Real-Time Streaming Protocol

RTSP stands for Real-Time Streaming Protocol. It is a network communication protocol used for controlling the delivery of real-time data, particularly streaming media such as video and audio, over IP networks. RTSP is designed to establish and control media sessions between a client and a server, allowing the client to request the transmission of specific media streams in real-time.

RTSP operates by establishing a control connection between the client and the server, typically using TCP/IP. This control connection is responsible for commands and responses related to media stream setup, control, and teardown. The actual media content, such as video and audio streams, is typically transmitted over separate connections, such as RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) or UDP (User Datagram Protocol).

Using RTSP, clients can issue commands to a media server, such as requesting a specific media stream, playing, pausing, or stopping the stream. The server responds to these commands with status codes and appropriate actions.

RTSP is widely used in video surveillance systems and video analytics applications. It allows video analytics software to receive real-time video streams from IP cameras or other video sources, enabling real-time processing and analysis of the video content. By leveraging RTSP, video analytics systems can perform tasks such as object detection, motion tracking, behavior analysis, and other advanced video processing techniques in real-time.