BirdDog XL Ultra — Complete VISCA Reference
VISCA over IP Reference

VISCA over IP Command Reference

XL Ultra  ·  birddog.tv
Based on BirdDog VISCA Command Set
Rev. 2026-05-12  ·  XL Camera Only
VISCA over IP — 8-Byte Header Required.  All commands require a VISCA over IP header prepended to the VISCA payload. Setting and inquiry commands use different type bytes.
Setting commands:  01 00 pq pq ss ss ss ss <VISCA PAYLOAD>   Example (PTZ_Direct):  01 00 00 09 00 00 00 00 81 01 06 01 09 09 03 01 FF
Inquiry commands:  01 10 pq pq ss ss ss ss <VISCA PAYLOAD>   Example (Pan/Tilt Inq):  01 10 00 05 00 00 00 00 81 09 06 12 FF
pq pq = 2-byte payload length  ·  ss ss ss ss = sequence number (0–0xFFFF)  ·  Default UDP port: 52381
ACK / Completion Messages
ACKz0 4y FFCommand accepted (y = Socket No.)
Completionz0 5y FFCommand executed (y = Socket No.)
z = Device address + 8
Error Messages
Syntax Errorz0 60 02 FFBad format or illegal parameter
Buffer Fullz0 60 03 FFTwo sockets already in use
Canceledz0 6y 04 FFCommand canceled (y = Socket No.)
Not Executablez0 6y 41 FFCannot execute in current state
PTZ Control
Pan · Tilt · Movement
Function Command Packet Parameters Notes
Directional Movement
PTZ Direct 81 01 06 01 VV WW 0p 0q FF
  • VV Pan speed: 0–24
  • WW Tilt speed: 0–20
  • p Pan: 1=Left, 2=Right, 3=Stop
  • q Tilt: 1=Up, 2=Down, 3=Stop
 Standard directional PTZ command
PTZ Direct Extended 81 01 06 11 0V 0V 0W 0W 0p 0q FF
  • VV Pan speed: 0–255
  • WW Tilt speed: 0–255
  • p Pan: 1=Left, 2=Right, 3=Stop
  • q Tilt: 1=Up, 2=Down, 3=Stop
 Extended speed range (linear)
Position Commands
PTZ Absolute Position 81 01 06 02 vv ww 0p 0p 0p 0p 0t 0t 0t 0t FF
  • vv Pan speed: 01 (slow) – 24 (fast)
  • ww Tilt speed: 01 (slow) – 21 (fast)
  • pppp Pan position (4 nibbles)
  • tttt Tilt position (4 nibbles)
 Move to absolute pan/tilt coordinate
Pan Home 81 01 06 04 FF — Return to home position
PTZ Reset 81 01 06 05 FF — Resets PTZ mechanism
Speed Settings
Pan Speed 81 01 06 01 pq FF pq Speed value: 1–18
Tilt Speed 81 01 06 02 pq FF pq Speed value: 1–14
Pan/Tilt Speed Accuracy 8x 01 06 03 0p FF p 0=1%, 1=10%, 2=100%
Speed Match 8x 01 06 04 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF Match pan/tilt speed proportionally
Preset Speed 81 01 04 3F 04 0p FF p Speed: 1–10
Zoom & Focus
Optical · Digital · Auto Focus
Function Command Packet Parameters Notes
Zoom
CAM Zoom 81 01 04 07 pq FF
  • pq=00 Stop
  • pq=02 Tele (standard)
  • pq=03 Wide (standard)
  • p=2 Tele (variable), p=3 Wide (variable)
  • q Speed: 0 (low) – 7 (high)
CAM Zoom Extended 81 01 04 07 0A 0p 0q FF
  • p 0=Stop, 2=Tele, 3=Wide
  • q Speed: 0x0 (low) – 0xF (high)
 Not implemented on XL
Zoom Direct Position 81 01 04 47 0p 0q 0r 0s FF pqrs Zoom position (4 nibbles)
Digital Zoom 81 01 04 26 0p FF p Level: 1–8
Tele Mode 81 01 04 A3 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF Extended tele mode
Focus
CAM Focus 81 01 04 08 pq FF
  • pq=00 Stop
  • pq=02 Far (standard)
  • pq=03 Near (standard)
  • p=2 Far (variable), p=3 Near (variable)
  • q Speed: 0–7
Focus Direct Position 81 01 04 48 0p 0q 0r 0s FF pqrs Focus position (4 nibbles)
Focus Mode 81 01 04 38 pq FF pq 02=Auto, 03=Manual, 10=Toggle
One Push AF Trigger 81 01 04 18 01 FF — Trigger single AF shot
Face AF 81 01 04 A1 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
AF Zone 81 01 04 AA 0p FF p 0=Upper, 1=Center, 2=Down, 3=Global, 4=Future Focus zone selection
Exposure
AE Mode · Iris · Shutter · Gain
Function Command Packet Parameters Notes (XL values)
AE Mode
Exposure Mode 81 01 04 39 0p FF
  • p=00 Full Auto
  • p=03 Manual
  • p=0A Shutter Priority
  • p=0B Iris Priority
  • p=0D Bright Priority
Iris, Shutter, Gain (Step)
Iris 81 01 04 0B 0p FF p 2=Up, 3=Down
Shutter 81 01 04 0A 0p FF p 2=Up, 3=Down
Gain 81 01 04 0C 0p FF p 2=Up, 3=Down
