NDI Data Usage Strangely High

[LegendofEvanYT]

Hey guys just had a question about the data usage of NDI. I recently set up an NDI connection between my Windows 11 PC and M1 Pro MacBook so that I could game on the PC and stream with the Mac. After looking at the data usage with Windows built-in data counter, I found that the NDI connection used 93+ GB of data and this was just during setup and short test streams. Any reason for this you guys can think of? I know NDI doesn't count against my ISP's monthy data limit but I'd still like to bring that down because I know it shouldn't be that much

PC Specs:
Windows 11
Gigabyte TUF-Gaming X570 Plus Motherboard
Ryzen 5900X
Radeon 5700XT
32GB 3200Mhz RAM

MacBook Specs:
2021 14in MacBook Pro
M1 Pro
16GB RAM

 

[R1CH]

This seems normal, NDI uses ~300mbps at 1080p so 10 minutes is 20+ GB. And even higher if the content is difficult to encode.

 

[LegendofEvanYT]

This seems normal, NDI uses ~300mbps at 1080p so 10 minutes is 20+ GB. And even higher if the content is difficult to encode.

Interesting, I heard it wasn't that much but as long as it doesn't count against my data cap I guess it doesn't matter. Thanks!

 

[rockbottom]

If you have the NDI Toolkit installed. This will lower the NDI bandwidth requirement on your LAN.

OBS NDI Output > NDI Bridge > NDI HX > Streaming PC

 

[AaronD]

I know NDI doesn't count against my ISP's monthy data limit...

In any case, I doubt your ISP would care what the data is.

If it's on your local network and they don't see it, it can be anything you want, as much as you want. They don't see it, so of course they don't care.

If it does go through them, then everything counts, no matter what it is, because they only have so much capacity to share across everyone.

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They might make an exception for a consumer-attractive service that they want to sell, like IPTV for example. (TV as an internet stream) But that probably means that they've reserved enough capacity to guarantee that that service works, considering that its requirements are well-known and predictable. (likely one 1080p60 stream per customer, with specs dictated by them, and that's all it can be) They make it a higher priority in their routers, again to guarantee that it works, and then they meter and set the price for the remaining capacity to keep it from clogging.

(the same priority mechanism is also used for so-called "unlimited" plans that still have a data threshold, and make you the lowest priority when you pass that threshold)

I'd be very surprised if something that wasn't inherently limited by *their* gear, didn't count towards your data limit.