iPhone Cameras

pMix.studio can use iPhones as wireless camera sources over your local Wi-Fi network. The iPhone runs the pMix Camera companion app, and the iPad discovers and connects to it automatically.

Setup

  1. Install the pMix Camera app on your iPhone
  2. Ensure both the iPhone and iPad are on the same Wi-Fi network (5 GHz recommended)
  3. Open the pMix Camera app on the iPhone
  4. On the iPad, tap + on an empty slot and choose iPhone Cam
  5. Select your iPhone from the discovered devices list

The connection is established automatically. You’ll see the iPhone’s camera feed appear in the source slot within a few seconds.

How it works

The iPhone captures video using its hardware encoder and streams it to the iPad. pMix.studio picks the transport automatically:

  • On the same local network — an Apple-native QUIC transport delivers hardware-encoded video and audio with the lowest possible latency. This is the default when both devices are on the same Wi-Fi.
  • Across networks (remote or different subnet) — falls back to WebRTC so you can still bring an iPhone in from elsewhere on your office or venue network.

Either way:

  • Low latency — Typically under 150 ms on LAN
  • Hardware encoding — H.265 (HEVC) or H.264 via the iPhone’s VideoToolbox encoder
  • Audio included — The iPhone’s microphone audio is captured and delivered alongside video

Adaptive quality

Each iPhone camera adapts its bitrate to the current network conditions. The default target is 6 Mbps, and the app adjusts up or down as bandwidth and round-trip time change. If Wi-Fi is struggling, a bad-Wi-Fi indicator appears on the source so you can see the problem at a glance.

For fine-grained control over the latency-vs-smoothness trade-off, set a playback buffer preset in Settings → Project:

  • Low Latency — Smallest buffer, best for interactive shows where delay matters more than an occasional glitch
  • Standard — Balanced default; a good starting point for most productions
  • Reliable — Larger buffer, smooths out brief network hiccups at the cost of a little extra delay

The preset is saved with the project.

One iPhone, multiple iPads

A single iPhone running the pMix Camera app can feed multiple iPads simultaneously over the same network — useful for multi-operator setups or for running a redundant backup mixer alongside your main one.

Multi-camera sync

When using multiple iPhones, pMix.studio automatically synchronizes the feeds. The app measures the network delay to each camera and adjusts timing so all feeds present at the same moment — no manual configuration needed.

Automatic reconnection

If an iPhone briefly drops off the network — phone sleeps, walks out of range, or the app is backgrounded — pMix.studio reconnects automatically once it’s available again. No need to remove and re-add the source.

Remote camera control

Once connected, you can control the iPhone camera directly from the iPad:

  • Zoom — Pinch or use the zoom slider
  • Focus — Tap to focus, or enable manual focus
  • Exposure — Adjust exposure compensation
  • White balance — Auto or manual temperature/tint
  • Torch — Toggle the flashlight
  • Camera switch — Toggle front/back camera
  • Ultra-wide — Switch to the ultra-wide lens (if available)

See Camera Control / PTZ for more details.

Screen sharing

The iPhone can also share its screen instead of the camera feed:

  1. In the pMix Camera app, switch to Screen mode
  2. Start the iOS screen broadcast
  3. The iPad receives the iPhone’s screen content with audio

This works in the background — you can use other apps on the iPhone while sharing.

Network recommendations

  • Use 5 GHz Wi-Fi — 2.4 GHz has too much latency and interference for reliable video
  • A dedicated router or access point for your production is ideal
  • Keep the iPhone within reasonable range of the Wi-Fi access point
  • For multi-camera setups, a Wi-Fi 6 router handles the bandwidth demands better

Troubleshooting

If the iPhone doesn’t appear in the discovery list, see iPhone Camera Connection Issues.