Bright 81 01 04 0D 0p FF p 2=Up, 3=Down
Direct (Absolute) Value
Iris Direct 81 01 04 4B 00 00 0p 0p FF pp Iris position — see Exposure Sheet
Shutter Direct 81 01 04 4A 00 00 0p 0p FF pp Shutter position — see Exposure Sheet
Gain Direct 81 01 04 4C 00 00 0p 0p FF pp Gain position XL range: 1–27
Bright Direct 81 01 04 4D 00 00 0p 0p FF pp Bright level XL range: 1–27
Exposure Compensation
Exp Comp 81 01 04 0E 0p FF p 2=Up, 3=Down
Exp Comp Mode 81 01 04 3E 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
Exp Comp Level (Direct) 81 01 04 4E 00 00 0p 0q FF pq 0–64 (pq–32 = –32 to +32) XL: 0–64
Advanced Exposure
Gain Limit 81 01 04 2C 0p FF p 1–14 Max gain ceiling
Exposure Meter 81 01 04 3A 0p FF p 0=Average, 1=Center, 2=Smart, 3=Top
ND Filter 81 01 04 3B 0p FF p 0–3
Auto Aperture 81 01 04 3C 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
EXP Full-View Follow 81 01 04 30 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
Backlight Compensation 81 01 04 33 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
Wide Dynamic Range 81 0B 00 0A 00 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
DRC 81 01 04 3D 0p FF p 0–16 Dynamic Range Compression level
Anti Flicker 81 01 04 23 0p FF p 0=Disable, 1=50Hz, 2=60Hz
White Balance
WB Mode · Gains · Color Temp
Function Command Packet Parameters Notes (XL values)
WB Mode 81 01 04 35 pp FF
  • pp=00 Auto
  • pp=01 Indoor
  • pp=02 Outdoor
  • pp=03 One Push WB
  • pp=04 ATW
  • pp=05 Manual
  • pp=0B Color Temp (Static) XL
 Use 0x0B for Static Color Temperature on XL
WB One Push Trigger 81 01 04 10 05 FF —
Color Temp Mode 81 01 04 10 20 FF —
Color Temp Direct 81 01 04 20 0p 0q FF pq 0x00–0x18 → 2600K–8200K (step 200K) Display value: 2600 + pq × 200
Color Temp Step 81 01 04 20 0p FF p 2=Up, 3=Down, 0=Reset
WB Full-View Follow 81 01 05 61 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
WB Sensitivity 81 01 05 63 0p FF p 0=Low, 1=Middle, 2=High
Manual Gain Adjustments
R Gain (Step) 81 01 04 03 0p FF p 2=Up, 3=Down
B Gain (Step) 81 01 04 04 0p FF p 2=Up, 3=Down
R Gain Direct 81 01 04 43 00 00 0p 0q FF pq R Gain: 0–255
G Gain Direct 81 01 04 45 00 00 0p 0q FF pq G Gain: 0–255
B Gain Direct 81 01 04 44 00 00 0p 0q FF pq B Gain: 0–255
Sensor Gain (Raw)
Sensor R-Gain 8x 01 0E 24 46 0p 0q FF pq 0–255
Sensor G-Gain 8x 01 0E 24 48 0p 0q FF pq 0–255
Sensor B-Gain 8x 01 0E 24 47 0p 0q FF pq 0–255
Image Settings
Picture Quality · Noise · Flip
Function Command Packet Parameters Notes (XL values)
Sharpness 81 0A 01 44 01 pp FF pp 0–64 XL: 0–64
Brightness 81 01 04 A1 0p 0q FF pq 0–100 XL: 0–100
Contrast 81 01 04 A2 00 00 0p 0q FF pq 0–100 XL: 0–100
Saturation 81 01 01 7A 00 00 0p 0q FF pq 0–100 XL: 0–100
Hue 81 01 04 4F 00 00 00 0p 0q FF pq 1–14 XL: 1–14
Gamma 81 0B 00 0A 04 0p 0q FF pq 0–6 XL: 0–6
Noise Reduction
2D Noise Reduction 81 0B 00 0A 02 0p 0q FF pq 0–32 XL: 0–32
3D Noise Reduction 81 0B 00 0A 03 0p 0q FF pq — see spec
Color Matrix
Color Matrix Hue 81 0B 00 0B 0r 0p 0q FF
  • r 0=Blue, 1=Cyan, 2=Green, 3=Red, 4=Yellow, 5=Magenta
  • pq 0–120 (pq–60 = –60 to +60)
 Per-channel hue adjust
Color Matrix Saturation 81 0B 00 0C 0r 0p 0q FF
  • r 0=Blue, 1=Cyan, 2=Green, 3=Red, 4=Yellow, 5=Magenta
  • pq 0–200
 Per-channel saturation
Orientation & Correction
Picture Flip 81 01 04 66 0p FF p 2=On, 3=Off
Picture Mirror 81 01 04 61 0p FF p 2=On, 3=Off
Installation Mode 81 01 04 67 0p FF p 2=Stand, 3=Ceiling Mount orientation
Lens Correction 81 0B 00 0A 06 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
Image Settings Reset 81 0B 00 0A 07 02 FF — Reset all image settings
System & Setup
Power · Preset · Menu · ISP
Function Command Packet Parameters Notes
Camera Power 81 01 04 00 0p FF p 2=On, 3=Standby
Power-Up Position 81 01 04 3F 03 0p FF p 0=Home, 1–9=Preset 1–9 On power-up go to position
Preset Set / Recall / Reset 81 01 04 3F 0p qq FF p 0=Reset, 1=Set, 2=Recall  ·  qq Preset: 00–3F (hex) 64 presets supported
