OBS Teleport vs NDI: Local Video Streaming Compared

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Teleport plugin for OBS Studio, explaining its core functionality as a local network streaming tool. It also delivers a direct comparison between Teleport and the industry-standard NDI (Network Device Interface) protocol, evaluating their differences in latency, video quality, system resource usage, and overall ease of use to help you choose the best tool for your streaming setup.

What is the Teleport Plugin for OBS Studio?

Teleport is an open-source plugin designed specifically for OBS Studio that allows users to stream high-quality, low-latency video and audio from one OBS instance to another over a local area network (LAN). It acts as a sender and receiver mechanism. You can configure one computer running OBS to “teleport” its program output or specific sources, and another computer on the same network running OBS can ingest that feed instantly as a dedicated source.

Unlike traditional streaming protocols that require heavy encoding (like RTMP), Teleport transmits video with minimal compression. This results in visually lossless quality and near-zero latency, making it ideal for dual-PC streaming setups, secondary monitors, or live production environments.

How Does Teleport Compare to NDI?

While both Teleport and NDI serve the same primary purpose—sending video over an IP network—they differ significantly in their architecture, compatibility, and resource requirements.

1. Ecosystem and Compatibility

• Teleport: This plugin is designed strictly for OBS-to-OBS communication. It does not work with external hardware cameras, triCasters, or other third-party broadcasting software. It is a highly specialized, lightweight tool for OBS users.
• NDI: Developed by NewTek, NDI is an industry-standard protocol integrated into a vast ecosystem of professional hardware (PTZ cameras, switchers) and software (vMix, Wirecast, Adobe Premiere). It is highly versatile and suitable for complex, multi-platform broadcast environments.

2. System Resource Usage (CPU and RAM)

• Teleport: Teleport uses a lightweight compression method (often utilizing libjpeg-turbo). Because it avoids heavy compression algorithms, it requires very little CPU power to encode and decode streams, making it excellent for older or budget computers.
• NDI: NDI uses more sophisticated compression (especially Full NDI or NDI|HX). While this keeps bandwidth lower, it requires significantly more CPU or GPU processing power to encode and decode the video feed.

3. Bandwidth and Network Requirements

• Teleport: Because Teleport uses less compression, it requires a massive amount of network bandwidth. A single 1080p 60fps Teleport stream can easily consume several hundred megabits per second (Mbps). A wired Gigabit Ethernet connection is mandatory.
• NDI: NDI is much more network-efficient. High-bandwidth NDI uses around 100-150 Mbps for a 1080p 60fps stream, while NDI|HX (highly compressed) can run on wireless networks using only 10-20 Mbps.

4. Latency and Video Quality

• Teleport: Offers virtually zero latency (often under 10-30 milliseconds) and visually perfect image quality due to the lack of heavy compression artifacts.
• NDI: Also offers ultra-low latency suitable for live broadcasts, but minor compression artifacts may be visible in highly detailed, fast-moving scenes depending on whether you use Full NDI or NDI|HX.

5. Setup and Ease of Use

• Teleport: Extremely easy to set up. You simply install the plugin on both machines. One machine enables the “Teleport” output in the OBS tools menu, and the other adds a “Teleport” source. No external drivers or runtime installations are required.
• NDI: Requires installing the OBS-NDI plugin alongside the official NDI runtime toolkits. While still relatively straightforward, it involves more troubleshooting steps regarding network discovery and firewall permissions.

Summary: Which One Should You Choose?

• Choose Teleport if: You run a simple dual-PC streaming setup using OBS Studio on both machines, have a reliable wired Gigabit network, and want the absolute lowest CPU usage on your gaming and streaming rigs.
• Choose NDI if: You need to connect OBS to other software (like vMix), utilize hardware-based IP cameras, stream over Wi-Fi, or require a standardized protocol for a professional multi-device broadcast environment.