How can I view Grandstream IP Cameras on my Mac or iPhone

Scenario:
Ever wondered how to view Grandstream IP Cameras from your Mac? This can be quite a tricky task, as of writing this Grandstream IP Cameras (like a lot of other IP Cameras), use an Active X plugin to stream the live video feed in you web browser. Unfortunately Active X is not supported on Apple devices leaving Mac users with no option but to look at alternatives for viewing their cameras. However there are plenty of applications and different ways that you can achieve this on a Mac - you just have to know how! Let's begin

Requirements:
- An Apple Mac Computer or iPhone
- A Grandstream IP Camera like the GXV3662_HD
- Network connectivity between your Mac and the IP Camera

Option 1 Mac - IP Camera Viewer 2
IP Camera Viewer 2 is available from the App Store on your Mac and is a great little free app for remotely viewing a wide range of IP Cameras. There is also a paid version for those wanting to use it as a fully fledged NVR with remote recording.

Step 1:
Download and install IP Camera Viewer 2 from the App Store

Step 2:
Once installed - Open IP Camera Viewer 2 App and select the following from the "Add" menu:
Add > Generic > RTSP Stream
Camera Name: OfficeCam (A descriptive name of your camera)
User Name: admin (username to login to your camera)
Password: admin (password to login to your camera)
Stream URL: rtsp://camera_ip:554/4 (Use "/0" for Primary Stream or "/4" for Secondary Stream)

Q: Whats the difference between primary and Secondary Streams?
A: Grandstream IP Cameras have a Primary and Secondary Stream for viewing/recording. The Primary stream is a high quality stream while the secondary stream is a lower quality. Remember that high quality streams will require more bandwidth and cause the stream to buffer and pixelate if there is not sufficient bandwidth between your device and the IP Camera, it is recommended to use the secondary stream where possible as the primary stream will typically be used for recording to your NVR.

Option 2 iPhone - IP Vision

Step 1:
Download and Install IP Vision from the App Store

Step 2:
Open IP Vision and tap the camera icon in the top right hand corner then + to add a camera. Use the following settings below and then tap Save, Done, Back and your Camera should load:
Enabled: On (Enable / Disable Camera)
Name: OfficeCam (Name of Camera)
Protocol: RTSP udp
Host: camera_ip_address (IP Address of Camera)
Port: 554 (RTSP Port)
Username: admin (username of camera)
Password: admin (password of camera)
Path: /0 (Primary Stream) /4 (Secondary Stream)

I hope this blog has been helpful, thanks for reading and please let us know what you think by rating below - Thanks

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