Using the RTSP feature on Wyze Cam you can stream videos to other platforms or mediums. RTSP (short for Real-Time Streaming Protocol) is a protocol that allows the user to send video streams online or to other recorders (or software).
RTSP is not a stock feature with the Wyze Cam and is a beta feature that requires the installation of different firmware to make it work. In some cases, using the RTSP firmware will prevent the camera from supporting any future functions or features in the Wyze app.
The RTSP can be achieved on Wyze Cam V2 and Wyze Cam Pan, but not on the Wyze Cam V1 (the hardware simply can’t handle it). Moreover, the RTSP firmware is still in beta version which means it may contain bugs or experience stability issues. Make sure to always update the firmware to the latest version
A note from Wyze regarding the support for the RTSP mode: We don’t have the resources to keep developing two branches of firmware for Wyze Cam v2 and Wyze Cam Pan. At this time, we are not committing to ongoing maintenance for RTSP firmware. We will deliver security updates as needed.
In this guide, we will demonstrate how to update the Wyze camera with the firmware that supports the RTSP feature, how to enable and generate the RTSP URL, and how to try this URL on a third-party player (VLC).
How to install the RTSP Firmware on Wyze cam
Step 1. Download the Wyze Cam v2 RTSP file, or the Wyze Cam Pan RTSP file. Currently, the Wyze Cam v3 RTSP is not available yet and we do not have an estimate for when it will be ready but it is planned for later.
Step 2. Unzip the file, rename the contents to ‘demo.bin’, and transfer them to a microSD card’s root directory.
Step 3. Unplug (turn off) your Wyze Cam and insert the prepared microSD card.
Step 4. Hold the camera’s Setup button while plugging in the USB cable and continue to hold the Setup button until the light turns solid blue.
Step 5. Once the LED light is solid blue, release the Setup button and wait for 3-4 minutes. The camera will reboot, and the status light will change during this time.
Keep in mind: The “Solid Blue” in this case is not the same as the one normally seen on the camera. Instead, both the blue and yellow LEDs will be on at once, making it appear to be a lighter blue.
Once this process is finished, you should see the Wyze Cam in your Home tab without going through the setup process as long as it was previously paired with your account.
How to start using RTSP on your Wyze Cam
Step 1. Once your Wyze Cam is back online, you can access the RTSP function from the live stream (Wyze app version 2.3 or later) under Settings > Advanced Settings > RTSP.
Step 2. The app will automatically check if the installed firmware version is RTSP compatible. If not, please repeat the installation process above and ensure that you’re indeed using the latest firmware version. Next, turn on the RTSP toggle
Step 3. Then you’ll be prompted to set up a username and password for this Wyze Cam. Both the username and password should be 4 – 10 characters without special characters (only a-z, and 0-9)
Note: This username and password are unique to just this camera. Make sure you remember these credentials, as these will be needed to access the camera’s stream via RTSP
Click “Generate URL”, and the RTSP URL will show on the next screen. Use this for streaming through any RTSP-compatible player on the same local network as the Wyze Cam.
The RTSP URL of Wyze cam will be in this format: rtsp://user:Password@IPAddress/live. Now you can use this URL RTSP address in third-party software to access the camera’s stream. For example, you can use BlueIris, VLC player, websites for streaming online, or even Wyze Cam’s cloud platform.
How to access the Wyze cam stream on the VLC player
It’s super easy to access the camera’s stream using the VLC players. Ensure that the computer and the camera are on the same network (meaning, “getting the internet” from the same access point).
Then open up the VLC software and click Media > Open Network Stream.
Enter the RTSP URL that was created by the Wyze Cam when you hit generate (check the section above).
Click Play and you should see the camera’s live feed. Keep in mind, there’s usually a 5-second delay or even more if your internet connection is slow.
Conclusion
The RTSP mode on Wyze cameras works once you install the firmware that supports this feature. The steps are easy and can be done quickly. Once you generate the RTSP URL, you can access the video stream using third-party apps or software.
Some issues to keep in mind: there will be a 5-10 seconds delay depending on your internet connection. Also, the picture quality is not that good, it looks blurry and you may see a lot of artifacts on the screen. The image deteriorates further if you are accessing the stream from a remote location. So, we’d suggest using the RTSP mode for local use only.
