This is a simple webcam that uses a Raspberry Pi Zero wireless with a Pi Camera and streams the images using RTSP.
- Raspberry Pi Zero Wireless
- Pi Camera with 160° wide-angle lens and variable-focus lens
- Raspbian 10 Buster Lite
- v4l2rtspserver
- nginx
This configures your Raspberry Pi Zero wireless to act as a RSTP camera server, streaming your Pi camera over the network. It configures your system from out of the box to having a network video stream. I use this to monitor my laser cutter. The camera and Pi are sitting on the transparent lid of my laser cutter facing down, which means I need to flip the horizontal and vertical image. I have set the resolution for be 640x480, but you are welcome to change that to whatever suits you best. It installs nginx as a simple webserver to allow me to quickly see the stream configuration only. v4l2rtspserver streams the video image from the Pi with minimal CPU overhead. I also use motion/motioneye/motioneyeos running on another server to process and store the streamed images.
- Download Raspbian 10 Buster Lite image from https://downloads.raspberrypi.org/raspbian_lite_latest
- Download and install Balener Etcher from https://www.balena.io/etcher/
- Write the image to an SD card using Balener Etcher
- Whilst the SD card is still mounted, edit /Volumes/BOOT/wpa_supplicant.conf, paste in the following, edit and save:
country=GB ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev update_config=1 network={ scan_ssid=1 ssid="your-wifi-network" psk="your-wifi-password" } - Enable SSH Daemon upon boot:
touch /Volumes/BOOT/ssh - Place SD card into Pi and power it on
- Discern your Pi's IP address
- SSH in:
ssh pi@192.168.10.129password:raspberry - Run the following commands:
passwd sudo su - apt-get update apt-get upgrade apt-get install git cmake nginx vim screen -y mkdir ~/git cd ~/git git clone https://github.com/mpromonet/v4l2rtspserver.git cd v4l2rtspserver && cmake . && make && make install - Configure nginx:
rm /var/www/html/index.nginx-debian.htmlvim /var/www/html/index.html<!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <title>Glowforge Camera</title> </head> <body> <h1>Glowforge Camera</h1> <p>IP: <a href="rtsp://192.168.10.129:8554/unicast">rtsp://192.168.10.129:8554/unicast</a></p> <p>Local: <a href="rtsp://glowcam:8554/unicast">rtsp://glowcam:8554/unicast</a></p> </body> </html>
- Change hostname:
vim /etc/hostnameand change to:glowcam - Enable camera:
raspi-config"Update" "Interfacing Options" -> "P1 Camera Enable/Disable connection to the Raspberry Pi Camera" "Yes" "OK" "Finish" - Disable camera LED:
vim /boot/config.txtAnd add:disable_camera_led=1 - Configure RTSP streaming:
vim /etc/rc.localthen add the following lines to the bottom of the file BEFORE theexit 0v4l2-ctl --set-ctrl video_bitrate=500000 v4l2-ctl -p 5 v4l2-ctl --set-ctrl vertical_flip=1 v4l2-ctl --set-ctrl horizontal_flip=1 v4l2rtspserver -W 640 -H 480 /dev/video0 & - Reboot via
shutdown -r now - Using VLC access the video stream by visiting
rtsp://192.168.10.129:8554/unicast
In this example setup I have configured it with the following settings:
- a reduced resolution of 640x480, rather than the default of 2592x1944
- a reduced frames per second of 5, rather than 25
- a reduced bitrate of 500000, rather than the default of 1000000
- vertical flip of image
- horizontal flip of image
You can customise these to anything that works best for you. These settings reduced the bandwidth requirements for me, but in theory you can set it to be 2592x1944 @25fps or even 1080p @30fps, 720p @60fps, or 480p @90fps.
To change the settings, just edit the /etc/rc.local, change these lines and reboot:
# Set bitrate to 500000
v4l2-ctl --set-ctrl video_bitrate=500000
# Set frames per second to 5
v4l2-ctl -p 5
# Vertically flip the image
v4l2-ctl --set-ctrl vertical_flip=1
# Horizontally flip the image
v4l2-ctl --set-ctrl horizontal_flip=1
# Set streaming resolution at 640x480
v4l2rtspserver -W 640 -H 480 /dev/video0 &
You can change these settings whilst streaming too.
