CEF in Windows build?

[stevespaw]

I am enjoying playing with this project, I have several ideas for use cases. I have docker version, but mainly test in windows right now. Using NDI flows. But the CEF HTML stuff is only docker.
Can we get everything in the windows builds? Size does not matter as much for windows use cases I would think.

Thanks!

[srperens]

Hi. I will think about it, but right now CEF HTML for Windows is not prioritized. May I ask why Windows?

To get strom-full with CEF running on a Windows machine I would recommend just using Linux subsystem WSL2 and docker on that. On later Win11 there is also 'mirrored' network mode for WSL2. It works quite well I think. It's like host network mode for Docker; no NAT network.

[stevespaw]

I am using windows for NDI. Docker does not have NDI correct? If it did, that would be great!

[srperens]

I would say that getting NDI working in docker is easier than CEF on windows. Try these steps..

# Start latest strom-full container in interactive bash
docker run -it --name strom-ndi-build eyevinntechnology/strom-full:latest bash

# When you are in docker container - make a dummy sudo.. scripts need it
printf '#!/bin/sh\nexec "$@"' > /usr/local/bin/sudo && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/sudo

# Run ndi installation
cd scripts/setup/ndi/
./1-install-ndi-sdk.sh && ./2-install-gstreamer-ndi-plugin.sh

# Exit docker container
exit

# Save the build
docker commit \
--change='ENTRYPOINT ["/entrypoint.sh"]' \
--change='CMD ["/app/strom"]' \
strom-ndi-build strom-full-ndi:latest

# Clean up build container
docker rm strom-ndi-build

# Done. Run with: 
# docker run -d --name strom-ndi -p 8080:8080 strom-full-ndi
# or
# docker run -d --name strom-ndi --network host strom-full-ndi

[srperens]

Some upcoming improvments regarding this in #382

[srperens]

382 has now been merged; that removes the need for a dummy sudo and also there is a single script to run instead, install-ndi.sh. so then the whole thing can become a single line up until 'save the build'.

[stevespaw]

Is this in the new release today? If so I will give it another try later today. Thanks 😄

[srperens]

Is this in the new release today? If so I will give it another try later today. Thanks 😄

yes, it is!

[stevespaw]

This is great. I will work on this on Monday

[stevespaw]

I seemed to have added the NDI SDK and I can add them to flows , but I cannot get any actual NDI streams to show up and work.
Any ideas?
set up a flow with test src to NDI out
set up a second flow with NDI in (browse finds no streams)

Also how would you setup connection to a discovery server?

Thanks

[srperens]

Regarding this i do not see why it would not work. Is the docker container running with --network host ? Is it on an actual linux machine or WSL ?

I haven't tested discovery server at all. Try this:

NDI Discovery Server is not configured in Strom but in the NDI SDK via a config file on the machine running Strom:

Linux: ~/.ndi/ndi-config.v1.json

{
"networks": {
"discovery": "192.168.1.100"
}
}

Replace the IP address with your discovery server. Multiple servers can be specified as a comma-separated list (e.g. 192.168.1.100,192.168.1.101"). Default port is 5959.

After the file is in place and Strom is restarted, NDI sources registered with the discovery server should appear in "Browse NDI Sources" just like regular mDNS-discovered sources.

[stevespaw]

I did this exactly this yesterday, except I put that file in the "home" directory, as I saw some posts, I will try moving it, and post an update.
I am running it currently in a Ubuntu 25 vm on proxmox in the cloud, using --host. I may also try this on a home lab proxmox later.
We need to use a discovery server as mDNS is not an option in all of our systems.

[srperens]

Some more info, maybe it helps:

Default locations (if no environment variable is set):

• Linux/macOS: $HOME/.ndi/ndi-config.v1.json
• Windows: C:\ProgramData\NDI\ndi-config.v1.json

Environment variable override: If NDI_CONFIG_DIR is set before the process starts, the SDK reads ndi-config.v1.json from that directory instead.

So you could mount a docker volume (-v) with your file and add env var like -e NDI_CONFIG_DIR=

[stevespaw]

BTW, here is the discovery file I have used, If there was a way to deploy this and edit it in the UI that would be really great 😄
https://docs.ndi.video/all/faq/ndi-tools/why-are-my-changes-to-the-ndi-json-configuration-file-not-being-saved

[srperens]

Any news?

[stevespaw]

Sorry last week got busy - I should be able to start looking again at this tomorrow, Thanks

[stevespaw]

OK I have had some time today - I installed this on a fresh local machine with the NDI script.
It finished fine and showed no errors. Strom shows the NDI in and out tools, but I cannot browse any NDI sources, even manual input. (ip:port) I get no connection to NDI. A testsrc to NDI also produces no NDI stream.

I am not sure what to try next.

[srperens]

Hi!

Have you started the Strom docker container with '--network host' ?

If not, the docker container runs in a NAT network, and I'm pretty sure no NDI works. With network host you will use same network as the host machine, no NATing.

Other than that, I have no great ideas.

Can you describe the network topology please. Are all NDI hosts, including Strom, on the same network? Or is there a registry involved? Any routers or firwalls in the way? Does the linux machine with Strom on have iptables active? What does iptables -nvL say for example?

And I could recommend talking to some AI assistant like Claude, chat GPT or Grok, they can certainly help with ideas for troubleshooting issues like this.

Hope you figure it out!

[stevespaw]

I will look at this more today, I assume now that this works fine for you. I will look for anything on my end. This is running on a PC right next to me where I run the Windows version with working NDI. I have a bunch of NDI machines on the local network.

[stevespaw]

I have looked at network and found no issues. I can start an AES67 from my windows Strom and the docker Strom discovers it no problem. No NDI though even within the same strom docker....

