RTSP URL formats · Hikvision · Checked against Hikvision documentation, October 2026
Hikvision RTSP URL: main stream, sub stream and NVR channels
Every Hikvision camera and recorder answers on the same path: /Streaming/Channels/ followed by the channel number and a two-digit stream number. The port is 554 unless someone changed it.
RTSP URL generator
rtsp://[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/101Built in your browser. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.
Hikvision RTSP paths
- Main stream:
rtsp://user:password@IP:554/Streaming/Channels/101 - Sub stream:
rtsp://user:password@IP:554/Streaming/Channels/102 - Default port: 554
rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/101rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/102rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/301rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/1202The last two digits pick the stream: 01 is the main stream, 02 the sub stream.
On an NVR the channel number comes first: channel 3 main stream is /Streaming/Channels/301.
How the channel number works
The number after /Channels/ is the channel followed by two digits for the stream.
| 01 | Main stream: the full resolution the camera records. |
|---|---|
| 02 | Sub stream: the lower resolution copy for live grids and phones. |
| Channel | On a camera it is 1. On an NVR it is the camera slot, so slot 3 gives 301 and 302, slot 12 gives 1201 and 1202. |
Hikvision main stream vs sub stream
Every Hikvision camera sends at least two streams with their own resolution, frame rate and bitrate.
| Main stream | The full-resolution stream for recording and for single-camera live view. Most detail, most bandwidth and storage. Path ends in 01. |
|---|---|
| Sub stream | A small, low-bitrate copy for multi-camera live grids, phones and remote viewing over slow links. Path ends in 02. |
| Which to record | Record the main stream. Recording the sub stream saves disk but loses the detail you need to identify people and plates. |
| I-frame interval | Each stream has its own setting. One to two seconds of video is a common choice. |
More in I-frame interval on security cameras.
Hikvision ONVIF
RTSP works with the camera's normal user account. ONVIF is a separate protocol that third-party recorders and VMS use to find the camera and read its streams, and on Hikvision it has its own users.
- Log in to the camera's web page and go to Configuration > Network > Advanced Settings > Integration Protocol.
- Tick Enable ONVIF (Enable Open Network Video Interface on some firmware).
- Set Hikvision CGI Authentication to digest/basic if the other system needs it.
- Add an ONVIF user with any user name and password. Media User can stream and read settings, Operator can change most settings, Administrator has full access.
Of the 390 Hikvision cameras in the CCTVplanner catalog whose datasheets list ONVIF profiles, 390 list Profile S (live video), 299 Profile T (H.264/H.265 streaming), 389 Profile G (edge recording) and 48 Profile M (analytics metadata).
Source: Hikvision support: How do I enable ONVIF on a Hikvision camera?
More on the profiles in ONVIF profiles explained, and on testing a camera in the ONVIF Device Manager guide.
How to test the Hikvision RTSP URL
- Open VLC, choose Media > Open Network Stream, paste the URL and press Play.
- No picture? Try the sub stream. If that plays, the main stream is too heavy for the network or the player.
- For the codec, resolution and frame rate the camera actually sends:
ffprobe -rtsp_transport tcp "rtsp://…" - Once it plays in VLC, add it to the recorder or VMS by RTSP URL or by ONVIF.
Hikvision RTSP questions
What is the RTSP URL for a Hikvision camera?
rtsp://user:password@IP:554/Streaming/Channels/101 for the main stream and /Streaming/Channels/102 for the sub stream.
How do I get one camera's stream from a Hikvision NVR?
Put the channel number in front of the stream digits: /Streaming/Channels/301 is channel 3 main stream and /Streaming/Channels/1202 is channel 12 sub stream. Use the NVR's IP address and account.
Does a Hikvision camera need ONVIF for RTSP?
No. RTSP works with the normal camera account. ONVIF is switched on separately under Integration Protocol and uses its own users.
What port does Hikvision use for RTSP?
554 by default. If it was changed, use the port set in the camera's network port settings.
Planning where the Hikvision cameras go?
CCTVplanner has Hikvision and every other brand in one catalog. Place the cameras on the real site map, see each camera's view in 3D and check pixel density, bandwidth and storage before anyone mounts a camera.