Add Cameras

Adding One or More Cameras (using Auto Mode)

This is the Add icon.

1. From the list of registered cameras on the server’s Cameras tab, press the Add Camera button to access the Register Cameras screen. The software will open the Register Cameras screen in Auto mode by default. This screen displays a list of all the cameras Orchid Core VMS was able to auto-discover.

*In order for Orchid Core VMS to auto-discover cameras, they must support ONVIF auto-discovery and be located on the same network subnet. If you have cameras that are not automatically discovered, they can always be added manually.

2. To add a new camera, mark the checkbox next to the camera. (You may select multiple cameras as long as they all use the same ONVIF username and password.)
3. Enter the ONVIF username and password that is setup on the camera(s) you would like to add.
4. Press the Register Selected Cameras button to add selected cameras to the Orchid Core VMS server.

Depending on the number of cameras being added, it may take a few minutes for Orchid Core VMS to add them successfully. When complete, the software will display a list of all cameras that were successfully and unsuccessfully added. If Orchid Core VMS fails to add a camera, an error message will appear.

5. Go to each of the newly added cameras and enter a unique, descriptive name for each one. (Good camera names are important because they are searchable in Orchid Fusion/Hybrid VMS.) You should also review or edit the camera stream settings. (Please refer to the next several sections for details on stream settings.)

*If these newly added cameras will use similar stream settings, you may use the Copy Stream to Cameras feature to configure multiple cameras at once.

*If you have any trouble adding cameras, please refer to the Advanced Topics section of the Orchid Core VMS Administrator Guide for additional help.

Adding a Single Camera (in Manual Mode)

If Orchid Core VMS cannot autodiscover a camera, it can be added manually.

1. At the server’s Cameras tab, press the Add Camera button to access the Register Cameras screen. The Register Cameras screen will open in Auto mode.
2. Select Manual mode.

3. Select the appropriate driver (ONVIF or RTSP) from the drop-down list.

*While the Generic RTSP driver is available when adding cameras manually, this is not always guaranteed to work due to the way different manufacturers handle RTSP streams. The recommended driver to use with Orchid Core VMS is ONVIF.

4. Enter the ONVIF Discovery URL, or the RTSP Stream URL (depending on the driver you specified) to match the correct address for the camera being added. Consult with the camera manufacturer’s user guide, as needed, for the correct syntax of the address.
5. Enter a unique name for the camera. This will allow you to distinguish the camera from other cameras set up within the Orchid Core VMS server.
6. Enter the username and password that is setup on the camera being added.

*For some ONVIF cameras, a separate username and password needs to be created specifically for ONVIF. (Please refer to the Advanced Topics section of the Orchid Core VMS Administrator Guide for more information.)

7. Press the Register button to add the camera to the Orchid Core VMS server.
   When complete, Orchid Core VMS will add the new camera to the list of registered cameras. If Orchid Core VMS fails to add a camera, an error message will appear explaining the issue.
8. Once the camera has been added, review or edit the camera stream settings. (Please refer to the next several sections for details on stream settings.)

*If you have any trouble adding cameras, please refer to the Advanced Topics section of the Orchid Core VMS Administrator Guide for additional help.