Magewell Pro Convert SDI Plus

About this product

You have SDI cameras that work well and a production that is moving to NDI. The Pro Convert SDI Plus lets you keep the cameras. This SDI to NDI converter takes one SDI source, such as a broadcast camera, and puts it on your network as an NDI stream. SDI is the single-coax video connection used on professional cameras. NDI is a way of sending live video between devices and software over an ordinary Ethernet network. The box works on its own, with no computer, and its loop-through passes the SDI signal on to other equipment at the same time.

What goes in

• SDI input. One BNC connector accepting SD, HD and 3G-SDI, up to 2048×1080 at 60 frames per second. Signals with 10-bit or 12-bit colour depth are supported.
• SDI loop-through. A second BNC passes the incoming signal on, so a vision mixer, router or monitor can stay connected while the same camera goes out as NDI.
• Cable length. It can receive 3G-SDI sent over up to 200 m of cable, so the encoder can live by the network switch instead of at a distant camera.
• Audio. Up to 16 channels of audio embedded in the SDI signal.

What comes out

• NDI High Bandwidth. This is the full-quality form of NDI, also called Full NDI. The encoder produces it at up to 2048×1080 at 60 fps, 4:2:2 8-bit.
• HDR. HLG, one of the HDR formats, is supported.
• Audio. 16 channels embedded in the NDI stream, so all 16 embedded channels reach the network.
• NDI version. NDI 6.2 is supported.
• Resolution and frame rate. The output can match the input or be set to a custom resolution. The frame rate is the same as the input, or one half, one third or one quarter of it, which lets you lighten the stream for a busy network.
• Where it can be used. NDI Studio Monitor, OBS, vMix and any other NDI-enabled product.

Built for full NDI

• NDI High Bandwidth throughout. This model is dedicated to full-quality NDI. If you need NDI HX, SRT, RTMP, RTSP, HLS, H.264 or H.265, look at the Ultra Encode range.
• Audio from the source. All audio is taken from the SDI signal, so a single BNC cable brings in picture and sound.

Power, tally and PTZ for a camera position

• Power. Standard PoE (IEEE 802.3af) through the network cable, or 5 V through the USB 2.0 Type-B port using the supplied 5 V / 2.1 A adaptor. Maximum consumption is about 7 W, so an ordinary PoE switch port is enough.
• Tally. A tally light is supplied, which lets the operator or presenter see when the camera is on air. It plugs into the Mini-DIN 8 socket. Status LEDs on the unit also show preview and programme.
• PTZ camera control. A pan-tilt-zoom camera can be controlled through NDI using the VISCA, VISCA over UDP, PELCO-P or PELCO-D protocols, so you can steer the camera over the same network link.
• Mounting. An L-bracket is supplied.
• Size. 117.5 mm × 66.7 mm × 23.4 mm.

Setting it up

• It detects the input format automatically and takes its network address by DHCP, so it appears on the network without manual settings.
• Settings such as de-interlacing, scaling, frame rate and aspect ratio are changed in the Web UI from a browser.
• Units can be registered with Magewell Control Hub and managed together, which suits a multi-camera rig. HTTP APIs are provided for control systems.
• It is designed for very low latency.

Where it sits in the range

The Pro Convert SDI TX has the same 2048×1080 60 fps limit and the same 16-channel audio in a smaller case. Choose the Plus when you want the SDI loop-through. For 4K see the Pro Convert SDI 4K Plus (6G-SDI) and the Pro Convert 12G SDI 4K Plus. For HDMI sources see the Pro Convert HDMI Plus. All models are on the Pro Convert encoders page.