> 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/ndi-input.md). # NDI as a live source NDI lets Captivate receive video, audio, and PTZ control from any NDI source on the local network. Cameras, switchers, and software encoders that advertise NDI appear in the **Live Audio/Video** > **NDI** submenu without any IP address entry. This article covers adding an NDI source, the PTZ controls, audio handling, and the differences between NDI input and NDI output. ## Before you start * Both machines must be on the same network, or you must have an NDI Discovery Server or NDI Access Manager configured to bridge segments. NDI uses mDNS for peer discovery; sources in another VLAN do not auto-appear without one of these. * If you also send NDI **out** of Captivate, see [Output graphics with NDI](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index/output-graphics-with-ndi.md). The NDI input described here is independent of the NDI output side — different settings, different sources, different controls. ## Add an NDI source 1. Open the project. From the top menu, choose **File** > **New** > **Live Audio/Video** > **NDI**, or right-click in the Project List and choose **New** > **Live Audio/Video** > **NDI**. 2. Pick the source from the submenu. Captivate lists every NDI source it has discovered on the network. 3. The source is added as a layer on the current channel. Drag the layer up or down to set its z-order relative to your graphics. If the source you expect is missing, give the discovery scan a few seconds. The list updates whenever you reopen the **Live Audio/Video** menu; sources appear automatically as the NDI discovery layer sees them on the network. There is no manual rescan button. ## PTZ controls When an NDI source advertises PTZ capability, the **Layer Properties** panel shows sliders for **Pan**, **Tilt**, **Zoom**, and **Focus**, an **Auto** button on the Focus row (autofocus), and a grid of 12 numbered preset buttons with a **Store** button beside them. A separate **Play Preset** dropdown can recall presets 1-8 when the layer plays. 1. Select the live video layer in the Project List. 2. In the **Layer Properties** panel, adjust **Pan**, **Tilt**, **Zoom**, and **Focus** to frame the shot. 3. Click **Auto** on the Focus row to autofocus. 4. To save a preset: frame the shot, click **Store** (it stays pressed), then click one of the numbered preset buttons (1-12). 5. To recall a preset: click the numbered button directly, or select the preset from the **Play Preset** dropdown so it recalls automatically when the layer plays. You can also pan and tilt directly from the Designer’s editable display: hold CTRL and drag inside the editable preview to move the camera. PTZ capability is detected a moment after the camera connects. A freshly-opened source may briefly show no PTZ controls; they appear once the camera has reported its capabilities. {% hint style="info" %} PTZ is not NDI-only. USB UVC cameras that report PTZ through Media Foundation on Windows also expose these controls when added as a **Windows Device** source. The control set is the same. {% endhint %} ## Audio NDI carries audio alongside video. Captivate routes NDI audio into the project’s audio mixer, where it fans out to the Program, Monitor, ISO, and streaming buses subject to per-source mute and Audio-Follows-Video settings. There is no extra step to enable NDI audio — when the NDI source produces audio, Captivate mixes it. To mute the source, use the Audio Mixer’s per-channel mute. To follow video automatically (audio on when the source is on Program), configure Audio-Follows-Video on the Switcher panel. See [The Audio Mixer](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-5/the-audio-mixer.md) for the routing controls. ## Lock on for downstream keying The **Lock on for downstream keying** checkbox in the live layer’s **Layer Properties** panel locks playback on so that, once the layer is playing, it cannot be stopped until the checkbox is cleared. Use it when an NDI feed has to stay live for the whole show — a downstream key, a permanent background, a return feed — and a stray hot-key or shot recall should not be able to take it off air. Downstream keying is included with Captivate Broadcast; other editions may not show the checkbox. ## Reconnection When an NDI source drops and comes back, the NDI library normally reconnects automatically and frames resume on their own. The layer you set up in the Project List keeps its name and properties; you do not need to re-add the source. ## NDI input versus NDI output These are two separate features and they don’t share settings: * **NDI input** (this article) brings an external NDI source **into** Captivate. * **NDI output** sends Captivate’s Program **out** to other NDI receivers. See [Output graphics with NDI](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index/output-graphics-with-ndi.md). The NDI Group setting on the output side does not affect the input side. If you need an NDI input from a specific group, configure that filtering in the NDI Access Manager on the receiving machine. ## Related * [How live video inputs work](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-2/live-video-input-pipeline.md) — the input pipeline overview. * [Use live video sources](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-2/play-live-video-source-layers.md) — Lock on for downstream keying details and the broader live-layer workflow. * [Output graphics with NDI](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index/output-graphics-with-ndi.md) — the output side. * [The Audio Mixer](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-5/the-audio-mixer.md) — audio routing for NDI sources. --- # 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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