Why do I need NDI Tools?
NDI Tools is an essential part of any BirdDog setup. NDI Tools is a software suite created by NewTek that directly supports NDI setups. When it comes to BirdDog setups, Test Patterns and Studio Monitor are helpful tools to have on hand, and are frequently used by BirdDog Support for troubleshooting issues.
Studio Monitor: Troubleshooting your Encoder or Camera
Studio Monitor is software that shows the raw feed of a unit you are receiving NDI from. You can use the following instructions to view the feed of your encoder or camera in Studio Monitor:
Open “NDI Studio Monitor”
Right click on the window
This will reveal a dropdown of available sources on your network.
Select the source you want to view to pull up its NDI feed
If your encoder or camera is not being discovered in Studio Monitor or shows a poor quality image (lagging, dropped frames, etc.) this would indicate an issue with the unit itself. In this case, please reach out to support@birddog.tv for further assistance.
However, if your unit is discoverable and displays a normal video feed in Studio Monitor (but does not elsewhere), this would be indicative of external factors impacting the quality of the feed, and not an issue with the unit itself.
In this case, we would recommend looking further into your network setup, as this can significantly impact the quality of the NDI feed. For further information regarding BirdDog’s network setup expectations, please refer to the following article: NDI Networking 101
Test Patterns: Troubleshooting your Decoder
Test Patterns is software that creates a raw NDI feed that can be sent to your decoder. Because we know Test Patterns outputs a reliable NDI feed, this process can help determine if there is an issue with the unit itself or if there is some external factor impacting the functionality of the decoder.
The following are instructions for decoding a Test Pattern with your decoder:
Open "NDI Test Patterns"
Choose any image by clicking on its related box
Ensure the format being chosen is compatible with your device
For a full list of product specifications, please visit our website. Each product page offers a “Tech Specs” tab, which lists compatible video formats.
Select the appropriate video format
For Audio Tests, select a dBU level in the dropdown menu next to the text "1kHz Tone Level.” Make sure you hear the audio in the NDI feed before testing it with a decoder.
Open Studio Monitor and confirm that the test pattern appears as a source, and is viewable.
Select this Test Pattern as your source in the WebUI of the decoder
Confirm whether the unit will decode this signal.
If the Test Pattern can be decoded successfully by the unit, the unit is considered fully functional. In this case, the issue is likely stemming from your external environment, or is an issue with compatibility.
For further information regarding BirdDog’s network setup expectations, please refer to the following article: NDI Networking 101
For a full list of product specifications, please visit our website. Each product page offers a “Tech Specs” tab, which will tell you more about what is and what is not compatible with this unit.
However, if you are still seeing issues using Test Patterns, this would indicate issues with the decoder itself. In this case, please reach out to support@birddog.tv for further assistance.
Need More Help?
If you have questions or concerns beyond what is addressed above, please reach out to help@BirdDog.tv for further, one-on-one assistance. Providing us with specific details about your setup, goals, as well as issues you are experiencing (and troubleshooting you have already attempted) will help us to assist you better. You can also book a phone call with one of our technicians using the following link: Schedule a Call with BirdDog Support