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Control OBSBOT Cameras with ATEM

Controlling the camera through your ATEM uses ATEM Link, a Middle Control Pro feature.

The Problem​

OBSBOT has become a popular choice for affordable AI-powered PTZ cameras — the Tail Air and Tail 2 offer auto-tracking, gesture control, and clean network output at a price point dedicated broadcast PTZ cameras can't match. But they don't speak the ATEM Camera Control protocol natively, leaving operators to handle them through a separate app while the rest of the rig runs through ATEM.

The Solution​

With the ATEM Link feature of Middle Control Pro, OBSBOT cameras integrate directly into the ATEM control workflow over the network. Pan, tilt, zoom, focus, ISO, shutter, white balance, and tint all sync between Middle Control, the camera, and the ATEM — exactly as if your OBSBOT were a native ATEM camera. (Tail Air and Tail 2 have a fixed aperture, so there is no iris control.)

You can drive everything from:

  • ATEM Software Control
  • ATEM Camera Control Panel
  • ATEM Micro Camera Panel
  • ATEM Advanced Panel
  • ATEM Television Studio HD8 / 4K8 and ATEM Mini Extreme built-in camera controls
  • Bitfocus Companion using the Middle Control Companion plugin
  • The Middle Control camera page itself

Supported Cameras​

The following OBSBOT cameras are supported in Middle Control 4.0:

  • Tail Air
  • Tail 2
PTZ joystick control

Pan / tilt / zoom on these OBSBOT cameras can also be driven from the joystick on the ATEM Advanced Panel or the ATEM Television Studio HD8 / 4K8 — alongside iris, focus, and color from the same surface.

→ See the compatibility section for the full list.

How it works​

  1. Connect your OBSBOT camera to your local network over Wi-Fi or Ethernet — no APC-R required.
  2. Pair the camera to Middle Control — see the OBSBOT Cameras setup guide.
  3. Connect Middle Control to your ATEM switcher (Preferences Page).
  4. In the Middle Control sidebar, select your camera and set the Camera ID to match its ATEM input.
  5. Toggle the ATEM Link button on the camera page.

Done. Any change made on ATEM Software Control or your hardware panel is now reflected on the OBSBOT camera in real time. Changes made on the camera body itself are not written back to the ATEM.

ATEM and OBSBOT values don't always match exactly

OBSBOT parameter values aren't always a 1:1 match with the ATEM's. For example, the ATEM may show a 1/100 shutter while the OBSBOT reports 1/120. If you need exact OBSBOT values, you can disable ATEM Link on the camera page — but you'll lose ATEM-side control of that camera.

Who this is for​

  • Houses of worship running affordable OBSBOT PTZ alongside Blackmagic cameras on a single ATEM
  • Streamers and content creators scaling from a Tail Air or Tail 2 rig into a proper ATEM-based multicam setup
  • Schools, universities, and corporate AV deploying OBSBOT for low-cost PTZ coverage with central ATEM control
  • Hybrid event producers wanting OBSBOT auto-tracking on talent shots while keeping unified ATEM shading

→ Learn more in the ATEM Link guide.

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