---
title: "Install and set up the LiveLink plugin"
canonical: "https://help.vicon.com/space/Unreal5Plugin16/14713547/Install%20and%20set%20up%20the%20LiveLink%20plugin"
format: markdown
---
This topic explains how to install the LiveLink Datastream plugin for streaming segment data from Vicon software into Unreal Engine 5.
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# Installation and setup
## Before you begin
1. Ensure you are using Windows 10.
2. Install the relevant version of Unreal Engine.
3. Download the LiveLink plugin from [https://www.vicon.com/software/third-party/unreal-engine/](https://www.vicon.com/software/third-party/unreal-engine/)
## Install the LiveLink plugin
1. Before running the installer, ensure the engine version that you downloaded matches the desired version of Unreal Engine.
2. Run the installer by double-clicking on the MSI file.
3. Accept the license agreement and click **Next**.
The installer should automatically detect the installed version of the engine.
4. If the installer did not detect the engine, click **Browse**.
5. Navigate to the installed engine location (by default *C:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_5.x* ), and click **OK** .
## Set up the plugin in the editor
1. Create and launch an existing project or open an existing one.
2. Navigate to **Edit** > **Plugins** to open the **Plugins** browser.
3. In the Plugins window, scroll down to the **MOCAP** section.
4. Ensure the **Vicon Datastream LiveLink** plugin is enabled.
5. Restart the editor.
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# Create a Live Link source
This section describes how to use Unreal Engine's Live Link functionality with the LiveLink plugin from Vicon to connect to the Vicon Datastream.
## Before you begin
Ensure you have set up and installed the following components.
- 1 x PC with Vicon software (Shogun) installed
- 1 x PC with Unreal Engine 5 installed
- PCs are connected via LAN
- Vicon LiveLink Datastream plugin is installed (see [Installation and setup](#InstallAndSetup)).
- Unreal Engine 5 project open
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Set up Live Link using the GUI
1. Navigate to **Window** > **Virtual Production ** > **Live Link** .
2. Select **Add** and then select **Vicon Datastream Source** .
3. In **Vicon Server Name** field, enter the IP address of the Vicon machine.
4. In the **Port Number** field, enter 801 (Vicon default) or 804 (Evoke Low Latency output/Shogun Always Live Output). For more information, see [Unreal Plugin source machine settings](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Unreal5Plugin16/pages/14715101).
5. Click **Create** to create the Live Link connection.
The connection is displayed in the **Source** pane and the subjects are displayed in the **Subject** pane.
## Set up Live Link using blueprint functions
### Create a new blueprint
1. In the content browser, right-click and under **Create Basic Asset** select **Blueprint Class**.
2. In the dialog box, select **Actor** so that it can be spawned or placed in the level.
3. Give the resulting blueprint a suitable name and open it.
4. In the new blueprint, in the toolbar along the top, navigate to **Event Graph** .
### Set up the blueprint function
1. Right-click in an empty space in the graph and search for **Create Vicon LiveLink Source** .
2. Select this function to spawn a node in the graph.
3. Connect an event trigger to the input of the node. (In this example the event "EventBeginPlay" is used. This causes the Live Link connection to be created when play has been started.)
4. Enter the parameters in the same way as the GUI method of creating a source (see [Set up Live Link using the GUI](#GUISetup) ).
5. Compile and save the blueprint.
Drag the blueprint from the content browser directly into the level.
** **:check_mark:** Tip ** : When a source has been created, it continues to exist until it is manually removed, so you may accidentally create multiple sources during your work.
Ensure the final node graph looks like this:
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### Check the source has been created successfully
1. With the blueprint placed in the level, navigate to the toolbar at the top and click **Simulate**.
2. Navigate to **Window** > **Virtual Production ** > **Live Link** .
3. Ensure that a source has been successfully created.
4. Navigate to **Window** > ** Developer Tools** > **Output Log** .
5. Ensure that the log reports that the connection was successful using the correct parameters input in the function.
## Set up Live Link using Presets
1. [Create a Live Link source using the GUI](#GUISetup) .
2. With an active source, click the **Presets** button next to **Add Source**.
3. Click **Save As Preset** and enter an appropriate name.
### Add source using the Preset GUI
1. Ensure all Live Link connections are removed.
2. Click the **Presets** button.
3. Select the created preset.
4. Ensure the connection is created after choosing the preset.
### Add Source using Preset on Project Load
1. Navigate to **Edit** > **Project Settings** .
2. In the search bar, enter `LiveLink`.
3. Under **Plugins - Live Link**, navigate to the **Default Live Link Preset**.
4. Select the preset that was created earlier.
5. Restart project and check Live Link connection has been created.
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# Create Animation Blueprint (body)
- [Import the character FBX](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Unreal5Plugin16/pages/14713547/Install+and+set+up+the+LiveLink+plugin)
- [Set up the Animation Blueprint for the subject](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Unreal5Plugin16/pages/14713547/Install+and+set+up+the+LiveLink+plugin)
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Import the character FBX
> ⚠️ **Important**
> ⚠️ This step uses the default Vicon FBX as an example. This FBX skeleton MUST match the skeleton exactly streaming from Vicon software. Both naming conventions and bone hierarchy MUST be the same.
1. Right-click in empty space to create a new folder in the content browser.
2. Name the folder appropriately (eg, ViconCharacter).
3. In the new empty folder, click **Import** in the **Content Browser** toolbar.
4. In the dialog box, locate the FBX character file and click **Open**. The default Shogun skins can be found in:
*C:\Program Files\Vicon\ShogunLive1.#\Configuration\Skins*
5. In the **FBX Import Options** dialog box, expand the **Mesh** section.
6. Ensure that **Skeletal Mesh**, **Import Mesh**, **Update Skeleton Reference Pose** and **Use T0 As Ref Pose** are all selected.
