Stream PC Screen to DVR
Budget: $30 – $250 USD
I need a repeatable way to turn my desktop display into a 720p stream that my existing DVR can pick up and record reliably. The goal is purely archival—no live monitoring or public broadcast—so stability and perfect sync between audio (if included) and video matter more to me than squeezing every last pixel.
Here is what I already know and have on hand: a Windows-based PC and a Hikvision DVR that happily discovers ONVIF cameras. What I do not have is the know-how to bridge normal screen-capture tools (OBS, FFmpeg, or anything you recommend) with an ONVIF-compatible transport so the DVR treats the feed like any other IP camera channel.
I’m looking for a concise, step-by-step solution, preferably built around free or open-source software, that covers:
• Capturing the PC screen at 1280 × 720,
• Packaging or transcoding that feed into an ONVIF-compliant stream, and
• Registering it so the DVR automatically detects and records it.
A short script or config file that I can drop in and run would be perfect; clear written instructions with screenshots are fine too as long as I can replicate the setup on another machine later. If you’ve tackled anything similar—maybe using FFmpeg’s onvif presets, an OBS plugin, or a lightweight middleware service—I’d love to see it in action.
I will test by adding the stream to the Hikvision DVR, letting it record overnight, and reviewing the footage for dropped frames or desync. Once it passes that check, the job is done.
Here is what I already know and have on hand: a Windows-based PC and a Hikvision DVR that happily discovers ONVIF cameras. What I do not have is the know-how to bridge normal screen-capture tools (OBS, FFmpeg, or anything you recommend) with an ONVIF-compatible transport so the DVR treats the feed like any other IP camera channel.
I’m looking for a concise, step-by-step solution, preferably built around free or open-source software, that covers:
• Capturing the PC screen at 1280 × 720,
• Packaging or transcoding that feed into an ONVIF-compliant stream, and
• Registering it so the DVR automatically detects and records it.
A short script or config file that I can drop in and run would be perfect; clear written instructions with screenshots are fine too as long as I can replicate the setup on another machine later. If you’ve tackled anything similar—maybe using FFmpeg’s onvif presets, an OBS plugin, or a lightweight middleware service—I’d love to see it in action.
I will test by adding the stream to the Hikvision DVR, letting it record overnight, and reviewing the footage for dropped frames or desync. Once it passes that check, the job is done.
Related categories:
Scripting
Audio Processing
Video Processing
Technical Documentation
Video Streaming
Script Writing