What cameras work with TinyGuard?

Any camera that supports RTSP or ONVIF — that's ~90% of commercial security cameras. Here are our tested picks at three price points.

Indoor cameras

WiFi or PoE. Pan/tilt for classrooms, fixed dome for hallways.

BudgetMid-rangePro
ModelTP-Link Tapo C210Reolink E1 ZoomHikvision DS-2CD2143G2-I
Resolution2K (3MP)5MP4MP
Price~$30~$55~$120
ConnectionWiFiWiFi (PoE adapter avail.)PoE
Pan/TiltYesYes + 3× optical zoomNo (fixed dome)
Night visionIRIR + spotlightsColorVu (full color)
Audio2-way2-wayBuilt-in mic
ONVIF / RTSPYesYesYes
Best forSmall rooms, home childcareClassrooms, activity areasHallways, lobbies, elder care
Tapo C210 setup note: RTSP must be enabled once in the Tapo app → Camera Settings → Advanced → RTSP. One-time toggle, then TinyGuard discovers it automatically.

Outdoor cameras

All PoE. Weatherproof. On-camera person detection reduces false alerts.

BudgetMid-rangePro
ModelReolink RLC-510AAmcrest IP8M-2496EHikvision DS-2CD2347G2-LU
Resolution5MP4K (8MP)4MP
Price~$50~$80~$140
ConnectionPoEPoEPoE
WeatherproofIP66IP67IP67
Night visionIR (100 ft)IR (98 ft)ColorVu (full color)
AI on-camPerson/vehiclePerson/vehiclePerson/vehicle + line crossing
ONVIF / RTSPYesYesYes
Best forPlaygrounds, parking lotsEntry/exit, perimeterDrop-off zones, elder care courtyards

Cameras that don't work

Cloud-only cameras can't expose a local video stream. It's not a TinyGuard limitation — these manufacturers lock you into their subscription service by design.

BrandWhy notUse instead
WyzeNo native RTSP. Requires custom firmware flash.TP-Link Tapo C210 (~$30)
RingCloud-only. No RTSP, no ONVIF.Reolink RLC-510A (~$50)
ArloCloud-only. No RTSP, no ONVIF.Reolink E1 Zoom (~$55)
Nest / GoogleCloud-only. Google Home API unstable.Any ONVIF camera above
BlinkCloud-only. Amazon ecosystem lock-in.TP-Link Tapo C210 (~$30)

WiFi vs PoE

Both work. Here's when each makes sense.

WiFi

InstallationPlug in anywhere
ReliabilitySubject to interference
Cost per camera$30–60
Best forHome childcare, ≤5 cameras

PoE (recommended for 6+)

InstallationRequires Ethernet run
ReliabilityRock solid
Cost per camera$50–140 + cable
Best forCommercial, permanent installs
Real talk: WiFi cameras on congested facility WiFi (tablets, staff phones, check-in kiosks) drop frames and disconnect. Once you cross ~5 cameras, PoE pays for itself in fewer headaches.

Buying guide

Starting from zero? Here's what to buy at three budget levels. All prices include the TinyGuard Pi.

Small — Home childcare
$260 all-in
  • 3× Tapo C210 indoor ($30 ea)
  • 1× Reolink RLC-510A outdoor ($50)
  • TinyGuard Pi ($120)
  • 1–4 cameras total
Medium — Childcare center
$800 all-in
  • 8× Reolink E1 Zoom indoor ($55 ea)
  • 2× Amcrest outdoor ($80 ea)
  • 1× 16-port PoE switch ($80)
  • TinyGuard Pi ($120)
  • 8–12 cameras total
Large — Center or elder care
$2,000+ all-in
  • Mix of Hikvision dome + Reolink outdoor
  • PoE switch(es) ($150–300)
  • TinyGuard Pro Hub ($350–550)
  • 20–40 cameras total

Already have cameras?

If your cameras support ONVIF or RTSP, you just need the TinyGuard Pi. Installation takes 15 minutes. If you have an NVR, TinyGuard can pull streams from it too.

NVR BrandRTSP URL FormatExample (camera 1)
Hikvisionrtsp://user:pass@ip:554/Streaming/Channels/101Channel 1 main = 101, sub = 102
Dahuartsp://user:pass@ip:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0subtype=0 = main, 1 = sub
AmcrestSame as Dahua (OEM)Same format
Lorex (post-2018)Same as Dahua (was Dahua-owned)May vary — check model docs
Univiewrtsp://user:pass@ip:554/media/video1video1 = camera 1
Sub-stream tip: Pull the sub-stream (720p) for TinyGuard, leave the main stream (1080p/4K) for your NVR's recording. TinyGuard's AV1 transcode makes the sub-stream look excellent even at lower resolution.

Ready to set up?

Start your 30-day free trial. Plug in the Pi, scan your network, cameras appear in under 5 minutes.

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