Documentation

Setup & Configuration Guide

Everything you need to get SentinelVision Pro running and configured correctly.

Getting Started

Your SentinelVision device arrives fully pre-installed and configured. There is no software to install. Simply connect it to your network and you are ready to go.

Step 1 — Power On & Connect to Your Network

Connect your SentinelVision device to your router using an Ethernet cable, then plug in the power supply. The system boots automatically and is ready within 60 seconds.

A wired Ethernet connection is strongly recommended for stable camera streams. Wi-Fi can be used but may affect performance with multiple cameras.

Step 2 — Find Your Device IP Address

From your laptop or PC, open any browser and go to your router’s admin page (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1). Log in and look for a Connected Devices or DHCP Client List section. Find the device named sentinelvision and note its IP address.

Not sure which address your router uses? On your laptop, open Settings → Network and check your Default Gateway — that is your router’s address. Enter it in your browser to reach the admin panel.

We recommend assigning a static IP to your SentinelVision device in your router settings so the web interface address never changes after a reboot.

Step 3 — Access the Web Interface

Open a browser on any device on the same network and navigate to:

http://<device-ip>:5000

First Login

The default login credentials after a fresh installation are:

Username: admin Password: Admin123

Change your password immediately after first login. Go to Settings → Change Password. Using the default password on a network-accessible device is a security risk.

Activating a License

After ordering a license and completing payment, you will receive a license key via email within 24 hours.

  1. Log into SentinelVision Pro.
  2. Navigate to Settings → License Management.
  3. Paste your license key into the activation field.
  4. Click Activate. The feature will be enabled immediately — no restart required.

License keys are tied to your installation. If you reinstall on the same hardware, your key will continue to work. Contact us if you need to transfer to a new device.

Adding Cameras

SentinelVision connects to your cameras via their RTSP stream URL. All cameras that support RTSP are compatible.

  1. Go to Cameras → Add Camera.
  2. Enter the camera name, RTSP URL, and optionally a location description.
  3. Click Test Connection to verify the stream is reachable.
  4. Save the camera. It will appear on your dashboard immediately.

Ensure your cameras are on the same local network as your SentinelVision device, or accessible via a static IP if on a different subnet.

RTSP URL Guide

Below are the standard RTSP URL formats for common camera brands. Replace the values in angle brackets with your camera's actual IP address, username and password.

Hikvision

Main stream: rtsp://<user>:<password>@<ip>:554/Streaming/Channels/101 Sub stream: rtsp://<user>:<password>@<ip>:554/Streaming/Channels/102

Provision ISR

rtsp://<user>:<password>@<ip>:554/stream1

Dahua

Main stream: rtsp://<user>:<password>@<ip>:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0 Sub stream: rtsp://<user>:<password>@<ip>:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1

CP Plus

rtsp://<user>:<password>@<ip>:554/stream0

Generic / Other Brands

rtsp://<user>:<password>@<ip>:554/stream

If you are unsure of the RTSP URL for your specific camera model, check the camera's manual, the manufacturer's website, or search for "brand + model + RTSP URL" — it usually takes less than a minute to find.

Performance tip: Use the sub-stream (lower resolution) URL where possible. It greatly reduces CPU usage while still providing accurate AI detection.

Supported Camera Hardware

SentinelVision Pro works with any camera or NVR that exposes an RTSP stream. Here are the brands we have tested and confirmed working:

Fully Tested

Hikvision

All modern IP cameras and NVRs. Both direct camera and NVR channel streams supported.

Fully Tested

Provision ISR

IP cameras and Provision NVRs. Sub-stream and main stream both confirmed.

Fully Tested

Dahua

IP cameras and standalone NVRs. Use the cam/realmonitor URL format.

Fully Tested

CP Plus

IP cameras confirmed working. Check your model's manual for the exact RTSP path.

Community Tested

Reolink

Most Reolink cameras support RTSP. Enable it in the camera settings first.

RTSP Required

Any Brand

If your camera supports RTSP, it will work. Check the camera settings to enable RTSP if it is not on by default.

Not sure if your camera is compatible? Send us the make and model and we'll confirm within a few hours.

Zone Detection

Zone Detection triggers an alert whenever a person enters a defined area on the camera feed.

  1. Go to Cameras and click Configure Zones on a camera.
  2. Click on the live feed to draw a detection zone polygon. Close it by clicking the starting point.
  3. Name the zone, set the armed schedule (always-on or time-of-day), and choose the sensitivity level.
  4. Save. Detections in that zone will now trigger Telegram alerts with a snapshot.

You can create multiple zones per camera, each with independent schedules and sensitivity settings. For example, Zone A always-armed, Zone B only armed after hours.

