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Works With Vivotek

Vivotek Cloud VMS — The Flexible VAST 2 Alternative

Tentovision is a cloud-based VMS and a VAST 2 alternative that works with your existing Vivotek cameras over RTSP and ONVIF — adding cloud and hybrid deployment, multi-brand support, and AI analytics without per-camera licensing or a Windows-only server. Vivotek builds some of the most capable IP cameras in the enterprise market, and VAST 2 is a genuinely strong VMS for an all-Vivotek estate. But as deployments scale across sites, brands, and cloud-first infrastructure, the per-channel licensing and Windows Server dependency start to weigh. Tentovision keeps your Vivotek FD, IB, MD, and SD cameras exactly where they are and adds the capabilities a modern enterprise needs — without a VAST 2 license.

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FD/IB/MD/SD
All Vivotek series supported
5 min
Average setup time
No license
No VAST 2 license needed
Hero image — Tentovision dashboard with Vivotek camera feeds Tentovision cloud VMS dashboard showing multiple Vivotek camera feeds (FD fixed dome, IB bullet, MD mobile dome, SD speed-dome PTZ, FE fisheye) with Smart Stream III compression preserved, live monitoring, AI analytics overlays alongside Smart VCA, and remote access from browser and mobile
Why switch

Why Vivotek users switch from VAST 2

VAST 2 is a capable enterprise VMS — this isn't a case of replacing a weak free tool. It offers deep Vivotek integration, Smart VCA analytics, Smart Search II, 2.5D maps, failover, and multi-site management via VAST Central. The reasons enterprises move to an alternative are about cost structure, brand mix, and cloud architecture.

💰

Per-channel licensing & server cost add up at scale

VAST 2 uses a per-channel licensing model, sold in packs, and runs on Windows Server you provision and maintain. Across 100+ cameras and multiple sites, the channel licenses, Windows Server capital and licensing, and the annual maintenance renewals all compound into a significant and recurring ongoing cost. As the estate grows, every expansion means buying more channel packs and, eventually, more server capacity.

Tentovision fix: subscription or perpetual model, no per-channel stacking, no Windows Server.
🧩

VAST 2 manages Vivotek cameras only

Enterprise fleets increasingly mix brands — CP Plus at cost-sensitive sites, legacy Hikvision or Dahua, Axis for specialised needs. VAST 2 manages Vivotek hardware only, forcing a second VMS platform for everything else.

Tentovision fix: brand-agnostic — Vivotek, Axis, Hikvision, Dahua, CP Plus on one dashboard.
☁️

Windows Server-based, limited cloud-native capability

VAST 2's strengths are on-premise. It lacks true native cloud recording, cloud remote access without VPN, and lightweight edge deployment. Vivotek's separate VORTEX cloud is built around Vivotek cameras and aimed at SMB/chain-stores — not a brand-agnostic enterprise fleet.

Tentovision fix: cloud-native, on-premise, or hybrid, on the infrastructure you choose.

In fairness to VAST 2

For an all-Vivotek, on-premise estate with the budget and Windows infrastructure to run it, VAST 2 is an excellent choice — its native Smart VCA integration, Smart Search II, 2.5D maps, failover protection, and VAST Central multi-site management are genuinely strong. This page is about when a cloud-first or multi-brand enterprise outgrows that model — not a claim that VAST 2 is weak.

Vivotek cloud storage

Add cloud storage to your Vivotek cameras — no VAST 2 license required

The Tentovision Cloud Adapter connects directly to your existing Vivotek cameras over the network and records them to the cloud — no VAST 2 license, no Windows Server, no rip-and-replace. Vivotek's ONVIF compliance is among the best in the industry, so auto-discovery is smooth.

