Magewell Ultra Encode, Pro Convert, and Ultra Stream workflows
More live video workflow notes and product updates.
Encoder and converter decision hub
Magewell product names describe different roles. Ultra Encode turns HDMI or SDI into an SRT-capable contribution feed. Pro Convert commonly receives and decodes IP media. Ultra Stream is the simpler streaming-and-recording family whose scoped Callaba guides use RTMPS. Selecting the role first prevents a decoder guide or an RTMPS appliance from being presented as a universal SRT encoder.
Written by Iurii Pakholkov, founder of Callaba. Materially reviewed on July 17, 2026 against the official sources listed below.
Choose the correct Magewell Ultra Encode, Pro Convert, and Ultra Stream workflows
| Path | Operational role | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra Encode | Hardware HDMI or SDI encoding with documented H.264, HEVC and SRT output options. | Choose when a baseband source must become a configurable internet contribution feed. |
| Pro Convert | IP decoding or conversion, including MPEG-TS over SRT source presets. | Choose when the device must receive or translate an IP feed; confirm direction before opening ports. |
| Ultra Stream HDMI | Simplified HDMI streaming and recording through the scoped RTMPS handoff. | Choose for a lower-complexity operator workflow without inventing an SRT output. |
| Ultra Stream SDI | Simplified SDI streaming and recording through the scoped RTMPS handoff. | Choose when the source interface is SDI and the verified receiver path is RTMPS. |
Keep the source, handoff and Callaba roles explicit
Source-side responsibility
Magewell owns baseband capture or IP decode, hardware media processing, local recording where supported, the device web UI and its caller/listener configuration.
Transport handoff
The handoff identifies direction, protocol, codec, source interface, SRT role or RTMPS URL, port, latency, encryption and the network that must reach the peer.
Callaba responsibility
Callaba owns receiving reachability, live transport evidence, Multiview, cloud recording, protocol routing, playback and automation once the selected Magewell path arrives.
Choose the Magewell role before copying connection fields
- 1. Identify the exact product family, input/output suffix and installed firmware. Ultra Encode, Pro Convert and Ultra Stream have different jobs even when their web interfaces share terminology.
- 2. Draw the signal direction. For SRT, the sender does not have to be the caller, so document who initiates and which listener address is reachable through the real NAT and firewall path.
- 3. Choose H.264 for broad compatibility or HEVC only after every downstream consumer passes. For Ultra Stream, follow the verified RTMPS guide rather than borrowing Ultra Encode SRT fields.
- 4. Create the opposite peer in Callaba and align destination, port, Stream ID, latency and encryption. Never expose passphrases in screenshots or CMS content.
- 5. Test under representative loss and round-trip time, then verify audio, transport statistics, recording and the intended output. Repeat the test after firmware or connection-role changes.
After preflight, use the SRT Gateway hub for architecture choices, the SRT Server guide for receiver concepts, Multiview for browser operations, and the SRT API documentation for automation. These shared resources do not replace the model-specific guide linked in the decision table.
Official references reviewed
Capabilities and menu fields can change with hardware revisions, firmware and account entitlements. Recheck the exact model before a production event.
- Magewell Ultra Encode family — Official codecs, protocols, interfaces and multiple-destination positioning.
- Magewell Ultra Encode and Pro Convert SRT guide — Official caller/listener examples for encoder and decoder roles.
- Magewell SRT product workflow — Official encoder, decoder and protocol-conversion family boundary.
Frequently asked questions
Which Magewell device should send SRT to Callaba?
Ultra Encode is the direct choice in this group when an HDMI or SDI source needs H.264 or HEVC SRT encoding. Verify the exact model and firmware, then select caller or listener according to the reachable network boundary.
Is Pro Convert an SRT encoder or decoder?
The scoped Pro Convert workflow is primarily the receiving and conversion side. Its source presets can accept MPEG-TS over SRT. Define signal direction explicitly because caller/listener describes connection initiation, not whether the device encodes or decodes.
Do Ultra Stream HDMI and SDI use the same SRT setup?
The scoped Ultra Stream guides use a verified RTMPS handoff, not an assumed SRT output. Follow the exact HDMI or SDI guide and keep Ultra Encode settings out of that procedure.
Can Ultra Encode be caller or listener?
Magewell documents both arrangements for Ultra Encode and Pro Convert. The caller must reach the listener address and port, so choose the relationship from the actual NAT and firewall design rather than from device direction alone.
Can Callaba monitor and record a Magewell feed together?
After a compatible feed reaches Callaba, operators can monitor it and create a recording in parallel, subject to deployed resources. Validate the recording artifact and downstream output separately from the live preview.
Move from device choice to a tested receiving path
Open the exact-model guide, validate one contribution feed in Callaba, then add recording, monitoring and downstream routes only after the ingest contract is stable.