Loitering Detection

Loitering Detection fires an alert when a person remains within a zone longer than a configured time threshold — even when the system is otherwise disarmed.

  1. Configure a detection zone as described above.
  2. In the zone settings, enable Loitering Detection.
  3. Set the time threshold in seconds (e.g. 30 seconds, 2 minutes).
  4. Save. If a person lingers beyond that threshold, you'll receive an alert.

Loitering detection is particularly useful for shop fronts, ATM areas, and parking lots where casual passing is normal but prolonged presence is suspicious.

Weapon Detection Beta

Weapon Detection uses a dedicated AI model to identify firearms and threatening postures in the camera field of view. Alerts bypass standard cooldowns for fastest possible response.

  1. Ensure the Weapon Detection license is active under Settings → License Management.
  2. Go to Cameras → Settings for a camera and enable Weapon Detection.
  3. Set the confidence threshold (default: 70% — lower increases sensitivity but may increase false positives).
  4. Save. Weapon detections generate a high-priority Telegram alert immediately.

Weapon Detection is a Beta feature. Detection accuracy depends on camera angle, resolution and lighting. It is intended as an early-warning tool and should be used alongside other security measures.

People Counting

People Counting tracks entries, exits and live occupancy for zones, with historical trend data accessible from the analytics dashboard.

  1. Ensure the People Counting license is active.
  2. Define an entry/exit line in the Zone Configuration for the camera covering your entrance.
  3. View live occupancy and historical data under Analytics → People Counting.
  4. Export reports as CSV for any date range.

For accuracy, position the camera above the entrance looking straight down or at a slight angle. Avoid positioning where people could enter the frame from the side without crossing the line.

Telegram Alerts Setup

SentinelVision has a built-in Telegram bot ready to use. You do not need to create your own bot. Setup takes under 2 minutes.

Step 1 — Get Your Chat ID

  1. Open your SentinelVision web interface and go to Settings → Telegram.
  2. You will see the SentinelVision bot link. Open it in Telegram and click Start.
  3. Back in Settings, click Get Chat ID. Your Chat ID will be fetched automatically.

Step 2 — Save & Test

  1. Click Save to confirm your Chat ID.
  2. Click Send Test Message to confirm alerts are arriving in Telegram.

You can add multiple Telegram Chat IDs — for example, send alerts to both a personal account and a group shared with staff or family members.

Troubleshooting

Camera stream not connecting

  • Verify the RTSP URL is correct using a tool like VLC (Media → Open Network Stream).
  • Make sure the camera and SentinelVision device are on the same network.
  • Check that the camera's RTSP port (usually 554) is not blocked by a firewall.
  • Try the sub-stream URL instead of the main stream — it uses fewer resources.

No Telegram alerts being received

  • Send a Test Message from Settings → Telegram to confirm the token and Chat ID are correct.
  • Ensure your SentinelVision device has internet access.
  • Check that the zone is set to Armed and the schedule includes the current time.
  • Check the alert cooldown setting — if set to a long value, alerts may be suppressed.

High CPU usage

  • Switch cameras to use the sub-stream (lower resolution) RTSP URL.
  • Reduce the number of simultaneously active detection zones.
  • Increase the detection frame interval in Settings → Detection.

Detection not triggering

  • Verify the zone is armed and the current time falls within the schedule.
  • Lower the confidence threshold in the zone settings.
  • Check that the camera stream is not frozen or disconnected on the dashboard.
  • Ensure the license for that feature is active under Settings → License Management.

If you're stuck, email us or message on WhatsApp with the error message from the logs above. We usually have a fix within a few hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no hard limit on the number of cameras. Practical limits depend on your hardware — specifically its CPU and RAM. Most setups handle 4–8 cameras comfortably on modest hardware. Running more cameras at sub-stream resolution extends this significantly.
Yes. A single license covers all cameras connected to your SentinelVision installation. There are no per-camera fees. Zone Detection licensed for one installation works across all cameras in that installation.
Mostly yes. AI detection, zone monitoring, logging and local storage all work without internet. Telegram alerts require internet to send notifications, but they resume automatically when connectivity is restored. Outgoing alerts are queued and not lost.
You will receive warning notifications in the dashboard and via Telegram as the expiry date approaches (30 days, 7 days, 1 day). When expired, the licensed feature stops running but the rest of the system continues normally. Simply renew your license to reactivate.
Yes. Updates are applied from the dashboard under Settings → System Update. Upload the update package and click Apply — no SSH or command line required. Your configuration and data are preserved across updates.
No. SentinelVision stores all data — alerts, snapshots, analytics — locally on your device. Nothing is sent to or stored by us. Your footage stays on your hardware at all times.
Email us at info.sentinelvision@gmail.com or message us on WhatsApp. We're happy to walk you through the setup process at no extra charge.