RTSP stream and OpenCV (Python)

Question

I have an IP camera streaming on Linux through rtsp protocol and h264 linux driver. I am able to see the video in VLC with the following address and port:

rtsp://192.168.1.2:8080/out.h264

However if I try to get the same video for OpenCV processing in Python 2.7.5 (MacOS X 10.9):

import cv
video = cv.CaptureFromFile('rtsp://192.168.1.2:8080/out.h264')

I get the following error:

WARNING: Couldn't read movie file rtsp://192.168.1.2:8080/out.h264

It seems something rather simple, but I am stuck on it. Thanks.

Solution 1

this works for me (using opencv 2.4.9):

vcap = cv.VideoCapture("rtsp://192.168.1.2:8080/out.h264")

while(1):

    ret, frame = vcap.read()
    cv.imshow('VIDEO', frame)
    cv.waitKey(1)

Solution 2

OpenCV relies on ffmpeg or other video backends for handling video formats and IP camera protocols. Depending on your platform and how you installed OpenCV, you may not have any support for rtsp.

You can check video backend support for your OpenCV installation:

python -c "import cv2; print(cv2.getBuildInformation())"

Video I/O:
  DC1394 1.x:                  NO
  DC1394 2.x:                  NO
  FFMPEG:                      NO
     avcodec:                   NO
     avformat:                  NO
     avutil:                    NO
     swscale:                   NO
     avresample:                NO
  GStreamer:                   NO
  OpenNI:                      NO
  OpenNI PrimeSensor Modules:  NO
  OpenNI2:                     NO
  PvAPI:                       NO
  GigEVisionSDK:               NO
  Aravis SDK:                  NO
  UniCap:                      NO
  UniCap ucil:                 NO
  V4L/V4L2:                    NO/NO
  XIMEA:                       NO
  Xine:                        NO
  gPhoto2:                     NO

Solution 3

struggled for a while on this...

finally this got it going for me.

On Android

Install: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.miv.rtspcamera
Start rtsp server on android

On PC, create python script

import cv2
import numpy as npimport os
os.environ["OPENCV_FFMPEG_CAPTURE_OPTIONS"] = "rtsp_transport;udp"
vcap = cv2.VideoCapture("rtsp://192.168.1.2:5554/camera", cv2.CAP_FFMPEG)
while(1):
    ret, frame = vcap.read()
    if ret == False:
        print("Frame is empty")
        break;
    else:
        cv2.imshow('VIDEO', frame)
        cv2.waitKey(1)

Change “192.168.1.2” to your android device address.

Run python script

Solution 4

Somehow by default, as I knew, OpenCV used TCP protocol for transporting. Then, if your streaming is using UDP protocol, then you must define the environ option by the following code:

import os
os.environ["OPENCV_FFMPEG_CAPTURE_OPTIONS"] = "rtsp_transport;udp"
cam = cv2.VideoCapture("rtsp://YOUR_STREAMING_IP_ADDRESS:PORT/foo.sdp", cv2.CAP_FFMPEG)

You also need check if your openCV2 build comes with FFMPEG (RTSP) or not as Solar.gy 's anwser, if not, you must rebuild and install openCV with FFMPEG.

python -c "import cv2; print(cv2.getBuildInformation())"

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