Mirage CaptureHow to use your iPhone as a camera in OBS
OBS doesn’t receive NDI® on its own. With the DistroAV plugin and the NDI Runtime installed, every Mirage source on your network is an NDI Source in OBS, with its sound. On a Mac, Mirage Camera works in OBS with no plugin.
What you need
- An iPhone or iPad with iOS 17 or later
- OBS Studio 30 or later, on Windows, macOS, or Linux
- The DistroAV plugin (github.com/DistroAV/DistroAV) and the NDI Runtime it links to
- The device and the computer on the same local network
Steps
Install DistroAV and the NDI Runtime
Install DistroAV for your system from github.com/DistroAV/DistroAV, and the NDI Runtime its install notes link to. DistroAV doesn’t load without the runtime.
Restart OBS
Quit OBS completely and open it again. OBS loads plugins when it starts, so NDI Source appears only after a restart.
Start NDI on the device
Camera › Camera Settings › Outputs › NDI › Start NDI. Capture Card, Microphone, and Screen Share have the same Outputs. The NDI page shows the source’s name. Settings › Broadcasting › Start NDI Automatically starts NDI with every source.
Add an NDI Source in OBS
Add an NDI Source and choose the Mirage source by its name. It carries the picture and the source’s sound.
If it doesn’t work
- No NDI Source in OBS: DistroAV didn’t load. Check that OBS is version 30 or later and the NDI Runtime is installed, then restart OBS.
- The Mirage source isn’t listed: put both on the same network, and turn on Settings › Privacy & Security › Local Network › Mirage on the device.
- On Windows: allow OBS through the firewall when Windows asks, and set the network’s profile to Private. A Public profile blocks NDI discovery.
- Guest, hotel, and school Wi-Fi often keep devices from reaching each other, and a VPN can hide the local network. See Devices can’t see each other.
Other ways in
Browser: Outputs › Browser › Start Browser Stream shows an http:// address that opens on any computer on the network, with no software; capture that page in OBS. We strongly recommend NDI instead: better picture quality, lower latency, and a steadier connection.
Mirage Camera, on a Mac: turn on Virtual Camera in Mirage for Mac, then add a Video Capture Device in OBS and choose Mirage Camera. No plugin. It is video only, and it can show a whole group of cameras.
Questions
Does OBS support NDI out of the box?
No. OBS needs the DistroAV plugin and the NDI Runtime. Mirage Camera on a Mac needs neither.
Is DistroAV the same as obs-ndi?
Yes. obs-ndi was renamed DistroAV. Use the current DistroAV release for your version of OBS.
Is NDI secure?
NDI doesn’t use Mirage Capture’s pairing code, so use it on a network you trust and turn it off when you’re done.
Can I use several iPhones in OBS?
Yes. Each iPhone is its own NDI source, or combine them into a group in Mirage for Mac and use Mirage Camera.