Overview
The Hive Connection tab within Advanced Settings is your window into the performance and configuration of each video source within your Hive Studio. This panel offers detailed monitoring of how each source is sending and receiving video data across your network or cloud environment, including:
Quality Scores for real-time stream health
Resolution, bitrate, and frame rate (FPS)
Protocol type, such as RTSP or NDI
Driver configurations tied to the video stream
And insight into network upload and download dynamics
Whether you're troubleshooting video drops, optimizing performance, or verifying setup for production use, this panel gives you essential tools for visibility and control.
Step-by-Step Guide to Accessing Hive Connections
Launch Hive and sign into your desired studio.
Navigate to the Source Tray and click on the video source you want to inspect.
Click the cogwheel icon (⚙️) in the lower-right corner of the source tile to enter Advanced Settings, OR you can right click on a source in the source tray to open advanced settings.
In the Advanced Settings window, click the “Hive Connection” tab at the top.
From here, you’ll see three key sub-tabs:
Monitoring
Video
Control
Driver, depending on your source and device type
1. Monitoring Tab – Real-Time Connection Health
The Monitoring tab displays the current network performance data of your video source:
Sending vs. Receiving
Sending refers to how your source is transmitting video from the local device to the Hive Cloud or another destination.
Receiving reflects how Hive is pulling the stream in for local preview or processing.
Sending is more critical than receiving, especially for remote access or cloud-based collaboration. A strong upload connection ensures consistent visibility and recording integrity.
Quality Score
Hive assigns a Quality Score (typically ranging from 0.0 to 5.0) based on the health of your stream.
This score considers stability, jitter, frame consistency, and packet loss.
Score | Meaning |
4.2 – 5.0 | ✅ Very Good – Stable connection |
3.6 – 4.2 | ⚠️ Marginally Acceptable – Monitor closely |
Below 3.6 | ❌ Poor – Likely needs troubleshooting |
Below 3.0 | 🚫 Critical – Potential for black frames |
If your score is consistently below 3, check your upload bandwidth, reduce your stream resolution or bitrate, or test on a wired connection.
Please see the "Adaptive Profiles" article for details on how Hive-Linked devices automatically adjust their profiles based on the quality score.
2. Video Tab – Configuration Details
The Video sub-tab of the Hive Connection section shows how your source is configured to send its video signal into Hive. This includes:
Resolution
This defines the output resolution of the video signal as it enters Hive.
It reflects what your camera or encoder is sending, not what Hive is re-rendering.
Example values:
1080p,720p,4K
Some sources may support multiple resolutions. If you need to change it, return to the driver settings to modify source output or select a new stream.
Bitrate
Bitrate refers to the amount of data transferred per second in the video stream, measured in kbps or Mbps.
A higher bitrate typically means better image quality, but it also requires more network bandwidth.
Example: 5000 kbps = 5 Mbps
Definition: Bitrate is a measure of how much video data is sent every second. It directly impacts image clarity, latency, and stream smoothness.
Best Practice: Choose a bitrate appropriate for your network conditions and desired quality. For remote operations, balance clarity with upload capability.
FPS (Frames Per Second)
This setting reflects the frame rate of your video source.
Common values:
30fps,60fps,25fps, depending on camera region and protocol.
Higher FPS is smoother for motion but demands more bandwidth. Lower FPS reduces data load but may introduce stutter on fast movement.
3. Control Tab – Command Protocols and Interface
The Control sub-tab provides insight into the command-level connection between Hive and your video source. This is especially important for PTZ cameras and other controllable devices.
Here, you’ll find:
Control Type – e.g., VISCA over IP, HTTP, or No Control
Target IP Address – where commands are being sent
Net Protocol - TCP or UDP
Port Configuration – which control port is active (default varies by protocol)
Connection Status – live or inactive
If your PTZ camera is unresponsive in the Hive UI, the Control tab is the first place to verify IP, port, and protocol alignment.
4. Driver Tab – Device-Specific Controls
Here, you’ll find:
Source Details:
Camera Brand
Camera Model
Camera Nickname
If you're using a supported camera, Hive preloads driver logic built in collaboration with manufacturers. This ensures accurate command sets and stream compatibility. You can choose “Other - Brand not found” and “Other” in Brand or Model to load a generic driver.
If your FPS, resolution, or stream behavior doesn’t match expectations, the Driver Tab is the best place to confirm settings and select the correct driver.
Sending vs. Receiving – Why Upload Matters Most
While both sending and receiving scores impact your production experience, sending quality is the most critical for cloud operations and remote collaboration.
Sending (Upload): Determines how clearly your bridge can transmit to the cloud or remote users. Poor sending leads to degraded visuals, skipped frames, or even black video output.
Receiving (Download): Affects local preview and operator experience, but does not affect cloud recording or remote viewing unless you're using the local preview feed as a broadcast endpoint.
If your sending quality score drops below 3.6, prioritize this for troubleshooting. Check your Hive Bridge’s wired connection, reboot routers, or move high-bandwidth devices off the same subnet.
FAQs
1. What if my quality score keeps dipping below 4.0?
This indicates slight instability. Try reducing resolution or bitrate, especially if you're on a shared or Wi-Fi connection.
2. Can I manually change resolution or bitrate?
These are determined by your video source and its driver. You can adjust them in the Advanced settings [Video Tab: Driver or Video sub-tab] if supported by your camera’s hardware.
3. Does Hive compress the stream after ingest?
No. Hive displays and optionally routes what it receives based on the device and driver configuration.
4. Can I use Hive Connection info to diagnose RTSP issues?
Yes. Quality score, bitrate, and resolution will often show signs of dropped packets, stalled frames, or handshake problems.
Use Cases
1. Monitoring Remote PTZ Cameras via Hive Connection Metrics
Ensure you're consistently sending above 4.2 quality before trusting remote operations.
2. Diagnosing RTSP Camera Latency
Compare the sending bitrate and FPS to detect issues related to frame buffering or encoder strain.
3. Verifying Proper Driver Selection
Check the Driver tab to ensure that your PTZ camera is properly identified and using supported control protocols.
4. Balancing Quality and Bandwidth for Remote Collaboration
Use the Video tab to reduce resolution or bitrate selectively while maintaining usable quality.
5. Troubleshooting IP Control Drops on a VLAN
Check the Control tab for timeouts or connection failures, especially when devices are across segmented networks.
Conclusion
The Hive Connection panel is a powerful diagnostic and configuration tool within Hive’s Advanced Settings. It brings together live network monitoring, stream configuration, and driver-level diagnostics in one place, giving you total insight into how your video feeds behave in real-time. By understanding how to interpret and adjust settings like resolution, bitrate, FPS, and quality score, you’ll ensure optimal performance for any environment, whether you’re operating over a local bridge or streaming globally via the cloud.