How to Use Videk

What You Need

• One device running Videk Director (iPhone, iPad, or Mac) — this is your control room
• One or more devices running Videk Camera (iPhone or iPad) — these are your cameras
• All devices connected to the same WiFi network (5 GHz recommended for best performance)
• No internet connection required for local production — WiFi router only

Free vs Pro

Quick Start Guide

Videk Director — In Detail

The Home Screen

When you open the Director app, you see:

• A pulsating red circle with "Videk Director" branding
• A 6-digit session code — your session's unique identifier
• "Create Session" button
• Hamburger menu (top-left) for settings, recorded sessions, and more

You can change the session code by tapping the code field and entering a new one. The code persists between app launches.

Creating a Session

Tap the red circle or "Create Session" to start. The circle expands with a smooth animation and reveals your control room.

What happens behind the scenes:

• Your device starts advertising on the local network using the session code
• The microphone activates for director audio
• Screen auto-lock is disabled so your screen stays on

The Sources Tab

This is your main control room view with two areas:

Switching Modes

When 2 or more cameras are connected, switching mode buttons appear:

• Auto-Switch — Automatically switches to the camera with the most motion. Great for events where you want to follow the action
• Timed — Cycles through cameras on a timer. Adjustable from 2 to 120 seconds with a slider
• Random — Randomly selects cameras every 2–30 seconds for variety

Tap a mode to enable it. Tap again to turn it off. You can always manually tap a camera to override.

The Layers Tab

Switch to the Layers tab (top segmented control) to add overlays to your stream:

Overlays appear on the main feed, in recordings, and on live streams.

Recording

Tap the red record button (top-left toolbar) to start recording.

What gets recorded:

• A separate video track for each connected camera (H.264 MP4)
• A stereo audio track from the selected audio source (M4A)
• A timeline of your camera switches

During recording, the button shows a stop icon and elapsed time. You can continue switching cameras, adjusting overlays, and changing audio sources while recording.

Tap the stop button to end recording. The session is saved automatically.

Audio Source Selection

The audio source picker appears below the main feed when cameras are connected:

• Director Mic — Uses the microphone on the Director device
• Camera names — Uses the microphone on the selected camera device

Tap to switch. Only one audio source is active at a time. The active source's audio levels are shown in the meter.

RTMP Live Streaming

Tap the antenna icon (top-right toolbar) to open stream settings.

Supported platforms:

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Custom RTMP server

Setup:

1. Select your platform
2. The server URL auto-fills (or enter a custom one)
3. Paste your stream key from the platform
4. Choose output resolution (720p, 1080p, or 4K)
5. Configure encoding settings:
   • Encoder: H.264 or HEVC
   • Bitrate: 1–8 Mbps
   • Keyframe interval: 1s, 2s, or 4s
   • Audio bitrate: 64–320 kbps
6. Optional: Adjust color grading (contrast and saturation)
7. Tap "Start Streaming"

When streaming, a red "LIVE" badge appears in the toolbar. The stream shows your main camera feed with any active overlays.

Viewing Recorded Sessions

Open the hamburger menu → "Recorded Sessions" to see all your recordings.

Each session shows:

• Date and time
• Duration
• Number of camera tracks

Tap a session to open the playback view:

• Video player showing the composed output
• Source strip — colored buttons for each camera track
• Color-coded timeline — visual representation of your camera switches
• Play/Pause and seek controls

You can re-edit your camera selections during playback by tapping different camera buttons at different points in the timeline.

Exporting (Pro)

In the playback view, tap the menu (top-right) for export options:

• Export Video — Composes all your camera switches into a single MP4 video with audio
• Export for iMovie — Creates a ZIP with all individual camera tracks and audio, ready to import into iMovie
• Export for Final Cut Pro — Creates a ZIP with an FCPXML file and all tracks, preserving your edit timeline for professional post-production
• Archive to iCloud — Backs up the entire session to iCloud Drive

Settings

Open the hamburger menu → "Settings":

• Vertical Video — Toggle between 16:9 (landscape) and 9:16 (portrait) format. This affects all cameras, the preview, recordings, and streams. Great for TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts
• Transition Style — Choose how camera switches look:
  • Cut (instant)
  • Fade
  • Dissolve
  • Push
  • Wipe

Background Mode

The Director app continues working when sent to the background during an active session. Camera connections, recording, and streaming continue uninterrupted. A microphone indicator appears in the status bar while the session is active.

Videk Camera — In Detail

The Home Screen

When you open the CameraMan app, you see:

• A pulsating red circle with "Videk Camera" branding
• "Join Session" button
• Session code display (shows your last used code)
• Hamburger menu (top-left)

Joining a Session

1. Tap the pencil icon next to the session code to edit it
2. Enter the 6-digit code shown on the Director app
3. Tap "Join Session" or tap the red circle
4. The app searches for the Director on your WiFi network
5. Once found, it connects and your camera activates automatically

The session code is saved — next time you open the app, it's already there.

