ESP32-CAM ONVIF RTSP Camera

Professional, Feature-Rich, and Network Camera Firmware for ESP32-CAM

---

Transform your affordable ESP32-CAM module into a powerful ONVIF-compatible network camera, ready for integration with professional NVR/DVR systems (Hikvision, Dahua, and more). This firmware provides RTSP streaming, ONVIF discovery, and a roadmap for advanced features like web configuration, SD card recording, and motion detection.

Note

🚧 Work in Progress:
This project is evolving rapidly. Contributions, feedback, and feature requests are welcome!
-Star the repo and join the project!

---

Features

• 📡 ONVIF Discovery:
  Appears as a discoverable camera on ONVIF-compatible NVRs/DVRs for easy integration.
• 🎥 RTSP Streaming (MJPEG):
  Real-time video streaming for live view and recording.
• ⚡ Lightweight:
  Optimized for ESP32-CAM’s limited resources.
• 🛠️ Easy Setup:
  Simple Wi-Fi configuration (web-based setup coming soon).
• 🌐 Web Configuration Interface:
  (Planned) Configure camera, Wi-Fi, and storage via browser.
• 🗂️ SD Card Recording:
  (Planned) Record video directly to microSD card.
• ↔️ Motion Detection:
  (Planned) Basic motion detection for event-based recording.
• 🔐 Secure Credential Storage:
  (Planned) Store Wi-Fi credentials securely in SPIFFS.
• 🌏 Access Point Fallback:
  (Planned) Automatically creates an AP if unable to connect to Wi-Fi.
• 🔒 Open Source:
  MIT-licensed for personal and commercial use.

---

Hardware Requirements

• ESP32-CAM board (AI-Thinker or compatible)
• MicroSD card (optional, for recording)
• 5V power supply
• FTDI programmer/adapter (for initial flashing)

---

Software Dependencies

• Arduino IDE or PlatformIO
• ESP32 Arduino Core
• Required Libraries:
  • ArduinoJson
  • ESP32 Camera Driver
  • SPIFFS file system

---

Installation

Arduino IDE

1. Install Arduino IDE from arduino.cc
2. Add ESP32 board support:
   • File > Preferences > Add
     https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/gh-pages/package_esp32_index.json
     to "Additional Board Manager URLs"
   • Tools > Board > Boards Manager > Search "ESP32" > Install latest version
3. Install required libraries:
   • Tools > Manage Libraries > Search and install "ArduinoJson"
4. Connect ESP32-CAM via FTDI adapter:
   • GND → GND
   • 5V → 5V
   • TX → RX
   • RX → TX
   • GPIO0 → GND (for flashing mode)
5. Select Board/Port:
   Tools > Board > ESP32 Arduino > AI-Thinker ESP32-CAM
   Tools > Port > [Your FTDI port]
6. Upload Firmware:
   Click Upload. After upload, disconnect GPIO0 from GND and reset ESP32-CAM.

PlatformIO (VS Code)

1. Install Visual Studio Code
2. Install PlatformIO extension
3. Create a new project:
   • Board: AI Thinker ESP32-CAM
   • Framework: Arduino
4. Configure platformio.ini:

   [env:esp32cam]
   platform = espressif32
   board = esp32cam
   framework = arduino
   monitor_speed = 115200
   lib_deps = bblanchon/ArduinoJson @ ^6.21.3
   upload_speed = 921600
   build_flags = -DCORE_DEBUG_LEVEL=5
   

5. Import source files into src/ directory.
6. Flash firmware as above.

---

Quick Start

1. Clone this repository
2. Edit Wi-Fi credentials in the source code (web setup coming soon)
3. Flash to your ESP32-CAM
4. Connect your NVR/DVR and discover the camera via ONVIF, or add the RTSP stream manually:

rtsp://[camera-ip]:554/mjpeg/1

---

Usage

• Access the RTSP stream using compatible NVR/DVR software or VLC.
• (Planned) Access the web interface for live view, configuration, and SD card management.
• (Planned) On first boot, ESP32-CAM will create an access point ("ESP32-CAM-ONVIF") for initial setup.

---

Compatibility

• Hardware Support: ESP32-CAM (AI-Thinker or compatible)
• NVR/DVR Compatibility: Hikvision, Dahua, and most ONVIF-compliant recorders (MJPEG stream)
• Limitations: MJPEG only (no H.264); some recorders may require H.264 for recording

---

Project Structure

File/Folder	Description
ESP32-CAM-ONVIF.ino	Main firmware sketch
camera_control.*	Camera initialization and settings
rtsp_server.*	RTSP streaming implementation
onvif_server.*	ONVIF protocol implementation
web_config.*	(Planned) Web interface
wifi_manager.*	(Planned) Wi-Fi setup and AP fallback
sd_recorder.*	(Planned) SD card recording
motion_detection.*	(Planned) Motion detection
data/	(Planned) Web UI files (HTML, CSS, JS)

---

Roadmap

• ONVIF WS-Discovery responder
• /onvif/device_service endpoint (GetStreamUri, GetCapabilities)
• RTSP video streaming (MJPEG)
• Web-based configuration interface
• SD card recording and management
• Motion detection
• Advanced ONVIF features (profiles, device info, etc.)
• Secure credential storage (SPIFFS)
• Access point fallback for Wi-Fi setup

---

Screenshots

Coming soon!

---

Contributing

Pull requests, issues, and feature suggestions are welcome!
See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

---

---

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

---

Acknowledgments

• Micro-RTSP for RTSP streaming on ESP32
• ONVIF community for protocol documentation and inspiration
• Thanks to all contributors and the open-source community!

---

Stay tuned for updates, new features, and documentation as the project evolves! Star the repo to follow progress and contribute to making ESP32-CAM ONVIF the ultimate DIY network camera solution.