Industrial SCADA applications are often focused on process values, equipment status, alarms, and historical data. But in many real-world projects, engineers also need live video to understand what is physically happening in the field.
A camera can provide useful visual context when an alarm occurs, equipment behaves unexpectedly, or an operator needs to verify a machine without going directly to the site.
ATSCADA iStreamCameraTools provides a practical way to integrate ONVIF-compatible cameras into a Windows Forms application and display camera streams alongside SCADA information.
This guide covers the basic installation and configuration workflow.
Installing iStreamCameraTools
Start by opening the Resources Installation Manager.
Locate:
iStreamCameraTools Version 5.0.0.1
Select Install and follow the installation wizard.
When the setup window appears, click Install and wait for the installation to complete. Click Finish when the process is done.
After installation, the iStreamCameraTools component will be available for integration into a Windows Forms project.
Adding the Camera Component to Visual Studio
Open Visual Studio and create a:
Windows Forms App (.NET Framework)
project.
Next, open the Toolbox.
Right-click inside the Toolbox and select Add Tab. Create a new tab named:
ATSCADA iStreamCamera
Right-click the new tab and select Choose Items…
Click Browse and navigate to the iStreamCameraTools installation directory:
C:\Program Files\ATPro\ATSCADA\iStreamCameraTools\iStreamCameraTools.dll
Select the DLL and click OK.
The ATSCADA iStreamCamera control should now appear in the Toolbox.
This type of camera integration can be useful in projects such as SCADA applications in water treatment, where operators may need to monitor both process parameters and the physical condition of pumps, tanks, valves, or other equipment.
Adding the Required VLC Libraries
The camera streaming functionality also requires the appropriate VLC .NET libraries.
In Visual Studio, right-click References in the project and select:
Add Reference…
Navigate to the iStreamCameraTools installation directory.
Select the required DLL files and click Add.
After adding the libraries, check the References section to confirm that the required iStreamCameraTools and VLC components have been added successfully.
For developers researching different SCADA development environments, open SCADA software resources can also be useful for comparison and development reference.
Adding the Camera Control to the Form
Once the component has been added to the Toolbox, simply drag the ATSCADA iStreamCamera control onto your Windows Forms interface.
The camera can then be configured through its available properties.
CameraID
The CameraID property identifies the camera.
Depending on the camera configuration, this can be the camera's static IP address or its serial number.
ManualRTSPUrl
The ManualRTSPUrl property is used when the camera's RTSP address is already known.
Enter the RTSP URL directly into this property.
If the RTSP address is not known, the field can remain empty when automatic discovery is being used.
UserID
Enter the username configured for the camera.
Password
Enter the corresponding password for the camera account.
These credentials are used when authentication is required to access the camera stream.
UseManualURL
The UseManualURL property determines how the RTSP URL is handled.
Set it to:
True — when you already know the RTSP URL and want to enter it manually.
False — when the system should automatically discover and determine the RTSP URL.
Combining Camera Video With SCADA Data
Once the camera component and required libraries are configured, the live stream can be displayed directly within the Windows Forms application.
This creates an opportunity to combine video monitoring with conventional SCADA information such as:
Equipment status
Process values
Alarm conditions
Sensor readings
Machine status
Production data
For example, when a pump generates an alarm, the operator can view the associated camera feed while checking the SCADA values.
This provides two different perspectives:
SCADA data explains what the system is reporting.
Camera video provides visual information about what is happening physically.
That combination can be especially useful for troubleshooting and remote monitoring.
Why Camera Integration Can Be Useful in SCADA
Traditional SCADA provides excellent visibility into machine states and process parameters, but some conditions are difficult to understand from numerical data alone.
A camera can provide additional context.
An operator may be able to visually confirm:
Whether a machine is actually running
Whether an area is clear
Whether equipment appears damaged
Whether an alarm corresponds to a visible event
Whether maintenance intervention may be required
This does not replace SCADA data. Instead, it adds another information layer to the monitoring application.
Typical Integration Workflow
The development process can be summarized as:
Install iStreamCameraTools → Add the component to Visual Studio → Add VLC libraries → Place the camera control → Configure camera properties → Display the video stream
After configuration, an ONVIF-compatible camera can become another data source within the Windows Forms SCADA application.
The result is a more comprehensive monitoring interface that combines real-time industrial data with live visual information.
For applications where operators need to understand both the numbers and the physical environment, integrating camera streams directly into SCADA can make troubleshooting and monitoring considerably more practical.
Top comments (0)