BirdDog Invests in NDI, Establishes Suite of New Workflow Tools for Globally Connected Productions

BirdDog has announced support for NDI 5 across all hardware products including Flex Family, 4K Family, Studio NDI, Mini, all PTZ Camera models, and the upcoming Wallplates, and SDM range.

Support for NDI 5 will roll into BirdDog products when it becomes available later in Q2. Additional to NDI 5 support in existing products, BirdDog announces two new product lines, Cloud Connect and BirdDog PLAY.

BirdDog Cloud Connect
Cloud Connect is a suite of applications for Apple TV, Android TV, iPhone, iPad, Android mobile devices and BirdDog PLAY. Cloud Connect allows for super-fast and high-quality monitoring anywhere in the world with NDI source to screen latency as low as 2 frames. With Cloud Connect, remote editorial workflows and remote live productions just became faster and easier than ever.

“Cloud Connect is culmination of all the pieces of BirdDog development coming together and something we’ve been working on for a long time,” says Dan Miall, BirdDog Co-Founder and CEO. “With Cloud Connect we are delivering the dream of truly collaborative remote editorial workflows, and seamless remote productions.”

Cloud Connect allows editors to output their Avid, Adobe, or Apple Final Cut Pro timeline and view it anywhere in the world in as little as 2 frames latency. Directors can give real-time feedback and producers can be sitting in comfort of their home watching on a big screen.

“With Cloud Connect, remote editorial and live broadcast workflows are more seamless than ever – anyone needing to be part of a production is now able to collaborate on devices they already own, in geographically distant locations,” continues Miall. “Building on the proven reach of BirdDog Cloud, Cloud Connect embraces some key new technology to allow Dante audio integration and optimize media delivery with high quality video codecs.”

Cloud Connect addresses remote productions in a faster and more interactive way than ever before. All Cloud Connect mobile device apps include PTZ Control from any NDI enabled PTZ, not just BirdDog NDI PTZ cameras. This includes NDI and NDI HX cameras from Sony, Panasonic, Marshall, NewTek, PTZ Optics, Canon, and many more.

“Being able to control a PTZ camera from the other side world with your iPad is pretty incredible,” says Eamon Drew, BirdDog Co-Founder and CMO. “With near zero latency it is a tactile experience that I’ve just never experienced before and really delivers on the dream of being able to control a show from anywhere in the world.”

BirdDog PLAY
BirdDog PLAY is a low cost, NDI Player that can display any local NDI source on the network, as well as tie into BirdDog Cloud Connect to bring remote sources to PLAY from anywhere in the world.

“PLAY really breaks the technology barriers for browsing and viewing NDI sources. Set up is a breeze and at $149 it’s sure to enable some amazing workflows and installations” says Miall. “Being able to connect to the Cloud Connect platform and bring NDI sources from remote locations in makes it more flexible than any NDI Decoder or Player on the market today.”

PLAY supports many video formats both local and remote, fully implementing NDI 5 including high-bandwidth and NDI | HX2 formats, BirdDog Cloud Connect and NDI Remote with resolution support on some formats up to UHD 2160p60. Designed for easy installation, PLAY includes a rubberized, magnetic base to mount securely to the rear of a display or on your desk. Integrating technology like CEC means users can use their existing remote control for their display to navigate the rich UI with ease.

BirdDog PLAY and BirdDog Cloud Connect will be available publicly in Q3, 2021 with a limited beta program available for Cloud Connect via a signup on the BirdDog website.