Media stream over HTTP

The Media stream over HTTP API provides the information that makes it possible to call for and obtain a media stream in a container format over HTTP using the features detailed below:

• Create and configure URL requests and retrieve media data streams from your Axis devices with media.cgi .
• Use standard media players and tools such as VLC and FFmpeg.

Media streams can be returned as either a Matroska or MP4 and supports both video and audio. Additionally, MP4 is compatible with the media container format supported by web browsers and can be rendered as a HTML5 video element.

Identification

• API Discovery: id=media-cgi

Use cases

Live streaming

This example will show you how to use a client application to live stream video and audio from a camera.

1. Request a live stream.

ffplay 'http://<IP>/axis-cgi/media.cgi'

API references

media.cgi

Download a playable file

This example will show you how to download and save a live media clip from a camera.

1. Download a 5–second clip.

curl --output file.mkv --max-time 5 'http://<IP>/axis-cgi/media.cgi'

2. Play the clip.

vlc file.mkv

API references

media.cgi

Fetch an encrypted stream

This example will show you how to use a client application to download an encrypted media stream from a camera.

1. Use HTTPS for encrypted communication and download the media stream.

curl --output file.mkv 'https://<IP>/axis-cgi/media.cgi'

API references

media.cgi

API specifications

media.cgi

This method should be used when you want to fetch a media stream packaged in a specific container format.

Request

• Security level: Viewer
• Method: GET

http://<IP>/axis-cgi/media.cgi?<argument>=<data>[&<argument>=<data>[&...]]

URL option	Valid values	Default value	Description
audio	1 (Audio) 0 (No audio)	Audio.A#.Enabled	Specifies whether the audio should be included in the stream. Please note that you also need to enable audio support for the audio source with AudioSource.A#.AudioSupport=yes.
audiobitrate	Integer	AudioSource.A#.BitRate	The audio bit rate.
audiochannel	1	Audio.A#.Source	The audio source. Please note that it can not be used together with audiodeviceid and audioinputid.
audiocodec	aac opus	aac	The audio codec.
audiodeviceid	0 ...	Audio.A#.Source	The audio device ID. Please note that it can not be used together with audiochannel.
audioinputid	0 ...	Audio.A#.Source	The audio input ID. Please note that it can not be used together with audiochannel.
audionbrofchannels	1 (Mono) 2 (Stereo)	Audio.A#.NbrOfChannels	Can be either mono or stereo sound.
audiosamplerate	Integer	AudioSource.A#.SampleRate	The audio sample rate.
camera	1... quad	1	Selects the video source. Please note that this argument is only valid on Axis products with more than one video source, i.e. cameras with multiple view areas or video encoders with multiple video channels.
container	matroska mp4	matroska	The container format.
compression	0...100	Image.I#.Appearance.Compression	Adjusts the compression level of the image. Using a higher value corresponds to a higher compression, i.e. a lower quality and smaller image size.
fps	Integer	Image.I#.Stream.FPS	Selects the frame rate. 0 means unlimited.
h264profile	high main baseline([^1])	Image.I#.MPEG.H264.Profile	The H.264 profile that should be used.
mirror	1 (Mirrored) 0 (Not mirrored)	Image.I#.Appearance.MirrorEnabled	Specifies whether the image should be mirrored.
color	1 (Color) 0 (Monochrome)	Image.I#.Appearance.ColorEnabled	Specifies whether the image should be in color or monochrome.
resolution	String	Image.I#.Appearance.Resolution	The resolution of the retrieved image. Use the parameter Properties.Image.Resolutions for a list of supported resolutions.
rotation	0 90 180 270	Product dependant	Rotates the image clockwise. The rotation alternatives on an Axis device is defined by the parameters Properties.Image.Rotation and Properties.Image.I#.Rotation. Please note that the URL option rotation is only valid on products without source rotation. Check if the parameter ImageSource.I#.SourceRotation=yes and if that is the case, use ImageSource.I#.Rotation instead.
streamprofile	String	N/A	The name of a saved stream profile.
squarepixel	0 1	Image.I#.Appearance SquarePixelEnabled	Enable/disable square pixel (aspect ratio) correction. The device will adjust the aspect ratio to make it appear as intended if the parameter is set to 1.
video	1 (Video) 0 (No video)	1	Specify if video should be included in the stream.
videoabrmaxbitrate	Integer	Image.I#.RateControl ABR.MaxBitrate	The maximum bitrate when bitrate mode is ABR.
videoabrretentiontime	Integer	Image.I#.RateControl ABR.RetentionTime	Retention time when bitrate mode is ABR.
videoabrtargetbitrate	Integer	Image.I#.RateControl ABR.TargetBitrate	Target bitrate when bitrate mode is ABR.
videobitratemode	abr mbr vbr	Image.I#.RateControl Mode	The bitrate mode.
videobitratepriority	none framerate quality fullframerate	Image.I#.RateControl Priority	The bitrate priority.
videocodec	h264 h265	h264	The video codec.
videoframeskipmode	drop empty	Image.I#.MPEG.FrameSkipMode	Determines what should happen when either the rate controller or Zipstream skips a frame. drop: The frame won’t be transmitted. empty: An empty frame will be sent instead of the actual frame.
videomaxbitrate	Integer	Image.I#.RateControl MaxBitrate	The maximum bitrate when bitrate mode is MBR.
videozfpsmode	fixed dynamic	Image.I#.MPEG.ZFpsMode	The Zipstream fps mode. fixed: The FPS will have its default value set for the stream. This value might vary between devices due to rate control limitations. dynamic: FPS changes will be triggered by motions in the scene.
videozgopmode	fixed dynamic	Image.I#.MPEG.ZGopMode	The Zipstream GOP mode. fixed: The GOP length is fixed and set to the product’s default value. dynamic: Unnecessary I-frames are removed to further reduce the bit rate. The default GOP lengths and configurable maximum GOP lengths (videozmaxgoplength) may vary between Axis products. The maximum GOP length is used in scenes with little to no motion, while the default GOP length is used for busy scenes.
videozmaxgoplength	Integer	Image.I#.MPEG.ZMaxGopLength	The Zipstream maximum GOP length.
videozstrength	off Inter	Image.I#.MPEG.ZStrength	The Zipstream strength.

[1]: Please note that baseline is not available on all products. For a list of available values, see the parameter Properties.Image.H264.Profiles.

Return value - Success

info

The codecs={codecs} parameters listed with the Content-Types below should contain a comma-separated list of compatible codec strings detailed in RFC 6381.

• HTTP Code: 200 OK

• Content-Type(s)

  video/x-matroska; codecs={codecs}

• video/mp4; codecs={codecs}

• audio/x-matroska; codecs={codecs}

• audio/mp4; codecs={codecs}

• Video-Metadata-Transform

  A transformation matrix relative to the default rotation that describes how stream coordinates relates to the sensor coordinates. The matrix uses the following format: x1,y1,z1;x2,y2,z2;x3,y3,z3.

• Video-Sensor-Transform

  An unrotated transformation matrix describing how stream coordinates relate to sensor coordinates.

• Response body: The media in a container format (in this case a chunked HTTP transfer encoding).

Return value - Error

• HTTP code: An error code found in the table below

• Content-type

  text/html

• Response body: An HTML code describing the error

Error codes

HTTP code	Description
400	Bad Request
401	Unauthorized
403	Forbidden
404	Not Found
500	Server Error
503	Service Unavailable