NasCam
A DS cam alternative for Apple TV
Updated August 2026
DS cam on Apple TV does not exist. It is an iPhone and iPad app, and Synology has never shipped a tvOS version. Here are the options that do exist, including what each one gives up.
Side by side
| NasCam | DS cam | Generic RTSP viewers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple TV app | Yes | No | Yes |
| iPhone / iPad app | No | Yes | Usually |
| Signs in to Surveillance Station | Yes | Yes | No — manual RTSP per camera |
| Recorded event history | Yes | Yes | No |
| Push notifications | No | Yes | No |
| PTZ control | Not yet | Yes | Varies |
| Price | $9.99 once | Free | Varies |
What DS cam does well
DS cam is a good app and it is free. One thing NasCam cannot have, and one it does not have yet:
- Push notifications. Apple TV apps have no push notification capability at all. That is a platform limit rather than a feature we skipped, and it applies to every tvOS app.
- PTZ and camera control. DS cam drives pan, tilt, zoom and patrols. NasCam does not do this today. It is on the list for a later version.
If you want alerts while you are out, keep DS cam on your phone.
What an Apple TV app adds
Reviewing footage is a sofa activity, and that is where a TV app wins:
- A multi-camera grid on a large screen, instead of one feed on a 6-inch one.
- An annotated event timeline you scrub with the Siri Remote.
- No phone in hand and no AirPlay.
Why generic RTSP apps are not the answer either
Several Apple TV camera apps can display an RTSP stream, and for a plain live wall they are a reasonable choice. They do not sign in to Surveillance Station, though, which costs you twice. You configure every camera by hand with its own URL and credentials, and you get no recorded event history, because that data lives on the NAS, not in the camera.
Use both
DS cam on your phone tells you something happened. NasCam on the Apple 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 Apple TV?
No. DS cam is an iPhone and iPad app. tvOS will not run it, and Synology has not released a tvOS version.
Will NasCam send me alerts?
No. Apple TV apps cannot deliver push notifications, so no tvOS app can alert you, including this one. 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.
Does NasCam need the same DSM account as DS cam?
It needs a DSM account with Surveillance Station access. You can reuse the same one, or make a separate viewing account for the Apple TV, which is the safer choice.
NasCam puts your Synology cameras and their recorded event history on your Apple TV. $9.99 once, no subscription.
View on the App Store for Apple TV