DW Site Viewer App Setup for Apple TV

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Affected Roles: All Users

Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps: DW Site Viewer™

Last Edit: July 29, 2024

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DW Site Viewer

DW Site Viewer allows users to monitor their surveillance sites while using an Apple TV device. Like utilizing a mobile application, DW Site Viewer requires users to input their surveillance system’s network information to connect and communicate with the device. Once setup has been completed, users can view live camera video through the application.

This article will outline how to create and view a site with DW Site Viewer.

**SUPPORT ENDING: As of March 2023, Digital Watchdog will no longer be developing or providing updates for the DW Site Viewer application. Locations using DW Spectrum v5.0 must change from the default token-bearing encryption to using Digest Authentication for DW Site Viewer to authenticate the connection with the DW Spectrum Server. For more information, please refer to DW Spectrum – Enabling Digest Authentication.

**NOTE: DW Site Viewer is compatible with 4th generation Apple TV or newer.

**NOTE: Audio-output is unavailable through the DW Site Viewer application. To utilize device audio, please use either C3 CMS or DW Spectrum IPVMS for audio support.

Supported/Affected Devices

VMAX® AHD Core Series
VMAX® 960H Core Series
VMAX® A1 Series (2.1 MP)
VMAX® A1 Plus™ Series (5 MP)
VMAX® IP Plus™ Series
DW Blackjack® Server Series

Limitations of DW Site Viewer

While the DW Site Viewer application offers the convenience of monitoring live camera video through an Apple TV device, there are some limitations to the application in comparison to Digital Watchdog’s mobile applications:

By default, only Live video is available for viewing. Users can add a video playback option through an in-app purchase.
No DW Cloud™ (P2P) support
No PTZ support. Application is for viewing only.
Digest Authentication must be enabled.

Creating A Site

To create a new site for connection with your recording unit:

If you have not already done so, download and install the DW Site Viewer application from the Apple TV App Store.

Before proceeding, ensure that you know the network and login information of your recording unit.

This information includes:

IP Address or DDNS
Network Port
User ID
Password

**NOTE: For standalone units, this information can be located in the Network menu. If you have not configured the network settings of your recording unit, you may use one of the articles below for reference.

At the top of the screen, select the Site tab.

The Site Menu will display.

Configure the following information:

Device Name – enter a name for your recording unit. This label will be used to identify your recording unit when selecting from the Monitoring tab.
URL/IP Address – enter the local IP Address of your recording unit. If you are connecting with the DVR or NVR externally (from another location or network), you may use a DDNS address or public IP address instead.
Network Port – enter the TCP/IP port of your recording unit. If you are using a VMAX A1 recording unit or a VMAX 960H Core recording unit, use the assigned Network Port of the unit.
User ID – enter the User ID credential used when logging in directly at the recording unit. The default ID for the VMAX series is admin.
Password- enter the Password credential used when logging in directly at the recording unit. Default password setting for the VMAX series is to leave the password field blank.

Click the Save button to apply the settings. If there is an error in your settings or if there no network connection with the unit, an error message will display.

If this occurs, check that the connection information is correctly entered in the Site tab and that the application’s software version is up-to-date.

**NOTE: If the Apple TV device is connecting to a DVR or NVR over the Internet (WAN) but fails to connect, check the status of the network to which the recording device is connected. If there is a Firewall or SonicWall preventing external connections, port forwarding may be required. Digital Watchdog Support does not offer port forwarding services. In this instance, it is recommended to contact the Network Administrator or the ISP for port forwarding assistance.