Eagle Eye Application Note – AN011 

Considerations for Connecting Cameras Using RTSP

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RTSP is a network protocol designed for use in entertainment and communications systems to control streaming media. The protocol was designed to create an easy way to access or manipulate a media stream. In CCTV and security camera systems, the media is a video stream that may or may not include audio. The protocol packs complex transcoding and programming together behind the scenes to transfer video over a network or to the Internet with an easy to use link. 

Using “IP H264” as the camera type means that it will use ONVIF to connect the cameras, but choosing “IP (Single Stream)” means that it will use a single “RTSP stream” to connect. The processing power required to connect RTSP streams is almost four times higher than ONVIF 

because the Bridge/CMVR has to transcode the stream for high resolution and preview (H264 and MJPEG). For example, a 304+ Bridge can connect 12 cameras at 2MP via ONVIF, but the same bridge with the same quality settings can only connect 3 or 5 cameras using RTSP streams. 

Cameras can be connected via ONVIF and RTSP on the same bridge/CMVR, but care needs to be taken to make sure the bridge is able to handle it. The best way to make certain of this is by using the Eagle Eye Networks Product Wizard (https://een.com/eevmswizard) to perform the calculations and propose the proper devices to keep everything working correctly. 

One important thing to take into account when using RTSP streams is that if it is possible to pull from the camera/device a H264 stream for the high resolution recording and a MJPEG MJPEG for preview, the processing power is not affected as there is no transcoding of any stream. 

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