Magewell Pro Convert SRT setup: decode Callaba streams to HDMI or SDI
Written by Iurii Pakholkov
Founder of Callaba. Building cloud video tools for SRT, RTMP, WebRTC, NDI, live routing, monitoring, recording, and production workflows.
Release: Callaba 8.4
Magewell Pro Convert decoders turn live IP streams into baseband HDMI or SDI output.
With Callaba, the typical workflow is different from an encoder setup: Callaba receives, routes or prepares the stream in the cloud, then a Pro Convert decoder pulls or receives the SRT source and outputs it to a monitor, projector, router or hardware switcher.
This guide is written for the search intent behind Magewell Pro Convert SRT, Magewell Pro Convert decoder, Pro Convert to HDMI, Pro Convert to SDI, Pro Convert playback, Pro Convert multiview and Callaba SRT decoder workflow.
Quick answer: how do I use Magewell Pro Convert with Callaba over SRT?
Create or select an SRT output route in Callaba, then add that SRT source in the Magewell Pro Convert decoder. The decoder should point to the Callaba SRT URL, use the matching caller/listener mode, port, stream ID if used, passphrase if used, and a buffer value that keeps playback stable. Once connected, Pro Convert outputs the decoded stream through HDMI or SDI.
What this setup does
This workflow takes a stream managed by Callaba and decodes it on a Magewell Pro Convert device for local HDMI or SDI output. The source may originally come from a camera, encoder, venue, cloud route, recording path or another SRT workflow. Pro Convert is the final local playback or display endpoint.
- Callaba Gateway receives, routes or prepares the SRT stream in the cloud.
- Magewell Pro Convert adds the Callaba SRT source and decodes it.
- Local output goes to HDMI or SDI devices such as monitors, projectors, routers, hardware switchers or IMAG screens.
Which Pro Convert decoder do you have?
Magewell lists four Pro Convert decoder models: Pro Convert for NDI to HDMI, Pro Convert for NDI to HDMI 4K, Pro Convert for NDI to AIO, and Pro Convert for NDI to SDI. The SRT source logic is similar, but the local output path is different.
| Decoder model | Best Callaba angle | SRT / protocol support | Local output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Convert for NDI to HDMI | Decode Callaba SRT source to a standard HDMI display path. | Supports SRT and other IP stream sources such as RTSP, RTMP, UDP, RTP, HTTP and HLS. | HDMI |
| Pro Convert for NDI to HDMI 4K | Decode to a higher-resolution HDMI monitoring or display workflow. | Supports SRT and other IP stream sources such as RTSP, RTMP, UDP, RTP, HTTP and HLS. | 4K HDMI |
| Pro Convert for NDI to AIO | Use one decoder when you may need HDMI and SDI outputs. | Supports SRT and other IP stream sources such as RTSP, RTMP, UDP, RTP, HTTP and HLS. | HDMI + SDI |
| Pro Convert for NDI to SDI | Decode Callaba SRT source into an SDI router, monitor or switcher path. | Supports SRT and other IP stream sources such as RTSP, RTMP, UDP, RTP, HTTP and HLS. | 3G-SDI |
Recommended SRT mode: choose who connects to whom
There are two clean ways to connect Callaba and Pro Convert. The right choice depends on which side can accept the incoming SRT connection.
| Connection model | Use when | How to think about it |
|---|---|---|
| Pro Convert connects to Callaba | The decoder site can make outbound UDP connections to the Callaba address. | Add the Callaba SRT URL as a source in Pro Convert. This is usually the simplest field setup. |
| Callaba sends to Pro Convert | The Pro Convert site can expose a reachable listener port, or the device is on a controlled network. | Set the complementary SRT role on the Callaba side and confirm the decoder-side port is reachable. |
A template SRT source URL can look like this when Pro Convert connects to a reachable Callaba endpoint:
srt://YOUR_CALLABA_IP:10110?mode=caller&latency=200&streamid=callaba-program-mainA filled example for field testing can look like this:
srt://demo.callaba.io:10110?mode=caller&latency=200&streamid=callaba-program-mainUse the second example as a template. Replace host, port, stream ID and passphrase with your own Callaba values. If Callaba sends the stream to Pro Convert instead, invert the SRT role and use the Pro Convert listener address and port.
Before you start
Prepare the decoding path before troubleshooting the local monitor. A black HDMI or SDI output can come from the network, the SRT role, the selected source, the codec, the output format or the display chain.
Before you start: confirm your exact Pro Convert model and firmware support the stream type you want to decode. Magewell Pro Convert decoders support SRT, but menu labels, source presets and output behavior can differ by model and firmware.
Step 1: create or select the SRT output in Callaba
In Callaba, prepare the stream that Pro Convert should decode. This can be an incoming live source, a routed program feed, a backup feed, a test source or another workflow output.
- Open your Callaba environment.
- Select the stream or route that should be decoded locally.
- Create an SRT output or make the route available as an SRT endpoint.
- Choose the SRT role and UDP port.
- Set latency and stream ID if your route uses it.
- Add passphrase only if you will enter the same value in Pro Convert.
- Confirm the output is reachable from the decoder network.
Step 2: add the SRT source in Pro Convert
Open the Pro Convert web UI and add the Callaba SRT URL as a source. In API-based workflows, Magewell documents an add-channel interface that supports source protocols including srt, rtsp, http, rtmp, udp and rtp.
- Open the Pro Convert device web interface.
- Add a new source or preset source.
- Select SRT as the source protocol if the UI exposes protocol selection.
- Paste or enter the Callaba SRT URL.
- Set buffer duration or playback buffer if the interface exposes it.
