Windows Security Update turns smooth NDI streams into jittery messes
(2025/08/22)
- Reference: 1755879189
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/08/22/windows_update_ndi/
- Source link:
Microsoft has admitted to yet another issue in the Windows 11 August 2025 Security Update: streaming apps might be disrupted by the changes.
The issue [1]manifests as "severe stuttering, lag, and choppy audio/video" when using Network Device Interface (NDI) for streaming or transferring feeds between PCs. According to Microsoft, "the issue affects streaming apps, including OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) and NDI Tools, especially when 'Display Capture' is enabled on the source PC."
[2]NDI is a specification to enable high-definition video to be sent over a computer network with low latency and high quality. It's widely used in video production and broadcasting.
[3]
According to its website, "NDI connectivity technology enables thousands of products and organizations to create better multimedia experiences, more efficient setups, and unlock new AV use cases through IP."
[4]
[5]
That is, unless you've installed Microsoft's August 2025 Security Update, in which case things could go wrong.
The issue, which can affect Windows 11 24H2, Windows 10 22H2, and Windows 10 21H2, is related to the Reliable User Datagram Protocol (RUDP), which is the default communication mechanism for NDI. According to NDI, it "combines the advantages of UDP's low latency and simplicity with the reliability of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). It is designed specifically for real-time multimedia applications, where maintaining the timeliness of data is crucial."
[6]Everything is 'different on Windows': Zed port delays highlight dev friction
[7]Microsoft continues Control Panel farewell tour
[8]Out-of-band update arrives to clean up Windows reset and recovery mess
[9]Latest Windows 11 insider builds hide secret File Explorer dark mode
However, for users who have installed the August 2025 Security Update and are having issues, the advice is to switch to TCP or plain UDP instead. Another option is to uninstall the August 2025 Security Update, which carries its own risks (and there is every chance, [10]according to NDI, that "Windows may reinstall the update at a later date").
For NDI users who have yet to receive the update, the recommendation is to delay installation until a fix is released. Unfortunately, there's no indication of when that fix might come. Microsoft is still investigating the issue.
[11]
The August 2025 Security Update has not been Microsoft's finest hour. From [12]installation failures through [13]urgent out-of-band patches to fix bugs introduced by the update, it hasn't gone well.
The latest problem, while only affecting a subset of users, serves to highlight the challenges Microsoft faces in updating Windows without inadvertently breaking something on which people rely. ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24H2#3639msgdesc
[2] https://ndi.video/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aKjoeQjFu5hWFzbG10l3bgAAABg&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aKjoeQjFu5hWFzbG10l3bgAAABg&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aKjoeQjFu5hWFzbG10l3bgAAABg&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/22/everything_is_different_on_windows/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/21/microsoft_continues_the_control_panel/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/20/microsoft_oob_reset_patch/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/19/windows_11_insider_builds_file_explorer_dark_mode/
[10] https://docs.ndi.video/all/faq/common-issues/traffic-drops-after-windows-update
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aKjoeQjFu5hWFzbG10l3bgAAABg&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/14/microsoft_patch_tuesday_update_fails/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/20/microsoft_oob_reset_patch/
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The issue [1]manifests as "severe stuttering, lag, and choppy audio/video" when using Network Device Interface (NDI) for streaming or transferring feeds between PCs. According to Microsoft, "the issue affects streaming apps, including OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) and NDI Tools, especially when 'Display Capture' is enabled on the source PC."
[2]NDI is a specification to enable high-definition video to be sent over a computer network with low latency and high quality. It's widely used in video production and broadcasting.
[3]
According to its website, "NDI connectivity technology enables thousands of products and organizations to create better multimedia experiences, more efficient setups, and unlock new AV use cases through IP."
[4]
[5]
That is, unless you've installed Microsoft's August 2025 Security Update, in which case things could go wrong.
The issue, which can affect Windows 11 24H2, Windows 10 22H2, and Windows 10 21H2, is related to the Reliable User Datagram Protocol (RUDP), which is the default communication mechanism for NDI. According to NDI, it "combines the advantages of UDP's low latency and simplicity with the reliability of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). It is designed specifically for real-time multimedia applications, where maintaining the timeliness of data is crucial."
[6]Everything is 'different on Windows': Zed port delays highlight dev friction
[7]Microsoft continues Control Panel farewell tour
[8]Out-of-band update arrives to clean up Windows reset and recovery mess
[9]Latest Windows 11 insider builds hide secret File Explorer dark mode
However, for users who have installed the August 2025 Security Update and are having issues, the advice is to switch to TCP or plain UDP instead. Another option is to uninstall the August 2025 Security Update, which carries its own risks (and there is every chance, [10]according to NDI, that "Windows may reinstall the update at a later date").
For NDI users who have yet to receive the update, the recommendation is to delay installation until a fix is released. Unfortunately, there's no indication of when that fix might come. Microsoft is still investigating the issue.
[11]
The August 2025 Security Update has not been Microsoft's finest hour. From [12]installation failures through [13]urgent out-of-band patches to fix bugs introduced by the update, it hasn't gone well.
The latest problem, while only affecting a subset of users, serves to highlight the challenges Microsoft faces in updating Windows without inadvertently breaking something on which people rely. ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24H2#3639msgdesc
[2] https://ndi.video/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aKjoeQjFu5hWFzbG10l3bgAAABg&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aKjoeQjFu5hWFzbG10l3bgAAABg&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aKjoeQjFu5hWFzbG10l3bgAAABg&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/22/everything_is_different_on_windows/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/21/microsoft_continues_the_control_panel/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/20/microsoft_oob_reset_patch/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/19/windows_11_insider_builds_file_explorer_dark_mode/
[10] https://docs.ndi.video/all/faq/common-issues/traffic-drops-after-windows-update
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aKjoeQjFu5hWFzbG10l3bgAAABg&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/14/microsoft_patch_tuesday_update_fails/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/20/microsoft_oob_reset_patch/
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Windows updates fail so often, Microsoft qualify as a threat.
sarusa
This IS 'AI'. They are bragging that 1/3 of their new code is written by 'AI' - which would certainly explain why updates have just gone to complete shite. Especially since they probably replaced QA people with 'AI', too.
Re: Windows updates fail so often, Microsoft qualify as a threat.
Anonymous Coward
"Especially since they probably replaced QA people with 'AI', too."
What QA people are these ???
MS have been somewhat 'light' on QA for some time !!!
I think you are right with the supposition that MS are using 'AI' to write code ... this test has failed ... please wait for the next 500 tests !!!
I am seriously looking at finally dumping MS OSes ... the regular pain is no longer a source of small amusements ... I miss OSes that simply worked and did not get in the way. I could even live with some old version of AIX/Solaris/HP-UX or even TRU64 ... they worked (For a large value of worked !!!)
:)
So MS managed to turn a Reliable User Datagram Protocol into...
Mentat74
An unreliable one ?
Windows updates fail so often, Microsoft qualify as a threat.
It is possible that MS could replace all of their staff with AI. The AI would periodically fail, but we wouldn't notice any difference in the quality of service.