Cameras

Reolink cameras with Frigate: streams, models, gotchas

Make Reolink cameras reliable in Frigate: http-flv vs RTSP by model, main and sub stream roles, the two camera settings that matter, on-camera AI vs Frigate detection, and what to avoid.

Problem summary

Reolink is the most-bought PoE camera brand in home setups and the one that generates the most Frigate support threads, because Reolink's RTSP is unreliable on many hardware versions and its 4K models encode H.265 that the http-flv path cannot carry. The recipe that works: use Reolink's HTTP FLV streams (main for recording, ext or sub for detection) through go2rtc, set the camera to 'On, fluency first' (constant bit rate) and 'Interframe Space 1x', keep detection on a small H.264 sub stream at about 5 fps, and only use RTSP where Frigate's table says to (older 6MP-plus models) or as a secondary input for two-way talk. Reolink's own Smart Detection (person, vehicle, pet, animal, package on doorbells) runs on the camera and feeds the Reolink app and Home Assistant's Reolink integration; Frigate ignores it and runs its own detector on the sub stream, so the two coexist without conflict. Buying advice, from Frigate's own hardware page: stick to Reolink models of 5MP and lower, and if you are choosing new cameras, Dahua, Hikvision and Amcrest are recommended ahead of Reolink.

Operator snapshotEvidence first

First proof

Look up the camera's resolution and generation against Frigate's Reolink table.

Screen to open

ffplay "http://CAMERA-IP/flv?port=1935&app=bcs&stream=channel0_main.bcs&user=USER&password=PASS"

Expected signal

5MP or lower → http-flv; 6MP+ latest (Duo 3, CX-8xx) → enhanced http-flv (ffmpeg 8) or RTSP; 6MP+ older (RLC-8xx) → RTSP.

Stop boundary

Stop before forwarding the camera's web, RTSP or FLV ports to the internet.

Layer path

1Reolink cameras expose two different transports, and picking the wrong one is the root of most Frigate-Reolink threads. RTSP exists but is unreliable on many hardware versions; the HTTP FLV streams (port 1935, `channelN_main/_ext/_sub.bcs`) are the stable path, which is why Frigate's documentation routes 5MP-and-lower models to http-flv.

2FLV only carries H.264. Reolink's 8MP and 12MP cameras encode their top resolution in H.265, so a 4K main stream over FLV shows nothing. The fixes are an RTSP main stream on older 8MP models, the H.265 enhanced http-flv with ffmpeg 8.0 on the newest models, or simply running the main stream below 4K. Frigate's hardware page recommends staying at 5MP and lower with this brand.

3Two camera settings decide whether Frigate's decoder gets a steady stream: constant bit rate ('On, fluency first') and a keyframe every frame-rate interval ('Interframe Space 1x'). Add Frigate's general rules (detect on a small sub stream at about 5 fps with matching aspect ratio, record the main stream at 15 fps) and most stutter, timeouts and 'no frames' disappear.

4Detection happens in two places and they do not compete. Reolink Smart Detection runs on the camera for the Reolink app and Home Assistant's Reolink integration. Frigate ignores it and runs its own detector on the sub stream. Safety boundary: cameras belong on an isolated VLAN with no internet, and their web and FLV ports must never be forwarded.

Runbook

Step-by-step runbook

Start here. Do each check in order, compare it to the expected result, and stop when the evidence explains the failure or the safe stop point applies.

Classify each Reolink camera

Check: Note model, resolution, generation, and whether it lists RTSP/ONVIF in Reolink's support article.

Expected result: You know the transport Frigate's table prescribes for each camera.

If not: A camera with no local stream is not a Frigate camera; plan a replacement.

Set the camera

Check: Main stream H.264 (below 4K on 8MP models unless using RTSP/enhanced FLV), 15 fps; sub or ext stream at about 640x360, 5 fps, same aspect ratio; 'On, fluency first'; 'Interframe Space 1x'; HTTP enabled.

Expected result: Steady streams that Frigate's decoder can hold.

If not: If a setting is missing, update the camera firmware first.

Define the streams in go2rtc

Check: Main and sub as `ffmpeg:http://IP/flv?...channel0_main.bcs...` and `..._ext.bcs...`; for two-way talk add the `Preview_01_sub` RTSP source without `ffmpeg:`.

Expected result: Both streams show producers connected in go2rtc.

If not: Test each URL with ffplay before blaming Frigate.

Assign roles in Frigate

Check: Camera inputs from `rtsp://127.0.0.1:8554/<stream>` with `preset-rtsp-restream`; record on main, detect (and audio if wanted) on sub; detect width/height matching the sub stream.

Expected result: Recordings at full quality, detection cheap, live view via go2rtc.

If not: If CPU is high, detection is on the wrong stream or fps is too high.

Decide what the camera's own AI is for

Check: Leave Reolink Smart Detection on if you use the Reolink app or Home Assistant's Reolink integration; configure Frigate zones and objects independently.

Expected result: Two detectors, no conflict, each feeding its own consumer.

If not: Do not expect Frigate to show camera-side detections; it never reads them.