  • AES-256 encrypted, Microsoft Azure-hosted cloud recording
  • Multi-stream native: main stream local, sub-stream to cloud
  • Smart Stream III preserved — bandwidth/storage savings kept, recorded as-is
  • Flexible retention from days to years
  • Onboard SSD buffers footage when the connection drops, then auto-uploads
  • Continuous or motion/event-based cloud recording, set per Vivotek camera

Nothing requires replacing Vivotek's NR-series NVRs — Tentovision runs alongside them, with the main stream continuing to record locally while the sub-stream goes to the cloud. That keeps upload bandwidth predictable across a multi-site enterprise deployment.

Explore CCTV cloud storage →
Image — Vivotek FD-series camera + Cloud Adapter → encrypted Azure cloud storage Architecture diagram showing Vivotek FD-series fixed dome cameras with Smart Stream III compression connected to a Tentovision Cloud Adapter, streaming AES-256 encrypted footage to Microsoft Azure cloud storage as enterprise backup without a VAST 2 license
Remote viewing

Access your Vivotek cameras remotely — without iViewer or port forwarding

Vivotek's iViewer app is functional for basic remote viewing, but it's built for single-system access and lacks multi-site management, AI analytics, and health monitoring. Tentovision is an iViewer alternative built for the enterprise.

  • Secure outbound connection — no inbound ports, no VPN, unlike iViewer/port forwarding
  • WebRTC low-latency live streaming in any browser or the mobile app (~0.5s latency)
  • Multi-site, multi-brand dashboard vs iViewer's single-system view
  • Role-based access permissions per user and site
  • Vivotek at flagship sites and other brands at branch sites — one permissioned view

For an enterprise running Vivotek across many sites, that unified, permissioned view turns a collection of cameras into a managed system — and every access and export is logged for the audit trail that enterprise and government deployments require.

See the wider cloud VMS →
Image — Multi-site dashboard with Vivotek & Axis feeds across locations Tentovision multi-site dashboard displaying Vivotek FD and SD-series feeds at flagship sites alongside Axis, Hikvision, and CP Plus cameras at branch sites, on browser and mobile, with role-based access controls and live alerts
VAST 2 alternative

VAST 2 vs Tentovision: an honest comparison

Here's how Tentovision compares to VAST 2 feature by feature. This is a balanced comparison — VAST 2 is a real enterprise VMS with genuine strengths, not a basic free tool. Note too that Vivotek offers a separate cloud VSaaS, VORTEX; it's capable but centred on Vivotek's own cameras and aimed at SMB and chain-store deployments, so for a brand-agnostic enterprise fleet the comparison that matters is VAST 2 against Tentovision.

FeatureVAST 2Tentovision
Multi-brand camera support✗ Vivotek only✓ 100+ brands
Cloud recordingLimited (VORTEX is separate, Vivotek-centric)✓ Native cloud VMS
On-premise recording✓ Windows Server✓ Lightweight edge device
Hybrid (cloud + local)Limited✓
AI analytics✓ Smart VCA (Vivotek cameras only)✓ 20+ analytics on any camera
Camera health monitoringBasic status✓ Camera, NVR, HDD, SLA
Multi-site management✓ VAST Central✓ Unlimited sites, any brand
Smart Search II / forensic search✓ Strong (Vivotek native)Cross-brand metadata search
Mobile + web accessiViewer app✓ Any browser + app
Infrastructure requiredWindows Server + VAST licensesCloud Adapter or edge device
Pricing modelPer-channel license + server costSubscription or perpetual — no server

Read honestly, the table tells you when not to switch. Stay with VAST 2 if you run an all-Vivotek estate, have the budget for channel licenses and Windows Server, rely on deep Smart VCA and Smart Search II integration, and operate a large single-brand campus — VAST 2 is excellent at exactly that, and VAST Central handles multi-site Vivotek well. Switch to Tentovision if you run a multi-brand fleet, are cost-sensitive about per-channel licensing, are moving cloud-first or away from Windows Server, or need comprehensive health monitoring and analytics across every brand. VAST 2 wins the all-Vivotek on-premise enterprise; Tentovision wins the mixed-brand, cloud-or-hybrid enterprise.

