Using VDO.Ninja to stream video (and combine video streams) from an iPhone / Android device to a Zoom call

· forensicks's blog

Introducing VDO.Ninja #

VDO.Ninja is a completely free, browser-based web service for streaming live video (from a smartphone, tablet, or remote computer) into Zoom, OBS Studio, and more.

Here's a intro. video to get started:

And, the documentation for VDO.Ninja.

Introducing VDO.Ninja #

You can follow the official VDO.Ninja docs for streaming into Zoom, or you can follow the steps below.

  1. Open your browser on the device you want to stream from

    • Launch your browser of choice.

  2. Go to VDO.Ninja

  3. Create a new room

    • Tap on Create a new room button.

    • From the Create a Room screen, enter a Room Name, and select the checkbox for [ ] The director will be performing as well, appearing in group scenes.

  4. Share your screen

    • In the director's Control center, in the INVITE A GUEST box, tap on the copy link button to get a guest-invite link/URL (example: https://vdo.ninja/?view=YOUR_ROOM_ID).
    • Keep this URL handy. as you'll need it for your host computer that is streaming Zoom/OBS Studio/etc.
    • Tap on the Share your screen button.
    • A pop-up will appear asking you to select the screen or application window you want to share. Select Start Broadcast to share your entire screen.

  5. Open the room URL on your computer

    • On your computer, open a web browser and enter the room URL that was given to you on your iPhone/client device.

  6. Share your iPhone/client screen on Zoom

    • Start your Zoom meeting. Click on Share Screen at the bottom of the Zoom window, then select the browser window that is displaying your iPhone/client screen.

  7. You're now sharing your iPhone/client screen on Zoom!

    • You can use your iPhone/client device as you normally would, and everything you do will be displayed to your Zoom meeting participants.

Please note that VDO.ninja is a browser-based tool and doesn't require any installation. However, it does require a stable internet connection for reliable screen sharing. If you encounter any issues, consult the VDO.ninja guide and its Troubleshooting guide.

Advanced options #

Using Electron Capturer to pipe stream to Zoom #

Electron Capturer is a free, open-source tool that allows you to capture a webpage as a video. You can use it to capture the audio/video VDO.Ninja stream from your iPhone/client device.

  1. Install Electron Capturer

    • You'll need to have Node.js and npm installed on your host machine (e.g., macOS, Windows, or Linux). Once both dependencies are installed, you can install Electron Capturer by running the following command in the Terminal/command-line shell:

      1npm install -g electron-capturer

  2. Capture the VDO.Ninja stream

    • Run Electron Capturer with the VDO.Ninja room URL as the input. You can view a room scene with this command:

      1electron-capturer --url 'https://vdo.ninja/?view=YOUR_ROOM_ID'

      Tip: For more advanced configuration, consult the VDO.Ninja URL Parameter docs and the Advanced options section above.

    • This will open a window displaying the VDO.Ninja stream and start capturing it as a video.

  3. Share the captured video on Zoom

    • Start your Zoom meeting. Click on Share Screen at the bottom of the Zoom window, then select the Electron Capturer window that is displaying the captured video.

Please note that this setup requires a good understanding of Linux and Node.js. If you encounter any issues, you may need to do some troubleshooting or look for alternative solutions.

VDO.Ninja companion apps and helper tools #

See this list of apps and helper tools for VDO.Ninja.

On a desktop/laptop computer, while a browser can be used, the Electron Capturer desktop app is the ideal renderer of a VDO.Ninja stream to feed into a Zoom call.

On a mobile device, try installing the ioOS app from the Apple App Store or the Android app from the Google Play app store. Consult the VDO.Ninja docs page for Native mobile app versions for more information.

Read the respective docs for the particular platforms you are using to capture/stream into Zoom.

Troubleshooting common issues with VDO.Ninja #

First, check these VDO.Ninja cheat sheets.

Consult this list of links for answers to common limitations and known issues.