Image Freeze 81 01 04 62 0p FF p 2=Freeze, 3=Normal Freeze during preset recall
Menu On/Off 81 01 06 06 pq FF pq 02=On, 03=Off, 10=Toggle Toggle opens/closes OSD
PTZ / PTZ+ISP Mode 81 0B 03 02 0p FF p 2=PTZ only, 3=Camera (PTZ+ISP)
ISP Style 81 0B 03 01 0p FF p 0=Sony, 1=Blackmagic, 2=Panasonic
IR Remote
IR Enable 81 0B 01 05 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF, 10=Toggle
IR Address 81 0B 01 04 0p FF p 1–4
Tally Control
Tally LED · Color · State
Function Command Packet Parameters Notes
Onboard Tally 81 01 7E 01 0A 00 0p FF p 05=On, 00=Off, 02=On, 03=Off Controls onboard tally LED
Tally Level 81 01 7E 01 0A 01 0p FF p 0=Off, 4=Preview, 5=Program
Tally Rest State 81 01 7E 01 0A 02 0p FF p 0A=Off, 0B=White, 0C=Custom, 0D=RGB Cycle Applies when Tally is off
Tally RGB Color 81 01 7E 01 0A 03 0r 0r 0g 0g 0b 0b FF
  • rr Red: 0–255
  • gg Green: 0–255
  • bb Blue: 0–255
 Active when Rest State = 0x0C (Custom)
AI Tracking
Tracking · Auto-Framing · Gestures
Function Command Packet Parameters Notes (XL values)
Tracking Enable & Mode
AI Tracking Enable 81 0B 07 01 pq FF pq 02=ON, 03=OFF, 10=Toggle
Tracking Mode 81 0B 07 04 0p FF p 0=Auto, 1=Single, 2=Everywhere, 3=Zone XL supports 4 modes
Target Selection 81 0B 07 02 0p FF p 2=Confirm, 3=Change Switch tracking target
Camera Behavior
Auto Zoom 81 0B 07 06 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
Auto Tilt 81 0B 07 07 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
Auto Pan 81 0B 07 08 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF
Track Speed 81 0B 07 14 0p FF p 0=Smooth, 1=Fast
Subject Framing
Figure Size Mode 81 0B 07 0A 0p FF p 0=Full, 1=Half, 2=Closeup, 3=Custom Body framing preset
Figure Size (Custom) 81 0B 07 0B pq FF pq 0x00–0xD2 (camera value: 80–290) Fine-tune custom framing
Head Position 81 0B 07 13 0p FF p 0=Up, 1=Normal, 2=Down
Character Position 81 0B 07 0D 0p FF p 0=Left, 1=Center, 2=Right Subject horizontal placement
Lost Subject / Recovery
Lost Time (Presenter) 81 0B 07 09 pq FF pq 2=2s, 4=4s, 6=6s Wait before declaring lost
Lost Time (Zone) 81 0B 07 12 pq FF pq 0x2–0xF (seconds)
Lost Action 81 0B 07 0C 0p FF p 0=Home, 1=Preset0, 2=Preset1, 3=Current Where to go when subject lost
Display / Overlays
Humanoid Frame (Debug) 81 0B 07 03 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF Show detection bounding box
Track Tally Indicator 81 0B 07 05 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF Tally hint while tracking
Gesture Detect 81 0B 07 15 0p FF p 2=ON, 3=OFF Trigger tracking via gesture
Inquiry Commands
Query camera state — send TX, receive RX reply
Function TX (Send) RX (Reply) Reply Decoding
PTZ State
Pan/Tilt Position 81 09 06 12 FF 90 50 0Y 0Y 0Y 0Y 0Z 0Z 0Z 0Z FF YYYY=Pan position, ZZZZ=Tilt position
PT Speed 81 09 05 21 FF 90 50 0p 0q 0r 0s FF pq=Pan speed (1–18), rs=Tilt speed (1–14)
PT Speed Accuracy 81 09 05 22 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 0=1%, 1=10%, 2=100%
Speed Match 81 09 05 23 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=ON, 3=OFF
Zoom & Focus
Zoom Position 81 09 04 47 FF 90 50 0p 0q 0r 0s FF pqrs: Zoom position 0–0x4000
Focus Position 81 09 04 48 FF 90 50 0p 0q 0r 0s FF pqrs: Focus position
Focus Mode 81 09 04 38 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=Auto, 3=Manual
Digital Zoom 81 09 04 26 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 1–7
Tele Mode 81 09 05 25 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=ON, 3=OFF
Face AF 81 09 05 24 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=ON, 3=OFF
Exposure
Exposure Mode 81 09 04 39 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 00=Auto, 03=Manual, 0A=Shutter Pri, 0B=Iris Pri
Iris Position 81 09 04 4B FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: Iris position
