Output Backends

The artist-facing API treats each external output as a destination that requests a ViewType. Internally, the transport path depends on the backend.

NDI

NDI is the CPU/network boundary in the current architecture: a final rendered view is captured for CPU-accessible frame data and sent through the NDI/Devolay path. The implementation uses bounded asynchronous publishing behavior rather than letting network send work redefine the render loop.

Qualification must include a real receiver. Availability/initialization is not proof of end-to-end output.

Syphon

Syphon is the macOS platform-local GPU texture-sharing backend. Qualification requires a real Syphon receiver on the claimed macOS configuration.

Spout

Spout is the Windows platform-local GPU texture-sharing backend. Qualification requires a real Spout receiver on the claimed Windows configuration.

Routing invariant

Backends consume final views; they should not own scene rendering logic. OutputManager selects the destination view and publishes the corresponding final target.

The final target carries RGBA. NDI encodes Processing ARGB pixels as packed RGBA without replacing alpha, while Syphon and Spout receive the completed Processing texture directly. Receiver support must be qualified separately: a receiver or window compositor that discards alpha does not redefine the library's transparent framebuffer contract.