Best Way to Rotate Through Security Camera Feeds in a Browser

If you have several cameras at home, a shop or an office, a screen that shows them all, or cycles through them, beats opening each app in turn. Here are the options, from simplest to most flexible.

1. Use your system's own multi-view first

Most recorders (NVRs) and camera apps have a grid view that shows several cameras at once. If your system has a web interface or desktop app with a grid, that's usually the most reliable option, with the lowest delay.

2. Cloud camera dashboards

Many cloud camera services offer a web dashboard where you can watch live views in a browser. Check whether yours shows several cameras on one page and whether live views keep playing or stop after a few minutes, which some services do to save bandwidth.

3. Rotate camera pages automatically

When each camera has its own live view address, you can rotate through them:

1. Open each camera's live view and bookmark it into one folder, such as "Cameras".
2. AutoBrowser plays the pages in that folder one after another in a single tab, staying on each for the time you set, from 1 second to 5 minutes, and loops.
3. Around 10 to 20 seconds per camera suits most places.

Each page reloads when it comes round, so views that time out get a fresh start.

Why some feeds won't play in a browser

Many cameras stream using a format called RTSP, which browsers can't play directly. To watch those in a browser, you need the recorder's web interface or software that converts the stream, such as a home video server.

Set up the screen

• Run the browser full screen (F11) or in kiosk mode. See setting up a browser display.
• Stop the computer and screen from sleeping.
• Use a dedicated browser profile that stays signed in.

Keep cameras secure

• Change default passwords on every camera and recorder.
• Turn on two-step verification for cloud camera accounts.
• Don't expose cameras to the internet with router port forwarding; use the maker's secure app or a VPN to reach them remotely.
• Install firmware updates.
• Place the viewing screen where passers-by can't watch it.

Respect privacy laws

Rules differ by country and state, especially for recording audio and filming beyond your property. Tell employees and visitors where cameras are, where the law requires it.

See also building an office dashboard display.