> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-2/camera-as-a-live-source.md). # Cameras and capture cards as a live source USB webcams, HDMI capture sticks, and built-in laptop cameras enter Captivate through the **Windows Device** (Windows) or **Mac Device** (Mac) entry on the **Live Audio/Video** submenu. Professional SDI capture cards from Blackmagic Design, AJA, and BlueFish444 take their own entries — **Blackmagic**, **AJA**, and **BlueFish** — because the vendor SDKs each register a distinct input type and Captivate explicitly filters them out of the generic Windows/Mac device list. This article covers adding any of these sources, PTZ on supported cameras, audio handling per device class, and the differences that matter for SDI cards. ## Before you start * On Windows, plug the camera or capture card in before launching Captivate. The device list is enumerated through Media Foundation; new arrivals show up on the next scan. * On macOS, the first time you use a camera you’ll see a system prompt asking to grant camera access to Captivate. Grant it; without permission the source produces a black frame. * SDI cards (DeckLink, AJA, BlueFish444) require their vendor driver to be installed, and not every Captivate license includes SDI capture. If the card is installed but the menu entry is missing, your license may not include it — contact NewBlue support to add it. ## Add a camera or capture device 1. From the bottom of the Project List click **Add new item** (or right-click anywhere in the Project List) and choose **Live Audio/Video** > the entry that matches your device: * **Windows Device** (Windows) or **Mac Device** (Mac) for USB webcams, HDMI capture sticks, built-in laptop cameras, and OS-level virtual cameras (Zoom virtual camera, OBS virtual camera, NDI Webcam — these appear here because the OS presents them through the same camera APIs). * **Blackmagic** for DeckLink SDI capture (and Blackmagic’s other SDK-driven inputs). * **AJA** for AJA SDI capture. * **BlueFish** for BlueFish444 SDI capture — entries are listed per connector, e.g. **BlueFish: \ SDI In 1**. (Availability depends on your license.) 2. The submenu under each entry lists every connected device of that type by name. Pick the one you want. 3. The device is added as a layer on the current channel. Drag the layer up or down to set its z-order relative to your graphics. ## PTZ on USB cameras PTZ controls are not NDI-only. A USB UVC camera that reports pan, tilt, and zoom through Media Foundation on Windows exposes the same Layer Properties controls described in [NDI as a live source](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-2/ndi-input.md) — Pan, Tilt, Zoom, Focus, the **Auto** button on the Focus row, and a 12-slot Preset store grid with a **Store** button (the **Play Preset** dropdown exposes presets 1-8). CTRL-drag in the Designer’s editable display also pans and tilts. If the camera does not report PTZ capability, the PTZ block in Layer Properties is absent — there’s no error, just no controls. ## SDI capture: DeckLink, AJA, and BlueFish DeckLink, AJA, and BlueFish444 cards each take their own **Live Audio/Video** submenu entry. A few behaviors are specific: * **Auto format detection** — If the incoming signal format changes mid-show (1080p59.94 to 720p, say), the card stops and restarts capture. Expect one glitch frame at the change. * **Embedded audio** — SDI capture carries the embedded audio with the video (on all three card families); it appears in the Audio Mixer automatically. USB cameras require a separate audio source. * **DeckLink hot audio** — DeckLink delivers audio about +20 dB above unity. Captivate compensates on the way in so meters read normally. A parallel monitor path on the same DeckLink card will read 20 dB hot relative to the Captivate mixer. * **Shared availability** — a Captivate license that includes DeckLink capture also includes AJA capture, and vice versa. ## Audio handling USB and HDMI cameras (Windows or Mac) deliver video only through the **Windows/Mac Device** path. To bring in the camera’s microphone, add the matching audio device under **Live Audio/Video** > **Audio Device** — it’s a separate source in the Audio Mixer. SDI capture (DeckLink, AJA, BlueFish444) carries the embedded audio with the video; no separate add step is needed and the audio appears in the mixer automatically. ## Disconnect handling If a camera stops delivering frames — unplugged, powered off, signal lost — the layer shows a "disconnected" overlay with the device name after roughly three seconds. The layer keeps trying to reconnect; plugging the camera back in or restoring the signal resumes capture without re-adding the source. There is no manual **Refresh devices** button. Hot-plugged devices appear in the menu on the next scan cycle (a few seconds). ## Lock on for downstream keying (Broadcast only) The **Lock on for downstream keying** checkbox in the live layer’s **Layer Properties** panel locks playback on so the layer cannot be stopped until the checkbox is cleared. Use it when a camera or capture card has to stay live for the whole show. Downstream keying is included with Captivate Broadcast; other editions may not show the checkbox. ## Related * [How live video inputs work](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-2/live-video-input-pipeline.md) — the input pipeline overview. * [NDI as a live source](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-2/ndi-input.md) — PTZ controls and the broader Layer Properties layout. * [Use live video sources](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-2/play-live-video-source-layers.md) — Lock on for downstream keying and live-layer ordering. * [The Audio Mixer](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-5/the-audio-mixer.md) — audio routing for cameras and SDI capture. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. 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