How to Connect to Hikvision IP Camera in C# .NET¶

Video Capture SDK .Net Media Blocks SDK .Net

Brand Overview¶

Hikvision (Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.) is the world's largest manufacturer of video surveillance equipment by market share. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Hangzhou, China, Hikvision produces IP cameras, DVRs, NVRs, and video management software used across enterprise, government, and consumer markets.

Key facts:

• Product lines: DS-2CD (fixed cameras), DS-2DE (PTZ cameras), DS-76/77/96 (NVRs), DS-7200/7300/7600 (DVRs)
• Protocol support: ONVIF Profile S/G/T, RTSP, HTTP, ISAPI
• Default RTSP port: 554
• Default credentials: admin / (set during initial setup; older firmware: admin / 12345)
• ONVIF support: Full -- recommended for automatic discovery and configuration
• Video codecs: H.264, H.265 (Smart Codec), MJPEG

RTSP URL Patterns¶

Hikvision cameras use a channel-based URL structure. Channel numbers encode both the camera channel and the stream type.

URL Format¶

rtsp://[USERNAME]:[PASSWORD]@[IP]:[PORT]/Streaming/Channels/[CHANNEL_ID]

Channel ID encoding:

• Channel ID = (camera_number * 100) + stream_number
• Stream 1 = main stream, Stream 2 = sub stream, Stream 3 = third stream
• Example: Camera 1, main stream = 101; Camera 1, sub stream = 102

IP Cameras (Single Channel)¶

NVR / DVR Channels¶

For NVR and DVR devices, change the camera number in the channel ID:

Alternative URL Formats¶

Some older Hikvision models and OEM variants use different URL patterns:

Connecting with VisioForge SDK¶

Use your Hikvision camera's RTSP URL with any of the three SDK approaches shown in the Quick Start Guide:

// Hikvision DS-2CD2032-I, main stream
var uri = new Uri("rtsp://192.168.1.64:554/Streaming/Channels/101");
var username = "admin";
var password = "YourPassword";

For sub-stream access, use /Streaming/Channels/102 instead.

ONVIF Discovery¶

Hikvision cameras have excellent ONVIF support. Use ONVIF to automatically discover cameras on your network and retrieve their stream URIs without manually constructing RTSP URLs. See the ONVIF integration guide for discovery code examples.

Snapshot and MJPEG URLs¶

Hikvision cameras also provide HTTP endpoints for snapshots and MJPEG streams:

Troubleshooting¶

"Double slash" in URL path¶

Hikvision RTSP URLs use a path starting with /Streaming/Channels/. Some tools or code generate //Streaming/Channels/ (double slash). Both work with Hikvision cameras, but use a single slash for correctness.

Connection refused on port 554¶

• Verify RTSP is enabled in the camera's web interface: Configuration > Network > Advanced Settings > RTSP
• Check that the RTSP port hasn't been changed from the default (554)
• Ensure no firewall is blocking the port between your application and the camera

Authentication failures¶

• Hikvision cameras require digest authentication by default. VisioForge SDK handles this automatically.
• On newer firmware, the default admin/12345 credentials are disabled. You must set a strong password during initial setup via the Hikvision SADP tool or web interface.
• If connecting to an NVR, use the NVR credentials, not the individual camera credentials.

H.265 stream not playing¶

• Ensure you have the HEVC decoder redistributable installed
• Alternatively, configure the camera to use H.264 encoding in its video settings
• Use rtspSettings.UseGPUDecoder = true for hardware-accelerated H.265 decoding

High latency¶

• Use TCP transport: rtspSettings.AllowedProtocols = RTSPSourceProtocol.TCP
• Reduce buffer latency: rtspSettings.Latency = 200 (in milliseconds)
• Switch to the sub stream (channel 102) for lower bandwidth requirements
• Disable audio if not needed: audioEnabled: false

FAQ¶

What is the default RTSP URL for Hikvision cameras?

The standard RTSP URL for Hikvision cameras is rtsp://admin:password@CAMERA_IP:554/Streaming/Channels/101 for the main stream. Replace admin and password with your camera credentials, and CAMERA_IP with the camera's IP address. Use channel 102 for the sub stream.

How do I find my Hikvision camera's IP address?

Use the Hikvision SADP (Search Active Devices Protocol) tool, which is a free utility that discovers all Hikvision devices on your local network. Alternatively, check your router's DHCP client list or use ONVIF device discovery with the VisioForge SDK.

Can I connect to a Hikvision NVR and view individual camera channels?

Yes. Use the same RTSP URL format but change the channel number. Camera 1 is channel 101 (main) or 102 (sub), camera 2 is channel 201/202, and so on. The formula is: channel ID = (camera_number x 100) + stream_number.

Does VisioForge SDK support Hikvision's H.265+ (Smart Codec)?

Yes. The SDK supports standard H.265/HEVC decoding. Hikvision's H.265+ is a proprietary compression optimization that produces standard H.265 streams, so it works with any H.265-capable decoder.

Related Resources¶

• All Camera Brands — RTSP URL Directory
• LTS Connection Guide — Hikvision OEM, uses same URL format
• EZVIZ Connection Guide — Hikvision consumer brand
• IP Camera Preview Tutorial
• SDK Installation & Samples