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Frigate Camera Requirements: RTSP, Substreams and ONVIF Explained

Choose cameras for Frigate by stream stability, RTSP access, substreams, codecs, local credentials and optional ONVIF support.

Updated September 13, 2026 · SecurityVerdicts research desk

Frigate does not need a camera with expensive cloud AI. It needs a stable video source that your local server can decode reliably. In practice, clean RTSP access and a usable low-resolution substream are often more valuable than proprietary smart features.

Main stream and detect stream

Frigate supports separate inputs for recording and detection. That lets you record a high-resolution stream while object detection runs against a smaller stream, reducing decode and inference overhead.

Protocol priorities

Feature	Why it matters
RTSP	Common direct stream path for FFmpeg/go2rtc.
Substream	Reduces detection decode load.
ONVIF	Useful for discovery/events on compatible setups, though not required for basic RTSP ingest.
Local account	Avoids cloud-only authentication in the recording path.
PoE	Improves power/network reliability for fixed cameras.

Codec configuration matters

Frigate documentation recommends H.264 for broad live-view compatibility and notes that keyframe interval should generally match frame rate. Non-standard “smart codec” modes can create playback problems.

Architecture rule: let the camera produce stable video and let Frigate do the local AI. Do not pay twice for overlapping cloud intelligence unless you actually need the vendor service.