- Save the source and select it as the active channel.
- Check HDMI or SDI output on the connected monitor or downstream device.
A simplified API-style source example can look like this:
http://PRO_CONVERT_IP/mwapi?method=add-channel&name=callaba-main&url=srt://YOUR_CALLABA_IP:10110?mode=caller&latency=200&streamid=callaba-program-mainUse this as a readable example, not a copy-paste API call. In a real request, URL parameters may need to be encoded depending on how you send the command.
Settings table
This table is the fastest way to avoid mismatches. The words in the Pro Convert interface can differ, but the values must describe the same SRT source.
| Setting | Callaba | Pro Convert | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source URL | SRT output endpoint | Add as source or preset | A wrong source URL means the decoder has nothing to play. |
| SRT mode | Listener or caller | Matching role | SRT requires complementary connection roles. |
| Port | Open UDP port | Same port in source URL | A wrong or blocked port looks like no source. |
| Buffer duration | Stable outgoing stream | Playback buffer | Too low can make jitter visible on the output. |
| Output format | Received source format | HDMI or SDI output | The display or switcher must accept the output format. |
Pro Convert and multiview: browser monitoring vs hardware output
Pro Convert is not the browser multiview board. It is the local decoder. Callaba can still show the same source in browser multiview while also routing an SRT output to Pro Convert for HDMI or SDI playback.
- Monitor the source in Callaba multiview.
- Use Callaba routing to choose the program feed or source that should leave the cloud.
- Decode that selected SRT feed on Pro Convert for a local display, projector, switcher or backup monitor.
Interactive check: open the Callaba multiview demo to see how a source can be monitored before it is routed to a local decoder.
Pro Convert and recording: record before the decoder
For a Pro Convert workflow, recording usually belongs upstream of the decoder. The decoder is there to show the stream locally. Callaba can record the stream before or while it is sent to Pro Convert, so the recording represents what was available in the cloud workflow.
| Layer | Job | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Callaba cloud recording | Record the stream before local decode. | You keep a copy of what reached the cloud route. |
| Pro Convert decoder | Decode for local HDMI or SDI output. | It provides local viewing, not the main cloud archive. |
Pro Convert playback workflow with Callaba
Playback with Pro Convert is physical playback: the stream becomes HDMI or SDI. That is useful when the final destination is not a browser, but a monitor, projector, production switcher, routing system or venue display.
- Callaba receives or generates the program stream.
- Callaba exposes that stream as an SRT source for the decoder.
- Pro Convert adds the Callaba SRT source and decodes it.
- The decoded HDMI or SDI signal goes to a local monitor, projector, switcher or router.
If you also need browser playback, keep that as a separate Callaba player or HLS workflow. Pro Convert solves the local hardware output side.
Troubleshooting
Most Pro Convert playback issues fall into two groups: the decoder is not receiving the SRT source, or the decoder receives the source but the HDMI/SDI output is wrong.
1. No source on Pro Convert
- Check the Callaba SRT output is running.
- Check the Pro Convert source URL.
- Check caller/listener mode.
- Check UDP port reachability from the decoder network.
- Check passphrase and stream ID if used.
2. Source connects, but output is black
- Confirm the selected preset source is the Callaba stream.
- Check H.264/H.265 compatibility and actual stream format.
- In Callaba, check which codec, profile, resolution, frame rate and bitrate are being sent to the decoder. Make sure your exact Pro Convert model and firmware can decode that stream.
- Check HDMI or SDI output format.
- Check EDID or display negotiation for HDMI workflows.
- Try a direct monitor before testing through a router or switcher.
3. Output stutters
- Increase SRT latency on the source path if needed.
- Increase decoder buffer if the interface exposes it.
- Check packet loss between Callaba and the decoder network.
- Lower bitrate and test again.
- Avoid congested Wi-Fi for a decoder that feeds a live display.
Official references used for this guide
Use these if you need exact Magewell model details, decoder protocol support, API behavior or buffer settings before configuring a production device.
FAQ
Can Magewell Pro Convert decode SRT from Callaba Gateway?
Yes. Pro Convert decoders support SRT sources. You can route or expose a stream from Callaba as SRT, then add that SRT source in the Pro Convert decoder for HDMI or SDI output.
Is Pro Convert an encoder or decoder in this workflow?
In this guide, Pro Convert is the decoder. It receives or pulls the SRT source and turns it into HDMI or SDI. Callaba handles the cloud routing, monitoring or recording side before the decoder.
Can I monitor the same source in Callaba multiview?
Yes. You can monitor the source in Callaba multiview and also send a selected SRT route to Pro Convert for local hardware output.
Can Callaba record the stream before Pro Convert decodes it?
Yes. Callaba can record the cloud-side stream before or while it is routed to Pro Convert. This is useful when you need a record of what reached the cloud workflow, not only what appeared on a local display.
Which Pro Convert model should I use?
Choose by local output: HDMI for standard monitor paths, HDMI 4K for 4K HDMI display workflows, AIO when you may need HDMI and SDI, and SDI when the destination is a router, switcher or SDI monitor.
Final practical rule
Pro Convert is the playback endpoint, not the cloud workflow. Keep routing, monitoring and recording in Callaba, then send the selected SRT stream to Pro Convert when you need local HDMI or SDI output.
Use Callaba Gateway with your Magewell Pro Convert decoder
Route an SRT stream from Callaba to a Pro Convert decoder, then output it through HDMI or SDI for local monitoring, projection, switching or backup playback.
Need to test cloud recording with a real SRT source? Contact us and we can help you validate the route before a live event.
See SRT server setup Open multiview demo Test cloud recording