--- title: Adding an NDI Input to Zixi Broadcaster slug: zixi-broadcaster-zec-current-version/adding-an-ndi-input-to-zixi-broadcaster docTags: createdAt: 2024-12-26T16:40:20.923Z --- The NDI is pulled into Zixi Broadcaster using the auto-discovery mechanism described in the [NDI Stream Discovery](docId\:wbcKncnlgZH7YncEz0Hcx) section. ## To Add an NDI Input Stream: :::hint{type="info"} - Before adding the NDI Input Stream, you must configure the relevant transcoding profiles - See [Configuring Transcoding Profiles for NDI Sources](docId\:PNh1oA3IwbOsmWkItahBJ). - NDI inputs can be resized but not padded with black bars. **Enabling the “Keep aspect ratio”** checkbox in the transcoding profile **will cause the transcoder to fail**. ::: ::::WorkflowBlock :::WorkflowBlockItem In the Zixi Broadcaster Navigation menu, click the **Inputs** tab. ::: :::WorkflowBlockItem In the Menu bar, click **New Input**. The **Add a new input stream** window is displayed. ::: :::WorkflowBlockItem Select **NDI** for the input stream. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/mzxtTQEvCNIdUNgF2kuwJ/TT_y5HusR7eC3B77F_fHe_image.png) ::: :::WorkflowBlockItem Select the maximum concurrent connections to this stream from the** Max. Outputs** drop-down list. Default: Unlimited. ::: :::WorkflowBlockItem Select the **Show in Matrix **check box to display this stream in the Matrix (see [Using the Matrix](docId\:bP6MO9f2QbxmU6gURKoG4)). Default: Selected ::: :::WorkflowBlockItem Specify the **Stream Parameters** (see [Input Stream Parameters Table](docId\:gfTbH437cqf9mH-lnHHtu)). ::: :::WorkflowBlockItem If you want to **Enable time shift,** select this checkbox (see [Input Stream Parameters Table](docId\:gfTbH437cqf9mH-lnHHtu)). The stream will be recorded and broadcast after the specified delay. The time shift feature is typically used to broadcast a live event across time zones (due to the time differences between locations). ::: :::WorkflowBlockItem If you want to **Enable multicast on pull outputs**, select this checkbox (see [Input Stream Parameters Table](docId\:gfTbH437cqf9mH-lnHHtu)). ::: :::WorkflowBlockItem If you want to **Enable encryption**, select this checkbox (see [Input Stream Parameters Table](docId\:gfTbH437cqf9mH-lnHHtu)). For more information, see [Encrypting an Input Stream in Zixi Broadcaster](docId\:V3RYrBN08r4CojWl-wVoQ) . ::: :::WorkflowBlockItem If you want to configure the **Recording Parameters**, specify them in the respective fields (see [Input Stream Parameters Table](docId\:gfTbH437cqf9mH-lnHHtu)). ::: :::WorkflowBlockItem Click **OK**. The “Input added” message appears at the top of the screen. The NDI Stream is added to the Zixi Broadcaster and now appears in the list of streams available in the Zixi Broadcaster Inputs screen. ::: :::: ### Input Stream Parameters Table | **Parameter** | **Description** | | --------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Stream Parameters** | | | **Stream** | Select one of the NDI streams available based on your configuration from the drop-down menu. On a local area network, NDI will use the discovery mechanism to advertise the sources, and Zixi Broadcaster will automatically discover these streams. To make the streams discoverable in the cloud, you need to deploy an NDI Discovery Server and configure the NDI plug-in with the settings mentioned above. | | **Video Profile** | Select an existing transcoding video profile, or select **Remove stream** if you want to remove the video track. | | **Audio Profile** | Select an existing transcoding audio profile, or select **Remove stream** if you want to remove the audio track. | | **Audio Reference Level \[dB]** | This parameter attenuates the audio level by the specified level in dB. This setting is used to prevent audio clipping. | | **Transport Stream Bitrate \[kbps]** | Specify the bitrate of the transport stream. This parameter is optional. If you do not specify a TS Bitrate, the stream will be VBR. If you specify a bitrate, the stream will be CBR. The bitrate value must be compatible with the selected profile. | | **Add RTP headers** | Select this checkbox to add RTP headers to the stream. RTP adds a 12-byte header, which includes a sequence number and a timestamp that can be used to detect dropped packets. The sequence number in the RTP headers can be used to do automatic reordering, and the timestamps can help overcome inter-packet gaps, also known as IAT (Inter Arrival Time).
