These docs are not up to date yet. The app is moving faster than we can describe it. These pages cover Watchpost 0.1.0 alpha (build 444) and may be incomplete or out of date. Details
Hikvision and HiWatch
Hikvision and HiWatch devices speak the same protocol, ISAPI, over the device’s web port, 80 by default. The app shows them as Hikvision / HiWatch. We tested it on a Hikvision recorder with eight IP channels and on a HiWatch camera.
What works
Section titled “What works”| Feature | By address | Through a Hik-Connect account |
|---|---|---|
| Live | Yes, over RTSP | Yes, through the cloud |
| Archive | Yes | Yes, through the cloud |
| Events | Yes | No |
| Settings | Yes | Yes, through the account |
| Camera control | No | No |
Add a device
Section titled “Add a device”Choose the Hikvision / HiWatch protocol in the Add Device form, and enter the device’s own login. A device with no password yet shows Not activated in the search. Set the password on the device first. The form and the test are described in Adding a device.
Encrypted video
Section titled “Encrypted video”Some devices encrypt their video. Watchpost reads the verification code from the device and decrypts the picture itself, so you don’t type the code. The code sits in the device’s settings, in the Hik-Connect section, under Stream Encryption. Other programs need the code entered by hand.
Archive and events
Section titled “Archive and events”The archive plays the device’s recordings, and a clip exports as MP4 with its sound. See Archive.
Motion and other detections reach Events only when the device reports them to the surveillance center. If it doesn’t, the app shows a notice about it.
Settings
Section titled “Settings”The sections are grouped as they are on the Mac:
| Group | Sections |
|---|---|
| Device | Information, Date & Time, Channels, IP Channels |
| Recording and video | Recording, Encoding, Image, OSD and Privacy Masks |
| Events | Motion Detection, Camera Tampering, Video Loss, Exceptions |
| Network | Address and Ports, Hik-Connect, E-mail, FTP, DDNS, UPnP |
| Service | Users, Log, Maintenance, Advanced Editor |
The Apple apps include user management, the device log and maintenance. Available actions depend on the account’s permissions and the device’s response. Built-in accounts and the account Watchpost uses have protection against deletion. Smart-event configuration, such as line crossing and intrusion detection, is not yet offered.
On Android, devices added by address have live view, archive and export, events and settings in the advanced editor. The Apple user-management forms are not available there. Hik-Connect accounts are not yet supported on Android.
Recorder channels
Section titled “Recorder channels”A Hikvision recorder can take cameras on its IP channels. The steps are in Adding a device.
Hik-Connect
Section titled “Hik-Connect”Through a Hik-Connect account, live video, the archive and the settings go through the vendor’s cloud, so no address is needed. The cloud sends no events. Video through Hik-Connect passes through Hikvision’s servers, not Watchpost’s.
Other brands
Section titled “Other brands”Other brands that sell Hikvision firmware under their own names, such as iFlow or HiLook, are not checked yet. Add such a device as Hikvision / HiWatch. The test in the form shows whether its protocol answers.
See Hik-Connect accounts for sign-in, regions, invitations and adding devices, and Share access to devices for recipient rights and revocation.
For the Apple settings forms, see information and time, recorder channels, recording schedules and video, image and masks.
Also see Detection and analytics, Alarms and event actions, Address and protocols and Network services. The available forms depend on the protocol and device.
See Device users and Device log and maintenance for account permissions, log tools and restart, including platform differences.