How to find the RTSP URL for a Hikvision camera

This applies to Hikvision's professional IP cameras and NVR-connected camera systems, the ones with their own web interface reachable at an IP address on your network. Hikvision's separate consumer arm, EZVIZ, runs on its own app and cloud plumbing and is out of scope here; if your camera came from the Hik-Connect or EZVIZ app rather than a Hikvision NVR, its RTSP setup, where it exists at all, follows EZVIZ's own path instead.

Finding it

Log into the camera's or NVR's web interface by typing its IP address into a browser, then go to Configuration > Network > Advanced Settings, where the RTSP section shows the port, 554 by default, and the authentication mode. Hikvision's documented URL pattern is rtsp://<username>:<password>@<ip>:554/Streaming/Channels/<id>, where <id> is the channel number times 100 plus the stream type: 101 is channel 1's main stream, 102 is its sub stream, and on an NVR, channel 2 starts at 201. That format has held steady for a long time, but check your model's specific path before relying on it: older firmware and some derivative product lines format it differently, and the device's own support article is the reliable source if the URL above doesn't connect.

1. 01

   Find the device's IP address

   Check your router's connected-device list, or the app you used to set the camera up, for its local IP address.

2. 02

   Open its web interface

   Type the IP address into a browser and sign in with the admin credentials you set during setup.

3. 03

   Check the RTSP settings

   Go to Configuration > Network > Advanced Settings and confirm the RTSP port, usually 554, and the authentication mode.

4. 04

   Build the URL

   Use rtsp://username:password@ip:554/Streaming/Channels/101 for channel 1's main stream, changing the channel number for other cameras on an NVR.

5. 05

   Test it

   Open the URL in VLC (Media > Open Network Stream) to confirm it connects before using it anywhere else.

Using it with Svid

Once you have a working RTSP URL, connecting it to Svid is the same as for any brand: Svid captures the stream server-side, so there's no new hardware and no separate viewer to install. It becomes a live feed like any other input, described frame by frame, and searchable and checkable the same way footage from a phone or an upload would be. The general RTSP connection guide covers the account setup and what happens once the stream is added.

Does my Hikvision camera need to be on the same network as Svid?

Only while you're finding the IP address and testing the URL locally. Once Svid is capturing the stream server-side, the camera or NVR just needs a reachable route to it, the same as any other server-side connection, not a network shared with your own device.

What port does Hikvision use for RTSP?

554 by default, the RTSP standard port, and Hikvision's documentation confirms it for both standalone cameras and NVRs. It's shown in the same network settings screen where you'd change it if you needed to.

Do I need Hik-Connect or a Hikvision subscription to get an RTSP URL?

No. RTSP is a free, local feature of Hikvision's professional cameras and NVRs, built into the device itself. Hik-Connect and the cloud apps are a separate, optional layer for remote viewing, not a requirement for RTSP.