How to control the OBSBOT Tail Air with a Stream Deck

[@OBSBOT]

Huge thanks to Aaron for sharing! We are blown away by your creativity and how seamlessly you endeavor to control the Tail Air with stream deck. BTW we're also thrilled to announce that our official StreamDeck adaptation is coming soon!

[@aaronpk]

ooo that's great news! I hope there will be a way to make a button to turn on and off the face tracking!

[@conorcollins7139]

​@@aaronpkThis would be amazing. I did an event a few weeks ago and I had to have the app open just to do the AI tracking.

[@pixelsofthenorth]

looking forward for that

[@CandlelightVideo]

@@aaronpk Do you know if that's been implemented yet? Planning to integrate our OBSBOT at an upcoming event and trying to decide if I want to (a) mount a tablet on my tripod to control it (I do like the zoom/crop interface on it!), (b) using our OBSBOT remote control (with 1/4" mount to tripod) and hoping the range is sufficient to reach the camera or (c) get a larger Streamdeck XL to control the OBSBOT (left-half) and ATEM control on the other half

[@dukeofchandos]

Excellent - thank you for sharing the config file for Companion 😊

[@theancientvoice9272]

Thanks 👍, I didn't know about companion. I achieved a similar result using the stream deck plus and the OBSBOT webcam app on my PC. It has plenty of shortkeys by default and OBSBOT seems to be working on it actively for improvements. Plus you don't rely on the type of connection to control it, NDI, hdmi, uvc it doesn't matter. The stream deck plus dials are also more intuitive for ptz

[@Leesboringlife]

That's cool having a USB and HDMI out!

[@LikeThisReview]

Thank you very much for this video! I have seen a number of topics on Companion Visca module in the Companion User Group but as I do not have a ptz camera (and IP) unable to explore it. Because of your video now I have a bit of understanding. Good to see that the module supports the demonstrated functions without the need for custom variables (so no additional config when the pages are duplicated to other connections)

[@Adralba007]

Another great video. Thanks. I use the Sony visca preset on variety of cameras and the only thing missing really is a toggle for the AI tracking hopefully obsbot will release a companion module soon, or someone will develop it. Hint hint.

[@rockynashlive]

Great video Aaron! I didn’t get my Tail Air cameras in time so thanks for the awesome review! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 I’ve been curious about using Companion. Your tutorials are 🔥🔥🔥

[@JeanLaValley]

Great demo! Nice clean edit too.

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

Awesome & Thanks :)

[@competitionkarting]

Great info! Thanks for sharing.

[@scottjarriel6761]

Great video Aaron. Thanks.

[@CandlelightVideo]

Hello hello @aaronpk and @OBSBOT! You recommend not using WiFi if using NDI which is a drag -- it sure would be handy to be able to plonk it onto a mic stand near a stage and be able to control and get image back at my switch location (e.g. PTZ via Streamdeck, image via OBS NDI plugin outputting to external HDMI port plugged into ATEM). How unreliable *is* it? So would you recommend running a CAT5 from our router to the OBSBOT Tail Air, tied with a fiber HDMI (or SDI with converters) for more reliable control? This wouldn't be too dissimilar to what we currently do with our $100 PT head and regular camcorder which has a bundled cable we made (fiber HDMI, LANC and PTZ cables)... grrr... would love to avoid cable runs in some situations! What do you think of using its WiFi for control over Streamdeck but running hard cable just for image?

[@workshopetech]

The Tail Air seems like a pretty strong offering. Backed it at first until I realized it doesn't have any optical zoom, which is a pretty standard PTZ feature and very helpful for event livestreaming.

[@davidjbrookssr]

Best!

[@LikeThisReview]

Just to clarify the setup. Connect the osbot with hdmi to the atem switcher, wired ethernet connection through the usd 99 adapter, switch off autotracking. Correct?

[@kyleethekelt]

But doesn't the thing have a remote control you can buy?

[@aaronpk]

Yeah but you can do a lot more once it's connected to Companion!

[@danushyogan6706]

@aaronpk just wanted to know the max number of presets please let me know

[@LCAProVideo]

How do you manually change the IP address on the Tail Air? I wasn’t even able to find the wired IP address on the iOS apps, or the PC webcam software. All 3 of my cameras are up to date

[@aaronpk]

I did it in my router. My router shows all the devices that have connected to it, and then I can assign a fixed IP address there. So then the next time the Tail Air boots up, it will get the new static IP address.

[@RealRickCox]

Nice work. I might swap my Pocket Cinema 4k cameras with these in my studio for simplicity. The only question is whether the PTZ functions would work when I'm converting the mini HDMI to BNC connections. Would I need to change my wiring setup to the ethernet? How would that work with my ATEM mini extreme switches?

[@SiteUnseen_Virtual_Events]

You should take the HDMI output at 1080 into your atem mini. Do PTZ control over the network cable. Be sure to buy their USBC dongle as no others work...

[@RealRickCox]

@@SiteUnseen_Virtual_Events The way my studio is currently wired - I would have to run too long of cables from the camera to the switch for HDMI to be a viable option. So I got the BlackMagic HDMI to BNC converters and ran BNC all the way back to the switch and then converted back from BNC to HDMI again. It works great, but I really like the idea of being able to have the PTZ function on every camera... just trying to figure out how I would do that with these cameras and my existing wiring. If I have to swap the BNC with ethernet, I can do that.

