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Hikvision Integration Guide

Connect your Hikvision cameras and NVRs to AgenticEye using RTSP, ONVIF, or FTP snapshot upload. Covers the DS-2CD series and NVR integration via individual camera channels.

RTSP ONVIF FTP Upload HTTP API
Supported Protocols

Multiple Ways to Connect

Hikvision cameras offer broad protocol support. We recommend RTSP for real-time streaming and ONVIF for automated discovery. FTP snapshot upload is available for bandwidth-constrained environments.

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RTSP Streaming

Real-time video via RTSP with H.264/H.265 support. Lowest latency option for live AI analysis.

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ONVIF Discovery

Automatic camera discovery and configuration via ONVIF Profile S on port 80.

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FTP Snapshot Upload

Scheduled or event-triggered JPEG snapshot upload to AgenticEye's FTP endpoint.

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HTTP / ISAPI

RESTful API access for advanced configuration and event subscription.

Prerequisites

Before You Begin

✅

Camera on Network

Your Hikvision camera must be connected to the same network (or reachable via VPN/port forwarding) as the AgenticEye agent.

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Admin Credentials

You need administrator access to the camera's web interface to enable protocols and create users.

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Firmware Updated

We recommend running firmware v5.5+ for full ONVIF Profile S support and stable RTSP streams.

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AgenticEye Account

An active AgenticEye account with at least one camera slot available on your plan.

RTSP URL Format

Hikvision RTSP URL Pattern

Main Stream rtsp://[username]:[password]@[ip]:554/Streaming/Channels/[channel]01
Sub Stream (Lower Resolution) rtsp://[username]:[password]@[ip]:554/Streaming/Channels/[channel]02
Note: For standalone cameras, [channel] is typically 1. For NVRs, each connected camera gets its own channel number (e.g., channel 2 = camera 2). The trailing 01 selects the main stream and 02 selects the sub stream.
Examples # Standalone camera — main stream rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/101 # NVR camera 3 — main stream rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/301 # NVR camera 3 — sub stream rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/302
Integration Guide

Step-by-Step Setup

01

Enable RTSP in Network Settings

Log into the Hikvision web interface at http://[camera-ip]. Navigate to Configuration → Network → Advanced Settings → Network Service (or Integration Protocol on newer firmware).

  • Ensure RTSP is checked/enabled
  • Confirm the RTSP port is set to 554 (default)
  • Set the RTSP authentication to digest/basic
Verify RTSP is active (command line) # Test RTSP connectivity from your AgenticEye server ffprobe -rtsp_transport tcp \ rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/101
02

Create a Dedicated Camera User

For security, create a separate user account for AgenticEye rather than using the admin credentials.

  1. Go to Configuration → System → User Management
  2. Click Add User
  3. Set username to agenticeye
  4. Set a strong password (letters, numbers, special characters)
  5. Set user level to Operator with remote viewing permissions
Security tip: Avoid using the default admin account for integrations. A dedicated user makes it easier to audit access and rotate credentials without disrupting other services.
03

Configure Video Channel Settings

Optimize your stream settings for AgenticEye's AI processing.

  1. Navigate to Configuration → Video/Audio → Video
  2. Select the camera channel you want to connect
  3. Configure the main stream settings:
Recommended Stream Settings Stream Type: Main Stream (Normal) Video Type: Video Resolution: 1920x1080 (1080p) or 2560x1440 (2K) Bitrate Type: Variable Video Quality: Medium or Higher Frame Rate: 15-25 fps Max Bitrate: 4096 Kbps Video Encoding: H.264 (recommended) or H.265 I Frame Interval: 50
Bandwidth tip: If bandwidth is limited, use the sub stream at 704x480 with a 2048 Kbps cap. AgenticEye's AI works well at lower resolutions for most detection tasks.
04

Add Camera to AgenticEye via RTSP

Now register the camera in the AgenticEye OS.

  1. Open the AgenticEye OS and go to Cameras → + Add camera
  2. Set Connection type: RTSP and pick the barn the camera watches
  3. Enter the RTSP URL with your dedicated user credentials:
AgenticEye OS — camera card Name: Front-Entrance-Hik01 Connection Type: RTSP Barn: House 3 Capabilities: count, weight, mortality, behavior Stream address: rtsp://agenticeye:SecureP@[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/101

Click Save, then press 🧪 Test event on the camera card — it turns Online when the first detection arrives.

