mjpg-streamer documentation

The documentation for mjpg-streamer is kind of scattered about.  I have dumped it all here for my own convenience.

Usage introduction

This example shows how to invoke mjpg-streamer from the command line

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$(pwd)"
./mjpg_streamer -o "output_http.so -w ./www"

pwd echos the current path you are working at, the backticks open a subshell to execute the command pwd first the exported variable name configures ldopen() to search a certain folder for *.so modules

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=`pwd`

This is the minimum command line to start mjpg-streamer with webpages for the input-plugin default parameters are used

./mjpg_streamer -o "output_http.so -w `pwd`/www"

To query help for the core:

./mjpg_streamer --help

To query help for the input-plugin "input_uvc.so":

./mjpg_streamer --input "input_uvc.so --help"

To query help for the output-plugin "output_file.so":

./mjpg_streamer --output "output_file.so --help"

To query help for the output-plugin "output_http.so":

./mjpg_streamer --output "output_http.so --help"

To specify a certain device, framerage and resolution for the input plugin:

 ./mjpg_streamer -i "input_uvc.so -d /dev/video2 -r 320x240 -f 10"

To start both, the http-output-plugin and write to files every 15 second:

mkdir pics
./mjpg_streamer -o "output_http.so -w `pwd`/www" -o "output_file.so -f pics -d 15000"

To protect the webserver with a username and password (!! can easily get sniffed and decoded, it is just base64 encoded !!)

./mjpg-streamer -o "output_http.so -w ./www -c UsErNaMe:SeCrEt"

If you want to track down errors, use this simple testpicture plugin as input source. To use the testpicture input plugin instead of a webcam or folder:

./mjpg_streamer -i "./input_testpicture.so -r 320x240 -d 500" -o "./output_http.so -w www"

Usage: mjpg_streamer

mjpg_streamer
  -i | input "<inputplugin.so> [parameters]"
  -o | output "<outputplugin.so> [parameters]"
 [-h | help ]........: display this help
 [-v | version ].....: display version information
 [-b | background]...: fork to the background, daemon mode

Note: If you start mjpg-streamer in the background use this to stop it:

kill -9 `pidof mjpg_streamer`

Example #1:
 To open an UVC webcam "/dev/video1" and stream it via HTTP:
  mjpg_streamer -i "input_uvc.so d /dev/video1" -o "output_http.so"

Example #2:
 To open an UVC webcam and stream via HTTP port 8090:

  mjpg_streamer -i "input_uvc.so" -o "output_http.so -p 8090"

Example #3:
 To get help for a certain input plugin:

mjpg_streamer -i "input_uvc.so help"

In case the modules (=plugins) can not be found:
 * Set the default search path for the modules with:
   export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/path/to/plugins,
 * or put the plugins into the "/lib/" or "/usr/lib" folder,
 * or instead of just providing the plugin file name, use a complete
   path and filename:
   mjpg_streamer i "/path/to/modules/input_uvc.so"

Parameters for input_uvc.so

This is the output from:
  #mjpg_streamer --input "input_uvc.so --help"

The following parameters can be passed to this plugin:

 [-d | --device ].......: video device to open (your camera)
 [-r | --resolution ]...: the resolution of the video device,
                          can be one of the following strings:
                          QSIF QCIF CGA QVGA CIF VGA
                          SVGA XGA SXGA
                          or a custom value like the following
                          example: 640x480
 [-f | --fps ]..........: frames per second
 [-y | --yuv ]..........: enable YUYV format and disable MJPEG mode
 [-q | --quality ]......: JPEG compression quality in percent
                          (activates YUYV format, disables MJPEG)
 [-m | --minimum_size ].: drop frames smaller then this limit, useful
                          if the webcam produces small-sized garbage frames
                          may happen under low light conditions
 [-n | --no_dynctrl ]...: do not initalize dynctrls of Linux-UVC driver
 [-l | --led ]..........: switch the LED "on", "off", let it "blink" or leave
                          it up to the driver using the value "auto