Tips for the stream settings and network load reduction of the sensingCam SEC100

The sensingCam SEC100 has several settings that allow the streams, snapshot and event recording functions to be flexibly adapted to the respective application. As streaming usually requires permanently active data transmission, some tips for reducing the network load or file size are given here. Which parameters actually make sense depends on the respective application and the respective requirements for the stream and files.

With the SEC100, users can choose between the streaming formats MJPEG (Motion JPEG) and RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol). Both formats have advantages and disadvantages in terms of network load. The compression of the image information also plays an essential role.

With the MJPEG stream - as the name suggests - each image/frame is compressed into a JPEG image. The images are always transmitted in their entirety (compressed). The image quality is therefore independent of the movement of an object. As the video format is very widespread, it is natively supported by many services such as browsers and players.

In short, the MJPEG format is easy to use for most applications, but usually requires more bandwidth than compression methods such as H.264 and H.265 due to the transmission of each individual image as a JPEG image.

The H.264 or H.265 compression methods can be used for the stream via the RTSP protocol. H.264 is also known as Advanced Video Codec (AVC), while H.265 is also known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC). The RTSP protocol is generally not natively supported by browsers and requires special software to display the stream. When selecting the type of compression, it is also important to ensure that the respective software supports and can decode it. However, the compression types are well suited to reducing the data load.

The two types of compression are explained in more detail below.

Compression with H.264 is a lossy format. This means that image information is lost during compression. Nevertheless, the format is very well suited to transmitting high-resolution content with a comparatively low network load. The format is one of the most common compression formats. Because the encoding and decoding algorithm is less complex than H.265, less computing power is required.

Like H.264, H.265 is also a lossy format. This means that image information is lost during compression. However, the format is the successor to H.264 and has an even better compression rate while maintaining the same quality. This results in an even lower bandwidth required to transmit a stream. However, compressing and decompressing requires more computing power and is therefore only suitable for high-performance hardware. Whether the format is supported by the respective software should be checked in advance.

The bitrate has influence on the RTSP streams and the event recordings. In simple terms, the bitrate directly influences the video quality. The combination of resolution and bitrate should be right, because a bitrate that is too low or too high has a negative effect on the stream and the video quality. In general, the bit rate for compression with H.265 can be set lower than for compression with H.264 while maintaining the same high resolution.
For the sensingCam SEC100 the bitrate of 8 kbit/s is default. This fits well for the resolutions 2880x1616 px and 1920x1080 px. For lower resolutions a lower bitrate is recommended.

The frame rate determines how many images are to be generated per second. This also determines how many images need to be transmitted per time span. If the frame rate is reduced, the required bandwidth is also reduced. However, it should be checked beforehand whether a reduction in the frame rate is acceptable for the respective application. Moving objects cannot be displayed smoothly at a reduced frame rate. It is advisable to test various settings directly for the application in advance.

The resolution setting impacts the network load as well. A higher resolution produces larger video files because they capture more detail. This increased data requires more bandwidth to transmit over the network.

Additionally, higher resolution video streams demand more storage space and can lead to network congestion if multiple cameras are used in the same network. To manage network load effectively, it's essential to balance the resolution with available bandwidth and the corresponding application. The default resolution for the sensingCam SEC100 is 1080p.