Shutter Position 81 09 04 4A FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: Shutter position
Gain Position 81 09 04 4C FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: Gain position
Bright Position 81 09 04 4D FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: Bright position
ND Filter 81 09 05 51 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 0–3
Auto Aperture 81 09 05 52 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=ON, 3=OFF
Exp Comp Level 81 09 04 4E FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: 0x00–0x0E
EXP Full-View Follow 81 09 05 62 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=ON, 3=OFF
White Balance
WB Mode 81 09 04 35 FF 90 50 pp FF pp: 0=Auto, 1=Indoor, 2=Outdoor, 3=One Push, 4=Auto2, 5=Manual
R Gain 81 09 04 43 FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: R Gain value
G Gain 81 09 04 45 FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: G Gain value
B Gain 81 09 04 44 FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: B Gain value
WB Full-View Follow 81 09 05 61 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=ON, 3=OFF
WB Sensitivity 81 09 05 63 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 0=Low, 1=Middle, 2=High
Image Settings
Sharpness 81 09 04 A3 FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: Sharpness value
Contrast 81 09 04 A2 FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: Contrast value
Hue 81 09 04 4F FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: Hue value
Saturation 81 09 11 7A FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: Saturation value
Brightness 81 09 04 A1 FF 90 50 00 00 0p 0q FF pq: Brightness value
System
Camera Power 81 09 04 00 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=On, 3=Standby
Menu State 81 09 06 06 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=On, 3=Off
Picture Flip 81 09 04 66 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=On, 3=Off
Picture Mirror 81 09 04 61 FF —
Installation Mode 81 09 05 41 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=Stand, 3=Ceiling
Lens Correction 81 09 05 42 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=ON, 3=OFF
PTZ/ISP Mode 81 09 05 71 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=PTZ only, 3=PTZ+ISP
ISP Style 81 09 05 72 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 0=Sony, 1=BMD, 2=Panasonic
Preset Speed 81 09 05 27 FF 90 50 0p FF p: Speed 1–10
Power-Up Position 81 09 05 26 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 0=Home, 1–9=Preset 1–9
Tally
Tally State 81 09 7E 01 0A FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=On, 3=Off
Tally Custom Color 81 09 7E 01 0C FF 90 50 0r 0r 0g 0g 0b 0b FF rr=Red, gg=Green, bb=Blue (each 0–255)
NDI Tally 81 09 7E 01 0B FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=On, 3=Off
AI Tracking
Head Position 81 09 05 31 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 0=Up, 1=Normal, 2=Down
Track Speed 81 09 05 32 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 0=Smooth, 1=Fast
Gesture Detect 81 09 05 33 FF 90 50 0p FF p: 2=ON, 3=OFF
IR Enable 81 09 06 08 FF y0 50 0p FF p: 2=ON, 3=OFF
IR Address 81 09 06 09 FF y0 50 0p FF p: 1–4
Block Inquiry 81 09 7E 7E EE FF 90 50 xx ... FF See "blk_inq VOIP" sheet for full reply map
Block Inquiry Second 81 09 7E 7E EF FF 90 50 xx ... FF Color Matrix Gain map: idx 13=Magenta, 14=Red, 15=Yellow, 16=Green, 17=Cayenne, 18=Blue; idx 100=0xA5, 101=0x5A, 102=0xFF; all other indices N/A
Exposure Reference
How to use this sheet.  The raw hex values in the leftmost column map directly to VISCA Direct commands — e.g. CAM_Iris_Direct: 81 01 04 4B 00 00 0p 0p FF where pp is the two-nibble form of the raw value. Use this sheet to look up the f-stop, shutter speed, or gain corresponding to the value you want to set or the value returned by an inquiry.
