Stream Bridge Stream Bridge

Remote audio return and talkback

Stream Bridge Audio Return sends a remote viewer's microphone back to the production as a named NDI or OMT source - useful for talkback, commentary or cueing talent, straight from the browser they're already watching in.

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Signal Flow

4 Simple Steps

  1. Share a viewer link

    Send the link to the person who needs to talk back, such as a director.

  2. Turn on audio return

    Switch it on per link and they get a microphone control in their player.

  3. They talk back

    They pick a mic and speak from the browser they're already watching in.

  4. Route it like any source

    Their voice arrives on your paired device as a named NDI or OMT source.

How it works

Audio Return adds a live path from the viewer back to the paired device. Switch it on for a viewer link and they get a microphone control right in their player - no second app needed for a director to talk to the control room, or a commentator to contribute clean audio.

It's set per viewer link, so only the people who need a microphone get one. They pick a mic, can mute locally, and reconnect from the same browser player they're already watching from.

We handle the real-time connection automatically and create a named output on your paired device, which you then route through your normal mixer, intercom or recording workflow.

Because the return path is part of Stream Bridge, it uses the same direct-first connection and cloud fallback as the video - one joined-up experience for the viewer, independent control for you.

Get Started Quickly

To get started straight away, join our beta, download the application, and get streaming. We also have a host of documentation available that goes through all of the features of Stream Bridge, troubleshooting issues, and our support team are ready to help if needed.

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Devices

Studio A

Online
Sources 5 sources
Last Seen 18 January 2026 | 10:21 AM
CPU 21%
GPU 20%
Under the hood

Technical Breakdown

A closer look at browser microphone capture, return quality, production outputs, latency, connection handling and access control.

Supported Sources

Enable Audio Return independently on any viewer link.

Explore details

Audio Return belongs to the viewer link rather than the video source, so you can offer a microphone path to a director or commentator while everyone else watching stays a passive viewer.

The viewer picks a browser microphone, enters a name, and that name becomes part of the output label - useful when you've got more than one return source active at once.

Audio

Browser audio returned as a named NDI or OMT source.

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The viewer's microphone is encoded and sent back to the paired device, where it's published through whatever output types you've enabled in Device Settings, ready to select in your mixing, intercom or recording software.

Return audio is independent from the programme sound sent to the viewer, so you keep separate control over what they hear and how their microphone is used.

Performance

Each return path runs as its own session.

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Every viewer starts and stops their own Audio Return session, managed separately from the main video encode - one commentator disconnecting doesn't affect the stream or anyone else's return.

Disconnected sessions clear automatically after a short grace period, so a browser refresh or brief drop doesn't leave a stale source behind.

Viewer Quality & Latency

Low-latency voice built for talkback and cues, not delayed messaging.

Explore details

Audio Return uses the same real-time WebRTC approach as the video. Actual delay depends on browser, microphone, network route and whether relay's needed, but it's built for live communication, not message delivery.

The viewer can switch microphones and mute without leaving the stream. Browser mic access needs HTTPS permission, which Stream Bridge viewer pages use by default.

Networking

Direct connection first, cloud fallback if that's blocked.

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The microphone session tries a direct route between the browser and paired device first. No VPN, public IP exchange or inbound port forwarding needed at either end.

When restrictive NAT or firewall rules block that, we relay it through our cloud network instead, so the return still works from corporate, venue and mobile connections.

Security & Customisation

Return access is set per viewer link.

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Only links with Audio Return switched on show the microphone control, so you can offer talkback to selected people without giving every viewer that ability.

Browser permission stays with the viewer, and you can combine Audio Return with a custom URL, password and player settings appropriate for that role.

Remote audio return

Frequently Asked Questions

Practical answers about browser microphones, production outputs, routing, permissions and live talkback.

Workflow setup

When the viewer activates their microphone, Stream Bridge creates a named audio source through whatever output formats are enabled for that device - selectable in compatible NDI or OMT software and routable like any other live input.

Yes, it's set per viewer link, so a director or commentator can get a microphone path while client and public links stay view-only.

No. The control is built into the Stream Bridge browser player - they just grant mic permission, choose their input, and enter the name used for the returned source.

Monitoring & delivery

Yes. They can mute from the control, switch inputs in player settings, and disconnect the return without leaving the live video.

Yes - route it to a mixer, commentary workflow, comms path or talent cue. The final result still depends on their microphone, connection and your audio routing.

We fall back to cloud relay automatically when NAT or firewall policy blocks the direct route. The viewer doesn't need a VPN or any port configuration.

Related workflows

Group talkback for remote production teams Enterprise remote production infrastructure Multi-site live production streaming Remote NDI monitoring for clients and directors