When evaluating whether to switch cameras and production equipment to an NDI (Network Device Interface) architecture, the first sticking point is almost always: "Can our network handle this kind of video transmission?" NDI spans several compression tiers with dramatically different bandwidth requirements. The same 1080p60 stream, for example, can require up to approximately 150 Mbps per stream for uncompressed Full NDI (per official NDI documentation), while compressed NDI|HX2 needs only around 11 Mbps. Understanding these numbers is essential for determining what switch size you need, how many cameras can be active simultaneously, and avoiding the on-site discovery of congested video, latency, or disconnections.

Full NDI, NDI|HX, NDI|HX2, NDI|HX3 — What Is the Difference?

NDI is available in several compression formats designed to let users match the transport method to their on-site network conditions. The following tier descriptions are drawn from Datavideo's official NDI compression technology overview:

• Full NDI: Highest picture quality, nearly lossless. Requires a high-speed network. Best suited to machine rooms, edit suites, and other bandwidth-rich environments.
• NDI|HX: H.264 compression. Operates even on bandwidth-constrained networks including Wi-Fi. Suitable for remote connections, education, and corporate environments with modest network conditions.
• NDI|HX2: An enhanced version of HX. Delivers cleaner, more stable, low-latency NDI streams over standard Gigabit Ethernet.
• NDI|HX3: The latest compression format. Higher compression efficiency and lower latency than HX2. Particularly suited to bandwidth-limited scenarios that still require good picture quality.

Actual Bandwidth Figures

The following figures are drawn from the official NDI technical documentation as concrete reference for network planning:

As shown, the same 1080p60 stream requires over ten times more bandwidth under Full NDI than NDI|HX2. This means that in a standard Gigabit (1000 Mbps) network running multiple cameras simultaneously, the choice of NDI format directly determines whether the network is sustainable. With Full NDI, after accounting for other traffic, a Gigabit network can practically support only about 5–6 stable 1080p60 sources. With NDI|HX2/HX3, the same network can theoretically support dozens of sources simultaneously — bandwidth is almost never the constraint.

Which Format Do Datavideo NDI Cameras Use?

Before planning bandwidth, identify which NDI format your chosen cameras use. In Datavideo's PTZ lineup, the PTC-285 and PTC-305 support NDI|HX3 — the highest compression efficiency and most network-friendly format. The PTC-145 supports NDI|HX, also a compressed format with far lower bandwidth demands than Full NDI. In other words, most Datavideo NDI PTZ cameras ship using compressed formats that impose minimal pressure on standard corporate or campus Gigabit networks. The scenarios genuinely requiring careful bandwidth evaluation are machine-room Full NDI deployments and large-venue installations with high camera counts.

Three Calculations Before Network Planning

• How many sources will be active simultaneously? List all video sources (cameras, switcher outputs, computer screens, etc.) — each must be calculated individually.
• Which format does each source use? Using the tier table above, estimate the bandwidth of each source and sum them for the theoretical peak bandwidth.
• How much headroom does the network have? After subtracting existing on-site traffic (office network, Wi-Fi users, etc.), aim to keep peak utilization within 70–80% of total network bandwidth, preserving buffer for burst traffic.

Network Architecture Pairing Recommendations

Beyond raw bandwidth, NDI also has certain network quality requirements. Practical recommendations: use Gigabit-capable switches and plan a dedicated VLAN or subnet for NDI devices, keeping them separate from general office traffic. If cameras support PoE+ (802.3at), power them via the switch to reduce cabling. Enable the switch's IGMP Snooping to prevent NDI Multicast packets from causing unnecessary broadcast storms.

Closing Thoughts

Bandwidth planning sounds like an engineering exercise, but it breaks down into three steps: make a list, check the format, calculate the total. Most Datavideo NDI PTZ cameras ship supporting the more efficient NDI|HX2/HX3 compressed formats, putting minimal pressure on standard corporate or campus networks. The scenarios requiring careful evaluation are Full NDI deployments and large-venue installations with high camera counts. For a deeper look at NDI network architecture and switch configuration, see "The Ultimate Guide to NDI Production Workflows" and the associated switch-configuration guidance.