NewTek Connect Spark Pro Operating Instructions Manual

Revised – December 14, 2018

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Table of Contents

SECTION 1 QUICKSTART .............................................................................................................................. 1

SECTION 2 INTRODUCTION AND SETUP ..................................................................................................... 5

2.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................................................................ 5

2.2 Getting Ready ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6

2.3 Making Connections .............................................................................................................................................................. 6

2.4 Web Configuration ................................................................................................................................................................. 7

2.4.1 Studio Monitor ............................................................................................................................................................... 7

2.4.2 Logging In ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10

2.4.3 Audio/Video Settings .................................................................................................................................................... 10

2.4.4 Video Format ................................................................................................................................................................ 10

Audio Input ............................................................................................................................................................................ 11

2.5 Administration ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11

2.5.1 Network Settings .......................................................................................................................................................... 12

2.6 Tally ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 13

2.6.1 External Tally ................................................................................................................................................................ 14

APPENDIX A: ABOUT NDI® .................................................................................................................... 15

2.7 A ‘Video Internet’ ................................................................................................................................................................. 15

2.8 NDI Benefits ......................................................................................................................................................................... 16

2.9 NDI Virtual Input .................................................................................................................................................................. 16

APPENDIX B: END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT ..................................................................................... 18

CREDITS ..................................................................................................................................................... 27

This section explains how to connect and configure your NewTek Connect Spark™ Pro. It
also explains how to update the device, and where you can find additional NDI® software to
extend your workflow. After completing this short section, you’ll be all set to begin using
your new camera.

Network

Reset

Audio Out

USB-C

HDMI In

Audio In

Section 1 QUICKSTART

This document briefly describes how to prepare your new NewTek™ device for use. Please note that more
detailed information is provided in the next chapter.

Step 1 – Downloads

1. Visit http://new.tk/NCSPInfo using the web browser of a computer and download the following:

a. NewTek NDI

®

Tools pack

b. Spark Pro™ User Manual.

2. Install NDI Tools on your computer.

Step 3 – Connect Spark Pro

FIGURE 1-1

3. Connect Spark Pro to your local network router or switch with an Ethernet cable.
a. If you connect a PoE (power over Ethernet) cable, the unit will power up.

4. Otherwise, connect power from the supplied power adapter to Spark Pro’s USB-C

port, located beside the Ethernet connector. (If using another adapter, it should
have a full-size USB (type A) output connector and supply at least 2.4 amps at 5V.)

Step 4 – Access Spark’s Webpage

5. Use the NewTek Studio Monitor application installed with your NDI

®

Tools pack to locate Spark Pro

on the network as follows:

a. Click the menu gadget at upper-left to view NDI sources.
b. Use the menu to select your Spark Pro unit.
c. Then click the gear icon at lower right when your mouse pointer is over Studio Monitor to

open Spark’s webpage in your web browser.

Note: Step 4, accessing the device webpage, varies slightly for OS X users. Please refer to Section 2.4 for details.

6. Log into the webpage using the default user name (“admin”) and password (also “admin”).

Note: The Microsoft Edge™ web browser is not fully supported at this time. On Windows platforms, please
another modern web browser or Internet Explorer™.

Step 5 – Update Spark Pro’s Firmware

We encourage you to keep the firmware on your NewTek™ device up to date. Firmware updates may contain
bug-fixes, provide improved performance, or even enable new features. The update process is not
complicated – simply follow the steps listed below:

7. Download and unzip the firmware update archive to extract the ‘.bin’ file.

8. Click the Administration tab at the top of Spark Pro’s webpage, and compare the Firmware Version

shown to the number in the filename of the firmware version you downloaded. If the download has
a higher revision number, continue below to perform the update.

9. Click the Update Firmware button, and click Choose File to show a file explorer.

10. Use the file explorer to locate the firmware .bin file, and follow the prompts to perform the update.

Spark will reboot during this process, which may take up to ten minutes. Please be careful not to interrupt
power to the device during the update process.

11. Following a firmware update, we recommend performing a Factory Reset. The Reset button is

located just right of the HDMI connector on Spark Pro’s chassis.

Normally, pressing this button simply restarts the device. However, during a brief period at the
beginning of the restart process, the device lights flash white. Pressing Reset again during this
period performs a full Factory Reset operation, restoring default settings. (Note: if you have
previously set a manually configured IP address for the unit, you will need to reconfigure the IP
settings again following a Factory Reset).

Hint: On some web browsers, you may occasionally need to clear the browser’s cache (history) to see the
result of a firmware update or Factory Reset. Also, please note that it can take a minute or two before the
NDI channel name shown in NDI Studio Monitor refreshes.

Conclusion

This completes the initial setup of your NewTek™ Spark Pro. You should see its output displayed on Studio
Monitor. The sections that follow provide more in depth coverage of Spark’s features and options.

