Finding your camera's RTSP address.
Most of the time you never need this — a scan finds ONVIF cameras for you. You need it when the camera will not appear in a scan, sits on another network, or only offers RTSP in the first place.
An RTSP address points at a stream, not at the camera. That distinction is the single most common reason one does not work:
rtsp://10.1.1.22:8554/CH001.sdprtsp://user:password@192.168.1.2:554/Streaming/Channels/101
Port 554 is the usual default. The part after the port is the path to a particular stream, and it is specific to the manufacturer and often to the model.
- Check the manual firstAlmost every manufacturer publishes its RTSP path. Search the model number and "RTSP" and you will usually find it in their own documentation.
- Look in the camera's own settingsMany cameras display the stream address, or the port, somewhere under network or streaming settings.
- Find the camera's IPYour router's client list will show it, or VISEC's scan will list devices it can see on the network.
- Note main and sub streamNearly all cameras publish at least two: a high-resolution main stream and a lighter sub stream. The path usually differs by one digit.
Use add a manual camera URL and paste the full stream path. RTSP, MJPEG and raw paths are all accepted. Use the main stream for recording and plate reading; the sub stream is the better choice over a slow link. The manual covers the other four ways to add a camera.
- Wrong credentialsSome cameras keep a separate ONVIF or streaming user from the web login — see the per-brand setup pages.
- Path off by one characterChannel and stream numbers are unforgiving.
/101and/102are usually main and sub. - Different subnetIf the camera and the PC cannot reach each other, no address will help.
- Enhanced codecsSome brands offer H.264+ or "smart" modes that are not standard. Switch to plain H.264 if the stream connects but shows nothing.
Quick answers.
Do I need the RTSP address at all?
Usually no. Press scan and VISEC finds ONVIF cameras and works the stream out itself. The address is for the cameras that will not appear.
Is it safe to put the password in the URL?
It works, but it does put the password in a stored string. Where the software lets you enter the user and password in their own fields, prefer that.
Why does my address work in VLC but not in the software?
Almost always credentials or the codec. VLC is more forgiving about non-standard enhanced codecs than recording software has to be.
Try it on one camera.
The free license is the complete program — recording, alerts, plate recognition, QR reading and access control. It does not expire.