How to connect a CCTV IP camera to an OBS Live Stream?

Normally we use a camera digital or a camera DSLR to connect to OBS live streaming on Facebook, YouTube, etc., but did you know an IP camera can also connect to OBS for live streaming? Yes, we can connect the IP camera to OBS for streaming by transmitting the video stream with the IP camera's RTSP URL.
What is RTSP? RTSP is The real-time streaming protocol, or RTSP, is the raw video and audio feed from IP cameras, NVRs, or networked DVRs.

Don't waste time now, we will show you step by step below. 

1. How to find your RTSP stream

Some camera systems will put the RTSP stream in the settings of the NVR or camera; others are hidden away behind documents, APIs, etc.

• Hikvision RTSP Stream

rtsp://<username>:<password>@<address>:<port>/Streaming/Channels/<id>

• <username> and <password> refer to the login credentials of your camera.
• <address> is the IP address of your camera.
• <port> is the RTSP port of the camera  (typically 554).
• <id> is the channel number and stream type of the camera.

Example: My camera's IP address is 192.168.10.125 with the username: admin and the password: 12345.

So my camera URL is: rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/101

• Axis RTSP Stream

rtsp://<address>/axis-media/media.amp

Example URL: rtsp://192.168.10.125/axis-media/media.amp

• ACTI RTSP Stream

rtsp://<address>/

Example URL: rtsp://192.168.10.125

• DahuaRTSP Stream

rtsp://<username>:<password>@<ip>:<port>/cam/realmonitor?channel=<channelNo>&subtype=<typeNo> 

<channelNo> the channel number. It starts from 1.

<typeNo>  the stream type of the main stream is 0, extra stream 1 is 1, extra stream 2 is 2.

Example URL: rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1

2. Install & Set Up IP Cameras to OBS

• Download VLC media player, Click here
• Download OBS, Click here

After completing the install of both programs, we proceeded to the next step.

• Open the OBS program and click +, then click on VLC Video Source, then click Ok.
  
  
  
  
• Then we need to path the url. Click +, then Add path/url.
  
  
• Then enter your camera's RTSP stream. After that, click OK, then click OK.

• Then your IP camera will show up on the OBS screen. If your IP Camera view does not fit your screen, you can press Ctrl + F or right click on the OBS screen and click Transform => Fit to screen.

Conclusion

In this post, we have made a step-by-step tutorial on How to connect a CCTV IP camera to an OBS Live Stream?.I hope you liked it and please do share it with your friends and follow our social media for more.

If you face any problems with the code or have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section or contact us.