Nodes

Overview

A Node represents a physical device, software service, or logical component within a hi installation. Ports describe the interfaces and signals exposed by that Node.

A Node consolidates the capabilities of a device into a single system model. This representation is used for:

Topology-based Tally calculation - hi traces Signal Paths across Nodes to determine where Tally information should be propagated.
Dynamic Labels - Source names can follow signals through the configured Topology when supported by the connected devices.
Consistent control - parameters, routing, and monitoring for supported devices are accessible from the hi web interface.

Node Anatomy

Ports

The Ports of a Node describe input, output, or bi-directional interfaces. These can be physical input or output connectors of a device or endpoints of a service. Ports can be interconnected using a link, which can represent a physical cable between the Ports of two devices.

Naming

Each Port can expose four operator-facing label fields and one name reported by the device:

Name	Description
Primary Name	The main name of the Port. It is used in the hi web interface on computers and tablets. It has no length limitations.
Monitoring Name	This name is sent to Multiviewers and UMDs. By default, this name is empty and inherits its content from the Primary Name.
Panel Name	This name is limited to 10 characters and is used on Hardware Panel buttons. When a Node is created, the Panel Name is automatically generated from the Primary Name using a shortening algorithm.
Mixer Name	This name is sent to vision mixers as Source information. By default, this name is empty and inherits its content from the Panel Name.
Original Name	The name reported by the connected device, shown as Name from Device in the Port list and available as a Label Override.

Layers

Ports exist on the Physical, Flow, and Essence Layers. See Layers for the Port Layer model.

Formats

Depending on the Layer, a Port can have different formats. Formats determine compatibility between Ports. The following format types are available:

Essence Layer

Format	Description
Video	A single-channel video signal.
Audio	A single mono channel of audio.
Ancillary	Ancillary (ANC) data.

Flow Layer

Flow Layer format types include baseband formats (such as SDI, Audio, GPIO, and Data), network formats (such as NDI), SMPTE IP formats (such as ST 2110-20), and compressed formats. See Signal Routing Reference for the complete format-type table, including descriptions and connection rules.

Physical Layer

Format	Description
SDI	SDI connector.
Audio	Audio connector.
GPIO	GPIO connector.
Data	Data connector.
Ethernet	Ethernet connector.

Capabilities

A capability describes which features of the device are available for control in hi and which protocols are used to execute this capability. Examples of capabilities include:

Crosspoint Management
Parameter Control
UMDs

Wiring of Nodes

Wiring between Nodes forms the system Topology. See Topology Simulation for the Wiring and Topology model.

Operational Implications

For example, a router Node exposes its input and output Ports and supported Crosspoint Management capability. Operators route between those Ports using the Control Panel. The configured Wiring relates the router to other Nodes for Signal Path inspection and Tally calculation.

The Node model does not establish support for every feature of the connected device. Use its Supported Integration page to confirm available capabilities and limitations.

Use Manage Nodes to view, filter, and administer Nodes.
Use Route a Source to a Destination to route supported Ports.
Use Inspect a Signal Path to trace the signal across Nodes.
See Layers for the relationship between Physical, Flow, and Essence Ports.