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Setup guide

How to connect Vivotek cameras to Tentovision (RTSP & ONVIF setup)

Connecting Vivotek cameras takes about five minutes — their ONVIF compliance is among the best in the industry. Confirm the exact RTSP path against your model's firmware, as a few series vary.

  1. Find the Vivotek camera IP address

    Use Vivotek's free Shepherd utility to scan the subnet, check the device list in VAST 2 if you're migrating, or read the label on the camera. The default IP varies by model.

  2. Confirm ONVIF

    ONVIF is typically enabled by default on Vivotek cameras. If not, enable it under Configuration → Network → ONVIF. Vivotek supports ONVIF Profile S and Profile T; create a dedicated ONVIF user if prompted, as it may be separate from the admin account.

  3. Note the RTSP URL

    Vivotek uses the live.sdp stream path on default port 554:

    # Main stream rtsp://username:password@IP:554/live.sdp # Sub stream rtsp://username:password@IP:554/live2.sdp # Alternative / some newer models rtsp://username:password@IP/video.mp4 rtsp://username:password@IP:554/media/video1

    Default port 554 · default user root (password set at first setup — Vivotek has no universal default password).

  4. Connect the Cloud Adapter

    Plug the Tentovision Cloud Adapter into the same network switch as your Vivotek cameras. Power it on — a single blue LED indicates network connectivity.

  5. Pair and discover

    Scan the QR code on the adapter with the Tentovision app to register it to your account. Vivotek cameras auto-discover over ONVIF quickly.

  6. Verify the live feed

    Confirm each live feed in the dashboard, then set recording mode (continuous, motion, or hybrid) and cloud retention per camera. Smart Stream compression is preserved during cloud recording — no transcoding.

📷 Compatible Vivotek cameras

FD-series fixed domes (FD9167-H, FD9365-HTV, FD9391-EHTV), IB-series bullets (IB9367-EHT, IB9389-EHT), MD-series mobile domes (MD9560-H), SD-series PTZ (SD9384-EHL, SD9394-EHL), FE-series fisheye (FE9191, FE9382-EHV), and all cameras with SNV (Supreme Night Visibility).

🗃 Compatible Vivotek recorders

Vivotek NR-series NVRs (NR9681, NR9682). Vivotek cameras support multi-streaming natively — ideal for Tentovision's sub-stream cloud recording.

⚠ Troubleshooting
  • "RTSP path not working" — try /live.sdp first, then /live2.sdp for the sub stream; some newer models use /media/video1.
  • "No ONVIF discovery" — check that an ONVIF user has been created; it may be separate from the admin login.
  • "Smart Stream compatibility" — Tentovision supports H.264 and H.265, including Smart Stream-encoded feeds, recorded as-is with no transcoding.
Deployment

Deploy Tentovision with your Vivotek cameras — cloud, on-premise, or hybrid

Tentovision runs your existing Vivotek fleet three ways, so the deployment matches the site and the infrastructure strategy rather than forcing a Windows Server estate.

☁️

Cloud

Cloud Adapter + cloud storage

The Cloud Adapter streams your Vivotek cameras to Microsoft Azure, with no Windows Server to provision or license — eliminating the VAST 2 server infrastructure cost entirely.

Best for: cloud-first organisations and new sites wanting minimal on-site hardware.
🖥️

On-Premise

Lightweight edge device + local SSD

A lightweight edge device with local storage replaces VAST 2's Windows Server requirement, keeping video inside the building for data-residency needs. Footage never leaves the site, and the device runs without a Windows Server license or the maintenance overhead it carries.

Best for: sites with sovereignty requirements or constrained connectivity.
🔀

Hybrid

Edge Smart VCA + cloud backup

Keep Vivotek's Smart VCA running on-camera at the edge for instant local detection, and add cloud backup plus centralised cross-site management through Tentovision.

Best for: enterprises preserving their Vivotek edge investment while gaining cloud resilience.

Mix modes across the estate and manage them together with full multi-site CCTV monitoring.

