Camera & Live-Stream System Guide
How the worship camera, streaming computer, and auto-tracking are wired together — plus how to finish the setup and troubleshoot it.
At a Glance
One PTZ camera sends its video over the church network to the streaming computer, where OBS turns it into the live stream. The same camera also feeds a monitor over HDMI.
Equipment & How It’s Connected
PTZOptics 4K Camera
Model VX630A. Pan/tilt/zoom camera with built-in AI auto-tracking.
- Wired Ethernet → church network (carries the NDI video + all control)
- HDMI out → monitor / confidence display
- Power over its own adapter
Mac mini — “Tyro Media”
The streaming computer that runs OBS.
- Wi-Fi → internet
- Wired Ethernet → church network (this is the path the camera video actually travels — kept wired on purpose for a smooth 4K feed)
OBS Studio
The live-production software. Two add-ons make the camera work:
- DistroAV (NDI) — brings the camera in as a video source
- PTZ Controls — the on-screen joystick, zoom, and presets
Network & Addresses
These are fixed (static) so the camera and controls never break by getting a new address. If a device is ever replaced, it must be set back to the same address.
| Device | Address | Connection | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PTZOptics Camera | 192.168.2.197 | Wired | Static · carries video + control |
| Mac mini (wired port) | 192.168.2.129 | Wired | Static · camera video path |
| Network gateway | 192.168.0.1 | — | Subnet mask 255.255.252.0 |
Running the Stream in OBS
The live camera appears in OBS as a source called “Camera 1” (an NDI source pointed at the PTZOptics feed). It’s already placed in the Live Broadcast scene and scaled to fill the frame.
If Camera 1 ever shows black, it almost always means the camera lost power or network. Confirm the camera is on and reachable, then the feed reconnects on its own.
Controlling the Camera
Move & Zoom
Use the PTZ Controls panel in OBS — the arrow pad pans/tilts, and the +/− buttons zoom. Controls stay active even while the camera is live.
Presets (saved shots)
Click a preset to instantly move the camera to a saved shot. Current presets:
- Drummer — tight shot
- Wide Stage — full-stage wide shot
To save a new shot: frame it, then right-click a preset slot and choose Save.
Auto-Tracking
The camera can automatically follow the person on stage. It’s controlled from the Auto-Track panel inside OBS — two buttons:
Click Tracking On to start following, Tracking Off to stop. The button that’s active lights up so you can see the current state at a glance.
Notes for Zach — To-Do
One item left to finish the camera. Log in to the camera page at http://192.168.2.197 (credentials are kept with the tech team), then open the AutoTracking settings.
Stop the camera chasing people off stage
In AutoTracking → Tracking Control, set:
- Target Loss Preset → 2 (Wide Stage)
- Target Timeout → 2–3 seconds
- Tracking Start Location → 2
Status: not set yet (Loss Preset = none, Timeout = 6). Once set, when someone walks off, the camera loses them and snaps back to the wide stage shot in a couple seconds instead of following them out.
Hide the gray tracking box Done
Turned off via the IR remote’s on-screen (OSD) tracking-display setting.
Optional: try AutoFraming mode
Instead of chasing one person, AutoFraming keeps everyone on stage nicely composed — worth testing for a more natural, less “chasing” look.
HDMI Monitor Output
The camera’s HDMI resolution is set by the small rotary dial on the back. A black screen almost always means the dial is on a format the monitor can’t show.
Quick Troubleshooting
| Symptom | First thing to check |
|---|---|
| Camera 1 is black in OBS | Camera powered on & network cable connected; give it a minute to reconnect. |
| PTZ arrows / presets do nothing | Camera reachable at 192.168.2.197; the PTZ panel should say “connected.” |
| Auto-Track buttons don’t respond | Restart the Mac mini (the small background helper that talks to the camera restarts automatically at login). |
| HDMI monitor is black | Rotary dial on a 1080p setting, then power-cycle the camera. |
| Nothing works after replacing a device | Set it back to its static IP from the table above. |