Recommended IP camera settings

The main requirement is RTSP

The camera manufacturer makes no fundamental difference. You can use Hikvision, Dahua, Tiandy, HiWatch, Axis, Uniview, Reolink, Tapo, Milesight and most other brands.

The mandatory condition for a standard connection is support for the RTSP protocol and the ability to obtain the RTSP link of the video stream. Support for the manufacturer's own cloud app alone, without RTSP, is not suitable for a direct connection.

Address formats and examples for popular manufacturers are collected on the page “Where to find your camera's RTSP link”.

Recommended profile

For a standard online stream we recommend configuring the stream as follows:

• CodecH.264
• Frame rate25 FPS
• GOP / I-frame50 frames, or 2 seconds
• Smart CodecOff

Parameter names vary between cameras. GOP also appears as I-frame Interval, Key Frame Interval, GOP Size or GOP Length.

The H.264 codec

H.264 is the recommended codec for an ordinary connection. It is widely supported by cameras and offers good compatibility with video processing and playback.

If the camera offers the H.264 Baseline, Main and High profiles, you can usually keep the profile set by the manufacturer as the default. If you run into compatibility problems, use Main Profile.

Frame rate — 25 FPS

Set the frame rate to 25 frames per second. That is enough for smooth motion in most public streams, surveillance cameras, tourist sites and work sites.

If your upload speed is limited, the frame rate can be reduced. Motion will then look less smooth, but the bitrate and the load on the connection will drop.

GOP — 50 frames

At 25 FPS we recommend setting the GOP, or I-frame interval, to 50 frames. That means one key frame every 2 seconds:

A key frame contains the complete picture. Too long an interval can increase the time it takes for the stream to start and to recover after a network loss, while too short an interval raises the bitrate.

Smart Codec — off

Switch off Smart Codec, Smart H.264, H.264+, Zipstream and other proprietary intelligent compression modes. They can change the stream structure and key frame intervals dynamically.

Such modes are useful for the manufacturer's local archive, but they can degrade the compatibility and stability of an external online stream.

H.265 support

rtsp.me also supports H.265 video streams. This is a paid feature, because compatible playback in a browser requires additional video processing.

If the camera lets you choose the codec and the dedicated H.265 feature is not enabled, use H.264. Before using H.265, check the terms and whether the feature is available on your plan.

RTMP Push without a public IP

If the camera supports RTMP Push, it can send the video stream to the rtsp.me server itself. The connection is initiated by the camera, outwards from the local network.

With this method you do not need:

• a static public IP address;
• DDNS;
• port mapping set up on the router;
• inbound access to the camera's RTSP port from the internet.

To set it up you will need the RTMP publishing address provided by rtsp.me. Check the camera's specifications for RTMP Push specifically: being able to play RTMP and being able to send a stream are different features.

Main or sub stream

For a first setup it is often easier to use the camera's sub stream: it has a lower resolution and bitrate, so it needs less upload speed.

If the sub stream's quality is not good enough, switch to the main stream and check that your connection carries its bitrate reliably. The H.264, 25 FPS, GOP 50 and Smart Codec off settings apply to whichever stream you choose.

Frequently asked questions