Camera Bridge

Appearance

Diagnostics ​

The Diagnostics tool helps you troubleshoot connection problems, network issues, and camera setup problems.

Opening Diagnostics ​

  1. Click the Camera Bridge menu (top left) or menu bar icon
  2. Choose Diagnostics
  3. Or in Settings › Help

Diagnostics Checks ​

The tool runs several checks automatically:

Network Access ​

  • Local Network permission: Is Camera Bridge allowed to access your local network?
  • Network connectivity: Can Camera Bridge reach the internet?
  • Bonjour: Is the HomeKit accessory being advertised correctly?

Camera Connection ​

For each camera:

  • IP address reachable: Can Camera Bridge contact the camera?
  • RTSP stream: Does the stream address work?
  • ONVIF connectivity (if applicable): Is the ONVIF connection working?
  • Credentials: Are the username and password correct?

HomeKit Status ​

  • Accessory published: Is the camera advertised to Home?
  • Home hub connected: Is your home hub (Apple TV/HomePod) online?
  • Paired accessories: How many cameras are paired with Home?

Performance ​

  • Mac CPU: Current CPU usage
  • Video encoding: Is H.264 or H.265 being used? (H.264 is faster)
  • Stream quality: Resolution, fps, and bitrate

Storage and Logs ​

  • Log files: Recent errors or warnings
  • Disk space: Available storage on your Mac

Understanding Results ​

Green (OK) ​

All checks passed. No action needed.

Yellow (Warning) ​

A check shows a potential issue but the app is working. Examples:

  • Very high CPU usage (videos may be slow)
  • Low disk space (Camera Bridge still works, but you may run out of room)

Red (Error) ​

A check failed. This usually means you need to fix something. Examples:

  • "Camera not reachable" — wrong IP address, camera offline, or network isolation
  • "RTSP stream failed" — wrong RTSP path or wrong credentials
  • "No Local Network permission" — need to allow Camera Bridge in System Settings

Common Issues and Fixes ​

"Camera not reachable" ​

  1. Check that the camera's IP address is correct (find it in your router)
  2. Make sure the camera is powered on and connected to the network
  3. Verify your Mac and camera are on the same network (not isolated VLANs)

"RTSP stream failed" ​

  1. Verify the RTSP address is exactly correct (including port and path)
  2. Check the username and password
  3. Some cameras require a different RTSP path for main vs. sub streams

"ONVIF connection failed" ​

  1. Make sure an ONVIF user was created on the camera (may be separate from web admin)
  2. Check that ONVIF is enabled on the camera
  3. Try creating a new ONVIF user with a simpler password
  4. See ONVIF Setup

"No Local Network permission" ​

  1. Open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Local Network
  2. Find Camera Bridge and toggle it On
  3. Restart Camera Bridge

High CPU Usage ​

  1. Close the Overview window if it's open
  2. Switch to lower quality streams (sub stream instead of main)
  3. Check Settings › Performance for optimization options
  4. See Performance

"Home hub not connected" ​

  1. Make sure your home hub (Apple TV or HomePod) is powered on and nearby
  2. Check that it's on the same Wi-Fi network as your camera
  3. Verify your home hub has a strong internet connection (needed for HomeKit Secure Video)
  4. Restart your home hub if it's been idle for a while

Viewing Logs ​

For detailed debugging:

  1. Open Diagnostics
  2. Scroll to Logs
  3. View recent messages, warnings, and errors

Sending Diagnostics ​

If you need support:

  1. Open Diagnostics
  2. Click Generate Report to create a diagnostic file
  3. Email it to the support address (don't include passwords)

The report includes:

  • Network and camera connectivity details
  • System information (Mac model, macOS version)
  • Recent error logs

It does not include:

  • Passwords or credentials
  • Video content
  • Personally identifiable information

Troubleshooting Specific Problems ​

Clips not recording?

Live view won't play?

Motion not working?

  • Check "Camera connected" in Diagnostics
  • Verify motion detection is enabled on the camera
  • See Motion Detection

Something else?

  • Check all items in Diagnostics for red indicators
  • Click the Help link next to any red item for specific steps
  • Contact support with your diagnostic report

Learn More ​