However, plain RTP does not feature error recovery or error protection. By default, the RTP headers (which include the timestamps and sequences) are used on the input side, but then they are stripped off, and they no longer propagate to outputs. | | **Smoothing buffer** | The Smoothing feature uses a buffer to time packets according to the stream's clock. This is useful when there are bursts in the rate at which the stream arrives. The smoothing feature creates a queue in the buffer, allowing smoother entry into the Broadcaster. The Smoothing parameter defines the size of the buffer in Milliseconds. A larger buffer enables smoother entry. However, it may influence the latency rate. | | ***Enable time shift*** | Select this checkbox to record the stream content and broadcast it after a specified delay. To deploy an input stream that uses the current stream's time shift, you need to configure a "Delayed" input stream, see [Adding Delayed Streams](https://zixidocumentation.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/114/pages/949420193). | | **Maximum delay \[hh\:mm\:ss]** | Specify the time of the delayed transmission of this stream. Maximum: 24 hours. | | ***Enable multicast on pull outputs*** | Select this checkbox to enable the transmission of this stream’s outputs as multicast. A Zixi receiver that will pull the stream will receive it in multicast. By default, Zixi Broadcaster is configured to allow transparent fallback to unicast if it is out of the LAN. Requires enabling **Multicast Pull** in the **Settings**. | | **Multicast Only** | Selecting this checkbox will force the transmission of this stream only in multicast. | | ***Enable Encryption*** | Select this checkbox to encrypt the Input stream. For more information, see** **[Encrypting an Input Stream in Zixi Broadcaster](https://zixidocumentation.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/114/pages/949420906)**.** | | **Encryption type (for Encryption enabled)  ** | Specify the type of Encryption (AES 128/192/256). | | **Encryption key (for Encryption enabled)** | Click **Generate** to generate an encryption key. The generated encryption key must be sent to the end-user to decipher the received encoded stream. | | ***Recording parameters*** | Select this checkbox to customize the recording parameters. | | **Destination Type** | Select the radio button for the desired storage type and then fill in the relevant parameters.
* **Record to disk – **the recording is saved on the local disk. * **Record to S3** – the file is saved to your AWS S3 Bucket. | | ***Record to Disk Parameters*** | | | **File Name Template** | Specify the file name pattern that Zixi will use to generate when saving the recorded content. A separate file will be generated for each recording up to the time specified in the Max recorded file duration parameter (see above). After this duration, a new file will be generated.
The file name pattern can include any string and up to five variables listed below. Only the %T=HH.MM.SS creation time is mandatory. You can change the order of these variables and add text as long as you maintain the legitimate structure of the file in Linux and Windows:
* %S=stream id - optional. * %Y=year - optional * %M=month - optional * %D=day - optional * %T=HH.MM.SS creation time - mandatory * %U=YYYYmmddTHHMMSSZ UTC timestamp – optional
For example, the following pattern %Y\_recording%T.ts will generate the following file name 2017\_recording15:32:35.ts. | | **Max recorded file duration \[hours]** | Specify the maximum time allotted for recording a video stream. Default: 2 hours | | **Keep recorded files for \[hours]** | Specify the maximum time for storing the recording. Default: 0 hours | | **Custom Path** | Optionally specify a storage location for the recorded files that is relative to the root folder. This location bypasses the location specified as the root folder in the **Settings** > **General **screen. | | ***Record to S3 Parameters*** | | | **File Name Template** | Specify the file name pattern that Zixi will use to generate when saving the recorded content. A separate file will be generated for each recording up to the time specified in the Max recorded file duration parameter (see above). After this duration, a new file will be generated.
The file name pattern can include any string and up to five variables listed below. Only the %T=HH.MM.SS creation time is mandatory. You can change the order of these variables and add text as long as you maintain the legitimate structure of the file in Linux and Windows:
* %S=stream id - optional. * %Y=year - optional * %M=month - optional * %D=day - optional * %T=HH.MM.SS creation time - mandatory * %U=YYYYmmddTHHMMSSZ UTC timestamp – optional
For example, the following pattern %Y\_recording%T.ts will generate the following file name 2017\_recording15:32:35.ts. | | **Max recorded file duration \[hours]** | Specify the maximum time allotted for recording a video stream. Default: 2 hours | | **URL** | Specify the URL of the S3 bucket. | | **Ignore TLS certificate errors** | TLS certificate for S3 bucket might be detected as faulty if bucket name contains dot\[s]. When this option is selected, Zixi Broadcaster will ignore the TLS certificate errors and transmit the stream to its destination. | | **Access Key** | The access key that is used for accessing the S3 bucket. | | **Secret Key** | The secret key that is used for accessing the S3 bucket. |