Guide.

1. Getting started.

PodcastPilot runs on macOS 14 or later and is optimized for Apple Silicon.

Before your first recording

• Blackmagic DeckLink (SDI/HDMI cameras): Install Desktop Video version 16.0 or later. The app shows a clear message if the driver is too old.
• NDI® sources (cameras and software over the network): Works out of the box when the NDI runtime is installed (bundled with the app or via NDI Tools).
• Audio interfaces: Every Core Audio interface works without setup – plug in, and the devices appear in the tracks' input menus.
• Disk: Record to a fast SSD. The app measures the disk's write speed itself and warns if it can't sustain the chosen quality.

2. The window at a glance.

Everything lives in one window with three areas – no hidden panels or extra windows.

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  BROWSER – session name, recent recordings (play/open/export) and the New Recording button.
• 2
  SOURCES – every video source with a live preview. Click a source to cut it on air.
• 3
  PROGRAM – the switched signal, recorded into the program file. Red border while recording.
• 4
  TIMELINE – audio tracks with live waveforms; while recording the full session is shown with markers.
• 5
  AUDIO MIXER – logarithmic dB meters, faders, mute/solo and monitoring.
• 6
  Transport – elapsed timecode, sync slate, REC button and time-of-day timecode.
• 7
  Status bar – disk space, dropped frames, CPU, network, audio and DeckLink status. Always visible.

3. Video sources.

Add sources with the Add Source menu in the top right: DeckLink inputs (SDI/HDMI), NDI sources from the network, USB/Continuity cameras and test patterns.

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  Shortcut number – cut to the source with keys 1-4.
• 2
  Format info – the source's detected resolution and frame rate, right on the picture.
• 3
  Arm button – red = the source gets its own ISO file while recording. Unarmed sources can still be switched.
• 4
  ON AIR – the source is in program right now (red border on the preview).

Right-click a source

• Move Up/Down – changes the order (and thereby the shortcut keys and the Cam numbers in the recorded files), so input 1 can always be camera 1.
• Remove Source – removes the source from the setup.

If a source loses its signal it shows color bars with "NO SIGNAL" – impossible to miss. DeckLink inputs and their order are remembered for next time, and NDI sources on the network are discovered automatically and sit ready in the menu.

4. Program and switching.

The program viewer shows what your viewers get: the switched signal, simultaneously recorded into the program file with a reference audio mix.

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  Cut / Fade – choose between a hard cut and a cross-fade (duration adjustable in Settings → Sources).
• 2
  Add Source – DeckLink inputs, NDI sources, cameras and test patterns.
• 3
  Multiviewer – large source grid for control-room use (shortcut: V).
• 4
  PROGRAM label – shows which source is on air right now.

Cut by clicking a source or pressing 1-4. Every cut is logged with its timestamp in the session manifest, so in post you can see exactly what was on air when.

5. Audio tracks and timeline.

Audio tracks work like in a DAW: create a track, pick an input, arm it – and the track records as its own clean 24-bit Broadcast Wave file.

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  Add Track – create a new audio track.
• 2
  Marker buttons – your predefined markers (⌘1-⌘9), active while recording.
• 3
  Arm – red = the track records and joins the program mix.
• 4
  Input menu – pick a channel on a physical interface, the DeckLink card's camera audio, or an NDI source's audio.
• 5
  Waveform – rolling live view; while recording the whole session is shown with markers.
• 6
  Elapsed timecode – the length of the recording (red while recording).
• 7
  Sync slate – a 1-frame white flash + tone on every track (key: M).
• 8
  REC – start/stop recording (⌘R).
• 9
  Time-of-day – the same clock as the timecode embedded in every file.

6. Audio mixer and monitoring.

The mixer controls the reference mix in the program file and the monitoring – your ISO tracks are always clean and untouched by fader/mute.

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  dB meter – logarithmic broadcast scale (-48 to 0) with green/yellow/red zones.
• 2
  Fader – gain in the program mix (-24 to +12 dB). Never touches the ISO file.
• 3
  M / S / gain – mute, solo (solo overrides mute on all other tracks) and the current gain value.
• 4
  Name chip – the track's name in its identity color (change color via right-click on the track).
• 5
  MONITOR – producer listening of the program mix on any output with its own volume.
• 6
  OUTPUT – pick the monitor output. Use headphones – speakers will feed back into the microphones.

7. Recording, markers and sync.

One record command (⌘R or the red button) starts everything on the same time reference: an ISO file per armed camera, a WAV per armed audio track and the program file.

While recording

• Markers (⌘1-⌘9): Mark highlights, mistakes or cut points with a single keystroke. You define names and colors yourself in Settings → Markers. Every marker carries into Premiere, Resolve and Final Cut.
• Sync slate (M): Puts exactly one white frame on every video track and a one-frame 1 kHz tone on every audio track – a frame-accurate sync reference if you ever need to sync manually.
• Cut freely: Every cut is logged and the ISO files roll uninterrupted – you can always change your mind in post.

The status bar keeps watch

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  Free space – while recording also the estimated remaining record time. Red when low.
• 2
  Dropped frames – should stay at 0. Yellow warning if not.
• 3
  CPU – the machine's total load.
• 4
  Network – traffic in/out in Mbit/s; handy for keeping an eye on NDI feeds.
• 5
  Audio status – armed tracks and active inputs/sample rate.
• 6
  DeckLink status – number of devices found and any driver problems.

8. Playing back recordings.

Quality-check the recording right away – without opening an NLE.

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  Play a session – click the play icon (or double-click) in the BROWSER. The active session is highlighted in blue.
• 2
  Playback viewer – the program file plays with a blue border (blue = playback, red = live/recording).
• 3
  Scrubber – click/drag to seek; colored ticks are your markers, white ticks are sync points.
• 4
  Transport – jump between markers, ±10 seconds, play/pause and close (back to live).

If you start a recording, playback stops automatically – the live signal always wins.

9. After the recording: ready to edit.

Every recording sits in a complete session folder, organized like bins in your NLE – generated automatically the moment you stop.

• Video ISO/ – one file per camera, constant frame rate, timecode track
• Program/ – the switched program with a reference audio mix
• Lyd ISO/ – 24-bit Broadcast Wave per track with BWF timecode
• Markører/ – the marker list as CSV and EDL
• Project files – double-click and edit: "(Premiere-Resolve).xml" for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, "(FinalCut).fcpxml" for Final Cut Pro
• SESSION-INFO.txt – a human-readable summary of the whole recording

Social clips included

If you set markers during the recording, the project also contains a pre-built vertical 9:16 sequence with a segment around every marker – ready for reframing and polish for TikTok, Reels and Shorts. Your editor opens the project and the clips are waiting.

10. Settings.

⌘, opens Settings with five tabs: Recording, Audio, Markers, Sources and License.

• Recording: Interface language, video codec (ProRes 422/LT, HEVC, H.264), resolution and frame rate — Auto follows the source, a fixed choice applies to every file. Recording folder with estimated disk usage and measured disk speed (a warning before record start if the disk is too slow).
• Audio: Device overview (the clock master is marked when several interfaces are active), audio engine restart and monitoring setup.
• Markers: Name and color the up-to-9 markers (⌘1-⌘9).
• Sources: Demo sources on/off, DeckLink and NDI status, transition (cut/fade) and fade duration.
• License: Activate a license key and see its status.

11. Keyboard shortcuts.

12. Troubleshooting.

Still stuck? Write to support – ideally attach SESSION-INFO.txt from the affected session.