AI analytics

20+ AI analytics on your existing Vivotek cameras — beyond Smart VCA

🤝 Tentovision works alongside Smart VCA, not against it

Vivotek's Smart VCA provides solid on-camera analytics — motion and intrusion detection, loitering, line crossing, face detection, people counting — and it's genuinely good for real-time edge detection. Tentovision is designed to complement it: Vivotek handles edge detection, Tentovision adds cloud intelligence and cross-camera correlation across your whole fleet. You keep Smart VCA and extend it with analytics that also run on your non-Vivotek cameras.

🚗

ANPR / License Plate

Read and log vehicle plates at gates, car parks, and loading bays — with watchlist matching.

Vehicle
⛑️

PPE Detection

Flag missing helmets, vests, gloves, masks, goggles, or safety boots on industrial sites.

Safety
👥

People Counting

Automated footfall and occupancy counting across retail, transit, and facility entrances.

Retail
🪪

Face Recognition

Watchlist matching, access verification, and VIP / repeat-visitor identification.

Identity
🔥

Fire & Smoke Detection

Early visual detection of fire and smoke before conventional sensors trigger — including outdoor scenarios.

Safety
🛒

Shoplifting Prevention

Behavioural anomaly alerts at high-risk retail zones — concealment, sweeping, abnormal dwell.

Retail
📊

Crowd Density Analysis

Real-time crowd density heatmaps with safe / critical thresholds for stadiums, transit hubs, events.

Crowd
🚨

Intrusion Detection

Perimeter breach alerts for restricted zones, server rooms, off-hour office areas, R&D labs.

Security
↔️

Line Crossing Detection

Configurable virtual tripwires with direction logic — entry, exit, or both — across any camera view.

Security
⏳

Loitering Detection

Alerts when a person remains in a defined zone beyond a configurable time threshold — ATMs, lobbies, restricted areas.

Security
🎒

Object Left Behind

Detects abandoned bags, parcels, or items in public areas — airports, transit hubs, secure zones.

Security
📦

Object Removed / Theft

Detects removal of monitored items — products, equipment, displays — with timestamped clip evidence.

Retail
🚚

Vehicle Classification

Distinguish cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, buses, and pedestrians in traffic and parking feeds.

Vehicle
🚗

ANPR / License Plate

Read and log vehicle plates at gates, car parks, and loading bays — with watchlist matching.

Vehicle
⛑️

PPE Detection

Flag missing helmets, vests, gloves, masks, goggles, or safety boots on industrial sites.

Safety
👥

People Counting

Automated footfall and occupancy counting across retail, transit, and facility entrances.

Retail
🪪

Face Recognition

Watchlist matching, access verification, and VIP / repeat-visitor identification.

Identity
🔥

Fire & Smoke Detection

Early visual detection of fire and smoke before conventional sensors trigger — including outdoor scenarios.

Safety
🛒

Shoplifting Prevention

Behavioural anomaly alerts at high-risk retail zones — concealment, sweeping, abnormal dwell.

Retail
📊

Crowd Density Analysis

Real-time crowd density heatmaps with safe / critical thresholds for stadiums, transit hubs, events.

Crowd
🚨

Intrusion Detection

Perimeter breach alerts for restricted zones, server rooms, off-hour office areas, R&D labs.

Security
↔️

Line Crossing Detection

Configurable virtual tripwires with direction logic — entry, exit, or both — across any camera view.

Security
⏳

Loitering Detection

Alerts when a person remains in a defined zone beyond a configurable time threshold — ATMs, lobbies, restricted areas.

Security
🎒

Object Left Behind

Detects abandoned bags, parcels, or items in public areas — airports, transit hubs, secure zones.

Security
📦

Object Removed / Theft

Detects removal of monitored items — products, equipment, displays — with timestamped clip evidence.

Retail
🚚

Vehicle Classification

Distinguish cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, buses, and pedestrians in traffic and parking feeds.

Vehicle
⚡

Speed Estimation

Estimate vehicle speed across camera-defined zones — useful for parking lots, industrial yards, campus roads.

