atem

This MCP server lets you control Blackmagic ATEM switchers from AI assistants and MCP clients. It translates natural language intents into ATEM control commands using the atem-connection library, enabling operations like switching inputs, performing transitions, and running macros. You can use it locally via stdio or remotely over an OAuth-enabled HTTP transport for claude.ai, Claude Mobile, or other MCP clients. To begin, configure Claude Desktop or your MCP client to point at the local or remote MCP endpoint, provide the ATEM host address, and then start talking to your switcher with plain-English commands such as: 'Put camera 2 on program and dissolve to it', 'Fade to black', or 'Run macro 3'. The server exposes a broad set of tools for connection, switching, transitions, and routing, allowing granular control of inputs, transitions, and auxiliary paths. Once connected, you can query status, set program/preview, and orchestrate multi-step sequences through simple tool calls.

If you choose the HTTP/remote route, the MCP endpoint exposes OAuth 2.0, automatic token provisioning, and a standard /mcp endpoint for command handling, enabling remote control from Claude.ai or other MCP clients with a proper OAuth flow and token exchange.

Prerequisites:\n- Node.js installed (recommended v14+ or v16+).\n- Access to an ATEM switcher on the same network.\n- Optional: Cloudflare Tunnel if you plan to expose the MCP endpoint publicly.\n\n1) Clone the repository and install dependencies:\nbash\ngit clone <repo-url>\ncd atem-mcp-server\nnpm install\n\n\n2) Build the server (if a build step exists):\nbash\nnpm run build\n\n\n3) Configure ATEM connection and transport: ensure ATEM_HOST points to your ATEM IP, and set TRANSPORT to either 'stdio' for local usage or 'http' for remote access. Example (local):\nbash\nexport ATEM_HOST=192.168.1.100\nexport TRANSPORT=stdio\nnode dist/index.js\n\n\n4) If enabling remote access (HTTP): set up environment variables and run the server with HTTP transport:\nbash\nexport ATEM_HOST=192.168.1.100\nexport TRANSPORT=http\nexport BASE_URL=https://your-domain.com\nexport PORT=3000\nnode dist/index.js\n\n\n5) Integrate with Claude Desktop or Claude.ai by adding the MCP server configuration in your Claude Desktop config (as shown in the README) and restart Claude Desktop. Ensure the node path and dist/index.js path match your build output.

Tips and common considerations:\n- Ensure ATEM_HOST is reachable from the machine running the MCP server; firewall rules may block port 9910.\n- If using HTTP transport behind a tunnel or reverse proxy, configure BASE_URL and ensure proper OAuth redirection is allowed through the proxy.\n- For remote use with Claude.ai, remember to configure the OAuth flow endpoints as documented in the README and provide the /mcp endpoint URL to Claude Desktop/Claude.ai.\n- If you encounter connectivity issues, verify the ATEM connection using atem-connection's status tooling and check that ATEM_PORT matches your device (default 9910).\n- When using Cloudflare Tunnel or similar, ensure the tunnel forwards to the local MCP server port (default 3000) and that the URL is whitelisted in Claude’s connector settings.\n- For best reliability, keep ATEM firmware and the atem-connection library up to date and monitor logs for connection retries or authentication errors.