Receive an NDI Stream

Last updated 5 May 2026

Backstage can receive any NDI source visible on your network and treat it as a live asset — playable in sequences, assignable to surfaces, and routable like any other media.

Before you start

  • Your NDI source is broadcasting on the same network as your Backstage server
  • The NDI source is switched on and sending before you open Backstage (or before you check the Assets window)

Steps

1. Open the Assets window

Open the Assets window. Expand the NDI section in the asset list.

Backstage periodically scans the network using NDI Finder. Any NDI sources it detects appear here automatically, no manual configuration needed. Each discovered source is listed by its NDI source name.

If your source is not listed, check that it is online and reachable on the same subnet.

2. Create an NDI Input Slot (recommended)

A discovered NDI asset ties directly to one source by name. An NDI Input Slot is a named, re-routable container — you can swap which source it points to without changing anything else in your project.

In the Assets NDI section, click + Add NDI Input Slot. Enter a name for the slot (for example: "Camera 1") and confirm.

3. Route a source to the slot

Select the NDI Input Slot in the Assets window. In the Inspector, a source dropdown appears. Select the NDI source you want to route to this slot.

To swap the source later, select the slot and pick a different source in the Inspector. Sequences and surfaces using the slot update automatically.

4. Use the asset in your project

Use the NDI Input Slot asset exactly like a video file asset:

  • Sequencer: Add it to a sequence track to include it in a timed playlist.

  • Surface / Layer: Assign it directly to a surface or layer for continuous live display.

Video format and resolution are detected automatically from the stream. Video stream assets do not have a duration so they appear as infinitely looped events in Video Channels.

Options explained

Option

Description

Values / Range

NDI source (discovered)

Read-only. Auto-created when Backstage detects a source. Greyed out when the source goes offline.

Auto

NDI Input Slot

A named, re-routable container. Assign a source via the Inspector. Persists across project reloads.

User-created

Source dropdown

Selects which discovered NDI source the slot points to.

Dropdown

Common Mistakes

  • NDI source not listed — the source is not on the same subnet as the Backstage server, or it was not broadcasting when Backstage scanned. Check network connectivity and wait for the next scan cycle.

  • Source goes offline and content disappears — this is expected behaviour. Backstage reconnects automatically when the source comes back. The slot retains its assignment.

Tips

  • If a source goes offline and comes back, Backstage reconnects automatically — no action needed.

  • Use NDI Input Slots rather than raw discovered assets when building permanent installations — slots survive source name changes via re-routing.

  • Audio is included in the NDI stream and plays automatically. Make sure you assign the Video Channel to both a Surface and a Mixer.

  • NDI source names are set by the sender application — if names are ambiguous, rename them at the source.

Capture and Re-map a Video Stream — another approach to live hardware input via SDI/HDMI

Supported Media Types — full list of supported media types

Content & Media — all content and media workflows