This guide describes the steps needed to connect a generic IP camera (that is, not a Hikvision IP camera supplied with one of NV Play’s Hardware Kits) to the NV Play Cricket software.
This guide assumes that:
- The IP camera has already been installed and mounted.
- The IP camera is powered and connected to the same network (wired or wireless) as the computer running the NV Play Cricket software.
- You have the IP address of the IP camera.
- The IP camera supports the ONVIF protocol (Open Network Video Interface Forum).
- You have the credentials (username and password) needed to configure and interact with the IP camera.
Finding the Camera's IP Address
If you don’t know the IP address of your camera, the camera’s manufacturer (or your router's manufacturer) might provide a utility to scan the local network and identify the camera. You can also use free software such as Advanced IP Scanner or ONVIF Device Manager.
Resetting Camera Credentials
If you don’t have the credentials needed to configure or interact with the camera, read the manufacturer’s documentation and perform a full system reset. This resets the camera's username and password to their default settings, which should be listed in the manufacturer's documentation. These credentials are needed to configure the camera via its control panel (to enable support for ONVIF if not active by default) and to allow the NV Play Cricket software to authenticate and use the camera.
Check That the IP Camera is Operational
Before you begin, you should check that your IP camera is operational. Either unplug the camera’s power (if powered by an AC power brick) or unplug the ethernet cable leading to the camera (if the camera is powered by a Power Over Ethernet injector or switch) and then plug it back in, returning power.
Watch the camera for a startup sequence (for example the lens moving or rotating) or activity on its LEDs. If the camera powers up, you should next check the camera's network connection.
Test the Camera’s Network Connection
To test the IP camera's network connection by 'pinging' it:
- Start the computer running the NV Play Cricket software. The computer must be connected to the same network as the camera.
- Open the Windows Command Prompt by typing "CMD" into the search bar and clicking the "Command Prompt" result. Alternatively, hold down the Windows key and then press the R key on your keyboard to open the Run prompt, then type CMD and click OK.
- Enter the following command into the Command Prompt: "ping [Camera IP]" where [Camera IP] is the IP address of the camera. For example, "ping 192.168.1.20".
- Press the Enter key.
If the command returns three ping replies with time values in milliseconds, then the computer and camera are able to "see" one another on the network and you can move to the next step, Configure the IP Camera.
If no reply is received, the computer and the camera cannot communicate. In this case:
- Check that the computer is connected to the same network as the camera.
- Check that the camera’s ethernet cable (either the cable running from the camera itself, or the cable connected to the data port on the PoE injector) is connected to your network switch or router.
- Check that the switch or router is on.
- Check that the camera is still on.
Configure the IP Camera
Next, we will configure the IP camera using its web interface:
- Open a browser on your computer and type in the camera’s IP address. If you have the camera's user guide, check it for the address of the camera’s control panel. A login screen opens.
- Enter the camera’s username and password to access the camera’s control panel.
- Locate the camera’s settings or network configuration page and enable ONVIF (this could be under “Network Services” or “Integration”). Note that some manufacturers require you to create a dedicated ONVIF user account with credentials. If this is required, create a suitable account and use this when connecting the NV Play Cricket software.
Add the Camera to NV Play Cricket
Next, add the camera to the NV Play Cricket software:
- Open the NV Play Cricket software.
- Open a match and choose a scoring mode that includes the Video Display panel (or go to View > Video > Video Display).
- Go to Video > Video Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
- Check that Enabled is selected in the top Video Capture section.
- Click the Add new Capture Device link in the Video Capture Devices section. The Capture Device Settings dialogue opens.
- Click the IP Camera radio button to the left of the dialogue.
- Click the Search button to the right of the Camera Address (RTSP) field. The IP Camera Search dialogue opens.
- Click the IP camera from the list. Enter the camera's username and password and then click Login.
If no camera is found, manually type the camera IP into the Camera Address (RTSP) field by entering "rtsp://[IP Camera Address]:554/Streaming/Channels/1" where IP Camera Address is your actual camera's IP address. For example, for a camera with an IP address of 10.1.1.99, this address would be "rtsp://10.1.1.99:554/Streaming/Channels/1", then enter the camera username and password into the Username and Password fields and click OK.
- Select a video resolution option (480p, 720p or 1080p) and then click Add Camera.
- Click OK, then OK again to save your changes and close the dialogues. The Video Display panel will show “Starting Video” for 2-3 seconds then the live camera feed will appear.
If the live camera feed doesn’t appear:
- Check firewall settings or temporarily disable your antivirus software.
- Check again that ONVIF is enabled in the camera settings.