BirdDog PLAY
The simplest way to display any NDI source on any HDMI screen. PLAY decodes Full NDI and NDI|HX3 up to 4K60 to HDMI. Navigate NDI sources with your TV remote via CEC. USB-C powered with built-in magnet.
- Decodes Full NDI and NDI|HX3 at up to 4K60 — receive any NDI source from the local network and display it on any HDMI screen at the highest NDI quality standard
- Navigate NDI sources using your TV remote via CEC — browse available NDI sources on the network directly from a television remote control without a separate management interface
- USB-C powered — no separate power adapter, powered from any USB-C source including the TV's own USB port in most cases
- Built-in magnet — mounts directly to the back of any steel-backed television or HDMI switch without brackets, screws or cable management clutter
- Zoom Room integration — appears as a camera source in Zoom Rooms for professional video conferencing display in meeting rooms
- Crestron, Q-SYS and RESTful API support — full AV control system integration for enterprise room automation and AV-over-IP deployments
What is the BirdDog PLAY?
The BirdDog PLAY is a compact NDI decoder that receives Full NDI or NDI|HX3 streams from a Gigabit network and outputs them as HDMI to any connected display. It is the simplest and most elegant solution for putting an NDI source on a screen — whether that is a confidence monitor in a studio, a display in a meeting room, a TV in a green room or a secondary monitor at a production position.
The CEC integration is the PLAY's most distinctive feature. Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) allows devices connected via HDMI to be controlled by a television remote. The PLAY uses this to let users browse and select NDI sources on the network using the TV remote — scrolling through available NDI sources and selecting one to display, without needing a phone, laptop or management interface.
USB-C and magnet — no installation complexity
Most NDI decoders are rack-mounted or desktop units requiring power adapters and cable management. The PLAY is powered by a USB-C cable — typically from the television's own USB port — and mounts magnetically to the back of the TV. The result is a single HDMI cable and one USB-C cable, with the PLAY invisible behind the screen. For green room displays, meeting room screens and confidence monitors, this is the cleanest possible installation.
Enterprise AV integration
Despite its consumer simplicity, the PLAY includes a RESTful API, Crestron driver, Q-SYS plugin and Zoom Rooms support — the standard integrations expected of professional AV equipment in enterprise environments. It can be fully controlled and configured by an AV control system without user interaction.
| NDI Input | |
| NDI Standards | Full NDI and NDI|HX3 |
| Max Input Resolution | 4K Ultra HD at 60fps (4K60) |
| Network | Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45) |
| NDI Discovery | mDNS auto-discovery on same subnet |
| Video Output | |
| HDMI Output | HDMI (Type A) — up to 4K60 |
| Control and Integration | |
| CEC Control | Navigate NDI sources via TV remote |
| Control Systems | Crestron driver, Q-SYS plugin |
| API | RESTful API |
| Video Conferencing | Zoom Rooms integration |
| Power and Physical | |
| Power | USB-C (from TV USB port or USB adapter) |
| Mounting | Built-in magnet — attaches to steel-backed displays |
| Product Information | |
| SKU / Model | BD-PLAY |
| Warranty | 2-year BirdDog warranty |
| Pricing | Price on Application — contact us for a quote |
Specifications correct at time of publication. Contact us to confirm before specification.
The BirdDog PLAY is the cleanest solution for displaying NDI sources on screens throughout a facility — requiring minimal installation and no technical knowledge to operate.
Studio Confidence Monitors
Display NDI program output, return feeds and clock on confidence monitors throughout a broadcast studio. PLAY mounts magnetically behind each screen with a single HDMI cable and USB-C power.
Meeting Room Displays
Decode NDI from a production system or videoconferencing codec to meeting room displays. Zoom Rooms integration allows use as a camera/display source in Zoom meetings.
Green Room Screens
Feed program output to green room television screens via NDI. The magnetic mount and USB-C power from the TV's USB port means zero visible cables in a talent area.
Lecture Theatre Screens
Display NDI lecture capture output on secondary screens in lecture theatres — presenter monitors, side screens, overflow displays — without additional cabling.
Houses of Worship Screens
Decode NDI program output to confidence monitors on stage, IMAG screens in overflow areas and screens in lobbies. Managed via Crestron room control system.
AV System Integration
Integrated into enterprise AV deployments via Crestron, Q-SYS and RESTful API for room automation and central control of NDI display sources throughout a building.
How does CEC control work with the BirdDog PLAY?
CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) is a feature built into HDMI that allows devices to communicate and be controlled via the TV remote. The PLAY uses CEC to present a menu of available NDI sources on the network, navigated and selected using the up/down/select buttons on the television remote. This eliminates the need for any separate app, management interface or technical knowledge to change the displayed NDI source.
What USB-C power source does the PLAY need?
The PLAY is powered from any standard USB-C power source providing sufficient wattage. Most modern televisions have a USB-A port that can power the PLAY via a USB-A to USB-C cable. Alternatively, any USB-C adapter or power bank can power the unit.
Does the PLAY support NDI|HX as well as Full NDI?
Yes — the PLAY receives both Full NDI (lossless, ~100-250 Mbps) and NDI|HX3 (H.265 compressed, lower bandwidth). Full NDI sources from cameras with BirdDog encoders and NDI|HX3 sources from cameras with built-in NDI|HX3 are both selectable and displayed.
All BirdDog devices output Full NDI — the highest quality NDI standard — making them immediately compatible with any NDI-capable production software on the local network.
NDI Production SoftwareBirdDog devices output Full NDI and are discovered automatically by all NDI-capable production software on the same Gigabit network subnet via mDNS. No manual IP configuration required.
Video Conferencing (via NDI plugin)Contact us to confirm compatibility with a specific platform or version not listed above.