StreamProbe

RTSP to HLS — Play an RTSP Stream in a Browser

An RTSP → HLS bridge takes a camera or encoder’s rtsp:// stream — which browsers cannot play natively — and re-publishes it as HLS that plays in any browser. StreamProbe pulls the source from our servers, remuxes it to low-latency HLS, and returns a playback URL plus a one-line embed snippet.

How the RTSP→HLS bridge works

  1. Paste your stream URL. An rtsp:// camera, an rtmp:// encoder feed, or an srt:// source.
  2. We pull it from our servers. StreamProbe connects through its SSRF-guarded pipeline — the same one behind CamCheck and StreamTest — validating and pinning the source before it connects. Your credentials never leave our side.
  3. Remux to low-latency HLS. When the source is H.264/AAC (nearly always), the frames are repackaged into HLS segments with no re-encoding — no quality loss, minimal load — and served as an .m3u8 playlist.
  4. Play or embed. The playback URL works in any browser via hls.js or native HLS. A copy-paste embed snippet turns it into an EmbedStream player for your own site.

Want to embed it, not just view it?

The bridge feeds EmbedStream — a hosted player with a one-line embed snippet, custom branding, and analytics. Convert once, then drop your camera into any page.

Conversion guides

Frequently asked questions

Can I play an RTSP stream directly in a web browser?

Not directly — browsers have no RTSP client. RTSP uses its own control/transport protocol (usually TCP port 554), and there is no support for rtsp:// URLs in a <video> tag. You first convert (bridge) the stream to a browser-native format such as HLS, which is what the RTSP→HLS bridge does.

Does the RTSP→HLS bridge re-encode my video?

No, when your camera sends H.264/AAC (nearly all do) the bridge remuxes — it repackages the existing frames into HLS segments without re-compressing — so the picture is identical and CPU cost is minimal. Re-encoding is only needed for codecs HLS cannot carry.

How much latency does the bridge add?

Low-latency HLS runs a few seconds behind live — the right trade-off for viewing or embedding a camera in a browser. For sub-second interactive latency you would use WebRTC; HLS is chosen here for universal browser and mobile playback.

Is my stream footage or credentials stored?

No. The bridge connects through the same SSRF-guarded, credential-pinning pipeline as StreamProbe’s other tools — your credentials never appear in the HLS playback URL, and the free preview auto-expires after a short bounded window with nothing retained.

Is the live preview available now?

Yes — paste your RTSP or RTMP URL above and the bridge pulls the source from our servers, remuxes it to low-latency HLS, and plays it right here in your browser. Free previews run for a short, bounded window and tear down automatically.