Before you dive into specific error messages and solutions, it's important to perform some basic checks to ensure that your camera setup is in order. These checks can help you avoid unnecessary troubleshooting steps and may even resolve some issues straight away.

Preliminary Checks

General Connection Check

1. Ensure Camera Power: Make sure the camera is turned on and receiving power.
2. Check Network Connection: Verify that the camera is correctly connected to your network. Look for link activity lights on the network switch to confirm network activity.
3. Access Camera IP: Attempt to access the camera directly using its IP address. If the camera is unreachable, there could be an issue with its network settings or its power supply. More on this here.

Credentials Check

1. Confirm Username and Password: Make sure that you've entered the correct username and password for your camera. Incorrect credentials can lead to a variety of error messages. More on this here.

Camera Settings Check

1. Verify RTSP Settings: Check the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) settings in your camera's configuration. Ensure that the RTSP port and path are correctly set and that RTSP is enabled if your camera brand/model supports this feature. 
   • RTSP port info
   • RTSP path info
   • RTSP enabled setting info
2. Camera Firmware: Ensure your camera firmware is up-to-date. Outdated firmware could lead to compatibility issues with Spot AI IVR.

If the preliminary checks don't resolve your camera connection issue, then proceed with the detailed troubleshooting steps provided in the following sections.

Username or Password invalid

Overview

If the entered credentials are incorrect for the camera, it can cause this error.

Error Message

Error credentialsInvalid: Stream Validation Failed

Verifying and Resolving

It can be verified if this is the case by attempting to log into the camera directly. 

• Navigate to the camera's config page: Remote Camera Proxy
• Enter the credentials directly into the camera's login page
  • If the credentials do not work on the camera's login page, the correct camera credentials will need to be found, or the camera will need to be factory reset
  • If the credentials do work on the camera's login page, but still don't work in the Spot Dashboard, reach out to Support

RTSP Port invalid

Overview

If the entered RTSP port is incorrect for the camera, it will cause this error.

Error Message

Error portInvalid: Stream Validation Failed

Verifying and Resolving

It can be verified if this is the case by logging into the camera and checking its network port configuration settings. 

• Navigate to the camera's config page: Remote Camera Proxy
• Log into the camera. The RTSP port setting will typically be under the Network settings. 

RTSP Path Invalid

Overview

The RTSP URL is needed to request the correct video stream from the camera. 

RTSP Formatting

Only a portion of the RTSP URL needs to be entered.

• If the full RTSP URL is: 

  • rtsp://username:password@192.168.1.5:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0

• The only part that needs to be entered into the RTSP Path field is: 

  • /cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0

• The rest of the information (username, password, IP address, and RTSP port) are all entered in different fields.

If the RTSP URL is not known

• Google can help with finding the correct RTSP URL. Try searching for the camera brand or model with 'RTSP URL' on the end of it.
• It might be listed in the camera's configuration page somewhere as well.
• If all else fails, Support can help with finding the correct RTSP path.

Other possible causes

• Wrong camera credentials
  • Verify the camera credentials are correct
• System time wrong on Spot AI IVR
  • If this is a new installation, the system time on the IVR could be incorrect, causing validation issues.
  • If this is suspected and a reboot doesn't resolve this, Spot Support can help troubleshoot this.
• Old camera firmware
  • If the cameras are older, the RTSP support in the firmware may be outdated

RTSP Disabled

Overview

Some camera brands have RTSP disabled by default.

Verifying and Resolving

The only way to verify if this is an issue and resolve it is to access the camera's configuration page and check. Where the setting is within the config varies by camera brand and model. ACTi is one brand that is known to do this on some models.

Cannot reach Camera IP

Overview

If the camera is no longer reachable.

Verifying and Resolving

Try accessing the camera directly using its IP address. If it's not responding:

• Check if the camera is still powered on
• Check if the camera has link activity lights on the switch connection
• Check if the camera got a new IP address (this should update in the Spot Dashboard automatically if the camera is within the same broadcast domain as the Spot IVR, but may take awhile)

We hope this article was useful to you, please leave us a comment or feedback as it will help us improve our customer support center.