Channel Zero RTSP live feed

[ClarityAVS]

Experimenting around with RTSP to get live feed to 4 different end users. I have a few Hikvision DS-96128NI-I24 / H that I want to use rasp pi's and VLC with. My question is, do I have to have a monitor connected to the HDMI port in order for Channel Zero to work? So far that's the only way I've been able to get live feed by using rtsp:/usernameassword@192.168.x.xxx:xxx/Streaming/Channels/1, otherwise it just shows a black screen when there is no monitor connected. Also does RTSP use less bandwidth than http?

 

[Wombat]

From my limited use of rtsp, changing between channels 0 and 1 simply changes between main & sub streams.

 

[ClarityAVS]

That's my understanding as well. But I can ONLY get 1 to work, not 0 or 2.
I am wondering if I have to have the monitor hooked up to the NVR in order for Channel Zero to work though. I'm also having an issue where live feed will play on the RTSP stream for about 5 seconds before it just freezes up and then resumes quite a while later. Bandwidth is not an issue as I'm monitoring the network.