How to find your CCTV camera's RTSP URL (CP Plus, Hikvision, Dahua and more)

Most IP cameras and NVR/DVR recorders can stream live video over RTSP, a standard protocol that many apps and players understand. If you want to see your cameras in a media player or a viewer app, you often need the camera's RTSP address. This guide explains RTSP and ONVIF, shows example address formats by brand, how to switch RTSP on, how to test the stream, and what to check when it does not work.

RTSP and ONVIF: what they are and how they differ

• RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) is how the live video is requested and delivered. You give a player an address that starts with rtsp:// and it plays the stream.
• ONVIF is an industry standard that lets devices from different makers be discovered, configured and queried in a common way. An ONVIF-compliant camera can tell a viewer which RTSP address to use, so the viewer does not need to know the brand's path.
• In practice: RTSP is the video, ONVIF is the common "language" around it. Many cameras offer both; some need ONVIF switched on and a separate ONVIF user before a viewer can find them.

What an RTSP URL looks like

The general shape is:

rtsp://username:password@IP-address:554/path

• username and password are the camera's or NVR's login.
• IP-address is the device's address on your local network.
• 554 is the usual RTSP port. Some devices use another.
• path differs by brand and selects the channel and stream quality.

Example RTSP paths by brand

These are widely used patterns, shown as examples to check against your camera's manual. Models and firmware differ, and a recorder numbers channels differently from a single camera.

TruVision and other brands are not listed because their formats vary by model. Look in the manual for "RTSP", or enable ONVIF and use a viewer that discovers the stream for you.

DVR/NVR channels versus a single IP camera

A standalone IP camera has one stream pair (main and sub) and the address is the camera's own. A recorder exposes each camera as a numbered channel, all at the recorder's IP address. The channel number appears in the path, so channel 3 on a Hikvision-style recorder would be /Streaming/Channels/301 and on a Dahua-style recorder channel=3. The main stream is higher resolution and the sub stream is lower, which is lighter on the network.

Step 1: Enable RTSP or ONVIF

• Open the camera or NVR web page by typing its IP address into a browser on the same network.
• Look in the network or integration settings for RTSP and ONVIF, and make sure they are enabled.
• Some models need a separate ONVIF user. Create one if the settings ask for it.

Step 2: Find the IP address and port

• Check your router's list of connected devices, or the NVR's network settings.
• Give the camera a fixed (static) IP or a DHCP reservation so the address does not change.
• Check the RTSP port in the network settings. The default is 554.

Step 3: Build the URL

Put the login, IP address, port and the brand's path together. For a Hikvision-style recorder at 192.168.1.64, channel 1, main stream:

rtsp://username:password@192.168.1.64:554/Streaming/Channels/101

If the password contains characters such as @, :, /, # or ?, the URL will break. Replace each with its percent code (@ = %40, : = %3A, / = %2F, # = %23, ? = %3F) or choose a password with only letters and digits.

Step 4: Test the URL in VLC

1. Install VLC media player on a computer on the same network.
2. Choose Media, then Open Network Stream.
3. Paste the full RTSP URL and press Play.
4. If video appears, the address, login and path are correct. If it does not, see the troubleshooting list below.

Testing in VLC first tells you whether a problem is in the camera and network or in the app you want to use later.

Troubleshooting

• No video at all: confirm RTSP is enabled, the device and your computer are on the same network, and the IP address has not changed.
• Wrong channel or stream: check the channel number and the stream suffix (101 versus 102, subtype=0 versus subtype=1). A channel with no camera attached gives no picture.
• Port 554: this is the default, but a device can use another RTSP port. Check the network settings, and make sure no firewall blocks it.
• Login or password errors: recheck the credentials, use percent codes for special characters, and look for a separate ONVIF or RTSP user and any authentication setting in the security menu. Repeated wrong passwords can lock the account for a while.
• Different networks: RTSP over a home or office network works on the same local network. Cameras and viewer on different networks need remote access that you set up securely yourself. Never expose the camera port to the internet without protection.
• Sub stream versus main stream: if the main stream stutters or is blank, try the sub stream. High-resolution H.265 main streams can be too much for a weak network or a player that does not support H.265.

Things that will not work

• Cloud-only Wi-Fi cameras that do not offer RTSP or ONVIF.
• Cameras and viewer on different networks, unless you set up secure remote access yourself.

Using it on a Samsung TV

GroverHQ Camera Viewer is our app for showing RTSP and ONVIF cameras and NVR/DVR channels on a Samsung Smart TV. It is coming soon to Samsung TVs in India: it is under Samsung's store review and not yet available. Read the guide to watching CCTV on a Samsung TV for all the options, including HDMI from a DVR/NVR. Please also read the Lawful Use Notice, Privacy Policy and Security Policy before connecting any camera.

Camera brand names belong to their owners. GroverHQ is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any camera brand or Samsung.