Iris Position
CAM_Iris_Direct  ·  81 01 04 4B 00 00 0p 0p FF
Raw (hex) X1 / X1U / Max / 30x X4 / X4E X5 XL O4
0x00ClosedClosedClosedClosedClosed
0x01F32F11.0F14F14F14
0x02F16F9.6F11F11F11
0x03F10F8.0F9.6F9.6F9.6
0x04F8.0F6.8F8.0F8F8
0x05F6.0F5.6F6.8F6.8F6.8
0x06F4.0F4.8F5.6F5.6F5.6
0x07F3.4F4.0F4.8F4.8F4.8
0x08F3.0F3.4F4.0F4.0F4.0
0x09F2.63F2.8F3.4F3.4F3.4
0x0AF2.2F2.4F2.8F2.8F2.8
0x0BF2.0F2.0F2.4F2.4F2.4
0x0CF1.85F1.8F2.0F2.0F2.0
0x0DF1.6—F1.6F1.6F1.6
Shutter Speed
CAM_Shutter_Direct  ·  81 01 04 4A 00 00 0p 0p FF
XL
Raw60 / 59.94 fps50 fps
0x001/11/1
0x011/21/2
0x021/41/3
0x031/81/6
0x041/151/12
0x051/301/25
0x061/601/50
0x071/901/75
0x081/1001/100
0x091/1251/120
0x0A1/1801/150
0x0B1/2501/215
0x0C1/3501/300
0x0D1/5001/425
0x0E1/7251/600
0x0F1/10001/1000
0x101/15001/1250
0x111/20001/1750
0x121/30001/2500
0x131/40001/3500
0x141/60001/6000
0x151/100001/10000
Gain
CAM_Gain_Direct  ·  81 01 04 4C 00 00 0p 0p FF
Raw (hex) X1 / X1U / Max / 30x X4 / X4E X5 XL O4
0x000 dB0 dB0 dB——
0x013 dB3 dB—1 dB1 dB
0x026 dB6 dB—2 dB2 dB
0x039 dB9 dB—3 dB3 dB
0x0412 dB12 dB—4 dB4 dB
0x0515 dB15 dB33 dB5 dB5 dB
0x0618 dB18 dB30 dB6 dB6 dB
0x0721 dB21 dB27 dB7 dB7 dB
0x0824 dB24 dB24 dB8 dB8 dB
0x0927 dB—21 dB9 dB9 dB
0x0A30 dB—18 dB10 dB10 dB
0x0B33 dB—15 dB11 dB11 dB
0x0C36 dB—12 dB12 dB12 dB
0x0D39 dB—9 dB13 dB13 dB
0x0E42 dB—6 dB14 dB14 dB
0x0F——3 dB15 dB15 dB
0x10———16 dB16 dB
0x11———17 dB17 dB
0x12———18 dB18 dB
0x13———19 dB19 dB
0x14———20 dB20 dB
0x15———21 dB21 dB
0x16———22 dB22 dB
0x17———23 dB23 dB
0x18———24 dB24 dB
0x19———25 dB25 dB
0x1A———26 dB26 dB
0x1B———27 dB27 dB
0x1C————28 dB
0x1D————29 dB
0x1E————30 dB
0x1F————31 dB
0x20————32 dB
Valid ranges — X1: 0x00–0x0E  ·  X4: 0x00–0x08 (0–24 dB)  ·  X5: 0x00 & 0x05–0x0F  ·  XL: 0x01–0x1B (1–27 dB)  ·  O4: 0x01–0x20 (1–32 dB)
Bright Level
CAM_Bright_Level_Direct  ·  81 01 04 4D 00 00 0p 0p FF  ·  AE Mode: Bright Priority only
X1 / X1U / Max / 30x
Range0x00 – 0x11
Steps18 levels (0–17)
X4 / X4E
Range0x00 – 0x11
Steps18 levels (0–17)
X5
Range0x00 – 0x1F
Steps32 levels (0–31)
XL
Range0x01 – 0x1B
Steps27 levels (1–27)
O4
Range0x01 – 0x1B
Steps27 levels (1–27)
Block Inquiry VOIP Reference
VISCA over IP — 8-Byte Header Required.  All block inquiry commands require a VISCA over IP header prepended to the VISCA payload.
