HLS Video Streaming with Flask

This project provides a simple setup to stream video using HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) and a lightweight Flask web server. It captures video using libcamera-vid, processes it with ffmpeg, and serves the stream over a local network through a Flask-based interface.

Features

• Live Video Capture: Streams live video using libcamera-vid.
• HLS Streaming: Processes the video stream into HLS format for playback in browsers.
• Flask Web Server: Serves the HLS video stream with a simple HTML5 video player.
• Responsive Cleanup: Ensures processes are terminated gracefully when the script stops.

Requirements

Hardware

• Raspberry Pi or similar device with camera support.

Software

• libcamera-vid
• ffmpeg
• Python 3.x
• Flask
• hls.js for video playback

Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/mattmascolo/security-camera.git
   cd /security-camera.git

2. Install Python dependencies:

   pip install flask

3. Ensure libcamera-vid and ffmpeg are installed:

   sudo apt install libcamera-apps ffmpeg

4. Run the script:

   ./start_stream.sh

5. Access the video stream in your browser:

   • Navigate to http://<your-device-ip>:5000 in a browser on the same network.

Project Structure

• start_stream.sh: Main script to initialize the video stream and Flask server.
• stream_server.py: Flask application for serving the HLS video stream.
• static/hls/: Directory where HLS video files are stored.

Notes

• The video stream is served on port 5000 by default. Ensure this port is open on your device.
• This setup is intended for local network use. For external access, additional security measures should be implemented.
• The debug=True mode in Flask is enabled for development. Disable it in production for security.

Troubleshooting

• Video stream not loading:

  • Ensure the camera is connected and properly configured.
  • Check that libcamera-vid and ffmpeg are installed and working.

• Cannot access the stream in the browser:

  • Confirm the IP address of your device and that it's reachable from the client device.