[stevespaw]

I have 2 different vm's on the same proxmox. One Windows and one Ubuntu/Docker. This flow works perfect as expected running the windows VM. No NDI when running the Ubuntu/docker. This was the message on the install script tester.

[srperens]

Ah... Found a problem. There is no Avahi in docker images. Se #427

[srperens]

Ok! New build with fix for NDI discovery in docker containers in v0.3.26.
Turns out docker containers didn't have avahi and dbus installed and running, which are needed for NDI discovery.

#427
https://github.com/Eyevinn/strom/releases/tag/v0.3.26

[stevespaw]

Whoo Hoo! It is working!!!

Thanks, Now on to the next thing. :-)

[srperens]

Yays!

[stevespaw]

Well no such luck in NDI Input...

[stevespaw]

In the windows box I am able to do all kinds of NDI without issue.

[stevespaw]

{
"id": "3cd2ca6b-7bd4-4102-a8bd-a06619f8d67e",
"name": "ndi in",
"elements": [],
"blocks": [
{
"id": "b01e4cc15f69e48a18b249900dfabaa8c",
"block_definition_id": "builtin.ndi_input",
"properties": {
"ndi_name": "W-2-104 (vMix - Output 1)"
},
"position": {
"x": 200.0,
"y": 400.0
},
"computed_external_pads": {
"inputs": [],
"outputs": [
{
"name": "video_out",
"label": "V0",
"media_type": "Video",
"internal_element_id": "videocapsfilter",
"internal_pad_name": "src"
},
{
"name": "audio_out",
"label": "A0",
"media_type": "Audio",
"internal_element_id": "audiocapsfilter",
"internal_pad_name": "src"
}
]
}
},
{
"id": "b71d65700e7494bd8b550f132a806ef0e",
"block_definition_id": "builtin.whep_output",
"name": "NDI",
"properties": {
"mode": "audio_video"
},
"position": {
"x": 650.0,
"y": 400.0
},
"runtime_data": {
"whep_endpoint_id": "f885bfde-3b37-469e-a926-3cb9481f28a3"
},
"computed_external_pads": {
"inputs": [
{
"name": "video_in",
"label": "V0",
"media_type": "Video",
"internal_element_id": "video_queue",
"internal_pad_name": "sink"
},
{
"name": "audio_in",
"label": "A0",
"media_type": "Audio",
"internal_element_id": "audio_queue",
"internal_pad_name": "sink"
}
],
"outputs": []
}
},
{
"id": "b3818e4aa1d20448692559f1be219be17",
"block_definition_id": "builtin.meter",
"properties": {},
"position": {
"x": 550.0,
"y": 600.0
}
},
{
"id": "b8c38e2b4d0514cfa97576c12163dbaf9",
"block_definition_id": "builtin.audioformat",
"properties": {
"channels": "2",
"format": "S16LE",
"sample_rate": "48000"
},
"position": {
"x": 300.0,
"y": 600.0
}
},
{
"id": "bdad655ebc3f8447fb51d01e64f26f5f8",
"block_definition_id": "builtin.videoformat",
"properties": {
"format": "I420",
"framerate": "30",
"resolution": "1920x1080"
},
"position": {
"x": 400.0,
"y": 250.0
}
}
],
"links": [
{
"from": "b8c38e2b4d0514cfa97576c12163dbaf9:audio_out",
"to": "b3818e4aa1d20448692559f1be219be17:audio_in"
},
{
"from": "b01e4cc15f69e48a18b249900dfabaa8c:audio_out",
"to": "b8c38e2b4d0514cfa97576c12163dbaf9:audio_in"
},
{
"from": "b3818e4aa1d20448692559f1be219be17:audio_out",
"to": "b71d65700e7494bd8b550f132a806ef0e:audio_in"
},
{
"from": "b01e4cc15f69e48a18b249900dfabaa8c:video_out",
"to": "bdad655ebc3f8447fb51d01e64f26f5f8:video_in"
},
{
"from": "bdad655ebc3f8447fb51d01e64f26f5f8:video_out",
"to": "b71d65700e7494bd8b550f132a806ef0e:video_in"
}
],
"state": "Playing",
"properties": {
"clock_type": "monotonic",
"clock_sync_status": "unknown",
"thread_priority": "high",
"thread_priority_status": {
"requested": "high",
"achieved": false,
"error": "Failed to set nice value to -10: errno 13",
"threads_configured": 0
},
"auto_restart": true,
"started_at": "2026-03-12T16:29:45.132096882+00:00",
"last_modified": "2026-03-12T16:29:39.111183227+00:00",
"created_at": "2026-03-12T16:05:43.551988693+00:00"
}
}

[stevespaw]

I will be away for a few hours.

[srperens]

ah! yes, that graph from the windows machine is totally different; it's actually receiving stuff. try removing that extra video format block on that one, looks like it makes more harm than good actually.

[srperens]

on the linux strom instance, have you tried connecting to the sender with ipaddr:port in URL Address field of NDI input block? It might be that there is a DNS resolve issue from within the container? can you ping / resolve name 'W-2-104' to ip in the container ?

[stevespaw]

ON windows - it works (withput format stuff)

[stevespaw]

Docker same flow with IP:Port no go:

[stevespaw]

Windows working

[stevespaw]

[stevespaw]

New information - the windows box I have been using in this last round is a separate PC. It has an Nvidia GPU.
When I run the windows VM on the same machine as the docker - NDI out works fine.
But - No NDI - with same symptom as the docker. The common thing MAY be that there is NO GPU.
Could this be the issue? Windows app without GPU works.

[stevespaw]

But Studio Monitor :-)

[stevespaw]

Can GStreamer NDI run CPU Only?