Initial Requirements

[jasonpcrowley]

StreamView Requirements

1. Project Overview

1.1. Project Name

StreamView

1.2. Project Description

StreamView is a fork of the open-source displaycameras project, designed to display IP camera streams on a Raspberry Pi. The primary difference between StreamView and displaycameras is the replacement of omxplayer with VLC for better compatibility and functionality with a broader range of media formats and streaming protocols. StreamView will maintain a lightweight, easy-to-install architecture suitable for resource-limited hardware.

1.3. Objectives

• Fork displaycameras to create a new project: StreamView.
• Replace omxplayer with VLC as the media player for displaying camera streams.
• Maintain compatibility with existing hardware (e.g., Raspberry Pi).
• Ensure StreamView can handle multiple camera streams simultaneously (at least 12).
• Improve ease of use and configuration for end-users.

2. Functional Requirements

2.1. VLC Integration

• Requirement: VLC must be fully integrated as the default media player.
• Details: StreamView should leverage VLC's wide protocol and codec support (RTSP, HLS, HTTP) for streaming.
• Success Criteria: VLC replaces omxplayer across all use cases without loss of functionality. VLC must support video scaling, cropping, and positioning as per configuration.

2.2. Camera Stream Handling

• Requirement: StreamView must be able to display at least 12 simultaneous IP camera streams.
• Details: The software should support various camera stream formats, including but not limited to H.264, MJPEG, and HEVC.
• Success Criteria: Simultaneous streams from multiple cameras must be displayed without significant performance degradation.

2.3. Configuration File Adaptation

• Requirement: Modify the existing configuration files from displaycameras to support VLC-specific options.
• Details: Users should be able to specify VLC-related configurations such as buffering settings, stream protocols, and display window layouts.
• Success Criteria: Configuration files must be updated without changing the overall user experience. Configurations specific to omxplayer will be replaced with corresponding VLC options.

2.4. User Interface (UI)

• Requirement: Maintain a simple command-line based interface for advanced users while ensuring that configuration remains accessible.
• Details: StreamView should offer basic UI improvements if needed for VLC-specific controls.
• Success Criteria: No complex UI changes are necessary unless required for VLC integration.

2.5. Performance Optimizations

• Requirement: StreamView must perform efficiently on Raspberry Pi and similar resource-limited devices.
• Details: Efforts should be made to minimize CPU and memory usage, particularly when running multiple camera streams.
• Success Criteria: CPU and memory usage must stay within acceptable limits during operation.

3. Non-Functional Requirements

3.1. Platform Compatibility

• Requirement: StreamView must be compatible with Raspberry Pi (Raspbian OS) and similar Linux-based devices.
• Details: The application must work seamlessly with lightweight operating systems on hardware with limited resources.
• Success Criteria: The software must run smoothly on Raspberry Pi 3/4 models without significant lag or freezing.

3.2. Scalability

• Requirement: StreamView should support scalability to accommodate different numbers of camera streams as needed.
• Details: The application should allow for scaling from one to at least 12 simultaneous camera streams without significant performance issues.
• Success Criteria: StreamView must handle at least 12 concurrent camera streams without noticeable latency or dropped frames.

3.3. Reliability

• Requirement: The system should be highly reliable and able to recover from network outages or stream interruptions.
• Details: The application must handle temporary stream loss or disconnection and attempt automatic recovery.
• Success Criteria: StreamView should resume operation smoothly after a network outage, without user intervention.

3.4. Security

• Requirement: Implement basic security practices to avoid vulnerabilities when connecting to IP cameras.
• Details: Ensure that VLC integrates with secure protocols like HTTPS and RTSP over TLS where available.
• Success Criteria: StreamView must securely handle IP camera connections and avoid common security pitfalls like open ports or insecure protocols.

4. Technical Specifications

4.1. Languages and Libraries

• Primary Language: Bash or Python (matching the original displaycameras project)
• Player: VLC (replace omxplayer)
• Supported Protocols: RTSP, HTTP, HTTPS, HLS, UDP

4.2. Hardware Requirements

• Target Hardware: Raspberry Pi 3/4, other similar devices
• Memory: Minimum 1 GB of RAM recommended
• Storage: At least 4 GB free space for OS, software, and logs

5. Installation and Setup

5.1. Dependencies

• VLC Media Player
• Bash or Python (matching the original setup)

5.2. Installation Instructions

• Provide step-by-step installation instructions for users, covering:
  • Setting up VLC
  • Configuring the StreamView service
  • Configuring camera streams

6. Testing and Validation

6.1. Unit Testing

• Test integration of VLC for different stream formats.
• Ensure that configurations load and apply correctly.

6.2. Performance Testing

• Test the system with multiple camera streams (e.g., 12) and measure CPU, memory usage, and latency.

6.3. Failure Recovery Testing

• Test recovery from network outages, stream disconnection, or VLC crashes.