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Using GuestNDI with the RØDECaster Video in the Podcast Studio
Overview
GuestNDI allows remote podcast guests participating in a VDO.Ninja video call to appear as independent video and audio sources on the RØDECaster Video (RCV). This enables automatic video switching between remote guests and in-studio participants, as well as ISO recordings of individual NDI guests for greater flexibility during post-production editing.
GuestNDI is configured to support up to four independent remote guest feeds.
The application works alongside three systems in the Podcast Studio:
- GuestNDI: Converts remote VDO.Ninja guest feeds into individual NDI sources.
- RØDECaster Video (RCV): Handles video switching and recording.
- RØDECaster Pro II (RCP2): Handles microphone audio and the two-way audio conversation between the host and remote guests.
The studio’s Panopto computer is used to join the VDO.Ninja meeting and capture the final production.
1. Launch GuestNDI
GuestNDI is already installed on the OBS computer in the Podcast Studio.
Although GuestNDI can run on the same computer as Panopto, it is recommended to run it on a separate computer to distribute processing demands and maintain reliable performance.
- On the OBS computer, launch GuestNDI.
- Confirm that the application opens and displays the available guest inputs.
- GuestNDI will communicate with the NDI Bridge Service to make the guest feeds available to the RØDECaster Video.
Important: Leave GuestNDI running throughout the recording session.
2. Configure the VDO.Ninja Meeting
VDO.Ninja provides the video meeting environment for the podcast host and remote guests.
Create the meeting
- Open VDO.Ninja and create a room for the podcast session.
- Generate invitation links for each remote guest and add
&autogain=0 to the end of each invitation URL to disable autogain.
- Share the appropriate invitation link with each participant.
- Open the room’s Director interface to manage the session.
Disable automatic audio gain
VDO.Ninja’s automatic gain control can cause inconsistent audio levels when used with the studio’s audio equipment.
For each remote guest, disable automatic gain control by adding the following parameter to the guest invitation URL:
&autogain=0
For example, append the parameter to the end of the existing invitation link.
Important: Apply this parameter to the guest invitation links, not the GuestNDI viewer links.
This allows the RØDECaster Pro II to manage the audio levels without additional automatic gain adjustments from VDO.Ninja.
Configure video quality
In the VDO.Ninja Director interface:
- Click the Room Settings icon.
- Set the overall room video quality to 6000 kbps.
- Save or apply the setting.
The 6000 kbps setting is the recommended starting point for high-quality podcast video.
If guests experience connection problems, buffering, or inconsistent video performance, adjust the bitrate as needed based on available bandwidth and connection stability.
3. Connect GuestNDI to the Remote Guests
GuestNDI receives individual remote guest video feeds using VDO.Ninja viewer URLs.
- In the VDO.Ninja Director interface, locate the individual guest/solo feeds.
- Copy the appropriate viewer URL for each remote guest.
- On the OBS computer, paste each URL into a separate GuestNDI input.
- Start the guest feeds in GuestNDI.
- Confirm that each remote guest appears as an independent NDI source.
GuestNDI sends these sources through NDI Bridge, allowing the RØDECaster Video to receive them.
Add the NDI sources to the RØDECaster Video
On the RØDECaster Video:
- Locate the available NDI sources.
- Select the corresponding GuestNDI guest feeds.
- Assign the feeds to the desired video inputs.
- Verify that each guest appears correctly.
- Confirm that audio is present for each guest feed.
Once configured, the RCV can use the guest feeds for video switching.
4. Configure Audio Routing
Audio routing is the most important part of this setup.
The Podcast Studio uses separate paths for the video meeting and the final recording. Incorrect routing can create duplicate audio, echo, or feedback.
A. Mute 'HDMI 4' audio on the RØDECaster Video audio mixer.
The Panopto computer desktop is connected to HDMI Input 4 on the RØDECaster Video and contains PC audio as well.
The podcast host joins the VDO.Ninja meeting from the Panopto computer. Because the computer’s HDMI connection also carries audio, the RCV may receive an additional copy of the meeting audio.
HDMI 4 audio must be muted on the RØDECaster Video.
- Open the RCV audio mixer.
- Locate the HDMI 4 audio input.
- Mute the HDMI 4 audio associated with the Panopto computer, particularly HDMI 4.
- Verify that meeting audio is not being introduced into the RCV mix through HDMI.
The host’s VDO.Ninja meeting audio will instead be handled by the RØDECaster Pro II.
This prevents duplicate audio paths and potential feedback.
B. Configure USB 4 Audio Out
The RØDECaster Video’s USB 4 Audio Out is connected to the RØDECaster Pro II to send Media Pool audio to in-room guests.
This connection provides an audio path between the devices.
However, the remote guests’ NDI audio should not be sent back to the RCP2 through this connection.
