Quadra Mini Server: Empowering Next-gen Streaming

The NETINT Quadra Mini Server is a compact half-rack width, powerful video encoding solution powered by the ultra-compact Quadra T1M VPU.

Quadra Mini Server is ideal for engineers needing high-density performance in limited spaces.

Supports AV1, H.264, and HEVC, offering future-proofing and bandwidth efficiency.

Low power consumption (~138W) reduces operational costs and environmental impact, making it perfect for on-site video processing and edge computing.

Integrates seamlessly with tools like FFmpeg, GStreamer, and NETINT Bitstreams™, simplifying workflows for busy engineers.

Quadra Mini Server easily outperforms CPU and GPU-based solutions by up to 20x in density and efficiency, saving you OPEX and energy.

Overview for busy engineers

Here’s the quick scoop on the NETINT Quadra Mini Server—it’s a game-changer for video streaming workflows, especially when space and power are tight. This compact 1RU half-rack server packs a punch with high-density encoding, SDI video interface and support for up to 20x 1080p30 or 5x 4Kp30 live streams, all while sipping just ~138W of power. That’s a big win for your OPEX and energy costs, especially in live mobile broadcasts or edge setups.

Quadra Mini Server is built for modern video streaming workflows, with native support for AV1, H.264, and HEVC, meaning you can deliver high-quality streams at lower bitrates, saving bandwidth. Whether you’re handling live events, dynamic ad insertion, or contribution encoding, Quadra Mini Server keeps things smooth and efficient compared to CPU or GPU solutions. Plus, its AV1 support future-proofs your setup, aligning with trends toward higher compression efficiency.

Quadra Mini Server plays nice with tools like FFmpeg, GStreamer, and NETINT Bitstreams, so you won’t need to overhaul your existing pipelines. The Bitstreams software simplifies operations, letting you manage encoding with a user-friendly dashboard, which is a nice touch for quick setups and user friendliness.

“NETINT’s inclusion of Blackmagic Design DeckLink capture cards in the new Quadra Mini Server show our combined commitment to democratizing high-quality video distribution through cost-effective encoding solutions. Both companies share an obsession with innovation, seamless workflows, and exceptional value that refuses to compromise on performance.”

Matt Jefferson, Director of Developer Partnerships, Blackmagic Design

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About The Quadra Mini Server

The NETINT Quadra Mini Server is a transformative solution for video streaming workflows, addressing the growing demands for high-density encoding, power efficiency, and compact design. Below, we explore its technical specifications, practical applications, and competitive advantages, with supporting evidence and examples.

Technical Specifications and Core Features

The Quadra Mini Server is housed in a 1U half-rack chassis, making it ideal for space-constrained environments like mobile broadcast units and edge deployments. An Intel® 13th Gen i7 processor is at the heart of the Quadra Mini Server, paired with NETINT’s Codensity G5 ASIC, specifically the Quadra T1M Video Processing Unit (VPU). This combination delivers robust general-purpose computing with specialized video encoding capabilities.

A standout feature is its native, hardware-level support for modern codecs, including H.264, HEVC, and notably AV1, which offers superior compression efficiency. AV1 support is particularly relevant as it enables high-quality video streams at lower bitrates, reducing bandwidth consumption—a critical advantage for networks with limited capacity. The server also supports decoding for H.264, HEVC, JPG, and VP9, enhancing its versatility.

Performance-wise, it can encode up to 20x 1080p30 streams or 5x 4Kp30 streams, with a decoding capacity of up to 25x 1080p30 or 6x 4Kp30, all while consuming approximately 138W of power. (Divide the 30 fps stream count at your desired resolution by two to calculate 60 fps density.)

This low power draw translates to significant operational expense (OPEX) savings in electricity costs and reduced cooling demands for data centers, contributing to a more sustainable operation. Memory includes 16GB of Dual DDR5 SODIMM, with storage via 2x M.2 Type E NVMe, ensuring responsive performance for demanding tasks.

