NMOS Discovery
Summary
NMOS (Networked Media Open Specifications) provides device discovery (IS-04) and connection management (IS-05) for the SMPTE 2110 network. The plan is to run a sony/nmos-cpp registry on SERVER-PC and NMOS nodes on Stream-PC and other media devices. This is a Phase 3 item — after PTP timing and media transport are working.
NMOS IS-04 lets devices register themselves and be discovered via a central registry. IS-05 enables API-driven connection management — routing streams between senders and receivers without manual SDP file handling. Together, they provide the control plane that makes a 2110 network manageable at scale.
Timeline
- 2026-04-03: NMOS identified as Phase 3 priority in lab design.
- 2026-04-03: sony/nmos-cpp selected as implementation (open source, cross-platform).
Current State
Not started. Planned for Phase 3 (Month 2), after PTP and media streams are operational.
Planned setup:
- Registry: sony/nmos-cpp on SERVER-PC
- Nodes: sony/nmos-cpp on Stream-PC, future devices
- Web UI for browsing registered devices and managing connections
Key Decisions
- 2026-04-03: Phase 3 priority — NMOS requires working PTP and media streams first.
- 2026-04-03: sony/nmos-cpp as implementation — mature, standards-compliant, good documentation.
Experiments & Results
| Experiment | Status | Finding | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| IS-04 registry + node registration | Phase 3 | Design doc | |
| IS-05 connection management | Phase 3 | Design doc |
Gotchas & Known Issues
- NMOS requires working DNS-SD or manual configuration — mDNS may not work across subnets.
- nmos-cpp build process can be complex — may need Docker containers for easier deployment.
Open Questions
- Should the NMOS registry run in Docker or native on SERVER-PC?
- Will Blackmagic 2110 converters (future) support NMOS natively?
- Is IS-08 (audio channel mapping) worth implementing for the lab?