BirdDog MAKI Studio Control Surface for MAKI Live Camera

The BirdDog MAKI Control Surface is a purpose-built hardware controller designed to give creators, educators, and live streamers powerful hands-on control of the MAKI Studio application. Compact yet feature-rich, this control surface simplifies professional production workflows by combining tactile buttons, a precision T-Bar transition controller, and Bluetooth integration for seamless connectivity. It is engineered for fast switching, smooth transitions, and effortless overlay management, giving you the ability to deliver high-quality productions without the complexity of larger broadcast switchers.

With six dedicated Program and six Preview source select buttons, the MAKI Control Surface enables quick switching between live inputs, ensuring you never miss a moment. The hardware T-Bar delivers manual precision over transitions, while dedicated Cut, Auto, Picture-in-Picture (PIP), and T-Bar PIP controls make live editing intuitive and responsive. Additional video overlay buttons such as Stinger transitions, Titles, Network Titles, and Bug Logos expand your creative flexibility for professional-grade output. Combined with 4 recallable audio preset banks and a vertical scroll wheel for navigation, the controller is designed to streamline every aspect of your live workflow.

Built to complement the MAKI Studio ecosystem, the BirdDog MAKI Control Surface integrates NDI | HX and High Bandwidth NDI inputs while supporting onboard and UVC webcams as additional sources. With up to 10 live inputs (iPad/iPhone processor dependent), AirPlay, HDMI, and NDI outputs, and direct streaming capabilities to Facebook Live, RTMP, and RTMPS, the possibilities are nearly limitless. The controller and application support advanced titling with inbuilt Titler, HTML5, and NDI transparency layers, ensuring professional broadcast aesthetics in every stream. Designed for iOS platforms, the free MAKI Studio app connects seamlessly with the hardware over Bluetooth-LE, creating an affordable, portable, and professional live production solution.

Key Features

• 6 Program and 6 Preview source select buttons for streamlined switching
• T-Bar transition controller for precise manual transitions
• Dedicated Cut, Auto, and PIP transition buttons with T-Bar PIP control
• Overlay buttons for Stinger, Title, Network Title, and Bug Logo
• Four recallable audio preset banks for sound management
• Vertical scroll wheel for fast and intuitive navigation
• Full NDI | HX & High Bandwidth NDI input support
• Supports up to 10 live video inputs (device-dependent)
• Direct streaming to Facebook Live, RTMP, and RTMPS
• Compact, Bluetooth-LE enabled hardware controller with USB-C power

Technical Specifications

Source Select Buttons: 6 Program, 6 Preview

Transition Controller: T-Bar

Dedicated Effects Buttons: Cut / Auto-transition / PIP-transition / T-Bar PIP Control

Dedicated Video Overlay Buttons: Stinger Transition / Title / Network Title / Bug Logo

Audio Preset: 4 Recall Banks

Scroll Wheel: Vertical Navigation Control Wheel

Power Input: USB-C Input

Power Output: USB-C Output

Bluetooth: Bluetooth-LE

MAKI Studio Application: Compatible

NDI Support: NDI | HX & High Bandwidth NDI inputs

Inbuilt Camera: Supports on-board and UVC Web Cameras as additional sources

No. of Live Inputs: Up to 10 (iPad/iPhone processor dependent)

Local Video Output: Apple AirPlay / Native HDMI output / NDI | HX / High Bandwidth NDI

Streaming Output: Direct Facebook Live, RTMP/RTMPS output

Streaming Output Quality: Selectable - 3 Mbps to 9 Mbps

Streaming Resolution Support: 428 × 240 up to 1920 × 1080

No. of Concurrent Streaming Destinations: 3

Title Formats: Inbuilt Titler, HTML5, NDI with Transparency

General

Operating System: iOS 16.6 or later

Platform Support: iPad

Minimum Required Specs: iPad (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Pro (2017 and later)

Recommended Specs: iPad Pro 11″ (3rd Gen, 2021) or Higher; iPad Air (5th Gen, 2022) or Higher

Licensing: Software downloadable from App Store free of charge; Bluetooth Control Surface required to launch app