How to Send Your Smartphone Camera to OBS with NDI HX Camera

The short answer

NDI HX Camera turns a phone into a camera on your local network. OBS can't receive that network video by itself. To use it, install the NDI runtime and an NDI plugin for OBS (the plugin currently known as DistroAV, previously called obs-ndi). Then connect the phone and the computer to the same network, open the app on the phone, and add an NDI Source in OBS that points to the phone. Nothing connects by cable. The video travels over Wi-Fi or Ethernet, so the quality of that network matters.

A quick term: NDI (Network Device Interface) is a protocol for sending video and audio between devices on a local network. "HX" is the compressed version of NDI. It uses less bandwidth, which is why it suits phones on Wi-Fi.

Evidence note: no confirmed details were available for this guide about current app versions, pricing, in-app purchases, supported resolutions or frame rates. Check the app store listing and the plugin's release page for those before you rely on a particular feature.

What you need

• A smartphone with the NDI HX Camera app installed from the official app store for your platform.
• A computer with OBS Studio installed.
• The NDI plugin for OBS (DistroAV), in a version that matches your OBS version.
• The NDI runtime, which the plugin depends on. Some plugin installers include it or prompt for it. Others need it installed separately.
• A network where the phone and the computer can see each other directly, such as the same home or office router.

Step-by-step setup

• 1. Close OBS, then install the NDI plugin and the NDI runtime. Restart the computer if the installer asks you to.
• 2. Open OBS and confirm the plugin loaded. NDI-related entries should appear, for example an NDI Source option when you add a source, or NDI settings in the Tools menu.
• 3. Connect the phone to the same network as the computer. If your router broadcasts more than one band or network name, confirm that both devices are on the same network rather than one on a guest network.
• 4. Open NDI HX Camera on the phone. Grant camera access when asked, and microphone access if you want the phone's audio. The app should show a live preview.
• 5. Keep the app open and in the foreground. Phones generally stop camera access when an app is backgrounded or the screen locks.
• 6. In OBS, open the scene you want, click the plus button under Sources, and choose NDI Source.
• 7. In the source properties, open the source name dropdown and select the entry for your phone. It usually includes the phone's device name.
• 8. Confirm, then resize or position the source in the scene as needed.

How to verify it actually works

Three separate checks matter here, and passing one doesn't guarantee the next. First, the phone has camera access: the app shows a live preview. Second, OBS is receiving video: the NDI Source shows a moving picture, not a black or frozen frame. Third, the result is good enough to use: watch the preview for a while and look for stutter, dropped frames, or a picture that lags behind the audio. Move around the room with the phone, because Wi-Fi conditions can change.

Audio follows the same pattern. The phone's microphone appearing in the OBS Audio Mixer means it was detected. The meter moving when you speak means there is input activity. Neither proves the sound is clear. Record a short clip and play it back to judge it. If you already use a separate microphone on the computer, you may want to mute the NDI source's audio so you don't capture two microphones at once.

Using the phone camera in a video call

OBS doesn't send video to call apps directly. To use the phone feed in a meeting, start the OBS Virtual Camera from the OBS controls. Then, in your call app's video settings, choose the OBS virtual camera as the camera. The call app may also need its own camera permission in your operating system's privacy settings. If the virtual camera appears but shows nothing, check that the scene containing the NDI source is the active one in OBS.

Background effects are a separate layer. Blur or virtual backgrounds applied by the call app work on whatever OBS sends. Filters added in OBS change the feed before it reaches the call. Neither changes your physical background, so tidying the room or changing your camera angle is often the more reliable fix.

Troubleshooting

Problem | Likely cause | What to try

No NDI Source option in OBS | Plugin not installed, or incompatible with your OBS version | Reinstall a plugin release that matches your OBS version, then restart OBS

NDI Source exists, but the phone isn't listed | Devices on different networks, guest network isolation, or a firewall blocking discovery | Put both devices on the same network, avoid guest networks, and allow OBS and NDI through the computer's firewall on private networks

Phone listed, but the image is black | App backgrounded, screen locked, or camera permission denied | Bring the app to the foreground, keep the screen awake, and check camera permission in the phone's settings

Video stutters or lags | Weak or congested Wi-Fi | Move closer to the router, use a wired connection for the computer if possible, and reduce other network traffic

Video works but no audio | Microphone permission denied in the app, or the source's audio muted in OBS | Grant microphone access on the phone and check the NDI source in the Audio Mixer

Phone source disappears mid-session | Phone slept, overheated, or ran low on battery | Keep the phone charging, disable auto-lock while recording, and give it airflow

Limitations to keep in mind

Because the feed travels over your network, its stability depends on that network more than on the phone's camera. If the phone feed is your main camera for an important call or recording, test it in the same location and at the same time of day beforehand. Also check the app store listing for any features locked behind a purchase, such as output options or watermark removal. No confirmed information about that was available for this guide.