Because StreamSync is an AV-over-IP matrix, a properly configured network is critical for performance. Minimum network requirements are a Gigabit Ethernet network for all connected devices. Every switch and link in the path should support 1 Gbps throughput at a minimum. If you plan on a very large deployment or higher resolutions in the future, consider 10 Gbps uplinks or switches, as some AV-over-IP solutions may require 10G for many simultaneous 4K streams. (StreamSync’s current 1080p streams are fine on 1G, but network headroom is never a bad thing). Here are some best practices for the network:

• Managed Switch with IGMP: Use a quality managed switch and enable IGMP Snooping if you are using multicast streaming.  StreamSync’s NDI streams use multicast by default for efficiency. IGMP Snooping ensures that multicast video traffic goes only to the ports that subscribed to it, preventing unnecessary flooding of video traffic to all network ports. Also enable an IGMP Querier on your network if you have multiple switches, so multicast groups are maintained properly.

• VLAN or Dedicated Network: It’s highly recommended to isolate the AV traffic from regular data traffic. You can either use a separate physical switch or put StreamSync devices on their own VLAN. This prevents large AV streams from competing with office network data and adds a layer of security through network segmentation. Reserving ample bandwidth for AV ensures you won’t toss video packets “over the side” due to congestion.

• Discovery and IP Addressing: StreamSync uses NDI, which relies on mDNS (multicast DNS) for device discovery on the local network. Ensure that mDNS/Bonjour is not blocked so that sources and receivers can find each other automatically.  All devices should be in the same subnet or you will need an NDI Discovery Server configured for multi-subnet setups. For IP management, using DHCP initially is convenient, but assign static IPs (or DHCP reservations) to each StreamSync unit and key endpoint to have a predictable system topology.

• Quality of Service (QoS): In many cases you do not need special QoS rules for AV streams on a dedicated network. In fact, some manufacturers suggest disabling any default QoS or traffic-shaping for video VLANs. as these can introduce unintended latency. If the AV network is shared with other services, you might consider prioritizing the AV VLAN, but usually a properly isolated gigabit network has enough capacity for multiple HD streams without issue.

• Cabling and Infrastructure: Use good-quality cables (Cat5e or Cat6) and keep them within standard lengths (100m for copper). For longer runs, use fiber or secondary switches to extend the network. Avoid daisy-chaining consumer-grade routers or switches; instead, use a single robust switch or a stack of managed switches with a fast backbone. Also, make sure all switch ports are set to full-duplex gigabit operation (almost always the default) for best results.

By adhering to these networking guidelines, you’ll create an environment where StreamSync can deliver high-quality, low-latency video reliably. In summary: use a solid gigabit infrastructure, enable multicast support, isolate the traffic, and mind your IP configuration. This will prevent most network-related AV issues and provide a smooth AVoIP deployment.

StreamSync is engineered for 24/7 reliable operation in mission-critical environments like boardrooms and courtrooms. At the core, it uses a mature AV-over-IP technology (NDI streaming) which is known for stability and for graceful handling of network hiccups. In practice, if the network is set up well, StreamSync can run continuously with minimal intervention. Here are some factors and tips regarding reliability:

• Robust Streaming Protocol: The system’s use of NDI|HX means it employs efficient compression and error mitigation. Minor packet loss on the network will typically not break the stream entirely; you might see a slight quality dip or a momentary freeze, but the stream will attempt to recover without manual intervention. This is helped by using a dedicated network where possible – fewer devices on the network means fewer chances for collisions or congestion that cause packet loss.

• Avoiding Bandwidth Overload: Reliability is closely tied to not exceeding network capacity. If too many high-bandwidth streams are pushed through a small pipe, packets will get dropped and video may stutter. To maintain reliability, ensure the total video data doesn’t saturate your links. For example, on a gigabit network, you wouldn’t normally push it to 100% utilization with streams; leave headroom. Because StreamSync supports up to 12 simultaneous streams, calculate your bandwidth usage (each 1080p stream might use on the order of tens of Mbps) and make sure it’s well under the network limits.

• Thermal and Power Stability: StreamSync hardware should be kept in a stable environment. It has no special cooling requirements beyond standard practice: give it ventilation space and keep ambient temperatures reasonable. The device should be connected to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) if possible. This guards against power spikes or outages that could otherwise reboot the unit unexpectedly. Consistent power and environment prevent most hardware-related downtime.

• Auto-Recovery and Monitoring: In the event of a source or network interruption, the system is designed to auto-reconnect streams. For example, if a source is unplugged and then re-plugged, StreamSync will restore that feed routing without needing a manual reset. As an installer, you can monitor system status via the web interface or API – checking feed statuses, bandwidth, and device health periodically. StreamSync provides feedback if a stream is offline, which helps quickly identify issues (e.g., a cable unplugged or a network link down).

• Maintenance: Like any network device, performing periodic maintenance contributes to long-term reliability. This includes keeping firmware up to date (since updates often contain bug fixes and stability improvements), and occasionally rebooting the system during scheduled downtime if you notice any slowdown (though memory leaks or such are uncommon, a fresh restart can clear any latent issues). Proactively updating software/firmware addresses known vulnerabilities and bugs, helping the system stay robust.

By following best practices (solid network, stable power, monitoring, and maintenance), StreamSync should run reliably day in and day out. Many integrators treat it as an appliance – once configured, it can be left alone, confidently switching and streaming content whenever needed without constant attention.

