What is the RTSP URL format?

rtsp://username:password@address:port/path. Port 554 is the default and can be left out; rtsps://, RTSP over TLS, uses port 322 by default. The path depends on the brand, the channel and the stream.

Which camera brands does the generator know?

Hikvision, Dahua, Reolink and Tapo, the brands PingZen's camera form knows, and Amcrest, Annke, Axis, EZVIZ, Foscam, Hanwha Vision (Wisenet), Lorex, Milesight, TP-Link VIGI and Uniview from their manufacturers' documentation. For any other brand, pick Other brand and type the path from the manual.

What is the difference between the main stream and the substream?

The main stream is full quality. The substream is lighter and almost always H.264, so it opens in almost any player. Use it for previews and checks.

How do I get the RTSP URL of a recorder channel?

Pick the brand and type the channel number. Channel 5 of a Hikvision recorder is /Streaming/Channels/501, of a Dahua recorder channel=5, of a Reolink recorder h264Preview_05_main. The address in the URL is the recorder's, not the camera's.

What if my password has @, : or # in it?

Left as they are, these characters break the URL. The generator percent-encodes the username and the password: p@ss:1 becomes p%40ss%3A1.

Is my password sent anywhere?

No. This page builds the URL in your browser and sends nothing you type to PingZen. The page's analytics does not record these fields.

How do I get an alert when a camera goes offline?

Add the camera to PingZen as an RTSP monitor. PingZen checks it over RTSP every 1, 5 or 15 minutes and sends an alert when the camera stops answering or there is no stream at that path. A camera in a local network needs a private checker in that network.

Free tool

RTSP URL generator

Build the RTSP address of an IP camera or a recorder channel for VLC, ffprobe, Home Assistant, Frigate or another recorder: Hikvision, Dahua, Reolink, Tapo, Uniview, Axis, Hanwha, Milesight, Foscam, EZVIZ and more, or any brand with the path from its manual.

Works in your browser: nothing you type is sent to PingZen.

RTSP URL

rtsp://admin@192.168.1.64/Streaming/Channels/101

A local address. Public checkers do not check local addresses: to get alerts for this camera, run a private checker in the same network. How the private checker works →

Check it from a computer in the camera's network

ffprobe -rtsp_transport tcp "rtsp://admin@192.168.1.64/Streaming/Channels/101"
ffplay -rtsp_transport tcp "rtsp://admin@192.168.1.64/Streaming/Channels/101"

In VLC: Media → Open Network Stream, paste the URL and press Play.

Get an alert when this camera stops streaming →

RTSP URL formats by brand

The address is rtsp://, the login, the camera address and port, then the brand's path. Hikvision, Dahua, Reolink and Tapo paths are the ones PingZen fills in when you add a camera. The others come from each manufacturer's documentation; in PingZen's camera form, enter them as Other with the path.

Brand	Main stream	Substream	Recorder, channel 5
Hikvision	/Streaming/Channels/101	/Streaming/Channels/102	/Streaming/Channels/502
Dahua	/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0	/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1	/cam/realmonitor?channel=5&subtype=1
Reolink	/h264Preview_01_main	/h264Preview_01_sub	/h264Preview_05_sub
Tapo	/stream1	/stream2	—
Amcrest (camera)	/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0	/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1	—
Annke	/Streaming/Channels/101	/Streaming/Channels/102	/Streaming/Channels/502
Axis	/axis-media/media.amp	—	—
EZVIZ	/ch1/main	—	—
Foscam	/videoMain	/videoSub	—
Hanwha Wisenet (camera)	/profile2/media.smp	—	—
Lorex (recorder)	/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0	/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1	/cam/realmonitor?channel=5&subtype=1
Milesight (camera)	/main	/sub	—
Milesight (recorder)	/ch_100	/ch_400	/ch_404
TP-Link VIGI	/stream1	/stream2	—
Uniview (camera)	/media/video1	/media/video2	—
Uniview (recorder)	/unicast/c1/s0/live	/unicast/c1/s1/live	/unicast/c5/s1/live

Hikvision RTSP URL

The path is /Streaming/Channels/ followed by the channel number, 0 and the stream: 1 for the main stream, 2 for the substream. Channel 1 is 101 and 102; channel 12 of a recorder is 1201 and 1202.

Channel 1, main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/Streaming/Channels/101
Channel 1, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/Streaming/Channels/102
Recorder, channel 5, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/Streaming/Channels/502

Dahua RTSP URL

The channel and the stream go into the query: subtype=0 is the main stream, subtype=1 the substream. On a recorder, channel=N picks the camera.

Channel 1, main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0
Channel 1, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1
Recorder, channel 5, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/cam/realmonitor?channel=5&subtype=1

Reolink RTSP URL

The channel has two digits: h264Preview_01_main for the first camera, h264Preview_12_sub for the substream of channel 12 on a recorder.

Channel 1, main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/h264Preview_01_main
Channel 1, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/h264Preview_01_sub
Recorder, channel 5, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/h264Preview_05_sub

Tapo RTSP URL

One channel: /stream1 is the main stream, /stream2 the substream.