The Camera Preview

Once connected, you see your live camera feed with controls:

Tap to Focus: Tap anywhere on the preview to set focus and exposure point. A yellow focus indicator appears briefly.

Camera Settings

Open the hamburger menu → "Settings":

Changes take effect on the next connection. Higher resolution uses more bandwidth.

Monitoring Tools

Professional tools visible only on your local preview — they do not appear in the video sent to the Director.

Enable them in Settings → Monitoring Tools, or via the gear icon during a session:

• Grid Overlay — Rule of thirds grid for composition
• Frame Guide — Aspect ratio guides (16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 2.35:1) showing safe areas
• Zebra Stripes — Red diagonal stripes on overexposed areas (>90% brightness)
• Focus Peaking — Red outlines on sharp/in-focus edges
• Histogram — Real-time luminance chart (blue for shadows, white for midtones, red for highlights)
• False Color — Maps brightness to colors for precise exposure:
  • Purple = clipped blacks
  • Blue = underexposed
  • Green = proper midtone exposure
  • Orange/Red = overexposed
  • Magenta = clipped highlights

What Gets Sent to the Director

Only the raw camera feed is sent — none of the monitoring tools, grid overlays, or frame guides are included. The Director receives:

• H.264 encoded video at your configured resolution and frame rate
• Audio from your microphone (only when selected as the active audio source by the Director)

Disconnecting

Tap "Disconnect" (top-right) to leave the session. Your camera stops streaming and you return to the home screen. The Director will see your camera disappear from the grid.

If the Director ends the session, you'll be automatically disconnected.

Network Setup Tips

Requirements

• All devices must be on the same WiFi network
• Videk uses local networking only — no internet required for the connection between devices
• Both apps will ask for Local Network permission on first launch — you must allow this

Recommended Setup

• Use a 5 GHz WiFi network for best performance (less interference, more bandwidth)
• A dedicated WiFi router works best for productions with many cameras
• Each camera uses approximately 2–3 Mbps of bandwidth
• Ensure your router can handle the total bandwidth (e.g., 5 cameras = ~12–15 Mbps)

Troubleshooting Connection Issues

1. Check WiFi — Confirm all devices are on the exact same WiFi network (same SSID)
2. Local Network permission — Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network and ensure both Videk apps have permission enabled
3. Session code — Double-check the 6-digit code matches between Director and CameraMan
4. Restart — If discovery fails, end the session on the Director and create a new one, then rejoin from the CameraMan
5. Firewall — If using a corporate or school network, local network discovery (Bonjour/mDNS) may be blocked. Use a personal hotspot or dedicated router instead

Typical Production Workflow

Simple Two-Camera Setup

1. Place Camera A (e.g., wide shot) and Camera B (e.g., close-up) on tripods
2. Open Videk Camera on both camera devices
3. Open Videk Director on your iPad
4. Create a session and share the code
5. Connect both cameras
6. Start recording on the Director
7. Switch between cameras by tapping thumbnails during the event
8. Stop recording when done
9. View your multi-cam recording in Recorded Sessions
10. Export for editing or share directly

Live Streaming Setup

1. Follow the two-camera setup steps above (steps 1–6)
2. On the Director, tap the antenna icon
3. Select your platform and enter the stream key
4. Configure quality settings (1080p / 4.5 Mbps recommended for most platforms)
5. Tap "Start Streaming"
6. Switch cameras live — your viewers see the switches in real time
7. Add text or image overlays for lower thirds, logos, etc.

Professional Post-Production

1. Record your multi-camera session as usual
2. After recording, go to Recorded Sessions
3. Play back and refine your camera selections
4. Export for Final Cut Pro (FCPXML)
5. Import into Final Cut Pro — your timeline, camera switches, and all tracks are preserved
6. Fine-tune edits, add effects, color grade, and export your final production

Tips and Best Practices

• Name your cameras — In CameraMan Settings, give each device a descriptive name (e.g., "Wide Shot", "Close-Up", "Audience") so they're easy to identify on the Director
• Use 720p for more cameras — If connecting many cameras, 720p uses less bandwidth and keeps feeds smooth
• Monitor audio levels — Watch the audio meters on the Director to ensure your audio source is picking up sound properly
• Use monitoring tools — Enable zebra stripes and focus peaking on camera devices to ensure proper exposure and sharp focus
• Lock exposure — For consistent shots, use Auto Exposure Lock on the CameraMan after setting your desired exposure
• Vertical video — Enable vertical video in Director Settings before recording if your content is for TikTok, Reels, or Shorts
• Keep devices charged — Video streaming and encoding use significant battery. Keep devices plugged in for longer productions
• Disable notifications — Enable Do Not Disturb on all camera devices to prevent notification banners from appearing during your production