NasCam
A DS cam alternative for Android TV
Updated September 2026
DS cam does not run on Android TV in any useful way. It is a phone and tablet app, it does not list in the Play Store on a TV device, and a sideloaded copy has no D-pad interface. Here are the options that do work, including what each one gives up.
Side by side
| NasCam | DS cam | tinyCam Monitor PRO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lists in the TV Play Store | Yes | No, sideload only | Yes |
| Built for the D-pad | Yes | No, needs a mouse toggle | Yes |
| Android phone app | No | Yes | Yes |
| Signs in to Surveillance Station | Yes | Yes | Yes, live pictures only |
| Recorded event history | Yes, annotated timeline | Yes, on the phone | No, live only |
| Push notifications | No | Yes | In-app only |
| PTZ control | Not yet | Yes | Yes |
| Other camera brands | No, Synology only | No, Synology only | Over 350 vendors |
| Cost | Free to install; optional Pro | Free | $3.99 once |
What DS cam does well
DS cam is free, official, and better than NasCam at the things a phone is for:
- Push notifications. DS cam tells you something moved while you were out. NasCam does not do this on Android TV, even though the platform would allow it.
- PTZ and camera control. DS cam drives pan, tilt, zoom and patrols. NasCam does not do this today.
Keep DS cam on your phone. Nothing here replaces it.
Why sideloading DS cam is not the answer
The Play Store on a TV lists only apps that declare a leanback launcher, which is how an app says it can be driven with a D-pad. DS cam declares none, so it is filtered out.
You can install the APK by hand. The app runs, but every button expects a finger, and the remote has no pointer. The usual workaround is a mouse-toggle utility that turns the D-pad into a slow on-screen cursor. That is fine once, and tiring every evening.
Why tinyCam is not the answer either
tinyCam Monitor PRO is a good app and it is the one most Android camera owners already have. It is on the TV Play Store, it handles the D-pad, and it supports over 350 vendors for $3.99 once. For a mixed-brand live wall it beats NasCam outright.
It also supports Synology, but only for the live picture. Its own supported-devices list shows Surveillance Station as jpeg and mjpeg with PTZ. Its archive player replays the clips tinyCam recorded itself, not the ones sitting in Surveillance Station on your NAS. The full six-app comparison is here.
What NasCam adds
NasCam signs in to Surveillance Station with your DSM account, so the cameras arrive as a list rather than a pile of URLs, and each camera's day is a timeline you scrub with the remote, with motion and person detections marked on it. Reviewing footage is a sofa activity, and that is the part a TV app is for.
It is a native Android TV app on Android 6.0 or later, and it is free to install. Why recordings need a Surveillance Station client is explained here.
Use both
DS cam on your phone tells you something happened. NasCam on the TV is where you go and look at it. They read the same Surveillance Station, so there is nothing to keep in sync.
Questions
Can I run DS cam on an Android TV?
Not properly. DS cam declares no leanback launcher, so it does not appear in the Play Store on a TV device. A sideloaded APK runs but has no D-pad interface, and people drive it with a mouse-toggle utility that turns the remote into a slow cursor.
Will NasCam send me alerts on Android TV?
No. Android TV would allow push notifications, unlike tvOS, and NasCam still does not have them. Keep DS cam on your phone for alerts.
Should I replace DS cam with NasCam?
No, use both. They cover different moments: DS cam tells you something happened while you are out, NasCam is how you look at it properly when you are home. They read the same Surveillance Station, so there is nothing to keep in sync.
Why not just use tinyCam Monitor PRO?
For a mixed-brand live wall, tinyCam is the better app. It supports over 350 vendors, PTZ and two-way audio for $3.99 once. It supports Synology Surveillance Station as a live source only, so it cannot play back the recordings on your NAS.
Free to install. Unlock every camera and your full event history with NasCam Pro, available as a low-cost monthly subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase.