RTSP vs ONVIF — what's the difference?

They are often mentioned together, but RTSP and ONVIF solve different problems.

RTSP — the streaming protocol

RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) controls the delivery of the actual audio/video stream. When you play a camera on RTSP.cam, you are speaking RTSP to fetch the media.

ONVIF — the discovery/control standard

ONVIF is a broader standard for discovering cameras on a network and controlling them (PTZ, events, profiles, and querying the RTSP URL). ONVIF typically points you to an RTSP stream rather than replacing it.

Which do I need?

• To simply watch a stream: RTSP is all you need.
• To auto-discover cameras or move a PTZ camera: use ONVIF to manage, then RTSP to view.

Tip: ONVIF Device Manager is the quickest way to learn a camera's exact RTSP URL when the manual is unclear.