In multi-camera productions, recording only the final switched program output leaves no ability to revisit individual camera angles or recover from live switching mistakes in post-production. The professional broadcast solution is ISO Recording — recording each camera's feed as its own independent file, allowing re-editing from any angle during post. Because Datavideo NDI PTZ cameras output a standard NDI signal, two free tools can achieve multi-track simultaneous recording: NDI's official Studio Monitor, and OBS Studio with the Source Record plug-in.

Method 1: Record Each Camera Individually with NDI Studio Monitor

NDI Studio Monitor has a built-in recording function that captures a single NDI source to a configurable file path. The approach: for each Datavideo PTZ camera on-site (for example PTC-285, PTC-305, PTC-145), open a separate Studio Monitor window, select the corresponding camera source, set the desired output path, and begin recording. Running all windows simultaneously yields a separate recording file for each camera. The advantage is simplicity with no additional plug-ins; the drawback is that with many cameras, running multiple Studio Monitor windows simultaneously places meaningful demand on the computer's performance.

Method 2: OBS Studio + Source Record Plug-in

An alternative approach uses OBS Studio with the DistroAV (formerly OBS-NDI) plug-in to add each Datavideo camera's NDI signal as an independent source, then applies the free Source Record plug-in filter to each source. Source Record's function is "record a separate independent file for the specified source" — even when OBS's main program has cut to another camera, any source with Source Record applied continues recording its own complete feed unaffected by switching. The advantage is that switching, streaming output, and ISO multi-track recording all happen within a single OBS interface. Note that the Source Record plug-in may exhibit audio noise under certain audio routing configurations; verify the audio source settings are correct in a pre-event test environment.

Which Method to Choose?

• Recording only, no live switching or streaming needed: NDI Studio Monitor recording each camera individually is the simplest approach — no plug-in installation required.
• Live switching and streaming output needed simultaneously alongside ISO multi-track recording: OBS + Source Record handles everything in one application.
• High camera count with limited computer performance: Run a brief test first to confirm smooth recording; if needed, distribute the load across multiple computers.

Pre-Recording Preparation

• Confirm storage capacity: Multi-track simultaneous recording requires substantial disk space. Estimate recording duration and file size before the event.
• Plan file naming and folder structure: Regardless of method, define folder names and file naming conventions for each camera in advance so post-production can identify tracks immediately.
• Run a brief test before the event: Record a few minutes across all tracks before going live to confirm picture and audio are intact on every track.

Closing Thoughts

Without purchasing expensive dedicated multi-track recording hardware, the NDI official free Studio Monitor or OBS Studio paired with the free Source Record plug-in can independently record every Datavideo PTZ camera feed, preserving maximum flexibility in post-production. For more on other NDI Tools capabilities, see the "NDI Tools Guide," or return to "The Ultimate Guide to NDI Production Workflows" for the complete architecture overview.