Manual / Getting Started
Welcome to OpenFollow
OpenFollow is open-source software for tracking people and objects on stage. It produces real-time 3D position data and broadcasts it over open protocols – PosiStageNet (PSN), Object Transform Protocol (OTP), Open Sound Control (OSC), and Real-Time Tracking Protocol (RTTrPM) – so your existing lighting consoles, media servers, and audio processors can react to performers as they move.
This manual walks you through installing OpenFollow, calibrating a camera, configuring video and control inputs, and wiring its output into a show control system.
Safety note. OpenFollow is intended to coordinate visual and audio elements of a production. It is not a safety-critical system and must not be used where a tracking error could cause harm.
Where to start
New to OpenFollow? Start with Core Concepts, then the Quick Start.
Chapters
Core Concepts
Reference Point, Grid, markers, triggers – read this first.
Quick Start
Get a Raspberry Pi from blank SD card to live PSN output.
Hardware
Recommended computers, cameras, gamepads, and network gear.
Installation
Flash the ready-made image for your Pi, install the .deb package, or build from source.
Updating
Install a newer release from the web UI – online or from an uploaded bundle.
Web Interface
Tour of the configuration UI and the Setup Wizard.
Camera Calibration
Position the camera, place reference points, run the DLT solve.
Video Inputs
RTSP, SRT, RTP, NDI® 12, Pi Camera, and USB Camera.
3D Markers
Create, drive, and broadcast markers in 3D space.
Zone Occupancy Detection
Define stage zones and trigger OSC on entry, exit, and dwell.
Gamepad, Keyboard & OSC
Map physical controls and inbound OSC to marker movement.
Hardware Inputs
MIDI controllers, the virtual fader bus, and per-marker faders.
On-Screen UI
The on-device operator display – live video, grid, markers, and the Settings menu.
Following a Performer
Operating technique – speed control, Z height, and cue handoffs.
Output Protocols
Configure PSN, OTP, OSC, and RTTrPM streams.
OSC Transmitters
Per-transmitter OSC sender – placeholders, triggers, templates, diagnostics.
OSC Destinations
Named host / port / protocol / framing connections, shared across transmitters and zones.
Networking & Security
Web PIN, OSC allowlist, peer auth, and software updates.
Diagnostics
Live health, the downloadable bundle, and peer connectivity tests.
Troubleshooting
Logs, common pitfalls, and how to file a useful bug report.
1. NDI® is a registered trademark of Vizrt NDI AB.
2. OpenFollow does not contain any NDI® code by itself. NDI® requires closed source NDI® Tools / NDI® SDK on the host system that need to be installed separately.