Sending NDI Video to Lights

This guide covers the general workflow for using NDI (Network Device Interface) video streams to control lighting in Spectralite. It works with any NDI-capable application.

Overview

NDI sends video over a network without dedicated video hardware. Spectralite receives these streams and uses the pixel data to generate lighting effects.

What you'll need

• NDI-capable application (Resolume, TouchDesigner, VDMX, OBS, etc.)
• Network connection between your video application and Spectralite
• Spectralite with NDI input enabled

Basic setup

Step 1: Enable NDI output in your application

In your video or media application:

1. Open the NDI output settings (usually in Preferences or Output settings).
2. Enable NDI output.
3. Choose a descriptive name for your NDI stream.
4. Set the output resolution. Lower resolutions reduce network load.

Step 2: Configure the network

For best performance:

• Use wired Ethernet when possible.
• Keep both devices on the same network subnet.
• For wireless, use 5GHz WiFi for better bandwidth.

NDI uses automatic discovery, so devices on the same subnet find each other automatically.

Step 3: Enable NDI in Spectralite

1. Open Spectralite.
2. Go to Edit > Inputs > NDI.
3. Enable NDI input enabled and Auto-discover sources.
4. The dialog does not show a source picker. NDI sources are consumed by the NDI Input node in the Node Editor and by the built-in NDI Input layer effect. Adding either pulls the first available source automatically.

Using NDI in Spectralite

There are two ways to use NDI video in your lighting.

Quick start: built-in NDI layer

For immediate use, add an NDI layer directly to your timeline:

1. In the Timeline panel, click + Add new layer.
2. Select the built-in NDI Input effect.

The NDI video now drives your fixtures.

Advanced: custom effects with NDI nodes

For custom control over NDI behavior:

1. Open the Node Editor.
2. Create a new effect or edit an existing one.
3. Add an NDI Input node to sample video data.
4. Connect it to other nodes to create custom NDI-reactive effects.

Performance optimization

Network optimization

Lower the output resolution (720p in place of 1080p), prefer wired connections, and keep the video and lighting traffic on a dedicated network when possible.

Application settings

• Reduce the NDI output frame rate if real-time isn't critical.
• Use the NDI HX codec for lower bandwidth if your source supports it.
• Disable unnecessary alpha channels.

Spectralite settings

• Sample at lower resolution in effect nodes.
• Use fewer sample points for position mapping.
• Limit effect complexity when using NDI.

Troubleshooting

NDI stream not appearing

1. Verify both devices are on the same network.
2. Check firewall settings. NDI uses UDP port 5353 for discovery.
3. Restart NDI output in the source application.
4. Try manual IP entry if automatic discovery fails.

Latency issues

1. Switch to wired Ethernet.
2. Reduce NDI output resolution.
3. Lower NDI frame rate.
4. Simplify the effect node graph.

Dropped frames

1. Reduce video resolution.
2. Close unnecessary applications.
3. Check network congestion.
4. Monitor CPU usage in both applications.

Color accuracy

1. Verify color space settings (sRGB vs Rec.709).
2. Check gamma and brightness settings.
3. Calibrate monitors if critical.

Advanced techniques

Multiple NDI streams

Use multiple video sources:

1. Enable multiple NDI outputs from one or more applications.
2. Add each as a separate source in Spectralite.
3. Create effects that blend or switch between streams.

Alpha channel usage

If your source includes alpha:

1. Use alpha to control visibility or intensity.
2. Composite multiple streams.
3. Create transparency effects.

Time-based sampling

Sample different video regions over time:

1. Use animation nodes to modify sample coordinates.
2. Create scanning effects across the video.
3. Implement beat-synchronized sampling.

Application-specific guides

For detailed setup with specific applications:

• Resolume to Lights
• TouchDesigner to Lights
• VDMX to Lights

Related

• Node Editor: create NDI-reactive effects.
• Position Map Editor: map video to fixtures.
• Effects: available effect nodes.