Overview
When working with live or local video feeds in Hive Studio, USB and HDMI sources are among the most commonly added inputs. These may include capture cards, mixers, audio interfaces, or encoder boxes connected to your Hive Bridge. Hive recognizes these devices through their drivers and makes them available for configuration and routing in your studio.
This article walks through the process of launching your Hive Studio, opening the Source Tray, and adding new USB or HDMI sources, along with important notes about configuration, capabilities, and how to remove them if needed.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Launch Hive Studio with an Active Organization and Studio
Before adding any sources, make sure you’ve already created or joined an Organization and Studio. If you're not sure how to do this, refer to the Getting Started article.
Once you’ve selected your studio, you’ll be brought to the Hive Studio workspace. From here, you can begin managing your audio and video inputs.
2. Open the Sources Tray
On the left-hand side of the Hive Studio UI, you’ll find the Sources Tray, which is where all connected audio and video sources appear.
Click the plus icon (+) at the top of the tray.
This will open the Add New Source panel, where you can select whether you're adding an Audio or Video input.
3. Adding USB Sources
USB devices connected to your Hive Bridge will be listed under either the Audio or Video tab, depending on their type.
For USB Audio Sources:
Select the Audio tab in the Add Source panel.
Devices may appear under names such as:
Dante USB Interface
Pre-amp Audio Interface
Mixing Console USB Link
These devices are typically used to route program feeds, microphones, or line-in signals from hardware into Hive.
🔍 Note: Most USB audio sources do not expose adjustable parameters inside Hive. Audio gain, EQ, or routing is usually controlled on the external mixing console or interface itself.
For USB Video Sources:
Select the Video tab.
You may see devices labeled as:
Elgato USB Capture
Magewell USB Device
LogiCapture (for Logitech devices)
Or other brand-specific capture card names
These devices ingest HDMI or SDI feeds via USB and are useful for single-camera setups or adding video from sources like laptops, DSLRs, or gaming consoles.
4. Adding HDMI Sources
If you’re using a hardware device that accepts HDMI input, such as a PCIe capture card or standalone HDMI ingest module, those devices will appear in the Video section of the Add Source panel as long as they are connected to your Hive Bridge.
You might see HDMI-connected devices labeled under:
Magewell PCIe HDMI Ingest
AJA Capture
Blackmagic HDMI
DeckLink Device
Or simply HDMI Input 1, HDMI 2, etc., depending on the manufacturer
These devices are ideal for capturing HDMI video from:
Professional or consumer-grade cameras
Presentation laptops
Hardware switchers or production consoles
Reminder: HDMI sources must be connected to the same bridge you are managing within your current studio. If you don’t see your HDMI device, confirm that it’s powered on, cabled correctly, and recognized by the bridge OS.
5. Configuration Behavior in Hive
Once you’ve selected your USB or HDMI device from the Add Source panel and clicked Add, Hive will create a new tile for it in your Sources Tray.
If you click into the source’s Advanced Settings (via the cogwheel icon), you may find that very few settings are available. This is expected.
Why?
Because most USB and HDMI devices do not expose configurable parameters through Hive. Their behavior: frame rate, resolution, color space, gain, etc... is usually controlled by the upstream device (e.g., your camera, mixer, or output settings from a computer).
For example:
If you're bringing in an HDMI feed from a Blackmagic ATEM switcher, the switcher’s output settings determine resolution and framerate.
If you’re connecting a USB audio interface, any volume control or routing must be handled on the interface or in its driver software.
If you’re seeing a video or audio feed but can’t adjust anything inside Hive, that’s because the device is functioning as a passthrough or ingest, and does not expose settings through its driver or API.
6. Removing a Source
If you need to remove a USB or HDMI source from your studio:
Right click on the source in the Source Tray and choose “Delete”.. OR
Click on the source tile in your Sources Tray.
Click the settings (cogwheel) icon to open the Advanced Settings.