[@SiteUnseen_Virtual_Events]

@@RealRickCox You could just buy fiber HDMI cables. We use ones that are hundreds of feet long on a daily basis.

[@RealRickCox]

@@SiteUnseen_Virtual_Events Wow. I had no idea those even existed!! That might be the best idea yet!! Thank you!

[@jonf671]

Would this work with other cameras supporting the Sony Visca protocoll to? Like saving presets? (For example Feelworld 20x)

[@aaronpk]

Yep it should! I don't have any others to test with though.

[@SiteUnseen_Virtual_Events]

Any idea how to do this over public IP ala ZeroTier VNC etc?

[@aaronpk]

You definitely could, I don't have a video about it but I should probably make that finally.

[@TedGravlin]

Is it possible to set this up to create presets as you show for camera positions, and then later use a midi command to activate the preset buttons instead of physically pressing the button? Meaning that I've seen folks using a streamdeck to SEND Midi. But can it also RECEIVE Midi to "push" a preset button and then send that preset to a camera? Example... I'm in a rock band. So set up the camera to aim at a spot where the guitar player will stand for his big solo. Then when that point in the show comes a command is sent to point the camera there? (of course he needs to remember to stand there too). A second MIDI command would turn on the camera feed to the screen onstage also. I can't push the button since I'll be onstage and playing guitar at the time. But everything else onstage (Guitar FX, Backing tracks, Video clips) is automated through Midi commands sent out of a computer... why not camera positions?

[@aaronpk]

I don't think there's direct support for MIDI within Companion, but Companion does have OSC support, and I know that MIDI-to-OSC is a thing, so you should be able to do it! Actually I take that back, just a month ago someone started working on MIDI integration for Companion natively! Here's the link bitfocus.io/connections/generic-midi and some more info about it here on their forum: discourse.checkcheckonetwo.com/t/companion-generic-midi-module/3890 It looks like it's possible to create triggers in Companion based on receiving MIDI messages, so yes totally doable! I'd love to see this!

[@TedGravlin]

So one more question... I'f im not going to physically push the buttons anyway. would I even need to buy a streamdeck? Or could it all be controlled only with software? You've been a HUGE help BTW!! I've looked for about two days for a way to control cameras without a human pushing buttons in real time.@@aaronpk

[@Hassanakora]

Is it possible to control dji pocket 3 camera?

[@aaronpk]

no, not that I know of

[@ChrisKSP]

How do you suggest attaching an HDMI to the tail air? Those small connectors look likely to break and when I attach a micro hdmi to my DSLR I use something like tether block to keep it from breaking the hdmi or usb connector. Seems like OBSBot should have either included a way or at least shown this off in their marketing videos. So far I've seen one youtuber use a small cheese plate and a dual-screw cable clamp that attached to the cheese plate.

[@aaronpk]

yeah, HDMI connections always have this problem, you'll definitely want to make sure the cable is supported somehow and not putting downward stress on the connector. So far I've mostly used mine either sitting on a flat surface where the cable is lying on the same surface, or on a tripod and I'll strap the cable to the tripod pole with enough slack above that there is no stress on the connection.

[@DiskoKingFranky]

i use an micro hdmi to hdmi adapter. have usecase for long & short hdmi cables but didnt want to purchase several hdmi2microhdmi-cables. this adapter also imo lessens the stress on the connector + offers options to secure it in an creative way.

[@edwardrodriguez8642]

Thank you for this video. One question: If you connect it to the network via the ethernet adapter, do you still need to connect the hdmi cable to the atem mini? If not, how will the atem mini see it? Thank you.

[@aaronpk]

Yes, the ATEM Mini only takes video input via HDMI. Other devices would be able to get the video feed over the network using NDI

[@edwardrodriguez8642]

@@aaronpk Thank you! One last thing, so far, how much do you like the tail air? Do you like the output quality? Will you be keeping them as a permanent part of your studio? Thank you.

[@aaronpk]

The picture quality is surprisingly good! I don't think they'd ever replace my main cameras, but they will definitely be useful for things here and there!

[@edwardrodriguez8642]

@@aaronpk I think the challenge would be to color match the sony colors with the obsbot if you are livestreaming and using a mix of cameras. Do you agree?

[@edwardrodriguez8642]

@@aaronpk thanks so much for your response.

[@Volleykanalen]

Is Auto, Indoor and Outdoor the only WB controls, or can you manually set a K value as well?

[@aaronpk]

There is a "Manual" option in Companion, but instead of entering a K value you have to enter Red and Blue gain values. I'm not sure if the OBSBOT actually responds to these right now either.

[@MotherBee]

How is the resolution of this camera @aaronparecki? I don’t usually buy a gadget if not tested and recommend by you

[@kamileqone]

Possible to remote control over internet?

[@aaronpk]

You'd have to bring your own VPN setup but you could definitely do that. I don't have a comprehensive video about it but I have mentioned it in some previous livestreams like this one kzbin.infoHVOBZa-3Bdg?si=v__1a1xk-EN8cIlt&t=3942

[@cessyjade]

Great video! I especially found the part about assigning static IP addresses and setting up the buttons for pan, tilt, and zoom very informative. it seems like great camera