Using VLC with iSpy
VLC integration
Using the VLC plugin iSpy can connect to a vast array of devices and media URLs. You will need to install VLC on the same computer that is running ispy to use the plugin.
You can connect to virtually any video source using VLC including HTTP and RTSP video feeds, video capture devices, local cameras, DVD's, local files etc. To setup the connection refer to the above diagram and follow these steps:
- Open VLC. Click "Media" -> "Open Network Stream"
- Choose a tab (File/ Disc/ Network/ Capture Device)
- Select or enter your device/ file information (you can also add audio sources as well)
- Check the box at the bottom "Show more options"
- Click "Add" -> "IP Camera" in iSpy.
- Choose the VLC tab
- Copy and paste the MRL field in VLC (at the bottom) to the "URL" field in iSpy
- Copy and paste the "Edit Options" in VLC to the "Arguments" field in iSpy (Note that iSpy reformats the edit options into an argument list when you paste the string - specifically it replaces ":" with newline and "-". Check the formatted result if you have any issues)
- Close VLC
- Click OK in iSpy. iSpy will now connect to your video source using the VLC plugin and start playing it.
Enable GPU H264 Decoding
You can enable GPU decoding of H264 streams in VLC by adding adding this to the command options:
--ffmpeg-hw
Note that this functionality is currently experimental and may actually decrease performance depending on your video card capabilities (it takes time to move memory between the CPU and GPU).