Mavis Studio and the Rise of iPad Live Production
Mavis Studio is an iPad live production app that combines multi‑camera switching, graphics, audio mixing, recording, and streaming so AV teams can run broadcast‑style shows from a single tablet instead of a fixed control room. The latest update, announced at InfoComm, pushes that idea further with features aimed at professional IP video and audio workflows, while keeping everything portable enough for classrooms, houses of worship, venues, and mobile crews. Instead of carrying a full rack of gear, operators can run networked cameras, manage graphics, and stream live from one touchscreen interface. This positions Mavis Studio as a realistic replacement for entry‑level broadcast switchers in events, education, and small studios, especially where budget, space, or crew size make traditional hardware systems hard to justify.
NDI Preview: Testing Networked Video Before Going Live
A key addition is the new NDI Preview mode, which turns the app into practical NDI preview software for IP‑based setups. Mavis Studio already supported NDI input and output, but teams had to commit before knowing whether their networks and cameras would behave. Now users get five minutes of full NDI access, including camera feeds, tally, and PTZ camera control, before subscribing. According to Mavis, this lets operators confirm network performance, check compatible sources, and see how the app fits their existing infrastructure without risking a show. For anyone building an iPad live production workflow around NDI HX3 or other IP formats, that short window acts as a realistic stress test: if switching, latency, or bandwidth issues appear, they surface during rehearsal instead of mid‑stream.
PTZ Camera Control on a Touchscreen Switcher
The update also adds integrated PTZ camera control for supported NDI cameras, folding remote pan‑tilt‑zoom operation directly into the iPad interface. Operators can pan, tilt, zoom, and focus cameras from a redesigned control wheel that adapts to context: when a PTZ source is selected, the wheel becomes a camera controller; when media or layouts are active, it switches modes. Customizable buttons sit beside the wheel for frequently used actions, so a single operator can adjust framing while cutting between shots. This approach moves functionality that once demanded a dedicated PTZ hardware panel into software, making compact, multi‑camera mobile broadcasting tools more practical. For churches, lecture halls, and conference rooms that rely on a few ceiling‑mounted PTZ units, it means camera moves, graphics, and audio can all be run from the same tablet.
USB Audio and 3D Layouts: Broadcast Polish on the Go
On the audio side, Mavis Studio now supports USB audio interfaces, expanding options far beyond the built‑in iPad microphone. Users can route up to four channels of professional audio into the app’s integrated audio desk, with the same interface handling headphone monitoring for confident source checks. Promotional images pair an iPad with a Focusrite‑style interface, showing how common studio hardware can plug straight into this mobile broadcasting tool. Visuals also step up: new 3D layouts let operators angle and layer elements in space, building more dynamic picture‑in‑picture, lower‑third, and branded scenes without a separate graphics system. Combined with the control wheel’s 3D layout mode, a single user can tweak depth, motion, and framing during a show, bringing broadcast‑style scene composition to a tablet‑based workflow.
Portability, Use Cases, and the Future of Tablet Switchers
Taken together, NDI preview, PTZ camera control, USB audio, and 3D layouts move Mavis Studio beyond a simple streaming app into a credible hub for broadcast‑quality iPad live production. Patrick Holroyd, CEO of Mavis, says the goal is to give people “the tools of a professional live production system in a format that is far more portable and accessible.” That plays directly to AV teams, integrators, educators, and content creators who want fewer flight cases on location. With networked cameras feeding the iPad, USB audio providing clean mixes, and scene layouts handled in‑app, many small productions can arrive with a tablet and a few boxes instead of a full control rack. The result is a more flexible, software‑centric model for live production that treats the iPad as the primary switcher, not an accessory.