Inquiry commands:  01 10 pq pq ss ss ss ss <VISCA PAYLOAD>
pq pq = 2-byte payload length (big-endian)  ·  ss ss ss ss = sequence number (0–0xFFFF)  ·  Default UDP port: 52381
Reply header:  01 11 pq pq ss ss ss ss 90 50 ...  — type bytes 01 11, same payload length & sequence number echoed back.
Block Inquiry EE — Full Camera State (103 bytes)
TX (Inquiry)
01 10 00 06 ss ss ss ss 81 09 7E 7E EE FF
RX (Reply)
01 11 pq pq ss ss ss ss 90 50 EE d₁₁…d₁₀₁ FF
Type (01 10 = Inquiry)
Payload length
Sequence # (echoed)
VISCA command bytes
Reply header (90 50)
Data bytes
Block Inquiry Second EF — Color Matrix Gains (103 bytes)
TX (Inquiry)
01 10 00 06 ss ss ss ss 81 09 7E 7E EF FF
RX (Reply)
01 11 pq pq ss ss ss ss 90 50 7E 7E EF d₁₃…d₁₈ N/A… FF
Indices 13–18 carry Color Matrix Gain values. Indices 19–99 are N/A. Index 100 = 0xA5, 101 = 0x5A, 102 = 0xFF.
blk_inq EE — Reply Byte Map
 (81 09 7E 7E EE FF → 103-byte reply, indices 0–102)
Index Field Value(s) Notes / Camera-specific
VISCA over IP Reply Header (indices 0–9)
0–1 Reply Type 01 11 Fixed. Indicates inquiry reply.
2–3 Payload Length pq pq 2-byte big-endian length of the VISCA payload (not including this header).
4–7 Sequence Number ss ss ss ss Echoed from the inquiry command's sequence number.
8–9 VISCA Reply Header 90 50 Fixed VISCA reply prefix.
10 Command ID EE Fixed. Identifies this as a blk_inq EE reply.
Exposure (indices 11–22)
11 Exposure Mode 0x00 FullAuto   0x03 Manual   0x0A Shutter Priority
0x0B Iris Priority   0x0D Bright   0x0E Gain Priority (not X1/X4/X5/XL)
12 Slow Shutter 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
13 Slow Shutter Limit Camera-specific limit value for slow shutter.
14 AE Response Auto exposure response speed.
15 Gain Limit Maximum gain ceiling in auto exposure modes.
16 Gain Current gain position. See Exposure Reference sheet for per-camera dB values.
17 Exposure Comp Mode 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
18 Exposure Comp Value X1/X4: 0~14 (value−7 = −7…+7)  |  X5: 0~8 (value−4 = −4…+4)  |  XL: 0~64 (value−32 = −32…+32)
19 N/A — Reserved / not used.
20 Iris Position Current iris value. See Exposure Reference sheet for per-camera f-stop mapping.
21 Shutter Position Current shutter value. See Exposure Reference sheet for per-camera speed mapping.
22 Bright Level Active in Bright priority mode.
White Balance (indices 23–27)
23 White Balance Mode 0x00 Auto   0x01 Indoor   0x02 Outdoor   0x03 One Push
0x04 ATW   0x05 Manual/User   0x0B Color Temp Static (Maki Mini/XL/O4)
0x20 Color Temp (X4/X5)   0xEE Color Temp (X1/X1U/MAX)
24 WB Red Gain 0x00–0xFF Manual white balance red channel gain (0–255).
25 WB Blue Gain 0x00–0xFF Manual white balance blue channel gain (0–255).
26 Color Temp (bits 7–0) Lower byte of 16-bit color temperature. Example: 2800K = 0x0AF0 → byte 26 = 0xF0, byte 27 = 0x0A.
