PTZ Camera Setup
Quick Start
In the PTZ section, add each camera with a name and IP address
Set the connection method to Auto (recommended)
Click Connect and test moving each camera
Save a camera position as a preset and recall it
Who This Is For
Teams using PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras that they want to control from Tally.
What You Will Accomplish
Connect PTZ cameras
Control pan, tilt, zoom, and home position
Save and recall camera positions (presets)
Prerequisites
Step-by-Step Setup
In the PTZ equipment section, add each camera with:
A friendly name (e.g., "Stage Left", "Wide Shot")
IP address
Connection method — choose Auto to let Tally detect the best method
Login credentials (if your camera requires them)
Click Connect for each camera and wait for the status to update.
Test basic movement for each camera:
Pan left and right
Tilt up and down
Zoom in and out
Stop
Return to home position
Test saving and recalling camera positions:
Move the camera to the position you want
Save it as a preset (e.g., Preset 1)
Move the camera somewhere else
Recall the preset and confirm it returns to the right spot
Advanced Details Show / Hide
Tally supports several camera connection methods (protocols):
Auto — recommended; Tally tries to detect the best method
ONVIF — an industry-standard camera protocol; may require username and password
VISCA (UDP or TCP) — a common PTZ control protocol
PTZOptics (UDP or TCP) — specific to PTZOptics brand cameras
If Auto doesn't work reliably, you can force a specific method. Check your camera's documentation to see which protocols it supports.
Common protocol issues:
ONVIF may require credentials even if the camera doesn't prompt for them
Some cameras report conflicting capabilities that confuse auto-detection — forcing a specific method usually fixes this
Validation Checklist
Common Issues and Fixes
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-detect picks wrong method | Camera sends conflicting information | Choose a specific connection method instead of Auto |
| Camera won't connect | Wrong address or login credentials | Double-check the IP address and credentials |
| All cameras offline | Network issue | Make sure cameras and Tally are on the same network |
| Presets don't save | Camera doesn't support remote preset saving | Check your camera's documentation |
Rollback / Fallback
Turn off PTZ control in Tally.
Use your camera's own controller or joystick for manual control.