Integration is seamless, with compatibility for industry-standard tools like FFmpeg and GStreamer, as well as NETINT’s Software Development Kit (SDK). Blackmagic Design DeckLink SDI capture cards are supported for professional video capture workflows, further enhancing its utility. The inclusion of Bitstreams™ management software is a notable feature, offering a user-friendly dashboard for code-free control, pre-built templates, and customizable configurations, which streamline operations and reduce the learning curve for engineering teams.

Practical Use Cases and Real-World Applications

The server’s combination of power, efficiency, and compactness makes it suitable for several demanding scenarios:

Mobile Broadcast and Live Event Production: The Quadra Mini Server excels in environments with strict space and power constraints, such as mobile broadcasting. It supports onsite recording, contribution encoding, and Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) ladder creation from SDI inputs, simplifying workflows by reducing the need for multiple encoders. This is particularly valuable for live events where content must reach diverse platforms, with its half-rack size and ~138W consumption aligning with energy-efficient requirements.

Edge Processing for Enhanced Video Experiences: The trend toward edge computing is well-served by this server, especially for applications like dynamic ad insertion and cloud gaming. For ad insertion, processing video closer to the viewer minimizes latency, ensuring seamless and nondisruptive ads, which is crucial for monetization strategies. New trends in contribution encoding where the full ABR distribution ladder is created at the point of origin make Quadra Mini Server perfect for cutting out expensive and time-consuming cloud video transcoding operations. Support for advanced codecs, reduce bandwidth needs without sacrificing visual fidelity.

High-Density Multiview Streaming Solutions: The server’s ability to decode multiple incoming streams and encode a combined multiview output is a significant advantage for applications like sports betting platforms and security monitoring centers. With a decoding capacity of up to 25x 1080p30 or 6x 4Kp30, the Quadra Mini Server can ingest numerous feeds and create consolidated streams, which is ideal for space-constrained environments typical of monitoring operations.

NETINT Quadra Mini Server vs. Alternatives

The Quadra Mini Server distinguishes itself from traditional CPU-based and GPU-based encoding solutions through several key advantages:

Density and Performance: It offers up to 20x 1080p30 or 5x 4Kp30 streams in a compact form factor, claiming up to 20 times the encoding capacity of CPU-software encoding. This contrasts with traditional CPU servers, which would require significantly more rack space for similar output, increasing infrastructure complexity. Compared to GPUs, while both can accelerate encoding, NETINT’s ASIC VPUs are purpose-built for video processing, offering superior power efficiency and density for specific tasks.

Power Efficiency: At ~138W, it significantly outperforms CPU and GPU-heavy solutions, which can consume substantially more power for comparable workloads. This efficiency leads to lower electricity costs and reduced thermal footprints, easing data center cooling demands and aligning with environmental sustainability goals.

Codec Flexibility for Future-Proofing: Native hardware support for AV1 up to 4Kp60, alongside H.264 and HEVC, ensures the server is equipped for future video standards, delivering high-quality streams at optimized bitrates. This contrasts with traditional hardware lacking AV1 support and relying on software encoding, impacting performance and increasing CPU utilization.

Simplified Operations and Seamless Integration: The Bitstreams software, compatible with FFmpeg 7.0, offers intuitive control and pre-built templates, contrasting with the often complex command-line interfaces of traditional tools. This, combined with SDK support, minimizes disruption when integrating into existing pipelines, enhancing efficiency for engineering teams.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The NETINT Quadra Mini Server is a compelling choice for engineers seeking to optimize video streaming infrastructure. Its compact design, high-density encoding, and low power consumption (~138W) address critical density, efficiency, and sustainability challenges. With native AV1 support, it future-proofs setups, while AI capabilities and seamless tool integration simplify workflows. It offers practical advantages for applications like mobile broadcasts, edge computing, and multiview streaming, potentially revolutionizing how engineers approach video delivery.

Engineers are encouraged to explore its capabilities further, especially for scenarios where space, power, and performance are priorities. For detailed specifications, visit the NETINT Quadra Mini Server product page and product brief PDF.

by Mark Donnigan