Main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/stream1
Substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/stream2

Amcrest camera RTSP URL

Amcrest cameras use the Dahua path with channel=1: subtype=0 is the main stream, subtype=1 the substream. Amcrest recorders use another path, h264Preview_ with the channel and main or sub.

Main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0
Substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1

Annke RTSP URL

Annke Vision devices use the Hikvision path: /Streaming/Channels/101 is the main stream of channel 1, 102 its substream. Annke Nova cameras use /H264/ch1/main/av_stream instead.

Channel 1, main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/Streaming/Channels/101
Channel 1, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/Streaming/Channels/102
Recorder, channel 5, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/Streaming/Channels/502

Axis RTSP URL

One path for Axis cameras and encoders: /axis-media/media.amp. Parameters after ? pick the codec, the resolution or the frame rate, for example ?videocodec=h264.

Main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/axis-media/media.amp

EZVIZ RTSP URL

EZVIZ documents the main stream, /ch1/main. The username is admin and the password is the verification code from the camera's label, or the encryption password if you changed it. Not every EZVIZ device supports RTSP.

Main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/ch1/main

Foscam RTSP URL

/videoMain is the main stream, /videoSub the substream. Use the RTSP port from the Port page of the camera's settings, 554 by default.

Main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/videoMain
Substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/videoSub

Hanwha Wisenet camera RTSP URL

Hanwha cameras stream by video profile: /profile2/media.smp is profile 2, usually H.264, and another profile number gives another stream. Hanwha recorders use a /LiveChannel/ path instead.

Main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/profile2/media.smp

Lorex recorder RTSP URL

Lorex recorders with this format take the channel in channel=N; subtype=0 is the main stream, subtype=1 the substream. Some newer Lorex recorders use another path: if this one fails, check the recorder's manual.

Channel 1, main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0
Channel 1, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1
Recorder, channel 5, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/cam/realmonitor?channel=5&subtype=1

Milesight camera RTSP URL

/main is the main stream, /sub the substream and /third the third stream. Fisheye, dual-sensor and multi-directional models use other paths.

Main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/main
Substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/sub

Milesight recorder RTSP URL

ch_, then 1 for the main stream or 4 for the substream, then the channel number minus one in two digits: ch_100 is channel 1, ch_402 the substream of channel 3.

Channel 1, main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/ch_100
Channel 1, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/ch_400
Recorder, channel 5, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/ch_404

TP-Link VIGI RTSP URL

As on Tapo: /stream1 is high quality, /stream2 low quality. The login is the camera account created in the VIGI app.

Main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/stream1
Substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/stream2

Uniview camera RTSP URL

/media/video1 is the main stream, /media/video2 the substream and /media/video3 the third stream.

Main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/media/video1
Substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/media/video2

Uniview recorder RTSP URL

/unicast/c1/s0/live: c is the channel, from c1, and s0 is the main stream, s1 the substream.

Channel 1, main stream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/unicast/c1/s0/live
Channel 1, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/unicast/c1/s1/live
Recorder, channel 5, substream: rtsp://192.168.1.64/unicast/c5/s1/live

Another brand: pick Other brand and type the path from the camera's manual. The generator adds the address, the port and the login.

Cameras whose address comes from their app

Their RTSP address cannot be built from a template: turn RTSP on and copy the address the app shows.

UniFi Protect: The stream comes from the UniFi Protect console, not from the camera. Turn on RTSP for the camera in Protect and copy the address it shows.
eufy: Only on some models. In the eufy Security app: the camera's settings → Storage → NAS (RTSP Stream). Turn it on and copy the generated address. Give the camera or the HomeBase a fixed IP in the router, or the address changes.
Wyze: Only on some models with Wyze's RTSP firmware, and Wyze does not commit to maintaining it. Wyze's help page on RTSP lists the cameras.

Check the stream before you use it

Run the ffprobe command from the generator on a computer in the camera's network. A line like Stream #0:0: Video: h264 means the stream is alive. If the camera answers with an error, the table says what it means.

What the camera's answer means
Answer	What it means
401 Unauthorized	Wrong username or password.
404 Not Found	Wrong path: check the brand, the channel and the stream.
454 Session Not Found	Wrong path or channel number.
461 Unsupported Transport	The camera does not send video over TCP. Run the command without -rtsp_transport tcp.
Connection refused, timeout	The port is closed or this computer cannot reach the camera. Check the RTSP port and run the command from the camera's network.

Questions about RTSP URLs

Know when a camera stops streaming

An RTSP check every 1, 5 or 15 minutes: OPTIONS and DESCRIBE, no video transferred. It shows whether the camera answers, accepts the login and has a stream at that path.
An optional video check every 5, 15 or 60 minutes: frames per second, bitrate, keyframe interval and packet loss from up to 10 seconds of the stream.
A Hikvision, Dahua or Reolink recorder with 2–64 channels is added in one go and alerts as one device.
Cameras in a local network are checked by a private checker inside it.

A free account, no card.

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