root@glowcam:~# v4l2-ctl --all
Driver Info:
Driver name : bm2835 mmal
Card type : mmal service 16.1
Bus info : platform:bcm2835-v4l2
Driver version : 4.19.97
Capabilities : 0x85200005
Video Capture
Video Overlay
Read/Write
Streaming
Extended Pix Format
Device Capabilities
Device Caps : 0x05200005
Video Capture
Video Overlay
Read/Write
Streaming
Extended Pix Format
Priority: 2
Video input : 0 (Camera 0: ok)
Format Video Capture:
Width/Height : 640/480
Pixel Format : 'H264' (H.264)
Field : None
Bytes per Line : 0
Size Image : 307200
Colorspace : SMPTE 170M
Transfer Function : Default (maps to Rec. 709)
YCbCr/HSV Encoding: Default (maps to ITU-R 601)
Quantization : Default (maps to Full Range)
Flags :
Format Video Overlay:
Left/Top : 150/50
Width/Height: 1024/768
Field : None
Chroma Key : 0x00000000
Global Alpha: 0xff
Clip Count : 0
Clip Bitmap : No
Framebuffer Format:
Capability : Extern Overlay
Global Alpha
Flags : Overlay Matches Capture/Output Size
Width : 640
Height : 480
Pixel Format : 'YU12'
Streaming Parameters Video Capture:
Capabilities : timeperframe
Frames per second: 5.000 (5000/1000)
Read buffers : 1
User Controls
brightness 0x00980900 (int) : min=0 max=100 step=1 default=50 value=50 flags=slider
contrast 0x00980901 (int) : min=-100 max=100 step=1 default=0 value=0 flags=slider
saturation 0x00980902 (int) : min=-100 max=100 step=1 default=0 value=0 flags=slider
red_balance 0x0098090e (int) : min=1 max=7999 step=1 default=1000 value=1000 flags=slider
blue_balance 0x0098090f (int) : min=1 max=7999 step=1 default=1000 value=1000 flags=slider
horizontal_flip 0x00980914 (bool) : default=0 value=1
vertical_flip 0x00980915 (bool) : default=0 value=1
power_line_frequency 0x00980918 (menu) : min=0 max=3 default=1 value=1
sharpness 0x0098091b (int) : min=-100 max=100 step=1 default=0 value=0 flags=slider
color_effects 0x0098091f (menu) : min=0 max=15 default=0 value=0
rotate 0x00980922 (int) : min=0 max=360 step=90 default=0 value=0 flags=modify-layout
color_effects_cbcr 0x0098092a (int) : min=0 max=65535 step=1 default=32896 value=32896
Codec Controls
video_bitrate_mode 0x009909ce (menu) : min=0 max=1 default=0 value=0 flags=update
video_bitrate 0x009909cf (int) : min=25000 max=25000000 step=25000 default=10000000 value=500000
repeat_sequence_header 0x009909e2 (bool) : default=0 value=0
h264_i_frame_period 0x00990a66 (int) : min=0 max=2147483647 step=1 default=60 value=60
h264_level 0x00990a67 (menu) : min=0 max=11 default=11 value=11
h264_profile 0x00990a6b (menu) : min=0 max=4 default=4 value=4
Camera Controls
auto_exposure 0x009a0901 (menu) : min=0 max=3 default=0 value=0
exposure_time_absolute 0x009a0902 (int) : min=1 max=10000 step=1 default=1000 value=1000
exposure_dynamic_framerate 0x009a0903 (bool) : default=0 value=0
auto_exposure_bias 0x009a0913 (intmenu): min=0 max=24 default=12 value=12
white_balance_auto_preset 0x009a0914 (menu) : min=0 max=10 default=1 value=1
image_stabilization 0x009a0916 (bool) : default=0 value=0
iso_sensitivity 0x009a0917 (intmenu): min=0 max=4 default=0 value=0
iso_sensitivity_auto 0x009a0918 (menu) : min=0 max=1 default=1 value=1
exposure_metering_mode 0x009a0919 (menu) : min=0 max=2 default=0 value=0
scene_mode 0x009a091a (menu) : min=0 max=13 default=0 value=0
JPEG Compression Controls
compression_quality 0x009d0903 (int) : min=1 max=100 step=1 default=30 value=30
root@glowcam:~# v4l2-ctl --log-status
Status Log:
[58426.609192] bcm2835-v4l2: ================= START STATUS =================
[58426.609215] bcm2835-v4l2: Saturation: 0
[58426.609237] bcm2835-v4l2: Sharpness: 0
[58426.609250] bcm2835-v4l2: Contrast: 0
[58426.609261] bcm2835-v4l2: Brightness: 50
[58426.609274] bcm2835-v4l2: ISO Sensitivity: 0
[58426.609289] bcm2835-v4l2: ISO Sensitivity, Auto: Auto
[58426.609301] bcm2835-v4l2: Image Stabilization: false
[58426.609313] bcm2835-v4l2: Auto Exposure: Auto Mode
[58426.609324] bcm2835-v4l2: Exposure Time, Absolute: 1000
[58426.609337] bcm2835-v4l2: Auto Exposure, Bias: 0
[58426.609349] bcm2835-v4l2: Exposure, Dynamic Framerate: false
[58426.609360] bcm2835-v4l2: Exposure, Metering Mode: Average
[58426.609371] bcm2835-v4l2: White Balance, Auto & Preset: Auto
[58426.609381] bcm2835-v4l2: Red Balance: 1000
[58426.609392] bcm2835-v4l2: Blue Balance: 1000
[58426.609404] bcm2835-v4l2: Color Effects: None
[58426.609415] bcm2835-v4l2: Color Effects, CbCr: 32896
[58426.609428] bcm2835-v4l2: Rotate: 0
[58426.609440] bcm2835-v4l2: Horizontal Flip: true
[58426.609450] bcm2835-v4l2: Vertical Flip: true
[58426.609461] bcm2835-v4l2: Video Bitrate Mode: Variable Bitrate
[58426.609472] bcm2835-v4l2: Video Bitrate: 500000
[58426.609484] bcm2835-v4l2: Compression Quality: 30
[58426.609497] bcm2835-v4l2: Power Line Frequency: 50 Hz
[58426.609508] bcm2835-v4l2: Repeat Sequence Header: false
[58426.609518] bcm2835-v4l2: H264 Profile: High
[58426.609529] bcm2835-v4l2: H264 Level: 4
[58426.609539] bcm2835-v4l2: Scene Mode: None
[58426.609550] bcm2835-v4l2: H264 I-Frame Period: 60
[58426.609563] bcm2835-v4l2: ================== END STATUS ==================