OBStudio By CVH

Article written by Omar Colom and Laura Massas

“OBS Studio operators who need/want a visual representation/controller of a production level video switcher.” 

It’s a pretty good assumption that this means you, reading these articles about these apps. What I want to point out is this- if you're an experienced video engineer, the layout should look correct immediately. However if you're new to the world of switching, this is a really good way to get yourself familiar with video switching. 

Check out our AV TECH TALKS episode on OBS, at the end of these article! 

to learn even more about Open BroadCast switcher. If you download and pair with the OBS Studio app, you can become a powerhouse in minutes. I won't keep you from the real heart of this article so let's dive into what is really important. 

Check out the interview below.

Responses provided by; Christopher Van Hoose

Q: What drove you to create the app? 

A: Streaming became more in demand due to Covid restrictions. OBS Studio is a powerful Streaming and Recording software for several platforms with great performance. 

Included in my services for events are Aerial photography/videography, and I needed a remote solution to control the software. 

Q: Who are your target users?

A: OBS Studio operators who need/want a visual representation/controller of a production level video switcher.

Q: Do you work in the industry, if so, what sector and what’s your technical background? 

A: I have been in the industry a majority of my lifetime. My father is a well known and admirable Video Engineer in the broadcast industry and I became his prodigy student at an early age of 5+. My background consists of Graphics Creation/Animation, Interactive Media development, Lighting Designer, and Video Engineering. After providing a solution for our clients, I will take the position of the Media Server operator/programmer.

Q: What was the process for you to code and test this app? 

A: The development of OBSwitcher is in the Swift language. It was deployed in TestFlight for beta users to test and offer feedback.

Q: What was the process to unveil and launch to the public? 

A: Apple requires strict guidelines to be able to launch an application on the App Store. Following their guides from the beginning of development led to a successful and stress-free launch.

Q: How long did the total process of creating your app take? 

A: The total build time for this application was 4 months before it was available on the App Stores.

Q: How did you get the word out there about your app once you launched?

A: There was little to no promotion of the App taken on my part. OBSwitcher is tagged in the App Store as a controller for OBS Studio.

Q: What’s your approach to user experience and design principles?

A: During the beta period, Users offered feedback for control. The design was inspired from a traditional physical video switcher for ease of use and control on an iPad, although the controller works well on other iOS devices as well.

Q: Does your app work offline? 

A: There is no subscription required. The app will work as a standalone controller via a local network or a remote network with VPN access.

Q: Is your app the same thing from when you first created it or has the idea evolved? 

A: The design has improved over the months along with a polish to the interface. There are many additional features coming to a future version.

Q: What platform is this app on and how should people new to your app be using it?

A: It is available on iOS/macOS platforms. OBSwitcher is a Professional Video Switcher/Controller for your Tablet and iPhone. The interface will give you the ability to control and monitor your Stream/Webcast from OBS Studio.

Q: Can you break down each part of your app and what people can and can’t do with it? 

A: The interface is familiar to video technicians. It has a Program/Preview layout along with the ability to toggle your Sources and Audio Inputs. Transition control is quick to access. When connected to OBS Studio, the surface will auto populate to your composition with Scenes, Sources, Transitions, Audio toggle, Streaming statistics and your current CPU resources. 

Once your composition is set up, you can hide your OBS Studio app and bring forward additional materials needed for your stream while still having control of your stream/record.

Q: How’s the feedback, the audience response, since launching your app?

A: The feedback and response has been great! There have been over 50k downloads with 0 crash reports.

Q: What features are being used the most since launch? 

A: I have received a number of emails for OBSwitchers use, from Universities to Broadcast professionals to personal streaming. I believe the app offers a nice range of features which are all utilized.

Q: How do they buy the app?  Are there additional features? 

A: The app is available on the Apple App Store. There will be an Android version available in the future.

Q: What’s next for the app? 

A: The development is in production for a future release with additional features for playback control, customization, etc.

Q: Best advice you could give to someone reading this article? 

A: Please feel free to reach out for any additional information.

Well AVE community, we hope this has been helpful in introducing this app to you or shedding light on some of the capabilities if it’s something you already use!

Stay tuned for the next app highlight soon!

Have a need that an app may be able to fix? Send us a shout and we may have an app highlight that features exactly what you need!

If you would like to contact the app developer directly, here’s how:

Christopher Van Hoose

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.cvhvisuals.com/obswitcher.html

For Social Media, follow:

Facebook: CVHvisuals

Instagram: @cvhvisuals

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