.
To perform a reset, use a tool such as a SIM eject tool to press the reset button located next to the RS-232 port for 5 seconds until the Halo Tally flashes red. The unit will be accessible, as per factory settings, approximately 10 seconds later.

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.
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.
Packet (Frame)
A packet s a unit of data transmitted over a packet-switched network, such as a LAN, WAN, or the Internet.
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.
WAN
WAN (Wide Area Network) is a network that spans a relatively broad geographical area, such as a state, region, or nation.
White Balance
White balance (WB) is the process of ensuring that white objects and by extension, all colour, in your video are rendered accurately. Without correct white balance, objects in your video display unrealistic color casts.

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE.
bird-dog.tv
hello@bird-dog.tv

References

• bird-dog.tv
• BirdDog – Welcome to the future.
• Dog Tv | Home
• Central 2.0 – BirdDog
• NDI® 5 – BirdDog
• Download Bonjour Print Services for Windows v2.0.2 (AU)
• Tools – NDI

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