An extendable and open camera connection (XOCC) system for use with IP video camera applications. The XOCC system comprises an application framework and multiple, custom-built digital video content source drivers. The framework comprises an API which enables a client application to send to the API standardized requests for access, manipulation and content consumption for any type of camera, a driver manager which manages registration of all available drivers and establishes a reference within the API to a specific requested or selected driver for use by the API in processing client requests involving a camera associated with that driver, and a driver container for storing the registered drivers. The drivers comprise camera control modules developed for use by the XOCC system for control of associated cameras. The invention comprises not only the inventive application but its method of development, which includes libraries of both framework and driver development code.