will OBS pick up an IP camera?
- Thread starter Bob1954
- Start date
Lawrence_SoCal
Active Member
there are a number of different approaches to get video output (from what I'm guessing is a cheap IP security camera?) to a streaming service
RTSP is a common protocol
Upper end cameras (ex professional PTZ units) use other protocols, like NDI
Though a terrible quality approach, you could have OBS scrape/capture the web interface you are watching the camera on [not a recommended approach]
So what should you do? depends on capabilities of your specific camera [which I'm not familiar with]. Assuming it supports RTSP, then looking up in this forum VLC, RTSP and IP security cameras should point you in the right direction... beware passwords which may work from a browser but won't work when using RTSP (ex using certain restricted characters like ?... it depends on the camera firmware and the s/w you use to connect to camera and present video stream to OBS with)
RTSP is a common protocol
Upper end cameras (ex professional PTZ units) use other protocols, like NDI
Though a terrible quality approach, you could have OBS scrape/capture the web interface you are watching the camera on [not a recommended approach]
So what should you do? depends on capabilities of your specific camera [which I'm not familiar with]. Assuming it supports RTSP, then looking up in this forum VLC, RTSP and IP security cameras should point you in the right direction... beware passwords which may work from a browser but won't work when using RTSP (ex using certain restricted characters like ?... it depends on the camera firmware and the s/w you use to connect to camera and present video stream to OBS with)
Versionist
New Member
Just use "browser source" and point it to the IP address in the properties. Easy peasy, no loss of quality.
Lawrence_SoCal
Active Member
Hmmm, easy peasy - sure.
no loss of quality... I find that really difficult to believe. maybe not enough to matter in your scenario, or that you can tell with your monitor... but is it truly technically no loss of quality by using either screen scraping or a browser source approach vs direct intake of the video stream? I'd be really surprised... maybe, but not something I'd count on.
Versionist
New Member
Why would browser source differ from the feed? It's the feed. It's not a scrape. It's just a protocol or method.
Versionist
New Member
And if you can't tell with a monitor, then you can't tell.
Lawrence_SoCal
Active Member
Different protocols can mean different bitrate, resolution, compression, etc.
A protocol meant for rendering in a browser will be different than a protocol (ex NDI) that will focus more on latency and image fidelity. And then there is the all important codec associated with the sending system, and are you using the best available? This stuff gets complex
if you are recording locally, and playing back only on the same system for ever, then yes if you can't see a difference on your monitor, it is unlikely to matter. But
A protocol meant for rendering in a browser will be different than a protocol (ex NDI) that will focus more on latency and image fidelity. And then there is the all important codec associated with the sending system, and are you using the best available? This stuff gets complex
if you are recording locally, and playing back only on the same system for ever, then yes if you can't see a difference on your monitor, it is unlikely to matter. But
represents a fundamental misunderstanding of what is going on technically, and is certainly NOT true when streaming/watching on other systems. I've read a fair portions of the posts in these forums for past 15 months, and I'm highly technical to begin with. And some of the technical nuances of encoding, and streaming protocols, etc go over my head. so just a caution about over-assuming what does and does not make a difference
konsolenritter
Active Member
It's (at least) a total different encapsulation. Browser source means that OBS is feeding a website instead of the video feed. The website is completely under control of the manufacturer of the cam. In their webserver they accomplish specific on demand and compromise of being compatible to a series of browsers and html generations. Embedded is an webplayer then, sharing the same compromises. By which rate and resolution this webplayer plays out the video... what it manages good or wrong... who knows.
Only sucking the original video feed you are directly connected to the quality the cameras encoder delivers. In the webbrowser there is a complete chain in between, including foreign decoding and presenting, out of your control.
(Personally i was astonished in the past testing or installing industrial cameras. Astonishing was how often the developers of the hardware deliver good quality pictures or streams, what went ruined due to a quickly cobbled/hustled bloody web interface afterwards.)
konsolenritter
Active Member
Did you consulted the cameras documentation already? Are there other ports mentioned than the web-port 80 (or 81)?
@Lawrence_SoCal RTMP could be a stream method often found at cameras, too. *sigh*
jjensenlcn
New Member
Have you tried using nmap or some other port scanner on the camera IP to find out about addt'l ports?