The RCP2 already receives the remote guests’ audio directly from the VDO.Ninja meeting on the Panopto computer.
Sending the NDI guest audio to the RCP2 would create a second, unnecessary audio path.
To prevent this:
- On the RØDECaster Video, open the audio routing or custom mix settings.
- Select USB 4 Audio Out.
- Locate each NDI guest audio source.
- Set the level of every NDI source to zero in this output mix.
- Confirm that no NDI guest audio is being sent to the RCP2 through USB 4.
Important: Do not mute the NDI sources globally on the RCV. This is a custom mix for the RCP2. Their audio must remain available to the RCV for recording and automatic video switching.
Only remove the NDI sources from the USB 4 Audio Out mix.
C. Confirm the RØDECaster Pro II audio path
The RØDECaster Pro II handles the two-way conversation between the host and remote guests.
The intended audio flow is:
Host microphone → RCP2 → Panopto computer → VDO.Ninja → Remote guests
Remote guests → VDO.Ninja → Panopto computer → RCP2 → Host headphones
Separately, GuestNDI delivers the guest audio to the RCV alongside the guest video feeds.
Remote guests → GuestNDI → NDI Bridge → RCV
These paths serve different purposes:
- The RCP2 manages the live conversation.
- The RCV receives guest audio for the production and recording.
Keeping the paths separate prevents audio from being duplicated or routed back into the meeting.
5. Verify the Setup Before Recording
Complete the following checks before beginning a podcast session.
GuestNDI
- GuestNDI is running on the OBS computer.
- Each remote guest has a separate GuestNDI input.
- Guest video and audio are being received.
- All expected NDI sources appear on the RCV.
VDO.Ninja
- The host has joined the meeting from the Panopto computer.
- Remote guests have joined using their invitation links.
- Guest invitation URLs include
&autogain=0.
- Room video quality is set to approximately 6000 kbps.
- All guests can hear and communicate with the host.
RØDECaster Video
- GuestNDI sources are assigned to the appropriate RCV inputs.
- HDMI audio from the Panopto computer is muted.
- NDI guest audio remains available in the RCV’s production mix.
- All NDI guest audio levels are set to zero in the USB 4 Audio Out mix.
- Automatic video switching responds appropriately to guest audio.
RØDECaster Pro II
- The host microphone is working.
- The host can hear all remote guests.
- Remote guests can hear the host.
- No echo, feedback, or duplicated audio is present.
Panopto
- The correct RCV video and audio sources are selected.
- Audio levels are appropriate.
- A short test recording has been completed and reviewed.
6. Troubleshooting
Remote guest video does not appear on the RCV
Verify that GuestNDI is running and that the correct viewer URL has been entered for the guest.
Confirm that the NDI Bridge Service is operating and that the expected NDI sources are available to the RCV.
Guest audio sounds distorted or inconsistent
Verify that the guest invitation URL includes &autogain=0.
Check the audio levels on the RØDECaster Pro II and RØDECaster Video.
Confirm that NDI guest audio is not being routed back to the RCP2 through USB 4 Audio Out.
Echo or duplicated audio
Check the following:
- HDMI 4 audio is muted on the RCV.
- NDI sources are set to zero in the USB 4 Audio Out mix.
- The host’s meeting audio is routed through the RCP2.
- No additional audio monitoring path is feeding meeting audio back into VDO.Ninja.
Video appears choppy in the RCV control application
The RØDECaster Video control application’s network preview may display a lower frame rate than the actual video output.
Use a monitor connected directly to the RCV’s HDMI output to evaluate video smoothness.
Do not assume that a low-frame-rate preview in the control application indicates a problem with the recorded video.
Remote guests experience poor video quality
In the VDO.Ninja Director interface, adjust the room’s video bitrate.
Start at 6000 kbps and reduce it if network conditions cannot reliably support that setting.
Also confirm that GuestNDI is running on the separate OBS computer rather than competing with Panopto for processing resources.
Summary: Recommended Studio Configuration
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Component
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Primary responsibility
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OBS Computer
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Runs GuestNDI and receives individual remote guest feeds
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VDO.Ninja
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Provides the remote meeting environment
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NDI Bridge Service
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Delivers GuestNDI sources to the RCV
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RØDECaster Video
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Video switching and production recording
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RØDECaster Pro II
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Host microphones and two-way meeting audio
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Panopto Computer
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Joins the VDO.Ninja meeting and captures the production
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HDMI 4 Audio
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Muted on the RCV
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USB 4 Audio Out
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NDI guest sources set to zero
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Guest Invitation URLs
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&autogain=0
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VDO.Ninja Room Quality
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6000 kbps, adjusted as needed
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Key principle: The RØDECaster Pro II handles the live conversation, while GuestNDI and the RØDECaster Video handle the independent remote guest feeds used for video production. Keep these audio paths separate to prevent feedback and duplicate audio.