Vehicle
🛵

Helmet Detection (Two-Wheelers)

Detect helmetless riders entering campus, factory, or warehouse premises — critical for India compliance.

Safety
↩️

Wrong-Way Detection

Alert when vehicles or people move against the designated flow direction — one-ways, ramps, exits.

Traffic
🚶‍♂️

Queue Length Monitoring

Track queue lengths at counters, checkouts, and entrances — open more lanes before customers walk away.

Retail
🗺️

Heat Maps & Dwell Time

Visualise where people linger across a floor plan — optimise retail layouts, signage, and staff coverage.

Analytics
📈

Demographic Analytics

Estimated age range and gender distribution from anonymised CCTV feeds — for retail planning and footfall insight.

Retail
🚭

Smoking Detection

Detect smoking in restricted zones — factory floors, warehouses, hospitals, fuel stations.

Safety
📱

Phone Usage Detection

Flag mobile phone use in restricted areas — production lines, driver cabs, secure zones, exam halls.

Compliance
🤕

Slip & Fall Detection

Detect persons fallen on the ground and unmoving — alerting staff in healthcare, eldercare, warehouses.

Safety
📏

Social Distancing

Monitor inter-person distancing in queues and shared zones — flexible for health-safety policies.

Safety
🚫

Camera Tampering Detection

Alerts when a camera is blocked, blurred, sprayed, or repositioned — guards against deliberate evasion.

Security
🚦

Traffic Flow Analysis

Vehicle counts, lane occupancy, congestion patterns, and average speed across road segments.

Traffic
⚡

Speed Estimation

Estimate vehicle speed across camera-defined zones — useful for parking lots, industrial yards, campus roads.

Vehicle
🛵

Helmet Detection (Two-Wheelers)

Detect helmetless riders entering campus, factory, or warehouse premises — critical for India compliance.

Safety
↩️

Wrong-Way Detection

Alert when vehicles or people move against the designated flow direction — one-ways, ramps, exits.

Traffic
🚶‍♂️

Queue Length Monitoring

Track queue lengths at counters, checkouts, and entrances — open more lanes before customers walk away.

Retail
🗺️

Heat Maps & Dwell Time

Visualise where people linger across a floor plan — optimise retail layouts, signage, and staff coverage.

Analytics
📈

Demographic Analytics

Estimated age range and gender distribution from anonymised CCTV feeds — for retail planning and footfall insight.

Retail
🚭

Smoking Detection

Detect smoking in restricted zones — factory floors, warehouses, hospitals, fuel stations.

Safety
📱

Phone Usage Detection

Flag mobile phone use in restricted areas — production lines, driver cabs, secure zones, exam halls.

Compliance
🤕

Slip & Fall Detection

Detect persons fallen on the ground and unmoving — alerting staff in healthcare, eldercare, warehouses.

Safety
📏

Social Distancing

Monitor inter-person distancing in queues and shared zones — flexible for health-safety policies.

Safety
🚫

Camera Tampering Detection

Alerts when a camera is blocked, blurred, sprayed, or repositioned — guards against deliberate evasion.

Security
🚦

Traffic Flow Analysis

Vehicle counts, lane occupancy, congestion patterns, and average speed across road segments.

Traffic

All 20+ analytics work on the Vivotek cameras you already own — no camera replacement required. Cloud-processed for cloud and hybrid deployments, edge-processed for on-premise sites. Analytics that Smart VCA does not cover at all run here on the same FD, IB, MD, and SD-series feeds you are already recording.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Tentovision + Vivotek