This section, like the preceding one, explains how to connect and configure your NewTek
Connect Spark™. The discussion in the chapter, however, is more leisurely and detailed, and
you may find it helps answer any questions that have arisen thus far.

Section 2 INTRODUCTION AND SETUP

2.1 OVERVIEW

Thank you for purchasing this NewTek™ product. NewTek is extremely proud of its record of innovation,
and its commitment to excellence in design, manufacture, and superb product support.

NewTek provides some of the most advanced live production tools available anywhere, and we are confident
you will find them exceptionally powerful and versatile.

Your NewTek Connect Spark Pro™ unit delivers a huge amount of functionality in a compact package.
Prosumers and video professionals alike will appreciate the convenience and flexibility it provides in
connection with both video production and capture.

Unlike typical encoders or capture card systems, your NewTek Connect Spark™ Pro unit leverages the
ground-breaking benefits of NewTek’s NDI-based IP workflow, supported by leading video software and
hardware developers around the globe. This manual will assist you to install and configure your new Spark
Pro™.

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FIGURE 2-1

Tally

Unused

USB-C

Network

Reset

HDMI In

Audio In

2.2 GETTING READY

Your NewTek Connect Spark Pro uses the NDI® protocol for audio/video
transmission, and more. Your first step will be to install a few NDI utilities
appropriate for your computer platform or device:

1. Navigate to http://new.tk/NCSPinfo in your web browser, and follow

directions to download and install the NewTek NDI Tools pack,
available at no cost.

NDI Tools provides a very valuable array of practical NDI learning tools and utilities, including NewTek’s NDI
Studio Monitor, which will not only locate and display the network video output from your Spark Pro unit,
but also makes it easy access to its settings.

2.3 MAKING CONNECTIONS

1. Supply power supply to the unit, either by
a. Connecting the supplied power adapter to Spark Pro’s USB-C port, located beside the

Ethernet connector.

Note: If using another adapter, please use one with a full-size USB (type A) output connector that
supplies at least 2.4 amps at 5V.)

b. Or by connecting a ‘Power over Ethernet’ (PoE) cable to Spark Pro’s network

connector – see note below.

Note: Spark Pro’s PoE support conforms to the IEEE 802.3af-2003 specification.

The unit boots as soon as power is supplied by one of the methods above. At this
point, the NewTek logo will illuminate. (If this does not happen, check your
connections and retry.)

2. If did not choose option b above (PoE), please continue to connect one end of a network cable to

Spark Pro’s RJ-45 Ethernet port.

3. Connect the other end of the cable to your network switch or router.

4. Optional steps:
a. Connect an HDMI video cable from a suitable video source to Spark Pro’s HDMI input

connector.

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FIGURE 2-2

b. If you wish, connect an analog audio source to the 6.35mm stereo audio input.

If you connected a video source in step 3 above, your NewTek Connect Spark Pro is already sending NDI
audio and video to your local network. We’ll talk about how to access and use it soon, but first let’s discuss
how to access Spark Pro’s settings and features.

Hint: In ‘mission’ critical installations, it is wise to use an uninterruptable power supply (UPS). Likewise,
consider A/C “power conditioning”, especially in situations where local power is unreliable or ‘noisy’. Surge

protection is especially important in some locales. Power conditioners can reduce wear on power supplies and
other electronics, and provide a further measure of protection from surges, spikes, lightning and high voltage.

2.4 WEB CONFIGURATION

NewTek Connect Spark Pro is very easy to use. In many
installations, all you need to do is supply power, connect a video
source and your network, and you‘re ready to go.

Sometimes, though, you will want to access Spark Pro’s settings –
perhaps to configure login credentials, update firmware, etc.
Settings are made available by means of Spark Pro’s configuration
webpage, which you can access from any suitable device (i.e., one
with a web browser) on the same network).

Note: As web browsers vary widely, you may occasionally find it

necessary to delete cached files (sometimes referred to as the browser’s
“history”) before the display refreshes to properly show some recent

change. This can happen, for example, after a firmware update.

KEEP READING TO LEARN HOW TO ACCESS YOUR
CAMERA’S WEBPAGE.

Some devices provide direct, easy access to Spark Pro’s

configuration webpage. For example, when you select output

from a Spark Pro unit as the source for a NewTek

TriCaster® switcher input, a convenient “Device
Webpage” button is shown in TriCaster’s Input
Configuration panel. Simply click this to open the
corresponding web control page.

2.4.1 STUDIO MONITOR

For other platforms, you can use the Studio Monitor application you installed back in Section 2.2 in a similar
manner.

Windows platform users can launch Studio Monitor from the system’s Start menu (Figure 2-2), where it will
appear in the NewTek NDI Tools folder. Among its capabilities, Studio Monitor (Windows) can detect and
display NDI sources available on your network.

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