StreamSync offers low latency AV distribution, making it suitable for real-time applications like live presentations, video conferencing, and interactive events. In practical terms, the end-to-end latency (source in to display out) is typically only on the order of a few frames of video. This usually equates to a few tens of milliseconds of delay, often around or under ~50 ms in ideal conditions. Latency this low is virtually unnoticeable in most scenarios– for instance, a presenter speaking and gesturing in front of a camera will see their content appear on remote displays almost instantaneously, with no appreciable audio sync issues.

Several factors enable StreamSync’s low latency performance:

• Efficient Codec: StreamSync uses NDI|HX, a codec which is optimized for minimal delay while still compressing the video. It is not like highly compressed streaming video that might buffer; instead, it sends video frames in near-real-time. In many cases, the latency is roughly 1–2 frames (around 16–33 ms) for the encoding/decoding process, plus any network transit time (usually negligible on a local network). The result is that the video feels virtually live.

• Local Switching: Because this is a matrix system, switching and routing decisions are handled by the StreamSync core instantly without waiting on long buffering. When you switch a source to a new display, it cuts over quickly (the display might flash or have a very brief pause as the new stream syncs, but this is typically well under a second). There’s no lengthy blanking or resync period beyond what an HDMI receiver normally does when a source changes.

• Network Setup Considerations: To maintain lowest latency, it’s important that the network is free of unnecessary delays. Use a single LAN for video rather than routing through multiple subnets or routers (each hop can add a bit of delay). Also avoid Wi-Fi for primary links – while StreamSync supports modern Wi-Fi casting, wired connections have consistent low latency and no wireless jitter. Proper switch configuration (no overzealous QoS or store-and-forward bottlenecks) ensures that packets move through with minimal switching delay. Essentially, a straightforward gigabit switch introduces only microseconds of latency, so the main factor remains the encoding/decoding time, which as noted is very small.

In summary, StreamSync’s latency is low enough for live content. Presenters will find it responsive, and even things like live camera feeds to IMAG (Image Magnification) screens can be done without distracting lag. Interactive use cases like annotation on a touchscreen (with the video looped through StreamSync) remain smooth. If extremely tight sync is required (for example, a musician looking at a conductor on a screen), it’s always good practice to test, but StreamSync’s performance is in line with professional AV standards for real-time operation. Field techs have successfully used it in courtrooms and meetings where questions and answers flow without any awkward delay.

Scaling up an AV-over-IP system is usually easier than scaling a traditional matrix, but it does have limits based on hardware and network. StreamSync supports up to a 12×12 video matrix configuration natively– that is, it can manage up to 12 source streams and 12 output streams at the same time. This is a combination of its physical inputs/outputs and NDI stream capacity. If your deployment needs to go beyond that (say more than 12 unique sources or more than 12 endpoint displays), here are your options:

• Multiple StreamSync Units: You can deploy additional StreamSync units and effectively increase capacity by distributing sources across them. For example, two StreamSync cores could handle 24×24 in total (each managing 12×12). However, note that these units don’t automatically interlink; you would treat them as separate matrices. You could use a central control system (via the API) to coordinate routing between multiple units. For instance, a control system could decide which StreamSync box routes which stream to which output, giving the operator a unified experience even though behind the scenes multiple matrix devices are in play. When using multiple units, ensure they are on the same network and configured with distinct IPs, and perhaps use an NDI discovery server to help manage a large number of NDI streams/devices. The network needs to handle the combined bandwidth of all units, so plan your switch capacity accordingly (10Gb uplinks or a core switch might be needed when stacking units).

• Adding More NDI Encoders/Decoders: Since StreamSync uses the NDI protocol, it can interoperate with other NDI-compatible devices. If you need more sources beyond the built-in 7 NDI inputs, you could add third-party NDI encoder devices or use software to send additional streams into the network. StreamSync can then subscribe to those as additional inputs (though again, it can only actively manage a certain number at once due to its 12×12 limit). Similarly, you can have more than 6 NDI decoders (receivers) on the network if you have more than 6 displays; they can subscribe to the StreamSync output streams. Essentially, NDI doesn’t have a hard limit on number of endpoints – it’s governed by network bandwidth and management. So you might have 20 TVs each with an NDI decoder; you’d just have some of them showing the same content if you only have 12 unique streams. If you want 20 unique streams, you’d need to scale up with multiple StreamSync or other NDI sources as mentioned.

• Network Scaling: As you scale to more devices, network infrastructure becomes even more important. More sources and displays mean more simultaneous data. Ensure your network switches can handle the aggregate throughput. For example, if each 1080p stream is ~20 Mbps and you have 20 streams, that’s ~400 Mbps; well within 1 Gbps, but if some are 4K or you add more, you approach limits. In larger scales, using multiple switches, you might create a hierarchical network: edge switches for groups of endpoints, with a 10 Gbps (or lagged multiple 1 Gbps) uplink to a core switch that interconnects the StreamSync unit and other switches. Also, when multiple switches are involved, configure an IGMP Querier on each VLAN to manage multicast across them. Scaling might also require moving to 10 Gigabit Ethernet for uplinks or critical links, as certain high-resolution workflows demand it. The key is to avoid any bottleneck that could occur with many streams.

In practice, many installations won’t exceed the 12×12 capacity of a single StreamSync, but if yours does, the system is flexible to expand. You just architect it a bit more like an IT system with multiple nodes. Tip: Document your stream routing clearly when scaling large – it helps to have a spreadsheet or matrix map of which source is on which StreamSync and how it can reach which display. With good planning, StreamSync can be part of a modular, scalable AV distribution approach that grows with your needs, leveraging additional units or NDI devices and a robust network to tie it all together.