BirdDog NDI Encoder/Decoder - MINI

Pocket sized NDI®.

Big things come in small packages. Utilising BirdDog’s custom NDI® silicon chip and housed in aircraft grade aluminium case, Mini is the ultimate entry point into the world of NDI® Encoding and Decoding. Featuring HDMI inputs and outputs, Active Loop Outs, Audio Intercom System, NDI® Tally System, PoE, and compatibility with BirdDog’s Comms and Central Apps.

With world’s first NDI® Decoding in hardware, using BirdDog’s custom silicon chip, there has never been a faster or easier way to distribute content. Mini can see any Full NDI® content on the network and with BirdDog’s Web Console you can route that to Mini for HDMI output to a screen or projector. Perfect for Digital Signage, Sports Stadiums, House of Worship, IMAG, and any application that needs content on screens. Team up Mini with optional Central application and you have an incredibly easy to use yet unbelievably powerful content distribution system.

In the world of NDI® there are two flavours, NDI® and NDI|HX. NDI® is a variable bit rate, I-Frame codec that is reaches around 140Mbits at 1080p60 and is visually lossless. NDI|HX is a compressed, long-GOP, H.264 variant that reaches around 12Mbits at 1080p60. Mini hardware only Encodes and Decodes Full YUV422 NDI®.

Built with total flexibility in mind, Mini can be configured as an NDI® Encoder or NDI® Decoder with a simple click of a button through the web console. In Encode Mode Mini is the perfect way to get your HDMI sources into the world of NDI® and supports up to1080p60.

Full NDI® is a variable bit rate codec. In normal circumstances BirdDog recommends allowing around 140Mbps in HD, or 6 streams per 1GbE cable with some headroom. In 4K it is recommended to allow around 300Mbps or 3 streams with some headroom to allow for any unforeseen spikes. With BirdDog’s tools you can select the bit rate to suit your bandwidth and requirements. In both HD you can slide between 80-180Mbps and in 4K you can select the data rate to be anywhere between 60 and 360Mbps.

BirdDog’s revolutionary custom silicon chip is what drives the best NDI® products on the planet. Only BirdDog’s hardware can do line-based processing to give the fastest possible NDI® Encoding or Decoding technically possible.

Download the free BirdDog RESTful API and program your own automation for all BirdDog hardware endpoints, including cameras.

The world’s first NDI® Tally system is built right into Mini and it requires zero configuration. Includes a built-in large Tally display for your on-air talent to easily see which camera is live, plus user selectable Tally borders on loop out, and an external Tally output.

Mini can be powered by Power over Ethernet (PoE) or D-Tap from your camera battery. No need for a power adapter, although there is one in the box if you need it.

When the fingers first touch the sensuous anodised aluminium case housing the multi-layered PCB board, it's easier to imagine Mini on display within the Louvre in Paris than on a live video production set, but that is where the deception of the senses first takes place. The perfectly finished casing is actually aircraft grade aluminium and designed to withstand the rigours of life on the road.

With the optional VESA and Camera mounts Mini is extremely easy to mount where you need it. Use the VESA mount to attach to screens or simply attach the camera mount to add a ¼-20" thread for easy mounting with ball heads, magic arms, and other traditional mounting gear.

BirdDog are pleased to offer free Central Pro and Comms Pro worth $1490 to all our Educational, House of Worship, and Not for Profit customers.

Mini includes free Audio Intercom software, Comms Lite. Comms Lite supports four BirdDog devices and one Director. Need a more powerful Audio Intercom solution? Comms Pro gives you all the amazing features of Comms Lite plus allows you create you up to five groups, adds additional push to talk buttons for the director, ability to change groups on the fly, plus more. Comms Pro is just $495.

BirdDog Central is a software platform set to redefine the way we think about driving content to TV screens. By teaming up Central with any NDI® source, including all BirdDog hardware capable of creating NDI® sources, you can now drive your NDI® streams to any BirdDog Studio NDI or Mini to decode NDI® back to SDI or HDMI.