Does multiple RTSP clients consume more bandwidth than a single client?

[camviewer43]

I have a NVR application that records the RTSP stream from a Dahua camera. This is RTSP client #1. I also want to have another application to consume the stream and do object recognition on it. RTSP client #2. Does having two RTSP clients double the bandwidth needed from the camera? Or does RTSP protcol do something smart that keeps the bandwidth the same regardless of multiple clients?

My concern is that one of my cameras is on a powerline link that's pretty weak. If it can't handle double the bandwidth, are there options out there to put a program in my lan to consume the RTSP stream once and re-stream it to multiple clients? I can put this on my gig network where bandwidth consumption isn't an issue.

 

[pozzello]

if you're running the NVR app 24/7, just pull the other stream from the NVR instead of the cam... some delay/latency, maybe, but probably close enuf i f you can can only pull one stream from your cam...

 

[fenderman]

I have a NVR application that records the RTSP stream from a Dahua camera. This is RTSP client #1. I also want to have another application to consume the stream and do object recognition on it. RTSP client #2. Does having two RTSP clients double the bandwidth needed from the camera? Or does RTSP protcol do something smart that keeps the bandwidth the same regardless of multiple clients?

My concern is that one of my cameras is on a powerline link that's pretty weak. If it can't handle double the bandwidth, are there options out there to put a program in my lan to consume the RTSP stream once and re-stream it to multiple clients? I can put this on my gig network where bandwidth consumption isn't an issue.

See your cameras multicast function Unicast, Multicast, or both: what’s right for you?

 

[reflection]

RTSP is your control protocol that sets up the flow. The flow itself usually RTP. It can be unicast or multicast. By default it's unicast. To answer your first question, you will have two unicast streams, which means double the bandwidth.

If you try multicast, keep in mind that most dumb switches will forward multicast like broadcast. In other words, your multicast stream will get flooded out every port. Switches that support IGMP snooping (usually managed switches) will send the multicast traffic only to ports with multicast receivers. If you have a multiple layer 3 hops, then you also have to have routers that support multicast routing.

 

[pozzello]

yup. multicast certainly has it's uses and downsides, which is why I suggested the OP pull the second stream from the NVR instead of the cam directly. At least that avoids his main concern of overloading the PLA, tho even the old Zyxel 401's I use seem to be able to handle multiple streams without saturating... try it, I guess.

 

[camviewer43]

Thanks all. That gives me some things to go check out.