Skip to main content

Virtual IP Camera List & Channels

Overview​

The Camera List is the central place where all configured virtual ONVIF IP cameras are displayed and managed.

Each item in the list represents a full ONVIF-compatible IP camera, visible to:

  • VMS systems
  • NVR devices
  • ONVIF discovery tools
  • RTSP / RTSPS clients

From here, you can:

  • Enable or disable cameras
  • Select a camera to manage its channels
  • Edit camera settings
  • Remove cameras from the system
Virtual IP camera list in ITVDesk

What Is a Virtual IP Camera?​

A Virtual IP Camera in ITVDesk behaves exactly like a physical IP camera:

  • Has its own ONVIF service
  • Has RTSP / RTSPS streaming endpoints
  • Can contain one or multiple video channels
  • Can be discovered automatically on the network

The difference is that the video source is software-defined (desktop, webcam, RTSP stream, combined media, etc.).

Camera vs Channel – Key Concept​

Understanding the difference between Camera and Channel is essential when working with ITVDesk.

Virtual IP Camera​

  • Appears as one ONVIF device on the network
  • Has:
    • IP address
    • ONVIF port
    • RTSP port
    • Authentication
  • Can contain one or multiple channels

Channel​

  • Represents one video output
  • Has its own:
    • Video stream settings
    • Audio configuration
    • Recording settings
    • OSD and overlays
  • Each channel maps to:
    • One RTSP stream
    • One ONVIF media profile

A single camera can expose multiple channels, just like professional multi-sensor IP cameras.

Camera List (Left Panel)​

The left panel displays all configured virtual cameras.

For each camera you can see:

  • Camera name
  • Status (enabled / disabled)
  • Icon indicating camera type

Available actions:

  • Enable / Disable – Start or stop camera services
  • Edit – Modify camera configuration
  • Remove – Permanently delete the camera
  • Advanced Settings – Network, security, and service options

Disabling a camera immediately stops:

  • ONVIF services
  • RTSP streaming
  • Recording (if enabled)

Camera Context Menu​

Right-click any camera in the Camera List to open the context menu.

Common options include:

  • Start / Stop camera runtime
  • Edit camera settings
  • Test selected camera
  • Scan network cameras
  • Device information and time settings
  • Connected clients (quick view + security actions)
  • Duplicate camera (single or multiple copies)
  • Transfer IPCam (export/import)
  • Bulk actions (select all / remove all)

Scan Network Cameras​

Scan Network Cameras... opens the built-in advisor tool that discovers ONVIF devices on the network and provides quick readiness hints.

See: Network Camera Advisor

Connected Clients​

Connected Clients shows a live list of currently connected RTSP clients for the selected camera.

  • Displays: Client Name (IP)
  • Enabled only when at least one client is connected
  • Lets you quickly Allow, Block, or Reconnect a client

See: Connected Clients

Duplicate Camera​

Duplicate Camera creates a copy of the selected virtual camera configuration.

Duplicate IP camera

Typical use cases:

  • Quick testing with multiple similar cameras
  • Demo setups (same source, different ports)

ITVDesk automatically assigns the next free ONVIF HTTP/HTTPS ports on the same IP address for each duplicate.

Duplicate Camera xN...​

Duplicate Camera xN... creates multiple copies in one step.

This is useful when you need many cameras quickly (e.g. stress/performance testing in a VMS/NVR).

Transfer IPCam (Export / Import)​

Transfer IPCam lets you move camera configuration between machines or keep a backup.

  • Export IPCam...: export the selected camera
  • Export All IPCams...: export all cameras
  • Import IPCam...: import a previously exported camera

Remove / Remove All​

  • Remove Camera: deletes the selected camera from the local list
  • Remove All Cameras: deletes all cameras from the local list

Tip: Right-click on empty space in the camera list to access bulk actions like Select All Cameras and Remove All Cameras.

Channel List (Center Panel)​

When a camera is selected, the Channel List shows all video channels belonging to that camera.

Each channel corresponds to:

  • One media source
  • One RTSP stream
  • One ONVIF media profile

Examples of channels:

  • CH1 – Screen Live
  • CH2 – Webcam
  • CH3 – Combined Media
  • CH4 – External IP Camera
Camera channels list

Single-Channel Camera Example​

If a camera was created with:

  • One desktop monitor

Result:

  • 1 virtual IP camera
  • 1 channel

This is the simplest and most compatible setup.

Multi-Channel Camera Example​

If a camera was created with:

  • Two monitors
  • One webcam

Result:

  • 1 virtual IP camera
  • 3 channels

This is ideal for VMS/NVR systems that support ONVIF multi-channel devices.

Multiple Cameras Example​

tip

If your VMS/NVR does not support multi-channel ONVIF devices, you can create:

  • One virtual IP camera per media source

Example:

  • Monitor 1 → Camera on port 7000
  • Monitor 2 → Camera on port 7001
  • Webcam → Camera on port 7002

Each camera:

  • Has one channel
  • Uses the same IP address
  • Uses a different ONVIF port

Channel Selection and Preview​

When a channel is selected:

  • Live preview is shown (if enabled)
  • RTSP URL is displayed
  • Stream status indicators are visible

From here you can:

  • Open video stream settings
  • Configure audio
  • Enable recording
  • Adjust overlays and detection
tip

All changes apply instantly, without restarting the camera.

Status Indicators​

ITVDesk uses visual indicators to show service status:

  • 🟢 Green – Service running and accessible
  • ⚪ Gray – Service disabled or inactive
  • 🔴 Red – Error or unavailable service

This helps quickly identify configuration or network issues.

Best Practices​

  • Use multi-channel cameras when your VMS supports them
  • Use single-channel cameras for maximum compatibility
  • Group related sources under one camera when possible
  • Use clear and descriptive camera names
  • Test RTSP streams after configuration changes

Summary​

The Camera List and Channel system allows ITVDesk to:

  • Emulate real ONVIF IP cameras
  • Support both simple and advanced setups
  • Scale from single stream to complex multi-channel systems
  • Integrate cleanly with professional VMS and NVR software

This design provides flexibility without sacrificing compatibility.

Next Steps​

Continue with:

👉 Video Stream Settings
👉 Audio Stream Settings
👉 Recording and Storage

Last updated on