Yes. Tentovision connects to your Vivotek cameras directly over RTSP and ONVIF, so no VAST 2 license is required for recording, viewing, or management. You keep the Vivotek cameras and gain cloud, multi-brand, and AI capabilities without the per-channel licensing or Windows Server that VAST 2 needs.
Yes. Tentovision records the Smart Stream-optimised H.264 or H.265 feed exactly as the Vivotek camera produces it, so the bandwidth and storage savings Smart Stream provides are preserved rather than re-encoded away. This keeps cloud recording efficient on Vivotek's already bandwidth-conscious streams.
Yes. Many organisations run both during a transition — VAST 2 continues managing the Vivotek estate while Tentovision is added for cloud backup, multi-brand cameras, and analytics. Because Tentovision connects over ONVIF/RTSP, it doesn't interfere with VAST 2, and you can migrate at your own pace or run them in parallel indefinitely.
VAST Central provides capable multi-site management for Vivotek cameras within a Windows Server architecture. Tentovision provides multi-site management across unlimited sites and any camera brand, from the cloud or a hybrid deployment, without the server infrastructure — so it suits mixed-brand estates and cloud-first organisations, while VAST Central remains strong for all-Vivotek on-premise campuses.
Yes. Tentovision works alongside Smart VCA: your Vivotek cameras continue performing edge detection (intrusion, loitering, people counting), and Tentovision adds cloud-processed analytics and cross-camera correlation on top. You don't lose Smart VCA — you extend it with analytics that also run across your non-Vivotek cameras.
Yes. This is a core reason enterprises choose Tentovision over VAST 2. VAST 2 manages Vivotek hardware only, but Tentovision ingests Vivotek, Axis, Hikvision, Dahua, CP Plus, and any ONVIF camera into one dashboard — so a mixed enterprise fleet runs as one system instead of several.
Yes. Vivotek SD-series speed domes such as the SD9384-EHL and SD9394-EHL connect over ONVIF/RTSP, and Tentovision supports their pan, tilt, and zoom controls from the browser and mobile app — including from the multi-site dashboard, which the single-system iViewer view can't replicate.
For most deployments at that scale, yes — VAST 2's per-channel licensing plus Windows Server capital, licensing, and maintenance compound as camera counts rise, whereas Tentovision's subscription or perpetual model carries no per-channel stacking and no server infrastructure. The exact comparison depends on your retention and deployment choices, so it's worth modelling both against your current VAST 2 licensing.
Trademark notice: VIVOTEK, VAST, VAST 2, VAST Central, VORTEX, Smart VCA, Smart Search II, Smart Stream, iViewer, Shepherd, SNV (Supreme Night Visibility), and the FD, IB, MD, SD, FE, and NR series are trademarks of VIVOTEK Inc. Axis, Axis Camera Station, Hikvision, iVMS-4200, Dahua, SmartPSS, CP Plus, KVMS Pro, Uniview, EZStation and other camera brand names referenced are trademarks of their respective owners. Tentosoft Solutions Private Limited is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by VIVOTEK Inc. or any other camera manufacturer mentioned on this page. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners and used for descriptive interoperability purposes only.
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Enterprise VMS for your Vivotek cameras — without per-channel VAST 2 licensing

Move beyond VAST 2's per-channel licensing and Windows Server dependency. Tentovision gives your Vivotek FD, IB, MD, and SD cameras cloud recording, 20+ AI analytics, and comprehensive health monitoring — and manages your Axis, Hikvision, Dahua, and CP Plus cameras on the same dashboard — while preserving Smart Stream efficiency and working alongside Smart VCA. Deploy cloud, on-premise, or hybrid, on the infrastructure you choose.

📷

Works with what you own

Vivotek FD/IB/MD/SD/FE-series, NR-series NVRs, Smart Stream III & Smart VCA — plus 100+ ONVIF brands.

💰

No per-channel licensing

No per-camera VMS license, no Windows Server. TCO comparison against your current VAST 2 licensing available on request.

🛡️

AES-256 + Azure-hosted

SOC 2 and ISO 27001 aligned data handling. DPDP Act 2023 compliant. Smart Stream preserved end-to-end.

🇮🇳

India-based team

All onboarding, deployment, and support handled by our India team — in your time zone.

📍 7th Floor, 4/293, RAR Technopolis, OMR, Perungudi, Chennai 600096

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📞 We respond within 1 business day (IST)
🇮🇳 GST registered · DPDP Act 2023 compliant
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