Ultra Encode SDI Plus

The Magewell Ultra Encode SDI Plus is the flagship SDI model in the Ultra Encode family — combining 6G-SDI 4K input, 32Mbps H.264/H.265 encoding, NDI HX2 and HX3 at up to 62Mbps, PoE+ power, six simultaneous streaming destinations, dual local recording and native CEA-608/708 Closed Caption compliance in a compact, camera-mountable standalone encoder. It is the SDI counterpart to the Ultra Encode HDMI Plus — delivering every capability of that model with 6G-SDI input, 16-channel embedded audio, SDI BNC loop-through and full broadcast SDI standard support in place of HDMI. For broadcast facilities, OB trucks, live production environments and professional AV installations where 4K SDI sources need to be simultaneously streamed to multiple destinations, encoded as NDI HX3 for IP production and recorded locally — without a PC at the encoding point — this is the definitive model. Supplied by iView Data, authorised UK Magewell distributor, with full UK warranty and same-day dispatch from UK stock.

Core Functions & Capabilities

• 6G-SDI 4K Input at 32Mbps — Full Broadcast Standard: Accepts SD, HD, 3G and 6G-SDI sources (ST 259, ST 292, ST 425, ST 2081) at up to 4096×2160 30fps — encoding at up to 32Mbps in H.264 or H.265, delivering the highest H.264/H.265 encoding bitrate in the Ultra Encode family outside the flagship AIO for 4K SDI broadcast contribution workflows.
• NDI HX2 & NDI HX3 at 62Mbps: Encodes the 6G-SDI input as NDI HX2 or NDI HX3 at up to 62Mbps — enabling high-quality, bandwidth-efficient NDI distribution to NDI-enabled production switchers, monitors and software over Gigabit Ethernet, alongside simultaneous RTMP, SRT and HLS streaming destinations.
• Six Simultaneous Streaming Destinations: Streams to up to six destinations simultaneously — RTMP, RTMPS, SRT, RTSP, RTP, HLS, NDI HX2/HX3, RTSP/SRT Listener, HLS Server and TVU ISSP — the broadest simultaneous streaming capability of any compact standalone SDI encoder outside the flagship AIO.
• 16-Channel SDI Embedded Audio with Full Mapping: Captures all 16 channels of 6G-SDI embedded audio at 24-bit 192kHz — and encodes up to 8 channels as AAC with configurable mapping between any source channel and any encoded audio channel. Programme, commentary, clean feed and international audio can all be routed independently to different streaming destinations.
• Native CEA-608 & CEA-708 Closed Caption Compliance: Passes native CEA-608/608 over 708 captions from the SDI input through the encoded streams — maintaining broadcast closed caption compliance from SDI source to streaming platform without additional caption processing hardware.
• PoE+ Powered — IEEE 802.3at: Powered entirely via PoE+ from a standard PoE+ switch — a single Ethernet cable at an OB truck SDI output, camera position or equipment room carries both the 4K NDI HX3 stream and device power, eliminating mains power runs at each installation point.
• SDI Loop-Through Output: Dedicated BNC SDI loop-through passes the full 6G-SDI input signal simultaneously with encoding — maintaining the existing SDI router connection, monitor feed or downstream recording chain without interruption or additional hardware.
• Dual Local Recording — USB & SD Card: Records encoded streams simultaneously to a USB flash drive and an SD card — both MP4 or MOV format — with FTP, Dropbox and Google Drive upload for post-broadcast file access without removing media from the device.

Key Features

• RP-188 Timecode Support: Supports both system timecode and RP-188 standard timecode for H.264/H.265 SEI message — preserving broadcast timecode from SDI source through the encoded stream for post-production and playout synchronisation.
• Image Rotation, Cropping & 3D Video: Configurable 0°/90°/180°/270° image rotation, cropping and 3D video output — enabling encoder-side correction for non-standard camera mounting angles and stereoscopic broadcast production workflows.
• TVU ISSP Protocol: Native support for TVU Networks’ ISSP — enabling direct contribution to TVU production and cloud broadcast platforms in addition to all standard protocols.
• Triple Connectivity — Ethernet, Wi-Fi & 4G: Wired Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac or 3G/4G USB mobile broadband modem (not included) — reliable 4K SDI streaming from broadcast facilities, OB trucks and field locations without stable wired connectivity.
• Browser-Based Web GUI: Full configuration including 4K encoding, audio channel mapping, SDI standards, network settings and firmware updates via any modern browser — no software required. Compatible with IE, Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera.
• Control Hub Compatible: Registers with Magewell Control Hub for centralised management, firmware updates and real-time monitoring — essential for broadcast facilities with multiple SDI Plus encoding points across a facility or across OB trucks.
• Native Platform Support: Built-in native integration with YouTube Live, Facebook Live (including Business Pages), Twitch and WOWZA — configure streams by platform without manually entering RTMP server URLs or stream keys.
• Camera Mountable — PoE+ Simplicity: Compact T-bracket-mounted form factor — PoE+ means a single Ethernet cable at a 6G-SDI camera position delivers everything needed, with no mains power adapter required at the camera or installation point.

Ideal For

• Broadcast Studios — 4K SDI Contribution via NDI HX3: Encode 4K 6G-SDI camera and production switcher outputs as NDI HX3 for bandwidth-efficient IP distribution — simultaneously streaming to YouTube Live, SRT contribution servers and RTMP platforms from a single PoE+ device with CEA-608/708 caption passthrough.
• OB Trucks & Mobile Production — 4K Multi-Protocol: Mount at 4K SDI camera and production outputs inside OB trucks — PoE+ powers the device from the truck’s network infrastructure, streaming to up to six destinations simultaneously including NDI HX3 for remote production and SRT for contribution over public internet.
• Live Sports Production — 4K SDI Cameras: Encode 4K 6G-SDI pitch-side cameras for simultaneous contribution to remote production studios via SRT, NDI HX3 distribution to the venue production network and local SD card recording — all from a single PoE+ encoder per camera position.
• Houses of Worship — 4K SDI Streaming: Permanently encode 4K SDI camera outputs for simultaneous streaming to YouTube Live and Facebook Live, NDI HX3 distribution and local recording — PoE+ powered at the camera position without a mains run, managed from Control Hub.
• Broadcast Compliance — Caption-Critical Workflows: The only compact standalone SDI encoder in the Ultra Encode family with native CEA-608/708 caption passthrough — essential for broadcast regulatory compliance in US and international streaming and contribution workflows.
• Corporate AV — Flagship 4K SDI Events: Encode 4K SDI production switcher outputs from flagship corporate events for simultaneous multi-platform streaming, NDI HX3 distribution to the venue IP network and dual local recording as an archive copy.

Ultra Encode Family — Which Model Is Right for You?

Magewell Part Number: 53140. Launched ISE 2024. Full technical specifications are available on the Specifications tab above. 3G/4G USB modem not included. NDI® is a trademark of Vizrt NDI AB. TVU ISSP is a technology of TVU Networks. CEA-608/708 caption passthrough requires compatible SDI source. Supplied by iView Data, authorised UK Magewell distributor, with full UK warranty and same-day UK dispatch.