05

Alternative: ONVIF Service URL

If you prefer automatic setup, AgenticEye can discover Hikvision cameras via ONVIF.

  1. On the camera, go to Configuration → Network → Advanced Settings → Integration Protocol
  2. Check Enable ONVIF
  3. The default ONVIF port is 80
  4. Add an ONVIF user (may be separate from regular camera users on some firmware versions)
ONVIF Discovery URL http://192.168.1.64:80/onvif/device_service

In the OS, register the camera with Connection type: ONVIF and paste this service URL as the stream address — the AgenticEye edge box on the same network negotiates the stream profile with the ONVIF credentials.

06

Configure FTP Snapshot Upload

For bandwidth-limited setups, configure FTP-based snapshot uploads to AgenticEye's ingest endpoint.

  1. Navigate to Configuration → Network → Advanced Settings → FTP
  2. Configure the FTP server settings:
FTP Configuration Server Address: ingest.agenticeye.com Port: 21 Directory: /cameras/hikvision-front-01/ Upload Type: JPEG Snapshot Interval: Every 5 seconds (or event-triggered)
  1. Under Configuration → Event → Basic Event, configure snapshot triggers for motion detection or scheduled capture
  2. Link the event action to "Upload to FTP"
Note: the FTP receiver runs on the AgenticEye edge box on your network — ask your onboarding contact for its address and credentials. Each camera gets a unique upload directory, and the OS camera card carries Connection type: FTP / image push.
07

NVR Integration (Multi-Camera)

If you're running a Hikvision NVR (e.g., DS-7600 series), you can add individual camera channels through the NVR's RTSP endpoint.

NVR Channel RTSP URLs # Camera 1 on NVR — main stream rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/101 # Camera 2 on NVR — main stream rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/201 # Camera 3 on NVR — sub stream rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/302 # Camera 4 on NVR — main stream rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Streaming/Channels/401

Add each channel as a separate camera in AgenticEye. The channel numbering follows the pattern: [camera_number][stream_type] where stream type 01 = main, 02 = sub.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Fixes

⚠ RTSP Authentication Failure

The camera rejects the RTSP connection with a 401 Unauthorized error, even though credentials are correct.

Fix: Hikvision cameras may require digest authentication. In your camera settings, go to Configuration → System → Security → Authentication and set RTSP Authentication to digest/basic (not digest-only). Also ensure the user account has "Remote: Preview" permission enabled.

⚠ Firewall Blocking RTSP Port

Connection times out when trying to reach the camera's RTSP stream from the AgenticEye server.

Fix: Ensure port 554 (TCP) is open between the AgenticEye agent and the camera. If using a firewall, add an allow rule: iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 554 -s [agenticeye-ip] -j ACCEPT. For NVRs behind NAT, set up port forwarding for 554/TCP.

⚠ ONVIF Not Enabled or Not Discoverable

The edge box does not find the camera on the network.

Fix: ONVIF is disabled by default on many Hikvision models. Go to Configuration → Network → Advanced Settings → Integration Protocol and enable ONVIF. You may also need to create a separate ONVIF user under this same settings page. Ensure multicast traffic (UDP 3702) is allowed on your network switches.

⚠ Stream Dropping or Freezing

The video feed connects but periodically freezes or drops frames.

Fix: Switch RTSP transport from UDP to TCP in AgenticEye camera settings. Reduce the camera bitrate to 4096 Kbps or lower. If the NVR is serving multiple streams, check that total bandwidth does not exceed the NVR's output capacity (typically 80-256 Mbps depending on model).

⚠ Incorrect Channel Number on NVR

The RTSP URL connects but shows the wrong camera or a black screen.

Fix: Verify the channel number matches the camera's position in the NVR's channel list. Channel numbering starts at 1. Check the NVR web interface under Configuration → Camera Management to confirm the channel assignment for each connected camera.

What happens after the camera is registered

In the AgenticEye OS, open Cameras → + Add camera, enter the stream address above, pick the barn and tick the capabilities the camera should provide (counting, weighing, mortality, behavior). The OS assigns the camera a source key. The AgenticEye edge box on the farm network reads the stream and pushes every detection to the OS with that key — so each camera card shows a live heartbeat, its last detection, 24h/7d counts and its calibration against the scale. Press 🧪 Test event on the card to confirm the path end to end; a camera silent for 6 hours raises an alert.

Open OS → Cameras  ·  Vision ingest API  ·  All camera guides

Need Help With Your Integration?

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