Mavis Studio and the Shift to Mobile Live Production
Mavis Studio is an iPad live production app that combines multi-camera switching, graphics, audio mixing, recording and streaming into a single touch-first control surface, aiming to replace traditional fixed broadcast rigs with a portable, networked workflow. With its latest update, announced at InfoComm 2026, Mavis is positioning the iPad as a central control room for AV teams, venues, educators, houses of worship and content creators who need professional tools on location or in compact studios. The app had already supported NDI input and output, letting operators pull networked cameras into the tablet. Now, added NDI preview streaming, PTZ camera control, USB audio support and 3D layouts push the platform further into pro territory. These features matter because they reduce reliance on desktop switchers and hardware controllers, making remote and pop-up productions more flexible without sacrificing core live production capabilities.
NDI Preview: Testing Networked Video Before Going Live
The standout addition in this release is NDI Preview mode, which gives users five minutes of full NDI access, including camera sources, tally and PTZ control, before subscribing. This trial window is designed for teams building IP-based workflows, where network reliability determines whether an iPad live production app can replace a traditional desk. Operators can verify that their wired or wireless network can handle multiple NDI streams, confirm camera compatibility and see how Mavis Studio fits into an existing routing plan without committing budget or risking a show. According to Mavis, this lowers friction for AV teams and systems integrators evaluating portable live setups that rely on NDI preview streaming rather than SDI routers and hardware switchers. In practice, it encourages disciplined network testing prior to event day, turning the iPad into a practical front-end for modern, node-based video infrastructures.
Integrated PTZ Camera Control on a Touchscreen
To support compact multi-camera rigs, the update adds PTZ camera control for compatible NDI models directly inside the app. Operators can pan, tilt, zoom and focus cameras through a redesigned control wheel that changes function depending on the selected source, switching between PTZ camera control, media transport and 3D layout adjustment. Customizable buttons around the wheel provide faster access to common moves, such as reframing a lectern shot or tightening an interview close-up mid-stream. This soft control approach reduces the need for separate hardware joysticks, which can be hard to justify for smaller crews or mobile kits. It keeps everything on the touchscreen that already handles switching and graphics, aligning with Mavis Studio’s goal of turning iPad-based mobile live streaming software into a complete production surface for remote events, classrooms and house-of-worship services.
USB Audio Interfaces and 3D Layouts for Richer Shows
On the audio side, Mavis Studio now supports USB audio interfaces, allowing users to connect professional devices such as small mixers or preamps and route up to four channels into the app’s integrated audio desk. The same interface can be used for headphone monitoring, so operators can check feeds and manage levels without extra monitoring hardware hanging off the rig. This tightens audio workflows that previously depended on the iPad’s internal input or more complex external routing. Visually, new 3D layouts let operators position and angle layers in space for lower-thirds, picture-in-picture blocks or branded frames, building more complex compositions without a dedicated graphics engine. Combined with the control wheel’s 3D mode, a single operator can adjust depth and perspective while switching cameras and mixing sound, making tablet-based shows feel closer to output from larger studio systems.
iPad as a Viable Alternative to Desktop Control Rooms
Taken together, the NDI preview streaming, PTZ camera control, USB audio support and 3D layouts reinforce the iPad’s viability as a central live production surface instead of a companion device. Mavis Studio already consolidated switching, playback, graphics, audio mixing, recording and streaming in one interface; this update fills in missing pieces that previously required external controllers or computers. Patrick Holroyd, CEO of Mavis, said, “Mavis Studio is about giving people the tools of a professional live production system in a format that is far more portable and accessible.” That portability matters for AV teams deploying temporary control rooms at conferences, educators running hybrid classes from lecture halls, and content creators who need mobile live streaming software that scales beyond single-camera setups. With networked video, camera control, professional audio and flexible layouts all inside one iPad app, professional remote and on-location workflows are easier to set up and run.
