Start with a like-for-like test
A picture in the manufacturer’s app proves that its app can reach the camera. A picture in VLC is more useful, but only if VLC is running on the computer that runs Station and uses the same local stream address.
- Open the exact local RTSP address in VLC on the Station computer. Check that the picture is current, not a saved recording.
- If VLC fails too, check the camera address, local streaming settings and network first. Do not change your AI provider key to fix a stream connection.
Check the address and camera account
Use the camera’s local account. It may be different from the password for the manufacturer’s cloud app. Enter credentials separately in Station; do not paste passwords into a support message or screenshot.
Check the RTSP port, stream path and channel. A camera connected through an NVR or hub may need the recorder’s address and a channel-specific path. Use the guide for your exact model and firmware.
Try a simpler stream
If the camera offers an H.264 substream, try it first with a lower resolution and frame rate. VLC can play formats that a particular Station build cannot decode. A successful VLC test does not certify every codec or authentication mode.
Close VLC and other live viewers, then retry Station. Some cameras limit simultaneous streams. Change one setting at a time so you can identify what helped.
Separate connection from monitoring
Confirm that Station is online and the camera preview is fresh. If a current preview appears but no Messages arrive, move on to the assigned Event, its schedule, monitoring status and provider key. That is a different problem from an unreadable stream.
Do not expose RTSP ports to the internet or disable your firewall globally. Check guest Wi-Fi isolation, VPN routing and the Station application’s local-network access instead.
Collect useful diagnostics
If the stream still fails, contact [email protected] with the camera model, firmware, Station version, operating system, codec and exact error text. Include whether the same stream worked in VLC on that computer. Remove passwords, tokens and private scene details.