27 Color Temp (bits 15–8) Upper byte. X1/X1U/MAX/30x: 2500–9100K (step +100). X4/X5: 2500–8200K (step +100). XL/O4: 2600–7400K (step +200).
Image Processing (indices 28–58)
28 Video Enhancement 0x06 ON   0x03 OFF
29 Display Brightness Brightness level of the camera's on-screen display.
30 Brightness Comp Selection Exposure metering: 0 Average   1 Center   2 Smart   3 Top
31 Compensation Level Brightness compensation level.
32 Gamma Offset (s) Gamma offset sign component.
33 Gamma Offset (tu) Gamma offset magnitude component.
34 Brightness Image brightness setting.
35 Sharpness Image sharpness / detail enhancement level.
36 Extended Sharpness Extended sharpness control (camera-specific).
37 Effect (B&W Mode) Picture effect; similar to Black & White mode.
38 Not Used — Reserved.
39 Flip 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
40 Mirror 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
41 Wide Dynamic Range 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
42 Contrast Image contrast level.
43 High Sensitivity 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
44 Anti-Flicker 0 Disable   1 50 Hz   2 60 Hz
45 2D Noise Reduction X1: 0–100  |  Maki: 0–6 (6 = Auto)
46 3D Noise Reduction X1: 0–99  |  X4: 0–9  |  X5: 0–3  |  Maki: 0–9 (9 = Auto)
47 IR Cut Filter 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
48 Chrome Suppress Chroma suppression level.
49 HLC Level Highlight compensation level.
50 HLC Mask Highlight compensation mask setting.
51 Back Light 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
52 Stabilizer 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
53 Gamma X1: 00 Default 01 0.45 02 0.50 03 0.55 04 0.63
X4: 00 Default 01 0.45 02 0.48 03 0.50 04 0.56 05 PC
Maki: 00 Default 01 0.45 03 0.50 04 0.56 05 0.63 07 Ext  |  XL: 0–6
54 Saturation Color saturation level.
55 Hue Color hue offset.
56 Extended Color Extended color mode setting.
57 Extended Hue Extended hue adjustment.
58 Extended Mode Extended picture mode selection.
Color Matrix — Gain & Hue (indices 59–70)
59 CM Magenta Gain Color matrix gain adjustment for the Magenta channel.
60 CM Red Gain Color matrix gain — Red channel.
61 CM Yellow Gain Color matrix gain — Yellow channel.
62 CM Green Gain Color matrix gain — Green channel.
63 CM Cayenne Gain Color matrix gain — Cayenne channel.
64 CM Blue Gain Color matrix gain — Blue channel.
65 CM Magenta Hue Color matrix hue — Magenta channel.
66 CM Red Hue Color matrix hue — Red channel.
67 CM Yellow Hue Color matrix hue — Yellow channel.
68 CM Green Hue Color matrix hue — Green channel.
69 CM Cayenne Hue Color matrix hue — Cayenne channel.
70 CM Blue Hue Color matrix hue — Blue channel.
AI Tracking (indices 71–90)
71 AI Tracking Status 0x00 AI not supported   0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
72 AI Mode 2 Presenter   3 Zone
73 AI Humanoid Frame 0 Default   2 Debug   3 OFF
74 AI Tracking Hint 2 ON   3 OFF
75 AI Automations (Presenter) bitmask Bit 0 = Auto Zoom (1=on)  ·  Bit 1 = Auto Tilt (1=on)  ·  Bit 2 = Auto Pan (1=on)
76 AI Target Retention (Presenter) X1: 0x2–0xF  |  X4: 0x5–0xF  |  XL: 2=2s, 4=4s, 6=6s
77 AI Figure Size Mode (Presenter) X1/X4: 0 Full 1 Upper 2 Close 3 Custom  |  X5: 0 Full 1 Upper  |  XL: 0 Full 1 Half 2 Closeup 3 Custom
78 AI Figure Size Adjustment (Presenter) 0x00–0xD2 Camera-site framing value 80–290 (maps to 0x00–0xD2).
79 AI Tracking Start Position (Presenter) 0 Current location   1 Preset 1  |  XL: 0 Home 1 Preset 0 2 Preset 1 3 Current
83 AI Character Position (Presenter) 0 Justify Left   1 Centered   2 Justify Right
84 AI Tracking Start Area (Zone) 0 Zone A   1 Zone B   2 Zone C   3 Zone D
88 AI Zone Settings Area (Zone) 0 Zone A   1 Zone B   2 Zone C   3 Zone D
89 AI Target Retention (Zone) 0x02–0x0F Same range as idx 76 (Presenter) for X4.
90 AI Tracking Point 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF — One-shot action; only settable when AI Tracking is active.
