Enabling Background Removal
The purpose of this document is to explain how to configure and achieve background removal in Notch when using Disguise media servers. It also provides a detailed reference table outlining which driver and SDK versions support background removal across different media server models and operating systems.
What is background removal?
Section titled “What is background removal?”Background removal in Notch uses NVIDIA’s Virtual Background technology to automatically identify human forms in video or image inputs and separate them from the background. The node outputs a grayscale mask, effectively removing the background without the need for green screen keying.
NVIDIA originally developed Virtual Background for webcams, video calls, and streaming, so it performs best on video feeds that resemble those setups—typically front-facing, head-and-shoulders shots.
What is required to support background removal in Disguise?
Section titled “What is required to support background removal in Disguise?”To enable background removal, three specific NVIDIA drivers and SDKs must be present:
- Graphics Driver
- AR SDK
- Video Effects SDK
The table below outlines the NVIDIA packages included in each supported Disguise OS version:
| Media Server | GPU Architecture | First OS to Support Virtual Background | NVIDIA Graphics Driver | NVIDIA AR SDK Version | NVIDIA Video Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EX 2 | Ada Lovelace | 24Q2 | 551.52 | 0.8.2 | 0.7.6 |
| EX 2C | Ada Lovelace | 24Q2 | 516.94 | 0.8.2 | 0.7.6 |
| EX 3 | Ampere | 25Q1 | 551.52 | 0.8.2 | 0.7.2 |
| EX 3+ | Ada Lovelace | 24Q2 | 513 | 0.8.2 | 0.6.5 |
| VX 1 | Turing | None | 472.98 | 0.7.6 | 0.7.2 |
| VX 2 | Turing | None | 472.98 | 0.7.6 | 0.7.2 |
| VX 2+ | Ampere | 25Q1 | 516.94 | 0.8.2 | 0.7.2 |
| VX 3 | Ampere | 25Q1 | 551.52 | 0.8.2 | 0.7.2 |
| GX 2C | Turing | 199B.947 | 472.98 | 0.7.6 | 0.6.5 |
| GX 3 | Ampere | 24Q2 | 551.52 | 0.8.2 | 0.7.2 |
| GX 3+ | Blackwell | 25Q3 | 573.42 | 0.8.7 | 0.7.6 |
| RX II | Ampere | 25Q1 | 536.25 | 0.8.2 | 0.7.2 |
| RX III | Ada Lovelance | 24Q2 | 551.52 | 0.8.2 | 0.7.2 |
Important Notes on updating Drivers/SDKs
Section titled “Important Notes on updating Drivers/SDKs”NVIDIA continues to refine its Virtual Background technology in newer versions of its NVIDIA Graphics Drivers, AR SDKs and Video Effects SDKs. Please be aware that if you choose to update your graphics driver or SDK to a version outside of the validated OS packages then you will be running in an unvalidated state, and may experience the following side-effects:
- Dropped frames
- Tearing between outputs
- Failure to Genlock
- Failure to Apply Feed Settings
For this reason, if you choose to update drivers or SDKs outside the validated OS packages, please note that you do so at your own risk.
Can I manually upgrade the driver or SDK versions?
Section titled “Can I manually upgrade the driver or SDK versions?”Disguise develops and maintains custom operating systems (OS) for all current media servers. Each OS version includes carefully selected and tested driver combinations to ensure stability and performance.
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, manual driver updates are not supported, as they can adversely affect genlock, the applying of feed settings, or playback stability.
If background removal stops functioning after manual updates, we recommend updating your media server to the latest supported OS version instead.
Will Disguise update NVIDIA driver and SDK versions in future OS releases?
Section titled “Will Disguise update NVIDIA driver and SDK versions in future OS releases?”Yes. Disguise regularly updates its media server OS versions to introduce new functionality and performance improvements.
However, newer graphic driver or SDK versions will only be included in a Current OS once they have been fully validated by Disguise engineering teams and beta-tested by users.
NVIDIA resources
Section titled “NVIDIA resources”If you’d like to learn more about NVIDIA’s Virtual Background technology or the SDKs used in Notch, you can find official information here:
- NVIDIA Graphics Drivers: https://www.nvidia.com/Download
- NVIDIA AR SDK: https://developer.nvidia.com/maxine/ar-sdk
- NVIDIA Video Effects SDK: https://developer.nvidia.com/maxine/video-effects-sdk
Please note that these links are provided for informational purposes only.
⚠️ Installing or updating any of these drivers or SDKs manually will put your system in an unvalidated state and may cause performance or synchronisation issues.
Notch manual
Section titled “Notch manual”For more detailed information on how Notch implements background removal using NVIDIA Virtual Background technology, you can visit the Notch manual:
⚠️ All background removal functionality in Disguise media servers relies on validated OS Graphics Driver and SDK combinations. Refer to the table above for supported versions.