Most restaurants do not need new cameras, but some types cannot connect directly. Here is a simple way to tell which group yours are in.
What AI needs from a camera
A video analysis system has to pull the video stream straight from the camera inside the restaurant's own network. The widely used standard is RTSP, which most IP cameras and recorders already support.
The good news is that counting people and reading table status does not need high-resolution video. The camera's low-resolution stream is enough, so it uses little bandwidth and does not need a powerful machine.
Cameras that are ready to use
Cameras connected through a DVR or NVR recorder, such as Hikvision, Dahua and brands built on the same platform, give access to every channel with a single account. That includes analogue cameras wired to the recorder by coax cable.
IP cameras that support ONVIF are in this group too. The processing box finds cameras on the same network by itself. Restaurants that had an installer fit their cameras are usually in this group.
Cameras that need setup, or cannot connect
Some home Wi-Fi cameras need RTSP switched on in the camera's app first. Some models allow it and some do not, so it has to be checked model by model.
Cameras that only upload to the maker's cloud, and battery cameras, cannot connect directly. The way around it is to add one or two extra cameras only at the points that matter.
The quickest way to check
Photograph the labels on the cameras and the recorder, take a screenshot of each camera view, and send them to us. We will tell you whether they can connect and how much of the area the views cover, before you decide anything.