How to Connect IP Camera to TV with or without a DVR

These are solutions for customers that want to connect an IP camera to a TV without a DVR / NVR for a real-time live view. Watch the above video to see how it works. This new Viewtron IP camera to HDMI decoder lets you view one or more IP cameras live on a TV. You can connect to multiple TVs if you want, and you can do that with or without using a recorder.

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Viewtron IP Camera to HDMI Decoder

The Viewtron IP camera to HDMI decoder enables you to display live video from any of our Viewtron IP cameras on a standard television or computer monitor. It decodes the RTSP video stream from IP cameras and converts it to an HDMI output. RTSP stands for Real Time Streaming Protocol.

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Single IP Camera to TV Wiring Diagram

Here is a wiring diagram for the simplest setup.

1. The Viewtron IP camera connects via Cat5 cable to your network switch or router.
2. The Viewtron IP to HDMI decoder connects to that same network switch.
3. The RTSP stream is setup via the decoders web interface.
4. The decoder pulls the camera’s RTSP video stream over the network and decodes it.
5. The HDMI output of the decoder connects to the HDMI input of your TV.
6. The decoder can be located anywhere on the same network as the camera.

That is all! The decoder automatically detects the video stream and displays the live view on your TV.

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Display One IP Camera on Multiple TVs

If you want that same security camera feed showing on two or three different TVs throughout your home or business, simply add more decoders. Each Viewtron decoder connects to your network and pulls the same video stream from your IP camera. One camera can feed as many decoders and TVs as you need. This is perfect for lobbies, waiting rooms, or anywhere you want multiple displays showing the same live view.

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Display Multiple IP Cameras on One TV

The Viewtron IP-HDMI-D4 decoder is not limited to decoding and displaying just one camera. It actually supports up to 4 RTSP streams. Connect up to 4 IP cameras to your network, and the decoder can pull in all of their video streams simultaneously, displaying them in a grid layout on a single TV. This is basically a video multiplexer for IP cameras. You can display one, two, three, or four cameras on on TV. If you need to display more that 4 cameras at a time, you can use our HDMI to RTSP encoder solution, which is explained below.

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IP Cameras with NVR Recording and Live TV Display

It is actually really common for customers to want to record video centrally on multiple IP cameras, but then also display them on a monitor that is not located near the DVR or NVR. Here is how this works.

1. Your Viewtron IP cameras connect to the POE ports on your Viewtron NVR.
2. The NVR handles all your recording, alerts, and notifications.
3. Viewtron NVRs expose the raw RTSP video streams of all connected cameras on the network. You enable this in the NVR settings.
4. The IP to HDMI decoder connects to your network and pulls those streams through the NVR.
5. The decoder displays them on a TV wherever you need it, even if that TV is nowhere near your recorder.

This setup is extremely common in retail. For example, a department store might have 30 IP cameras all recording to a central Viewtron NVR. They want one camera at the entrance displaying a live view so customers see themselves as they walk in, knowing the area is under surveillance. With the IP to HDMI decoder, you can display just that one entrance camera on a lobby TV while all 30 cameras continue recording normally on the NVR.

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Send Full HDMI Output Over IP Network

We also have a new Viewtron HDMI to RTSP video encoder. This allows you to send an entire HDMI video output signal of a Viewtron CCTV DVR or IP camera NVR over the IP network to the decoder.

1. Connect your IP cameras to your Viewtron NVR for standard video surveillance.
2. Connect the HDMI output of the NVR to the Viewtron HDMI to RTSP encoder.
3. The encoder converts that full HDMI signal into an RTSP stream on your network.
4. The IP to HDMI decoder picks up that signal and displays the entire HDMI output on a TV.
5. Add additional decoders if you want the same view on multiple monitors.

This works with any device that has an HDMI output, so you can use this with things other than security recorders if you want.

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Display the HDMI Output from Security DVR in Multiple TVs

Add additional IP to HDMI decoders if you want to display the HDMI output of your security DVR on multiple TVs.

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IP Camera to TV Display Over the Internet

All of these configurations can work across the internet, not just your local network.

1. Set up port forwarding on your router to allow outside access to your camera’s RTSP stream.
2. Configure the decoder at your remote location to connect to that stream over the internet.
3. Display a live camera feed from one building on a TV in another building across town or across the country.

This can be applied to any of the previous installation scenarios. If you want to remotely access the entire HDMI output using the HDMI to RTSP encoder, you can. If you want one camera from one location and two or three from other locations, you can. It is extremely flexible.

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IP Camera to TV Live View System FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions that we receive related to our IP camera live view systems.

1. Does this work with third-party IP cameras? Yes. This is a generic device that works with third-party IP cameras as long as they give you access to the camera’s raw RTSP stream. If your camera is ONVIF compliant, it will almost definitely work because ONVIF compliant IP cameras provide access to the raw stream.
2. Does this work with Ring cameras? No. Unfortunately, Ring does not play nice with other manufacturers with interoperability. They close off their system and do not give you access to the RTSP stream.
3. Does this work with Viewtron Hybrid DVRs? Yes. You can use this with coax CCTV cameras on a Viewtron Hybrid DVR because our DVR gives you access to the raw RTSP stream. You could also use the HDMI to IP converter and send the entire HDMI output over IP.
4. Can I display different cameras on different TVs? Yes. If you want to display camera one on monitor one and camera two on monitor two, you can do that. You could display four cameras on monitor one and just a single camera on monitor two. The system is extremely flexible.
5. Does the HDMI encoder work with devices other than security recorders? Yes. It works with any device that has an HDMI output.
6. How do I know if my IP camera is compatible? Reach out to me with your IP camera’s make and model and I will help look into that for you. Email me at mike@cctvcamerapros.net.

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Have Questions / Need Help?

If you have any questions about how to connect an IP camera to your TV for a live view, please email me at mike@cctvcamerapros.net anytime. Me and the team can also provide you with a free consultation and custom quote. We design these systems for customers all day. We do assessments of what customers have in place, what works with this Viewtron equipment, and what you should keep and what you should replace. We help you make a good decision if you are using some existing equipment, even if it is very old.

Click here to learn more about the Viewtron IP camera to HDMI decoder as well as the HDMI to RTSP encoder.

You can also text or call 1-561-433-8488.