How to access cameras from desktop PC?

How to access cameras from desktop PC?

How to access cameras from desktop PC?
How to access cameras from desktop PC?
2024-08-06 11:21:24 - last edited a week ago
Model: Tapo C520WS  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version:

Subject says all... 

 

How to access cameras from desktop PC?

 

Mobile app is nice, but useless if you need to review a large number of detections.

 

For small indoor cameras you can take out the SD card and copy it all to your PC, but in case of any camera that's mounted high on the wa,, or worse, like in case od C520WS also screwed in by tiny screws.... That's simply not an option.

 

Using "download" option one video at a time is useless and painfully SLOW!

 

I turned on Tapo Care hoping to get something that's not available without it, but... nothing!

 

Streaming live using third party solutions is useless too! Again, may be okay for small indoor cameras, but ones with pan/tilt... even if you can pan and tilt, you cant access the camera created locations, which can then destroy the detection settings...

 

I'm honestly BADLY surprised by the fact that TP-Link didn't create a better software solution for this otherwise very nice hardware!

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#1
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1 Accepted Solution
Re:How to access cameras from desktop PC?-Solution
2024-08-08 10:36:26 - last edited a week ago

  @MrSubs 

Hi,
1. Thank you for the description of your usage scenario, however, it's currently unable to download all video recordings from the SD card via the Tapo app once. I'll log the feature request and forward it to the relevant team for evaluation.

 

2. After you pan/tilt the camera manually, there is no feature to turn it back to the original position automatically. However, you can add Viewpoints on the camera's Pan & Tilt feature page, and move the camera lens to the specific viewpoint manually by tapping the preset viewpoint.

 

3. The Tapo Care, SD card, and RTSP/ONVIF stream can't run at the same time. For example, if the RTSP stream is running, you can select to use Tapo Care or the SD card. If you have disconnected the RTSP stream, you can use the Tapo Care and SD card simultaneously.

 

Best Regards

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#4
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Re:How to access cameras from desktop PC?
2024-08-07 09:23:41

  @MrSubs 

Hi,
1. On the Tapo app>camera's Playback & Download>Playback>SD card page, you can see the detection video clips after selecting a date, do you have any problem when you watch the detection video clips? Even if you need to review a large number of detections, there is no problem watching the video clips one by one on the Tapo app.
If you have other usage scenarios that are inconvenienced to use the Tapo app, would you please describe the usage scenario in detail?

 

2. You can refer to the instructions below to stream the camera on a PC via RTSP/ONVIF.
How to view the Tapo camera on PC/NAS/NVR through RTSP/Onvif Protocol?
 

3. Do you want to the camera go back to a preset position after you pan/tilt it manually?

 

4. Compared to the SD card storage, if you subscribe to the Tapo Care service, you can enable the rich notification feature on the Tapo app, and you can delete the specific detection video clips stored on our cloud server.

 

Best Regards

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#2
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Re:How to access cameras from desktop PC?
2024-08-07 13:25:55

  @Solla-topee Hi,

 

I'll reply in order you used:

 

1.

 

I know how to view videos via tha Tapo app, but thanks anyway.

 

Viewing this may be okay for someone "living" on a mobile phone, used to stuff like tik-tok or such. Maybe a teenager or at least a casual user, which I am not.

 

Some of my cameras record hundreds of detection clips (I need motion detection on those, and birds, wind and similar, create a lot of false detections)!

 

Tapping those one by one is... IMPOSSIBLE! Not to mention viewing it on a tiny screen is... great for masochysts, which again, I am not! :)

 

I need to be able to browse through the files quickly, on a LARGE screen (that's the point of high resolution after all).

 

I also need to be able to use my video player of choice, to speed up or slow down the preview the way I'm used to with other videos.

 

So, said all that I NEED to be able to download all the videos to my desktop PC!

 

Taking out SD card from my almost 4m high 520WS is not really an option...

 

2.

 

I tried iSpy and I do not like it. I use a different solution and was able to achieve all that iSpy offers, and more. (Some VMS I got with another camera)

 

I'm able to pan and tilt the camera, but as you mentioned under the next number...

 

3.

 

Yes.

 

I'd like to be able to at least reset the position if I can't use presets for different views. Can I?

 

4.

 

Thanks. I'm in tryal mode right now. Rich notificiations are... okay... but nothing special. Only reason for Tapo Care (for me) will be to use online storage in case camera get's stolen or the SD card damaged.

 

Speaking of which, I thought that I can use both the Tapo Care online and the SD card?

 

Oddly enough, I got a message in the app saying that I should use either one or another as it was not built for simultaneous use!?

 

It still does record both on the card and online so... I'm puzzled...

 

 

Anyway, thanks for answering my questions :)

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Re:How to access cameras from desktop PC?-Solution
2024-08-08 10:36:26 - last edited a week ago

  @MrSubs 

Hi,
1. Thank you for the description of your usage scenario, however, it's currently unable to download all video recordings from the SD card via the Tapo app once. I'll log the feature request and forward it to the relevant team for evaluation.

 

2. After you pan/tilt the camera manually, there is no feature to turn it back to the original position automatically. However, you can add Viewpoints on the camera's Pan & Tilt feature page, and move the camera lens to the specific viewpoint manually by tapping the preset viewpoint.

 

3. The Tapo Care, SD card, and RTSP/ONVIF stream can't run at the same time. For example, if the RTSP stream is running, you can select to use Tapo Care or the SD card. If you have disconnected the RTSP stream, you can use the Tapo Care and SD card simultaneously.

 

Best Regards

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#4
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Re:How to access cameras from desktop PC?
2024-08-08 11:43:42

  @Solla-topee Hi again, and thanks again :)

 

1. Even the web (via desktop browser) interface for the Tapo Care would help. Though of course, direct access to the SD card would be better.

 

By the way, would connecting the camera to ethernet instead of wi-fi make any difference?

 

 

2. Oh... if you're refering to reseting the position through Tapo app viewpoints... I know that. I tougt there is some sort of command I can use in iSpy. But okay, I know about this option and am actually using it already. I need to have it set to a certain viewpoinf so I can get valid zone detections.

 

Not what I had in mind, but it works. Thanks.

 

 

3. Oh, I get it! That also explains why I've seen this message only occasionally, and that when I was using desktop streaming too!

 

That's okay then since I use desktop only when I am in house, and that is when I don't need Tapo Care. When I'm out, no RTSP/ONVIF is active, all is saved to both the card and to the server so, that's fine.

 

Thanks for explaining! Makes much more sense  now! :)

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#5
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Re:How to access cameras from desktop PC?
2024-08-09 07:09:54

  @MrSubs 

Hi, 
Thank you for your feedback, and I'll forward them to the relevant team for evaluation.
Note: Connecting the camera to the router via ethernet cable won't make a difference.
Best Regards

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#6
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