Cameras
The Cameras page lets you manage all your video sources, from UniFi Protect cameras to RTSP streams and USB webcams.
Camera Overview
Camera List
The main view shows all configured cameras:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Preview | Live thumbnail (when available) |
| Name | Camera friendly name |
| Type | Source type (Protect/RTSP/USB) |
| Status | Online, offline, or error state |
| Events | Count of recent events |
| Actions | Quick action buttons |
Status Indicators
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Online | Camera is connected and streaming |
| Offline | Camera is not responding |
| Error | Connection or configuration issue |
| Disabled | Camera is intentionally turned off |
| Processing | Currently capturing or analyzing |
Adding Cameras
UniFi Protect Cameras
Protect cameras are discovered automatically from your controller:
- Go to Settings > Protect Controllers
- Add your controller (see UniFi Protect Integration)
- Return to Cameras page
- Protect cameras appear with "Protect" badge
- Toggle individual cameras on/off for AI analysis
RTSP Cameras
For generic IP cameras with RTSP streams:
- Go to Cameras
- Click Add Camera
- Select RTSP as source type
- Fill in the details:
| Field | Example | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Front Porch | Yes |
| RTSP URL | rtsp://192.168.1.100:554/stream1 | Yes |
| Username | admin | If required |
| Password | ****** | If required |
- Click Test Connection
- If successful, click Save
Finding Your RTSP URL
Common RTSP URL patterns:
| Brand | URL Pattern |
|---|---|
| Hikvision | rtsp://user:pass@IP:554/Streaming/Channels/101 |
| Dahua | rtsp://user:pass@IP:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0 |
| Reolink | rtsp://user:pass@IP:554/h264Preview_01_main |
| Amcrest | rtsp://user:pass@IP:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0 |
| Generic | rtsp://user:pass@IP:554/stream |
Check your camera's documentation for the exact URL format.
USB Webcams
For directly connected webcams:
- Click Add Camera
- Select USB as source type
- Choose the device from the dropdown
- Enter a friendly name
- Click Save
note
USB cameras require the backend to run on the same machine as the camera is connected to.
Camera Configuration
Editing Camera Settings
- Click on a camera name or the Edit button
- Modify settings as needed
- Click Save
Common Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Friendly display name |
| Enabled | Whether to process events from this camera |
| Motion Sensitivity | Threshold for motion detection (RTSP/USB) |
| Frame Rate | Capture rate for motion detection |
Protect-Specific Settings
For UniFi Protect cameras:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Event Filters | Which detection types to process |
| Smart Detection | Person, Vehicle, Package, Animal, Ring |
| Zone Filters | Limit to specific motion zones |
Camera Actions
Test Connection
Verify camera connectivity:
- Click the Test button
- Wait for the connection test
- Success shows green checkmark
- Failure shows error message with details
View Live
Open a live preview window:
- Click the Live button
- Full-screen preview opens
- Stream updates in real-time
- Click anywhere to close
View Events
See all events from a specific camera:
- Click the Events button
- Navigates to Events page with camera filter applied
- Shows only events from selected camera
Start/Stop Capture
Control motion detection (RTSP/USB only):
- Click Start to begin motion detection
- Click Stop to pause detection
- Status updates immediately
- Events stop/resume accordingly
Delete Camera
Remove a camera from the system:
- Click the Delete button
- Confirm in the dialog
- Camera and its settings are removed
- Past events remain in the database
caution
Protect cameras cannot be deleted individually. They are managed through the controller.
Troubleshooting
Camera Won't Connect
RTSP cameras:
- Verify the URL is correct
- Check username/password
- Ensure camera is on the same network
- Test URL in VLC media player
- Check firewall rules
USB cameras:
- Verify the device is connected
- Check device permissions
- Restart the backend service
- Try a different USB port
No Events Appearing
- Check camera is Enabled
- Verify motion sensitivity is appropriate
- For Protect: ensure event filters include desired types
- Check camera is actually detecting motion
- Review backend logs for errors
Poor Video Quality
- Use main stream instead of substream in RTSP URL
- Check network bandwidth
- Reduce number of concurrent cameras
- Adjust bitrate on the camera itself
High CPU Usage
- Lower frame rate for motion detection
- Use hardware-accelerated codecs if available
- Reduce number of active cameras
- Consider substream for detection, main stream for events
Best Practices
Camera Naming
Use clear, location-based names:
- Good: "Front Door", "Driveway", "Backyard"
- Avoid: "Camera 1", "IP Camera", "Test"
Multiple Cameras
When adding many cameras:
- Add and test one at a time
- Use consistent naming convention
- Group related cameras logically
- Consider network bandwidth limits
Protect vs RTSP
If you have UniFi Protect:
- Use Protect integration for those cameras
- Only use RTSP for non-Protect cameras
- Protect provides better event detection
- RTSP requires more local processing