How to Use Your IP Camera as a Webcam

Initial Setup

1. Make sure your camera and PC/Mac are connected to the same network.
2. To confirm, try accessing your camera’s Web GUI in a browser. If you can log in and see the feed, the network connection is good.
   
   

Recommended Tools

Option 1: OBS Studio

• What it is: A free, open-source streaming and recording tool.
• How it works: Add your IP camera as an RTSP source in OBS, then enable the OBS Virtual Camera feature to use it in apps like Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet.
• Pros: Flexible, widely supported, and works with almost any IP camera.
• Cons: The feed may be choppy or laggy depending on your camera’s encoding settings and network bandwidth.

Option 2: NDI Webcam

• What it is: A utility included in newer NDI Tools packages that turns NDI camera feeds into webcam sources.
• How it works: Install NDI Tools, run NDI Webcam Input, and select your NDI camera from the popup menu. Your system will recognize it as a standard webcam. Supports up to four NDI cameras.
• Pros: Simple setup, reliable performance, and integrates well with NDI-based cameras.
• Cons: Limited to cameras that support NDI output.

Troubleshooting

• No video showing in apps: Double-check that the virtual camera is enabled in OBS or that NDI Webcam Input is running. Also, ensure the video encoding settings of your camera are compatible with the application being used. 
• Laggy or choppy video: Lower the resolution/bitrate on your camera, or ensure your PC and camera are connected via wired Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi.
• App not detecting the virtual camera: Restart the conferencing app after enabling the virtual camera. Some apps require a relaunch to recognize new webcam sources.