VideoMaker Magazine’s Chris Monlux has put the NewTek NDI^® PTZ1 Camera through its paces. Not surprisingly, a key finding is that NewTek’s NDI technology is a major strength:

If you are not familiar with NDI, you should be. NDI is a protocol that allows for two way communication to a camera. It can send and receive high-quality video with low latency for frame-accurate switching. The NDI HX-PTZ1 also has 3G-SDI and HDMI output, but NDI makes these redundant. There’s no need for communication cables to and from the camera nor for a power source. These can all be replaced by a single ethernet cable, giving you more options when it comes to where the camera can be installed and used. Anywhere a remotely controlled PTZ camera can be used, an NDI PTZ1 would do the same job more simply. Churches, public broadcast channels and internet streaming can offer a multi-camera live cast with a few NDI PTZ1’s and a switcher that is NDI compliant.

While the review centers on the role of NDI with respect to PTZ cameras and remote control, NDI is actually a device independent IP technology. The autodiscovery aspect of the technology means that any two NDI-aware devices on the same network can see each other’s output and talk to each other automatically. Applications on computer systems and mobile devices can integrate NDI and do this as well. This ability of everything NDI to see everything else NDI completely changes the possibilities for video production - the equipment list for video production goes from just dedicated video equipment and cabling to any digital device and application that can see your network. A graphics program on a networked laptop can directly feed images and animations to an NDI switcher for use in live production, for example.

The reviewer mentions the ability to control the PTZ1 from the joystick on a TriCaster control surface; however, with the free NDI Tools pack applications, a joystick attached to a networked laptop or desktop can also be used. For that matter, tablets and mobile phones can be recruited for control as well, using free and commercial NDI applications from NewTek and others. In addition a variety of commercial camera controllers now support NDI, including Skaarhoj, X-Keys and more. NDI is the leading technology for video-over-IP, now in thousands of products in the hands of millions of users; whatever best suits your production preferences and needs, there’s a good chance that an NDI product has it covered.

Read the complete NewTek NDI PTZ1 camera review at Videomaker: NewTek NDI HX-PTZ1 review: The simple solution for video transmission

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