7. Click **Import All** to import the character.
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Set up the Animation Blueprint for the subject
1. Locate the Skeletal Mesh for the character FBX.
In UE5 this has a pink-colored outline.
2. Right-click the Skeletal Mesh asset and navigate to **Create** > **Anim Blueprint** .
This creates an Animation Blueprint asset that can be used to map animation data from the Live Link source.
In UE5 this has an orange-colored outline.
3. Give the Animation Blueprint a suitable name for the subject that will be streaming.
4. Open the Animation Blueprint. If the animation graph doesn't open, find it in the **My Blueprint** box on the left:
5. Right-click in an empty spot in the graph and search for **Live Link Pose** .
6. In the **Live Link Pose** node, select or enter the name of the subject from the Live Link source.
7. Drag a link between the node and the **Final Animation Pose** .
8. In the top left corner, click **Compile** .
As soon as the Animation Blueprint is compiled, the character data is streamed into UE5 onto the Character FBX.
This can be seen in the preview window on the left side.
9. Close the Animation Blueprint, navigate to it in the Content Browser and add it into the scene at the desired location.
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# Set up Prop/Object using Transform Role
This method uses a **Skeletal Mesh.**
1. Right-click in empty space to create a new folder in the content browser.
2. Name the folder appropriately (eg, Props).
3. In the new empty folder, click **Import** in the Content Browser toolbar.
4. Locate the desired FBX. Shogun and Evoke are installed with a few basic FBX files found here:
*C:\Program Files\Vicon\ShogunLive1.#\PropMeshes*
* C:\Program Files\Vicon\Evoke1.#\PropMeshes *
5. Add the imported mesh to the scene and zero out its position.
6. In the **World Outliner** , select your mesh and then select **Add Component** and add a **Live Link Component Controller** .
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7. Select the new **LiveLinkComponentController** and in the **Subject Representation,** select the name of the required subject.
> ✅ **Moving the object**
> ✅ Due to the way the Live Link Controller works, with this method you must use a parent object to move the object's origin point, as shown in the following image.
> ✅
> ✅ 
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# Set up camera transforms and lens distortion
- [Before you begin](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Unreal5Plugin16/pages/14713547/Install+and+set+up+the+LiveLink+plugin)
- [Set up camera tracking in Unreal Engine](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Unreal5Plugin16/pages/14713547/Install+and+set+up+the+LiveLink+plugin)
- [Set up lens distortion on a CineCameraActor in Unreal Engine](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Unreal5Plugin16/pages/14713547/Install+and+set+up+the+LiveLink+plugin)
- [Set up lens distortion in Composure in Unreal Engine](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Unreal5Plugin16/pages/14713547/Install+and+set+up+the+LiveLink+plugin)
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Before you begin
Before you begin, ensure you have the following:
- 1 x PC with Vicon software installed
- 1 x PC with Unreal Engine 5 installed
- PCs connected via LAN
- Vicon DataStream SDK installed, correct version for Unreal Engine version
- SDI set up in Vicon software and Unreal Engine
- Unreal Engine 5 project open
- LiveLink source created and connected
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Set up camera tracking in Unreal Engine
1. In the**Actor Placement** panel, search for **CineCamera**, add it to the scene, and zero out the position of the camera.
2. In the **World Outliner,** select **CineCameraActor** and then click **Add Component** and find and add a component called **LiveLinkController.**
3. Select the new **LiveLinkComponentController** and in the **Subject Representation,** select the name of the camera subject.
4. In the **Component to Control** dropdown select the **CameraComponent.**
5. In the **Camera Role** field, select **Live Link Vicon Camera Controller.**
6. Select the **CineCameraActor** and in **Filmback > Sensor Width/Height** set the width and height to match the camera's sensor size.
The **Output Log** notifies you if the aspect ratio did not work for automatically setting the focal length.
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Set up lens distortion on a CineCameraActor in Unreal Engine
> ⚠️ **Important**
> ⚠️ Ensure you have completed the previous section ([Set up camera tracking in Unreal Engine](#SetupCameraTrackingInUE)).
1. Select the **CineCameraActor** , and in the **Details** panel add a **Lens** component.
2. Set the **Distortion Source** to the **Live Link Lens Subject** .
3. Select the **Live Link Component Controller** and in **Lens Role > Component to Control** , set the **Component Picker** to the **Lens** component.
4. Select the **Lens** component, go to **Distortion** and select the **Apply Distortion ** checkbox.
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Set up lens distortion in Composure in Unreal Engine
> ⚠️ **Important**
> ⚠️ Ensure you have completed the previous section ([Set up camera tracking in Unreal Engine](#SetupCameraTrackingInUE) and [Set up lens distortion on a CineCameraActor in Unreal Engine](#SetupLensDistortionOnCineCamInUE)).
On the **Composure Layer** tab, complete the following steps for each **CG Layer**.
1. Select a **CG Layer.**
2. In the **Details** panel, expand **LensDistortion** and select **Apply Distortion**.
3. Set **Lens Component** to the CineCamera Lensfrom the previous section.
4. For information on how to add actors to **CG Layers**, see [Real-Time Compositing Tools](https://docs.unrealengine.com/5.0/en-US/real-time-compositing-tools-in-unreal-engine/) in the *Unreal Engine documentation*.
> ✅ **Tip**
> ✅ If, after you have followed these steps, the props are misaligned with their real-world counterparts when you view the final composure, go back to Shogun and recalibrate the SDI. This realigns the final composure.