What are the Differences Between the NDI SDK and the NDI Advanced SDK

Introduction

The primary difference between the NDI SDK and the Advanced SDK is the Advanced SDK is designed for hardware device manufacturers and advanced implementations, offering deeper access to configuration, encoding, and transport options. It supports hardware-accelerated codecs (e.g., H.264/H.265/AAC), KVM, HDR, and compressed streaming.

What tools or features are exclusive to the Advanced SDK?

• KVM Support

• HDR (High Dynamic Range) Metadata & Streaming

• Genlock and AV Sync support for precise timing across devices

• Compressed stream handling, including HX3 Passthrough and Decoding

• Stream validation and latency metrics

• Multichannel and Uncompressed Audio Support

• Advanced configuration via JSON files per instance

• Dynamic bandwidth adjustment and proxy/high bandwidth switching

• Color depth and format support (e.g., 8-bit 4:2:0 in HX mode)

• Cross-platform capabilities with hardware acceleration on Windows, Mac, Linux, ARM, and FPGA platforms

Which SDK can be used for embedded systems or FPGA platforms?

The Advanced SDK includes FPGA IP core examples, a detailed design overview, and guides for embedded development.

Is the Advanced SDK needed to use Discovery Server, Embedded Bridge, or Benchmark tools?

Only the Embedded Bridge utility is part of the Advanced SDK in Linux. The rest of the utilities like NDI Benchmark, NDI Discovery Service, NDI Free Audio are all packaged with both Standard and Advanced SDK.

Can I override stream quality settings and color subsampling in the Advanced SDK?

Yes you can override the default SHQ codec quality settings with Advanced SDK.

Does the Advanced SDK allow asynchronous sending with buffer tracking?

Yes. It allows the use of completion handlers to manage buffer ownership and lifecycle when using async video submission.

Is there a difference in how configuration is handled?

Yes. The Advanced SDK allows for per-instance JSON configuration, including NIC binding, codec quality, discovery server settings, and advanced protocol toggles (Reliable UDP, Multicast, TCP, etc.).

Is there a licensing difference between the SDKs?

The NDI SDK is free to use for non-commercial purposes. If you are interested in using the SDK or Advanced SDK for commercial purposes, please reach out to our sales team [email protected] .

Do I need the Advanced SDK for recording NDI streams via command line?

Yes. Recording capabilities and command line utilities are provided with the Advanced SDK only.

For a detailed technical breakdown of the SDK contents or to discuss licensing options, please contact our sales team at [email protected].