There are a number of features which are common to all of the ZEN NDI® software utilities, so to avoid repetition they are all grouped here 🙂
IMPORTANT NOTES
1) This is primarily a hobby project and I’m not a professional programmer, as a result of which:-
a) The software is supplied “as-is”, and is not guaranteed to be fit for any particular purpose, nor to be bug-free. Bug reports are welcome, either by email, the contact form on this site, or via the “ZEN NDI Software” group on Facebook and they will be investigated. Testing has mainly been done under Windows 10 64 bit, and in some cases Windows 7.
b) There is no “Installer”, just a zipped folder containing the files I think you may need in order to run the .exe files. The folder can be located anywhere on your system, and you may wish to create a shortcut to the .exe file to make it quicker to run. You may need to allow network access for the program the first time you run it. As for the supporting .dll files, you will definitely need the included Processing.NDI.Lib.x86.dll file but I’m not sure what else. The reason for that is that I don’t have enough computers to be able to test this process on a “clean” computer, only on those which already have other similar apps and/or the Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 edition which was used to create this code. If you get a message asking for a missing DLL, try installing the “vc_redist” run-time package from Microsoft (there’s a link in the Installation Notes near the top of the zenvideo.co.uk/ndi.htm page) and let me know if you still have a problem.
2) Until further notice, all download releases are time-limited, typically valid for ten months after the month shown in the “About” window (although the lifetime is due to be extended to two years during the course of 2023). Pressing the ‘E’ key with the About window open will show the time remaining in months before expiry. I will continue to upload newer builds as I revise the code, so each new one will (probably) have a new time limit, starting from the new build date.
The About window is accessed by right-clicking top left in the app to display the standard system menu, to which the “About NDI …..” menu item is appended.
A typical About window, as above, will show the version number, the compile date, the NDI® DLL version being used, and whether the code is 32 (x86) or 64 (x64) bit.
NOTE: As of October 2021 (the first releases which use the NDI v5 SDK) only 64bit code is included in the download packages.
During the month before expiry, you will see a message when starting the app (as below) to suggest you check for an updated version. A similar style of message will notify you if the app has passed its expiry date. The window will auto-close in 20 secs, if you have not already closed it, therefore not blocking the app should it have been run unattended from a script.
FAQs
1) Why doesn’t each download package include all the files that might be necessary to run the apps?
The short answer is “download bandwidth”, because adding the Microsoft “vc_redist” run-time package would potentially double the size of each download, and increase the chance of exceeding the monthly bandwidth allowance of my hosting package. Besides, many people will already have these files installed (by another application), plus it’s a one-off operation that doesn’t need to be repeated each time a new version is downloaded.
2) Why doesn’t the app detect my NDI source(s)?
If one or more of your NDI sources are not being detected it’s typically a networking issue – an area where I don’t have a lot of expertise. However, there is one known condition where hardware devices (cameras/encoders) are not detected, even though they show up OK in other NDI applications, and that’s if the “Group” name has not been set in the device’s settings. A value of “public” generally works.
If you’re trying one of these apps for the first time, with a single source which isn’t detected, try running one of more of my other NDI-generating apps on the same PC to see if they’re detected and work OK. For example, the Drag&Drop Image Viewer or GradBG Generator are suitable for this purpose.
3) Why has advertising been introduced which appears when the app is first opened?
There is no charge made for using any of these apps, which are sometimes used by commercial operators. I have included an option on this site to make a donation which, however small, would be a nice gesture if the software is helping to earn you money. However, contributions to date have been minimal. So the thought crossed my mind that perhaps I could seek sponsorship in return for displaying advertising, and where better to start than promoting my own business, through which I earn money that allows me to spend time creating this software.
4) Can you add this “XYZ” feature that would be really useful for what I’m trying to do?
Feature requests are always welcome, and will typically be assessed as follows:
(a) Do I think it’s a good idea – and one which lots of people will use?
(b) Do I know how to create it? (i.e. It does not involve a process that I have no experience of programming.)
(c) How long do I think it will take?
If the answer to the first two questions is “Yes”, and I don’t think it will take too long, then there’s a high probability I will add it, but can never guarantee a timescale as there’s lots of factors that influence when I have spare time (eg Winter tends to be better than summer for programming as I’m likely to spend more time indoors).
It also depends on what other features might be on my “to do” list or already in progress, particularly ideas that I’ve had myself – given that I do this as much for my own satisfaction as to give people specific things they want. If I think the feature request is too limited in its scope for general use, and particularly if it involves techniques of which I have no experience, then it’s highly unlikely to happen. I don’t like spending ages on something, getting completely stuck and never completing it – where’s the fun in that?
