Uniview and Apple HomeKit: A Guide to Compatibility
If you are trying to add your Uniview (UNV) security camera or NVR to the Apple Home app, you may have discovered that it doesn't show up. This guide explains the compatibility between Uniview products and Apple HomeKit and explores the solutions available to integrate them into your Apple smart home.
### Does Uniview Natively Support HomeKit?
The simple answer is no. Uniview security systems do not have native support for Apple HomeKit.
You cannot take a Uniview camera out of the box, scan a code, and have it appear in your Apple Home app alongside your other HomeKit-enabled devices. The firmware and software on Uniview products are not designed to communicate directly with Apple's HomeKit protocol. Uniview focuses on its own ecosystem, including the EZView mobile app and EZStation VMS software, as well as standards like ONVIF for third-party compatibility with other security systems.
This lack of native support is common among professional-grade surveillance equipment, which often prioritises features and protocols specific to the security industry over consumer-level smart home integration.
## How to Connect Your Uniview Camera to HomeKit
While native support is not an option, it is still possible to view your Uniview camera streams within the Apple Home app. This is achieved by using a third-party bridge. A bridge is a piece of software that runs on a device on your home network (like a Raspberry Pi, a NAS, or an always-on computer) and translates the video feed from your camera into a format that HomeKit can understand.
Two popular and powerful options for this are Homebridge and Scrypted.
### Solution 1: Using Homebridge
Homebridge is a lightweight, open-source server you can run on your home network that emulates the iOS HomeKit API. It has a vast library of community-supported plugins that add HomeKit support for thousands of incompatible devices.
How it works:
- Set up Homebridge: You install Homebridge on a suitable device. A Raspberry Pi is a popular, low-energy choice.
- Install a Camera Plugin: You install a plugin designed for cameras, such as
homebridge-camera-ffmpeg. - Configure the Plugin: You will need to provide the plugin with the RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol) URL of your Uniview camera. RTSP is a standard protocol for streaming video, which is supported by almost all Uniview cameras.
- Add to HomeKit: Homebridge creates a virtual bridge that you can add to your Apple Home app by scanning a QR code. Your Uniview camera will then appear as a standard camera device.
### Solution 2: Using Scrypted
Scrypted is another excellent platform, specifically optimised for high-performance camera integration with smart home systems, including HomeKit Secure Video. It often provides a smoother and more reliable video experience than other methods.
How it works:
- Install Scrypted: Like Homebridge, you install Scrypted on an always-on computer, server, or Raspberry Pi.
- Install Plugins: Scrypted uses its own plugin system. You would typically install the RTSP plugin and the HomeKit plugin.
- Add Your Camera: You add your Uniview camera to Scrypted using its RTSP stream URL.
- Expose to HomeKit: You then enable the HomeKit integration within Scrypted, which makes the camera available to be added to your Apple Home app.
## Finding Your Camera's RTSP Stream
To use either of these solutions, you need the RTSP URL for your camera. This can usually be found in the camera's web interface under network or video settings. The format is typically something like:
rtsp://<username>:<password>@<camera_ip_address>:554/unicast/c1/s0/live
You will need to replace the placeholders with your camera's actual credentials and IP address.
While Uniview does not support HomeKit out of the box, the flexibility of platforms like Homebridge and Scrypted empowers knowledgeable users to achieve a high level of integration with their Apple ecosystem.