00:00:00/Glossary
RTSP
RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) is the standard way IP cameras and video recorders expose a live video stream so that other software can read it. If a camera on the wall can be viewed by software its manufacturer didn't write, RTSP is usually the reason.
What an RTSP stream is
A camera or recorder publishes its feed at an address, an rtsp:// URL, usually protected by a username and password, and any client that speaks the protocol can connect and pull the live video. It's the plumbing of IP CCTV: unglamorous, everywhere, and the reason different vendors' kit can talk to each other at all.
Why RTSP matters for AI video analysis
Because so many cameras share a common protocol, analysis can be added to a site without new hardware. Svid connects to an existing CCTV or RTSP feed, reads frames out of the stream and makes the footage searchable in plain English; the camera neither knows nor cares. It also takes uploaded files, video URLs and a live phone camera, and treats live and recorded footage identically.
RTSP and your VMS
The VMS is typically the software recording the RTSP streams. Analysis tools read the same streams, from the cameras directly or via the recorder, so adding AI search doesn't mean touching the recording setup.
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