Mavis Studio turns the iPad into a portable live production hub
Mavis Studio is a touch-first iPad live production app that combines multi-camera switching, graphics, audio mixing, recording, streaming and now networked-camera control into a single portable, tablet-based console aimed at professional AV workflows. With its latest update, Mavis is positioning the iPad as more than a companion device: it becomes the main switcher for events, worship services, education, and hybrid productions. Announced at InfoComm 2026, the release focuses on making professional tools more accessible to AV teams, systems integrators, venues and solo creators who want to move away from fixed broadcast rigs. The app already handled NDI input and output, so operators could pull network cameras into an iPad live production. The new features deepen that model, giving teams ways to test NDI streaming control, operate PTZ camera iPad setups, and route USB audio hardware into the same interface they use for live switching and media playback.
NDI Preview lowers the risk of IP-based iPad live production
The headline change is NDI Preview, which gives iPad live production teams five minutes of full NDI access before they subscribe. In that window, operators can connect networked cameras, confirm tally behavior, and evaluate PTZ control, all while seeing how NDI streaming control behaves on their current wired or wireless network. This matters because portable switchers depend heavily on IP infrastructure quality; a short, fully featured test period exposes bandwidth and compatibility issues before a real show. According to Mavis, this preview mode is designed to help users "confirm network performance, test compatible sources and understand how Mavis Studio fits into an existing production environment" without committing budget first. For AV departments planning mobile AV production or hybrid events, it also turns the iPad into a practical test bench for new NDI cameras and encoders, tightening the link between on-site discovery and long-term system design.
PTZ camera control arrives directly on the iPad touchscreen
Mavis Studio now adds PTZ control for supported NDI cameras, turning the iPad’s screen into a soft controller for pan, tilt, zoom and focus. A redesigned multi-mode control wheel sits at the heart of this, adapting its function based on the selected source. When an NDI PTZ camera is active, the wheel steers camera moves; when media or layouts are active, it shifts to clip or 3D layout control. Customizable buttons alongside the wheel give faster access to common actions, such as recalling a camera framing or adjusting shot speed. This PTZ camera iPad workflow is aimed at compact, multi-camera rigs in spaces where hardware controllers are impractical, such as small venues, classrooms or temporary event setups. By folding camera movement into the same interface as switching and graphics, Mavis Studio reduces the need for dedicated PTZ panels while keeping tactile, finger-based control at the center of live operation.
USB audio and 3D layouts expand professional mixing and visuals
On the audio side, Mavis Studio now supports USB audio interfaces, allowing up to four channels of professional hardware to feed the app’s built-in audio desk. In practice, that means an iPad can sit next to a compact interface such as a bus-powered desktop unit, with microphone, line and instrument sources feeding straight into the live mix. The same USB connection handles headphone monitoring, simplifying sound checks and confidence monitoring without extra boxes. Visual control also steps up with new 3D layouts, which let operators angle layers in space, stack picture-in-picture elements with depth, or add subtle perspective to titles and logos. Because the control wheel can switch into 3D layout mode, a single operator can adjust these compositions in real time from the same surface used for camera switching and audio. Together, these features make the iPad a more convincing centerpiece for mobile AV production, not just an auxiliary device.
A mobile-first future for professional AV production workflows
Mavis Studio’s update signals a broader shift toward tablet-led live production, where iPad live production setups can stand in for traditional desktop switchers in many scenarios. By combining NDI streaming control, PTZ camera operation, USB audio routing and 3D layout tools in one app, Mavis is arguing that a touch-based console can carry shows for education, worship, corporate events and streaming-first content. InfoComm 2026 provided the stage to show that an iPad can coordinate networked cameras, handle multi-channel sound and output polished mixed programs, provided the underlying IP network is well designed. For AV teams, the appeal lies in portability and consolidation: fewer boxes to rack, fewer hardware surfaces to pack, and faster deployment for temporary or traveling productions. While full studio environments may still prefer dedicated switchers, this release makes a credible case that mobile AV production can now be professional, not a compromise, when it runs from a tablet.
