Overview
Hive is a real-time video production and collaboration platform. It lets you connect cameras and other video sources to cloud-based "Studios," remotely control PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras, and use AI-powered auto-tracking to follow subjects automatically. You can access Hive through a web browser or the Hive desktop application.
A Studio is your workspace — it's where your video sources, camera controls, and production tools live. You can belong to multiple Studios and switch between them at any time. Multiple team members can view and control the same Studio simultaneously.
What you need
A Hive account. Sign up or log in at the login screen.
A linked Bridge. A Bridge is the Hive desktop application that connects your cameras to the cloud. At least one Bridge must be linked to your Studio for video sources to appear.
A supported web browser (for the web version) or the Hive desktop app (for local features).
An internet connection.
Permissions. Your role in the Studio determines what you can do.
The main interface
When you open a Studio, you'll see a layout divided into several areas:
Header bar (top of screen)
Studio Switcher — Shows your current Studio name. Click to switch between Studios.
Production controls — Recording and Output buttons.
Session avatars — Profile pictures of everyone connected to this Studio.
Share button — Invite other users.
Local Mode switch — Toggle between Cloud and Local mode (desktop app only).
Bridge icon — Bridge management popover.
Monitoring — Real-time performance metrics.
Notifications — System notifications.
Account menu — Profile and settings.
Left panel — Sources
Two tabs: Video and Audio. Lists all connected sources. If you have control permissions, an Add button appears at the top.
Top bar — Tools
Camera control tools (visible with control permissions when at least one video source is connected):
Arrangement toggle — Single view or Multi-view
Toolbar — Cursor, Joystick, Center, Fast Frame, Auto-Tracking
Grid Lines — Overlay grid for composition guidance
Main content area — Video viewer
Center of the screen displays your live video feeds.
Right panel — Controls & Image
Two tabs (visible with control permissions):
Controls — Focus, Quick Shots, Pan/Tilt speed, Zoom speed, D-Pad
Image — Image adjustment settings and presets
Bottom panel — Presets & Auto-Tracking
Presets — Saved camera positions
Auto-Tracking — AI-powered tracking controls
Adding a video source
Click Add in the left panel.
Step 1 — Discover: Pick a discovered camera or manually configure RTSP.
Step 2 — Video settings: Configure video parameters with live preview.
Step 3 — Control settings: Configure PTZ control protocol.
Continue and confirm.
Production features: Recording & Output
Click Recording or Output in the header to open Production Settings.
Recording
Choose save location (desktop app only).
Select sources to record.
Start/Stop with confirmation.
Output (NDI & RTMP)
NDI Output — Send sources to other applications on your network.
RTMP Streaming — Add up to 25 destinations with nickname, server URL (
rtmp://orrtmps://), and stream key.
Monitoring
Click the monitoring icon in the header. Shows:
Video Sources tab — Upstream/downstream quality, resolution, bitrate, FPS.
Audio Sources tab — Similar metrics for audio.
Warnings — Poor quality or high resource usage alerts.
Account & Studio settings
Click your profile avatar → settings option.
Keyboard shortcuts
Hive supports keyboard shortcuts for tools, view toggles, PTZ controls, and more. Customize them in Account Settings > Hot Keys.
Limits and restrictions
Auto-Tracking requires a compatible plan and desktop Bridge.
RTMP destinations — Up to 25 per Studio.
Recording — Desktop app only.
Local Mode — Desktop app only.
Permissions — Viewers see a read-only layout.
What happens if…
…your Bridge goes offline? Main viewer shows offline message. Feeds stop until reconnection.
…your internet drops? App detects loss of connectivity, uses cached data where possible, reconnects automatically.
…a video stream freezes? System auto-detects stall after 3 seconds and retries up to 30 times.
…you close the desktop app? Choose Quit Bridge or Keep Running in background.
…recording fails? Notification appears.
…RTMP streaming fails? Notification appears.
Troubleshooting
Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
"Waiting for preview..." won't go away | Camera not reachable | Verify camera and URL |
Auto-Tracking grayed out | Plan or Bridge issue | Upgrade plan or ensure desktop Bridge online |
No video sources listed | No Bridge linked | Link a Bridge |
Recording button not visible | Feature not enabled | Contact admin or opt in to early access |
Video feed frozen | Network or WebRTC issue | Auto-recovers, or refresh |
Camera controls don't respond | Not calibrated or no permissions | Calibrate; check permissions |
FAQ
What is a Bridge? The Hive desktop application running on a computer that connects your cameras to the cloud.
Can multiple people use the same Studio at the same time? Yes. All users with control permissions can operate cameras.
Cloud mode vs Local mode? Cloud routes through Hive servers (anywhere access). Local is a direct LAN connection (lower latency, desktop only).
Where are my recordings saved? A local directory on the Bridge computer. Change in Recording Settings.
Is gamepad control supported? Yes. Configure in Account Settings > Controllers.