Amcrest RTSP and ONVIF setup

Amcrest IP cameras run firmware based on Dahua’s, so they use the same RTSP address and have ONVIF switched on out of the box.

At a glance

Replace USERNAME, PASSWORD, and CAMERA-IP with your own. The main stream is the full-resolution one to record; the sub stream is a lighter copy for small previews.

Before you start

• Give the camera a fixed IP address with a DHCP reservation on your router, so its stream address never changes.
• Use a strong password, but avoid @, :, /, and #. They have special meanings in stream addresses, and some cameras mishandle them.
• Update the camera’s firmware. Menu names differ between firmware versions and models, so treat the ones below as a guide to where to look.

Turn on RTSP and ONVIF

1. Open the camera’s web interface at its IP address and sign in as admin.
2. RTSP and ONVIF are on by default. The RTSP port is under Setup › Network › Connection, and the ONVIF tab on the same page should have authentication on.

Turn on motion events

1. Go to Setup › Event › Video Detection, enable motion detection, and set the area and sensitivity.

Add the camera to Loki Eye

1. Add the camera in Loki Eye with its main stream address from the table above. Loki Eye probes the stream to check that it plays.
2. Enter the ONVIF port so motion events can reach the recorder. Loki Eye tests the port as you add the camera.
3. Choose continuous recording, or recording on motion with pre-roll and post-roll.

Things to know about Amcrest cameras

• Some battery and app-only Wi-Fi models are set up only through the Amcrest Smart Home app and may not offer RTSP. Check the model’s specifications for RTSP or ONVIF before you buy.
• Like Dahua cameras, Amcrest cameras lock the account for a few minutes after several wrong passwords.
• Menus and stream settings match Dahua’s closely. The Dahua guide covers NVR channels.

If it does not work

• The stream will not open. Try the same address in VLC, under Media › Open Network Stream. If VLC cannot play it either, the problem is on the camera: RTSP switched off, the wrong port, or the wrong password.
• You are not sure of the stream address. ONVIF Device Manager, a free Windows tool, finds cameras on your network and shows their stream addresses.
• The stream drops when another app is watching. Cameras accept only a few stream connections at once. Close other viewers, or point them at the sub stream.
• No motion events arrive. Check that motion detection is on in the camera, that the ONVIF port is right, and that the camera clock is correct. ONVIF requests carry a timestamp, and a camera whose clock is minutes off can refuse them. Setting the camera to sync with an NTP time server fixes this for good.