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Overview

TP-Link’s Tapo line includes indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi security cameras for homes and small properties. Tapo cameras record to a microSD card and are managed in the Tapo app. Seam connects to each Tapo camera over your local network, using the camera’s ONVIF interface through a Seam Bridge. Once a camera is connected, you can stream live video, receive motion detection events, retrieve the camera’s microSD recording of each event, and monitor whether the camera is online.
Tapo cameras are in beta. Seam turns on Tapo, camera events, event media, and live video for each workspace separately, so contact Seam to enable the ones you need for yours. Behavior and API shapes may change before general availability.
Tapo requires a Seam Bridge running on the same local network as the camera. Seam never reaches the camera over the public internet.

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Supported Devices

This integration supports Tapo cameras that expose ONVIF through a Tapo Camera Account. Seam has verified the Tapo C200. Seam represents each connected camera as a device with the tapo_camera device type. Each Tapo connected account contains exactly one camera, so you connect each camera separately.

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Supported Features

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Brand-Specific Restrictions

  • Seam Bridge required. Live video, motion events, and status checks all travel through the paired Seam Bridge. If the Bridge goes offline, the camera stops reporting motion and live view is unavailable until the Bridge reconnects.
  • One camera per connected account. Seam authorizes against a single camera’s address and Camera Account, so each camera needs its own Connect Webview.
  • Stable local address. Seam stores the camera’s local IP address or hostname. If the address changes, or a different camera takes it over, the connected account stops working. Reserve the camera’s IP address in your router.
  • Event recordings need the Tapo account password. Seam retrieves recordings from the camera’s microSD card only for cameras connected with the optional Tapo account password. See Event Recordings.
  • One live viewer per camera. During the beta, Seam allows one live view session for each camera at a time.

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Event Recordings

Seam can retrieve the camera’s own recording of each motion event from its microSD card, through the Seam Bridge. For each camera.activated event, Seam stores a short MP4 clip (H.264 video, AAC audio) and a JPEG thumbnail, and lists their IDs in the event’s media_ids. To fetch them, see Retrieve Event Media. Event recordings require:
  • The Tapo account password. When you connect the camera, enter the password you use to sign in to the Tapo app in the optional Tapo account password field. This is different from the Camera Account password. Seam checks the password with the camera before it creates the connected account, and uses it only to read recordings from the camera’s microSD card.
  • A microSD card in the camera, with recording turned on in the Tapo app.
  • Third-Party Compatibility turned on in the Tapo app, under Me > Tapo Lab > Third-Party Compatibility.
  • Event media turned on for your workspace. Contact Seam to enable it.
If you connected the camera without the Tapo account password, its media ends in the unavailable status, and Seam doesn’t contact the camera for it. To turn on recordings later, reconnect the same camera through a new Connect Webview and enter the Tapo account password. Seam updates the existing connected account and device. When you reconnect with an empty Tapo account password field, Seam keeps the saved password only if the camera address and ONVIF port are unchanged. Recordings start with the next motion event, and media for earlier events stays unavailable. Seam only returns a recording that contains the moment of the event. If the microSD card has no matching recording, for example because the card is full or recording was off, the media ends in the unavailable status.

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Brand-Specific Events

Seam fires the following camera event for Tapo devices:
  • camera.activated: Fired when the camera’s ONVIF motion detector reports motion. The event’s activation_reason is motion_detected. Tapo doesn’t report a motion_sub_type.

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Device Provider Key

Seam identifies these devices with the tapo device provider key. Tapo is a beta provider, so a Connect Webview doesn’t display it by default. Before your users can sign in to Tapo through a Connect Webview, Seam must turn on Tapo for your workspace, including your sandbox workspace. To request it, contact Seam. Then include tapo in the accepted_providers list, or set provider_category to beta or cameras. A Connect Webview always shows a provider that you list in accepted_providers, but its Tapo login works only after Seam turns on Tapo. A category-based Connect Webview hides Tapo until Seam turns it on. For more information, see Customize the Brands to Display in Your Connect Webviews.

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Setup Instructions

For step-by-step instructions on connecting Tapo cameras to Seam, including Seam Bridge pairing, creating a Tapo Camera Account, and troubleshooting, see the Tapo Setup Guide.

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Where to Order

Tapo - Security Cameras