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Flair 7 Live Feed Stops After Update — GStreamer Path in startup.json

CONFIRMED FLAIR 7

Summary

After a Flair 7 update, the USB SDI live video feed stops working. The cause is that the GStreamerBinFolder path in C:\Flair\Flair7\startup.json no longer matches the actual installed GStreamer directory. Fix: open startup.json in Notepad, correct the path, or re-run the installer with the GStreamer component checked.

Symptoms

  • Live video feed in Flair 7 stops working after a Flair update
  • USB SDI capture dongle / USB Camera source shows no image
  • Switching Source to None and back does not restore the feed
  • Feed was working before the update
  • Selecting "test source" either shows colour bars (GStreamer present, path correct) or shows nothing (path wrong or GStreamer missing)

Systems Affected

  • Flair 7 only
  • Any Flair 7 installation using a USB SDI capture dongle for live video feed

Cause

Flair 7 uses GStreamer to handle live video feeds. The path to the GStreamer binary folder is stored in startup.json. After a Flair 7 update, the installed GStreamer version may differ, or the path in startup.json may have been overwritten with a path that doesn't match the actual installation on the current machine.

The default path in startup.json is:

"GStreamerBinFolder": "C:/GStreamer/1_18_1/runtime/1.0/msvc_x86_64/bin",

If your GStreamer installation is in a different directory (different version number, different drive letter, etc.), Flair cannot find the GStreamer library and the live feed fails silently.

"It's possible that Flair can't find the GStreamer library that it needs to show the live video feeds." — Gordon (MRMC), 2022-02-04

Quick Diagnostic

  1. In Flair 7 live view settings, change the Source to test source.
  2. If the window shows colour bars: GStreamer is correctly installed and found. The issue may be with the capture device or USB source setting — try switching Source to None then back to USB Camera.
  3. If the test source shows nothing: GStreamer is either not installed or the path in startup.json is wrong.

Fix

Step 1 — Refresh the feed first

Before editing any files, try:

  1. Switch Source to None and click Apply.
  2. Wait a few seconds.
  3. Switch Source back to USB Camera or USB Camera (Jpeg) and click Apply.
  4. Wait a few seconds for the feed to appear.

If this restores the feed, no further action is needed.

Step 2 — Check and correct the GStreamer path in startup.json

  1. Close Flair 7.
  2. Navigate to C:\Flair\Flair7\.
  3. Open startup.json in Notepad (or another plain-text editor).
  4. Find the line: "GStreamerBinFolder": "..."
  5. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\GStreamer\ — check what version folder exists (e.g., 1_18_1, 1_20_0, 1_22_0).
  6. Verify the path in startup.json matches the actual directory including the drive letter.
  7. If it differs, correct the path in startup.json and save.
  8. Re-launch Flair 7 and test the live feed.

Example corrected path (adjust version number to match your installation):

"GStreamerBinFolder": "C:/GStreamer/1_20_0/runtime/1.0/msvc_x86_64/bin",

Step 3 — Re-install GStreamer via Flair installer

If the GStreamer directory is missing entirely:

  1. Run the Flair 7 installer and choose Upgrade existing installation.
  2. Ensure the GStreamer files component is checked.
  3. Complete the installation.
  4. Re-launch Flair 7 and test with the test source.

Distinct from the GStreamer Missing update issue

This issue (wrong path in startup.json) is distinct from a complete GStreamer absence. If the test source shows colour bars, GStreamer is present and working — the issue is with the specific USB capture device or a transient feed problem. If the test source shows nothing, the path is wrong or GStreamer is not installed.

Source: talk.mrmoco.com — Flair 7 Live feed - USB SDI capture dongle — Post by Gordon (MRMC), 2022-02-04

"In the Flair installation directory, open startup.json with something like Notepad. You will have the following line: 'GStreamerBinFolder': 'C:/GStreamer/1_18_1/runtime/1.0/msvc_x86_64/bin'. Please check you have the corresponding directory on your computer with the same drive letter. If the directory is different, correct the path in the JSON file. If the directory is missing, run the installer again and select to upgrade the existing Flair installation. Make sure the 'Gstreamer files' component is checked." — Gordon (MRMC)

Flair 7 Quick Tips: Live View Setup

Watch on YouTube · 02:51

Revision History

Date Change Editor
2026-05-29 Initial extraction from forum topic 847 Tom D / Claude Code