AWS Cloud Digital Interface (CDI) is a software development kit and transport technology that lets compatible applications exchange live, uncompressed video inside AWS. It is designed for cloud production workflows—not as a video codec or a general-purpose internet streaming protocol. Its performance depends on supported AWS infrastructure and network topology.
What AWS CDI does—and what it is not
The AWS CDI SDK provides a way for video applications running on Amazon EC2 instances to send live media to one another in the AWS Cloud. AWS describes its transport stack as using Elastic Fabric Adapter (EFA) and Scalable Reliable Datagram (SRD), with latency as low as a single video frame under suitable deployment conditions. AWS’s CDI SDK guide covers the SDK and its intended use.
CDI is not a codec, a consumer video format, or a replacement for an internet-facing streaming protocol. It is a cloud transport layer for software endpoints in AWS workflows. Applications and infrastructure must be configured to use it.
How the CDI SDK moves video
The SDK uses EFA-capable EC2 infrastructure and SRD networking to carry video between instances. AWS says the SDK supports data rates for uncompressed UHD up to 4K at 60 frames per second between EC2 instances in the same Availability Zone. That capability is conditional: the instance types must support EFA, and AWS recommends clustered placement groups for optimal performance. EFA is available only on a limited set of Nitro-based EC2 instance types, so confirm compatibility for the specific instances and region before designing a workflow.
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AWS describes latency as low as a single frame of video and a performance goal of no more than one dropped frame in a 24-hour period. These are AWS product statements, not guarantees for every deployment or independent benchmark results. AWS notes that node proximity and placement can affect buffering requirements; additional frame buffering may be needed.
CDI SDK versus a MediaConnect CDI flow
The name CDI also appears in AWS Elemental MediaConnect. The SDK and a MediaConnect CDI flow are related but distinct ways CDI appears in AWS video workflows:
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| Option | What it does | Important dependency |
|---|---|---|
| AWS CDI SDK | Lets compatible applications exchange live video between EC2 instances in AWS. | EFA-capable EC2 instances and suitable placement and network topology. |
| MediaConnect CDI flow | Provides a MediaConnect flow for carrying uncompressed or lightly compressed media into or out of AWS. | A CDI flow source must be in a configured Amazon VPC. |
| MediaConnect ST 2110 JPEG XS path | Uses ST 2110-22 for lightly compressed JPEG XS video, distinct from a CDI flow. | Compatibility depends on the specific MediaConnect source, output, and supported media streams. |
For MediaConnect, AWS documents CDI sources and outputs as part of flows configured with VPC interfaces. Review the current MediaConnect instructions for creating a flow that uses a CDI source before choosing this path.
CDI and SMPTE ST 2110 are different paths
SMPTE ST 2110 is a family of standards for media streams; it is not another name for CDI. AWS documentation distinguishes uncompressed video under ST 2110-20 from JPEG XS lightly compressed video under ST 2110-22. MediaConnect’s protocol choices therefore represent different transport and compression paths.
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MediaConnect documents particular stream types and limitations rather than support for every possible ST 2110 media type. AWS Elemental Live also documents product-specific supported profiles: uncompressed SD, HD, and 4K progressive or interlaced video in 4:2:2, 10-bit; and JPEG XS SD/HD progressive or interlaced video in 4:2:2, 8-, 10-, or 12-bit. Those are Elemental Live support details, not a universal description of the standards. Consult the relevant current AWS documentation for MediaConnect media streams and working with SMPTE 2110 in Elemental Live.
Choosing a transport for a cloud production workflow
Choose based on compression and bandwidth
Uncompressed CDI or ST 2110-20 preserves an uncompressed video path but demands substantial network capacity. AWS describes JPEG XS over ST 2110-22 as a lightly compressed alternative; in its contribution example, AWS presents JPEG XS as a way to reduce Direct Connect bandwidth. The appropriate choice depends on the required image path, available bandwidth, and compatibility of each endpoint.
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Map the network boundary and topology
The CDI SDK is oriented toward application-to-application transport inside AWS. MediaConnect CDI flows can bridge VPC-based workflows and external broadcast infrastructure. AWS’s contribution example connects on-premises SDI, 2022-6, or 2110 networks with VPC CDI using Direct Connect. Placement within an Availability Zone matters: the SDK’s cited 4K at 60 frames-per-second capability is scoped to instances in the same Availability Zone.
AWS says MediaConnect CDI outputs do not support transfers between Availability Zones in the cited workflow. For delivery to another Availability Zone, AWS points to ST 2110 JPEG XS outputs as an alternative. This is a topology-specific constraint; verify the current flow and output documentation for the architecture you intend to deploy.
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Verify endpoints, media essences, and infrastructure
- Confirm the EC2 instance type supports EFA and that the chosen placement arrangement is suitable. Clustered placement groups are recommended for optimal SDK performance, but may not suit every interoperability scenario.
- For MediaConnect CDI, verify that the source is in a configured VPC and that the selected interfaces and flow endpoints match the design.
- Check the exact video, audio, and ancillary-data stream types supported by the chosen AWS service and endpoint. Do not infer support for an entire standard from a product-specific list.
- Account for on-premises connectivity, including Direct Connect where the architecture requires it, and validate bandwidth for the selected uncompressed or compressed path.
- Allow for buffering and test the actual placement and network conditions. AWS’s latency and dropped-frame statements are product goals or capability claims, not deployment guarantees.
Cost and implementation planning
AWS says the CDI SDK itself has no fees. That does not make a deployed production workflow cost-free: the architecture may also use EC2, MediaConnect, Direct Connect, and VPC resources. There is no single workflow price established here; estimate the services and data movement in the architecture you plan to run, and verify current AWS pricing and regional availability before deployment.
Developers can start with AWS’s CDI SDK guide and its getting-started instructions to review the SDK and integration path. Check the current instance support, protocol details, service limits, and prices in AWS documentation as these can change.
When StreamNeo is—and is not—the right fit
StreamNeo is a separate service for keeping a YouTube channel live 24/7 from uploaded videos. It does not transport uncompressed video between production applications in AWS and is not a CDI alternative for cloud broadcast contribution or production interoperability. If your goal is instead to loop uploaded videos as a YouTube live stream without leaving a computer running, see StreamNeo.
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