Focus & Lens (indices 80–82, 85–87)
80 Focus Mode 0x02 Auto   0x03 Manual
85 AF Scene X1: 1 Normal 4 Macro 5 Live  |  X4: 0 Default 1 Normal 4 Bright 9 PC  |  Maki Ultra: 0 Default 1 Normal 3 Clarity
86 AF Zone X1: 0 Top 1 Center 2 Bottom 3 All 4 Left 5 Right  |  X4/Maki: 0 Top 1 Center 2 Bottom 3 Front
87 AF Sensitivity X1: 1 High 2 Middle 3 Low  |  X4/Maki Ultra: 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low
System State (indices 81–82, 91–98)
81 Freeze 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
82 Power 0x02 ON   0x03 Standby
91 Not Used — Reserved.
92 Not Used — Reserved.
93 Menu Display 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
94 Mute 0x02 ON   0x03 OFF
95 Video Format 0x01 1080p23 0x02 1080p24 0x03 1080p25 0x04 1080p29 0x05 1080p30
0x06 1080p50 0x07 1080p59 0x08 1080p60
0x13 1080i50 0x14 1080i59 0x15 1080i60
0x23 720p25 0x24 720p29 0x25 720p30 0x26 720p50 0x27 720p59 0x28 720p60
0x31 2160p23 0x32 2160p24 0x33 2160p25 0x34 2160p29 0x35 2160p30 0x36 2160p50 0x37 2160p59 0x38 2160p60
96 Camera Version (15–8) 0x00 Fixed high byte of camera version word.
97 Camera Version (7–0) 0x01 Maki 12x   0x02 Maki 20x   0x03 X4   0x04 X4E   0x10 X1   0x11 X1U   0x12 X1 MAX
0x13 X1 30x   0x16 X5   0x20 Maki Mini   0x30 XL   0x31 O4
98 Tally Current tally state.
Termination (indices 99–102)
99 N/A — Reserved.
100 Fixed Marker 0xA5 Fixed validation byte — always 0xA5.
101 Fixed Marker 0x5A Fixed validation byte — always 0x5A.
102 VISCA Terminate 0xFF VISCA end-of-message marker.
blk_inq_second EF — Color Matrix Gain Map
 (81 09 7E 7E EF FF → 103-byte reply, only indices 13–18 carry data)
Index Field Value(s) Notes
VISCA over IP Reply Header (indices 0–9) — same structure as EE reply
0–1 Reply Type 01 11 Fixed — inquiry reply.
2–3 Payload Length pq pq Big-endian length of VISCA payload.
4–7 Sequence Number ss ss ss ss Echoed from the inquiry command.
8–9 VISCA Reply Header 90 50 Fixed VISCA reply prefix.
Command ID bytes (indices 10–12)
10 Fixed 0x7E Fixed.
11 Fixed 0x7E Fixed.
12 Command ID 0xEF Fixed — identifies this as a blk_inq_second EF reply.
Color Matrix Gains (indices 13–18) — active data
13 CM Magenta Gain Color matrix gain — Magenta channel.
14 CM Red Gain Color matrix gain — Red channel.
15 CM Yellow Gain Color matrix gain — Yellow channel.
16 CM Green Gain Color matrix gain — Green channel.
17 CM Cayenne Gain Color matrix gain — Cayenne channel.
18 CM Blue Gain Color matrix gain — Blue channel.
Indices 19–99 — all N/A (reserved)
19–99 N/A — All reserved / not used in EF variant.
Termination (indices 100–102)
100 Fixed Marker 0xA5 Fixed validation byte.
101 Fixed Marker 0x5A Fixed validation byte.
102 VISCA Terminate 0xFF VISCA end-of-message marker.
Camera Identification — Index 97 Values
Idx 96 Idx 97 Camera Model Notes
0x000x10BirdDog X1
0x000x11BirdDog X1 Ultra
0x000x12BirdDog X1 Max
0x000x13BirdDog X1 30x
0x000x03BirdDog X4 Ultra
0x000x04BirdDog X4E Ultra
0x000x16BirdDog X5 Ultra
0x000x30BirdDog XL Ultra
0x000x31BirdDog O4 Ultra
0x000x01BirdDog Maki 12x
0x000x02BirdDog Maki 20x
0x000x20BirdDog Maki Mini
BirdDog  XL Ultra VISCA over IP Command Reference  ·  Rev. 2026-05-12  ·  XL Camera Only
BirdDog® is a registered trademark of BirdDog Australia Pty Ltd  ·  NDI® is a registered trademark of Vizrt NDI AB  ·  Welcome to the Future.
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