From Fixed Racks to Touchscreens: What This Update Really Means
The Mavis Studio iPad update is a major software release that adds NDI Preview live production features, PTZ camera control on iPad, USB audio support and 3D layouts, turning a tablet into a portable hub for professional AV production and live streaming workflows. Mavis announced this update to its live production app at InfoComm 2026, positioning it as a practical alternative to traditional fixed systems for AV teams, integrators, venues, educators, houses of worship and content creators. This is not a minor point release; it is a clear statement that the future of live production is mobile, touch-first and networked. By putting switching, graphics, audio mixing, recording and streaming into an iPad, Mavis is betting that many operators would rather carry a tablet than manage a full broadcast rack, and this update makes that bet far more convincing.
NDI Preview: Stress-Testing the Network Before It Breaks You
Networked video is a blessing until your IP setup collapses five minutes into a show. Mavis Studio already supported NDI input and output, but asking teams to commit to a subscription before proving their network was a real barrier. The new NDI Preview mode gives users five minutes of full access to NDI camera sources, tally and PTZ control before subscribing, so they can confirm network performance, test compatible sources and see how Mavis fits into an existing workflow without spending a cent. For portable live streaming rigs, this trial window is more than a demo; it is a safety net. It surfaces bandwidth and configuration problems during planning, not during a high‑pressure event. In a world where the iPad-as-switcher concept lives or dies by IP reliability, this is a pragmatic, user‑first decision rather than a marketing gimmick.
PTZ Camera Control on iPad: Fewer Boxes, More Control
The most transformative piece of this release is PTZ camera control inside the iPad app. The update adds PTZ control for supported NDI cameras, letting operators pan, tilt, zoom and focus directly in Mavis Studio via a smarter control wheel that adapts to the selected source. The wheel can switch between PTZ control, media control and 3D layout adjustment, with customizable buttons for common actions. That means one operator at a small venue, school auditorium or house of worship can run multi-camera switching and handle framing changes from a single screen instead of juggling a dedicated PTZ joystick or hardware console. This convergence puts Mavis Studio in the same conversation as newer NDI-aware hubs, but with a clear stance: if your rig fits on a table and your crew is small, a touchscreen can be a better brain than a desk full of specialized control boxes.
USB Audio and 3D Layouts: Making the iPad a Genuine Production Room
Video control is only half the story; sound and graphics decide whether a live show feels professional or amateur. Mavis Studio now supports USB audio interfaces, allowing users to bring professional audio hardware directly into the app, with up to four channels routed into the integrated audio desk and the same interface used for headphone monitoring. This expands the iPad’s role from controller to central mixer and monitoring station, especially for operators who already own compact interfaces. On the visual side, new 3D layouts let operators position and angle layers in 3D space, creating richer compositions for events, interviews, presentations and branded streams without a separate graphics system. Combined with the control wheel’s 3D layout adjustment mode, a single person can shape motion, depth and overlays from the same surface they use to switch cameras, which is exactly what portable live streaming workflows have been missing.
Why InfoComm Matters and Where This Leaves Live Event Operators
Mavis chose InfoComm 2026, a show that drew 28,132 verified attendees from 94 countries and hosted 807 exhibitors, as the stage for this update, underlining its focus on portable professional AV production tools. That audience is filled with AV teams and system designers who still default to fixed racks for reliability. This release is an argument that an iPad can now credibly replace a significant chunk of that gear for many use cases. As CEO Patrick Holroyd put it, “Mavis Studio is about giving people the tools of a professional live production system in a format that is far more portable and accessible.” In practical terms, that means a school can run a polished livestream from a tablet and a few NDI PTZs, a house of worship can shrink its control booth, and freelancers can carry their entire switcher, audio desk and graphics engine in a backpack. The gap between ‘mobile’ and ‘professional’ has narrowed; with this update, Mavis is arguing that for a lot of shows, it has closed.