At the top of the panel, click Delete Source.
A confirmation dialog will appear. Once deleted, the source will disappear from your tray and must be re-added if you need it again.
This is useful for cleaning up unused or unplugged devices, or refreshing a source that isn’t behaving correctly.
Note: Removing a source will also delete any associated presets, metadata, or internal identifiers tied to that device.
How It Works and What to Expect
When adding USB or HDMI sources in Hive, you are connecting hardware devices that serve as direct ingest points for audio and video. These devices do not generate their own media—they pass through signals from upstream devices like cameras, switchers, or mixers.
Here’s what to expect:
Hive reads available USB and HDMI sources from your Hive Bridge in real time.
Most settings are handled by the connected hardware, not by Hive. The software does not control gain, resolution, or framerate unless the device specifically exposes those settings through a supported driver.
Device labels come from the OS or the driver name, so naming may vary depending on how your device identifies itself.
Sources persist between sessions, but unplugging a device may render it unavailable until it’s reconnected.
Tips, Limitations, and Best Practices
Label your USB and HDMI devices clearly in the source’s nickname field after adding them. This makes recall and routing easier later.
Set configurations on the device itself (camera output resolution, HDMI format, USB audio mix) before plugging it into the bridge.
Test ingest devices before showtime to ensure frame rate, sample rate, and audio formats are stable.
Use powered USB hubs if you're connecting multiple USB capture cards to a single Hive Bridge.
Don’t expect to control audio levels or video settings from Hive for ingest devices. These are normally handled upstream with some outliers.
Device names may be generic (e.g., “USB Capture”), use nicknames to clarify what each one is connected to.
HDMI sources may not appear if the connected upstream device isn’t actively sending a signal (e.g., laptop asleep or camera off).
FAQs
1. I don’t see my USB or HDMI device listed. What should I check?
Make sure the device is plugged in, recognized by the OS, and sending a valid signal. If you're using a the computer of the linked bridge, confirm the device is connected to that bridge.
2. Can I rename the device after adding it?
Yes. Use the nickname field in the Advanced Settings panel to relabel the source for easy identification.
3. Why can’t I adjust settings like resolution or gain inside Hive?
USB and HDMI capture devices typically don’t expose these controls through Hive. They must be configured externally or via the source hardware.
4. What if I delete the wrong source?
You can re-add it from the Source Tray, but any associated metadata or presets will be lost.
5. Can I use multiple USB capture cards on one bridge?
Yes, but with limitations. Make sure your bridge has adequate USB bandwidth and power. Powered hubs may be necessary. This also is dependent on the Subscription plan. Every video source counts as one source towards your subscription plan.
Use Cases
1. Adding a Presentation Laptop via HDMI
Use an HDMI-to-USB capture card to ingest video from a presenter’s laptop and display it inside Hive.
2. Bringing in Audio from a Mixer
Connect the USB output of a digital mixing console to bring in a program mix. This will appear under USB Audio.
3. Monitoring a Camera’s HDMI Output
Feed a camera’s HDMI output into a PCIe or external HDMI ingest device to bring that feed into your Hive Studio for framing or capture.
4. Using Elgato or Magewell Devices
Plug in a branded USB capture card to ingest a clean HDMI signal from a DSLR or camcorder.
5. Connect to Dante Audio Networks via Dante AVIOs.
Dante networks are prevalent in many infrastructures. If one is present, you can use a Dante AVIO from the in-house AV equipment into your setup. Be sure to request skilled technical assistance when doing so and plan for ample testing time.
Adding USB and HDMI sources in Hive is straightforward—and intentionally simple. These devices act as ingest points for video and audio you’ve already configured on the hardware side. Once connected, they show up inside your Source Tray and can be routed, monitored, or removed with just a few clicks. While they don’t offer advanced parameter control inside Hive, they are essential building blocks for clean, reliable input into your live environment.