What is ATEM MCP Server?
ATEM MCP Server, by Guy Cochran of Office Hours Global, lets an MCP client control Blackmagic ATEM live production switchers on the local network: program and preview, cuts and transitions, keyers, aux routing, macros, recording and streaming, Super Source layouts, and the Fairlight and classic audio mixers with EQ, compression, limiting and gating. It is a TypeScript layer over atem-connection, the open-source ATEM protocol library from the Norwegian broadcaster NRK, which talks to the switcher over UDP port 9910. It is not made by Blackmagic Design.
The README lists 58 tools, including saved Super Source looks and an auto-switch mode that cuts to whoever is talking based on audio levels. It runs over stdio, or over HTTP on port 3000 with a built-in OAuth 2.0 flow for claude.ai and Claude mobile. The repository is MIT-licensed with about 10 stars, version 1.5.0 in package.json and a last commit on 7 September 2026.
How to install ATEM MCP Server
git clone https://github.com/guycochran/atem-mcp-server.git && npm install && npm run buildIs ATEM MCP Server worth it?
The switching tools are useful; the HTTP mode is not safe to put on the internet as shipped. In stdio mode on a production laptop, this is a reasonable way to say dissolve to camera 2 or apply the vocal EQ preset to mic 1 and have a real switcher do it. The audio-level auto-switch and saved Super Source looks go beyond a thin command layer over atem-connection, and they are the parts a podcast or panel show would use.
The remote setup is where it goes wrong. In our reading of src/index.ts, the authorise endpoint hands a code to any client without a login or consent step, and the registration endpoint accepts any client, so anyone who can reach the URL can obtain a token; the README itself says tokens are issued without user interaction and meant for personal or trusted use. Worse, the REST routes under /state, added on 6 September 2026 for a dashboard, set program and preview, cut, fade to black, start and stop recording and streaming, and change audio with no token check at all. The server listens on all network interfaces with CORS open to any origin, and the README's recommended remote setup publishes it through a Cloudflare Tunnel. A script in the repository, start-secure.sh, also contains a hard-coded JWT signing secret.
Those flaws matter because the hardware is live. One stray request can fade a broadcast to black or stop a recording. The README also steers live shows towards clients that run tools without approval prompts and calls Claude Code's per-call confirmation unsuitable for switching; that is a defensible speed choice for a trained operator and a poor one for an agent that misreads which camera you meant. Its advice to keep ATEM Software Control or a hardware panel within reach is the part to follow.
Installation is a clone and build with Node.js; there is no npm package. Stdio on a closed production network is the only configuration we would run, with TRANSPORT=http left off unless the server sits behind authentication you control.
Where it earns its place
A solo podcast host with an ATEM Mini Extreme
Keep the shot on whoever is speaking without a vision mixer operator
Start auto-switch in host_ssrc mode from a local stdio client; the server reads audio levels and moves between the host full-screen and a side-by-side. Free; keep a hardware panel ready for overrides.
A church AV volunteer team
Recall the same camera layouts every week
Save Super Source looks such as a 2x2 gallery once, then load them by name and swap in that week's cameras. It cuts setup time before the service; run it only on the building's closed network.
A corporate events technician
Set up audio on several microphones before doors open
Ask for the vocal EQ preset, a 4:1 compressor and a gate on each mic, then read back the Fairlight state to confirm. Minutes instead of menu-diving, on models with Fairlight audio.
Before you commit
- Setup
- Clone the repository, run npm install and npm run build, then point the client at dist/index.js with the full Node.js path and ATEM_HOST set to the switcher's IP. The switcher must be reachable on UDP port 9910.
- Integrations
- Claude Desktop, Cursor and other stdio clients; claude.ai and Claude mobile through the HTTP transport. Built on NRK's atem-connection and the MCP TypeScript SDK.
- Data and privacy
- Runs on your own machine; switcher state and commands go to your model provider. HTTP mode listens on port 3000 on all interfaces with permissive CORS, unauthenticated /state routes and an OAuth flow that approves any client.
- Cost at scale
- Free under MIT; you need an ATEM switcher. The suggested Cloudflare Tunnel needs a free Cloudflare account and your own domain on Cloudflare DNS.
- Limits
- Recording and streaming only on models that support them; Fairlight tools only on the Mini Extreme, Constellation and newer models; no packaged release; one open issue.
What’s good
- 58 tools across switching, keyers, macros and Fairlight audio
- Audio-level auto-switching and saved Super Source looks
- Covers the ATEM range that atem-connection supports
- Stdio mode needs only the switcher's IP address
What’s not
- HTTP OAuth issues tokens to any client
- /state REST routes switch and record with no auth
- Hard-coded JWT secret in start-secure.sh
- Clone and build only; about 10 stars
Best for
Solo streamers and small studio operators who run an ATEM on a closed network and want chat or voice control of switching and audio from a local client.
ATEM MCP Server alternatives
ATEM MCP Server: common questions
- Is ATEM MCP Server worth it?
- Capable switching and audio control for a real ATEM over stdio, wrapped in a remote mode whose authentication would let a stranger cut your show to black. We rate it 3.0 out of 5.
- How much does ATEM MCP Server cost?
- Free and open source (MIT). Requires a Blackmagic ATEM switcher.
- What are the downsides of ATEM MCP Server?
- HTTP OAuth issues tokens to any client; /state REST routes switch and record with no auth; hard-coded JWT secret in start-secure.sh; clone and build only; about 10 stars.
- Who is ATEM MCP Server best for?
- Solo streamers and small studio operators who run an ATEM on a closed network and want chat or voice control of switching and audio from a local client.
- How much does ATEM MCP Server cost for a team or in production?
- Free under MIT; you need an ATEM switcher. The suggested Cloudflare Tunnel needs a free Cloudflare account and your own domain on Cloudflare DNS.
- Is ATEM MCP Server safe for company data?
- Runs on your own machine; switcher state and commands go to your model provider. HTTP mode listens on port 3000 on all interfaces with permissive CORS, unauthenticated /state routes and an OAuth flow that approves any client.
- What are the best ATEM MCP Server alternatives?
- The closest alternatives we have reviewed are agentic-obs (OBS Studio MCP).
Answers checked Nov 14, 2026.