# Epiphan MCP capabilities

Epiphan MCP gives your assistant two kinds of access: read (ask about your team and devices) and write (change device or team state). Your assistant should ask you to approve each write action before it runs.

| An Epiphan Edge Premium plan is needed for write MCP calls. |
| --- |

**What you can ask about (read)**

| Context | Examples |
|---|---|
| Fleet | List all devices in the team; device details, model, firmware, online status, warnings |
| Recording | Recording state per channel (recording, stopped, paused) |
| Storage | Total and free space per device; storage state (mounted, missing, read-only, error) |
| System health | CPU load, CPU temperature, uptime |
| Channels | Channel encoder/audio/recorder settings; a live preview frame; current audio levels |
| Inputs | Input sources (HDMI, SDI, USB, network audio) and their status |
| Streaming | Team RTMP stream destinations |
| Scheduling | Which CMS each device is connected to; scheduled events in a time window; the current or next event |
| Presets | Configuration presets saved to the team |
| Documentation | Epiphan product documentation for any Pearl, EC20, Edge, Connect or Unify question |

**What you can change (write)**

| Context | Actions |
|---|---|
| Recording | Start, stop, pause, resume recording on one or many channels (pause/resume requires Pearl firmware 4.24.6 or higher) |
| Streaming | Create, edit, delete team RTMP destinations; start or stop a channel streaming to a destination |
| Scheduling | Create, edit, delete scheduled events (Epiphan CMS only); start, stop, extend, pause, resume an event; confirm an event on a device; switch a device to a different CMS |
| Configuration | Apply a team preset to one or many devices |
| Maintenance | Reboot devices; update firmware |

**Before you send write requests**

- Reboot and firmware update interrupt any recording or stream in progress and take the device offline for a few minutes.
- Deleting a scheduled event is permanent. There is no undo.
- Recording actions target channels, not devices. "Start recording on Pearl-2 Studio B" starts every channel the assistant can see; name the channel if you want only one on a particular device.

**Epiphan encoders vs. EC20**

Pearl encoders (Pearl-2, Pearl Mini, Pearl Nano, Pearl Nexus) support the full read and write capabilities described above. The EC20 is more limited:

| Capability | Pearl | EC20 |
|---|---|---|
| Device list, details, storage, system health, recording state | ✅ | ✅ |
| Channel settings, preview frame | ✅ | ✅ |
| Audio levels | ✅ | ❌ Not supported |
| Input sources | ✅ | ⚠️ Audio inputs only |
| Start / stop / pause / resume recording | ✅ | ❌ Not supported |
| Create / edit / delete stream destinations | ✅ | ❌ Not supported |
| Start / stop streaming to a destination | ✅ | ❌ Not supported |
| Pause / resume a scheduled event | ✅ | ❌ Not supported |
| Create / edit a scheduled event | ✅ | ❌ Not supported |
| Delete a scheduled event | ✅ | ❌ Not supported |
| Confirm an event on the device | ✅ | ❌ Not supported |
| Switch device to a different CMS | ✅ | ❌ Not supported |
| Apply a team preset | ✅ | ❌ No EC20 presets |
| Reboot, firmware update | ✅ | ✅ |

> product: cloud-edge · topic: other · source: epiphan-cloud-edge-userguide.md · updated: Oct 13, 2026