Isolate and verify

Check: Cameras on a VLAN with no internet, no port forwards, Frigate reachable only on the LAN or over Tailscale; then watch a day of recordings for gaps.

Expected result: Continuous recordings and events with no dropouts.

If not: Gaps mean the transport or CBR settings; revisit steps 2 and 3.

Safe stop: Stop before forwarding the camera's web, RTSP or FLV ports to the internet.

Decision tree

If: 5MP or lower Reolink PoE camera (RLC-510A, RLC-520A, RLC-511 class).

Then: The documented sweet spot.

Action: http-flv main for record, http-flv ext or sub for detect, both via go2rtc with `preset-rtsp-restream` on the Frigate side.

If: 8MP or 12MP Reolink on the newest generation (Duo 3, CX-8xx).

Then: H.265 main stream.

Action: Use the enhanced http-flv over H.265 (requires ffmpeg 8.0 in Frigate) or RTSP for the main stream; keep the sub stream on http-flv for detection.

If: 8MP Reolink on an older generation (RLC-810A, RLC-811A class).

Then: FLV cannot carry its H.265 main stream.

Action: RTSP for the main/record stream, http-flv for the sub/detect stream; or drop the main stream to a 5MP H.264 setting.

If: Cameras connected through a Reolink NVR.

Then: The NVR re-exposes each camera as a channel.

Action: Use the NVR's IP with `channelN_main.bcs` / `channelN_ext.bcs` (N = 0 to 15) and the NVR's credentials.

If: You want two-way talk on a doorbell or camera in Frigate's live view.

Then: Supported on Reolink's latest cameras with a two-source go2rtc stream.

Action: Keep http-flv for video; add `rtsp://USER:PASS@IP/Preview_01_sub` (no `ffmpeg:` prefix) as the audio-capable second source; enable HTTP in the camera's advanced network settings.

If: Battery Reolink (Argus, Go) or a Wi-Fi model without RTSP.

Then: No local stream to give Frigate.

Action: Not a Frigate camera. Use it in the Reolink app, or replace it with a PoE model that lists RTSP and ONVIF.

Safe stop: Stop before buying more of the same model for Frigate; check Reolink's RTSP/ONVIF list first.

Evidence

Evidence table

Symptom	Evidence to collect	Likely layer	Next action
Frigate logs 'no frames have been received' for the Reolink camera.	Transport in the go2rtc source (rtsp vs http-flv) and the model's row in Frigate's table.	Wrong transport for the model.	Switch to the documented transport; test the FLV URL in VLC first.
Live view is grey or black on the 4K main stream but the sub stream works.	Main stream codec in the camera UI.	H.265 over FLV.	RTSP or enhanced http-flv (ffmpeg 8) for main, or lower the resolution below 4K.
Stream stutters, freezes for seconds, recovers slowly.	Bitrate mode and interframe space settings.	Variable bit rate and long keyframe interval.	Set 'On, fluency first' and 'Interframe Space 1x'.
High CPU on the Frigate host with only a few cameras.	Which stream has the detect role and its resolution and fps.	Detecting on the full main stream.	Detect on the sub stream at about 5 fps.
Person alerts in the Reolink app but no Frigate event, or vice versa.	Where each system detects: camera Smart Detection vs Frigate's detector and zones.	Two independent detectors with different zones and thresholds.	Tune Frigate's zones and min_score; the camera's AI does not feed Frigate.

Reference

Commands and settings paths

Prove the FLV main stream plays before touching Frigate

ffplay "http://CAMERA-IP/flv?port=1935&app=bcs&stream=channel0_main.bcs&user=USER&password=PASS"

Where: Any PC on the camera VLAN with ffmpeg installed (VLC 'Open Network Stream' also works).

Expected: Video plays within a couple of seconds.

Failure means: No video means HTTP is disabled on the camera, wrong credentials, or an H.265 main stream.

Safe next step: Enable HTTP in the camera's network settings; test the `_sub` URL to separate codec from auth problems.

Read the codec and resolution Frigate is receiving

ffprobe -v error -show_streams "http://CAMERA-IP/flv?port=1935&app=bcs&stream=channel0_main.bcs&user=USER&password=PASS"

Where: Same PC as above.

Expected: codec_name=h264 with the width, height and frame rate you configured.

Failure means: hevc on a stream you send over FLV explains a blank view.

Safe next step: Lower the main stream below 4K or use RTSP/enhanced http-flv per Frigate's table.

Check go2rtc's view of the stream inside Frigate

Frigate UI → System → go2rtc (or http://FRIGATE-IP:1984/api/streams)

Where: Browser on your LAN.

Expected: The Reolink stream shows producers connected and consumers (record/detect) attached.

Failure means: Producer errors or reconnect loops point at the transport or the camera settings.

Safe next step: Fix transport and CBR/keyframe settings; restart the camera in Frigate.

Confirm the camera is isolated from the internet

Router or firewall rules for the camera VLAN, plus `curl -m 5 https://1.1.1.1` from a host on that VLAN

Where: Your router UI and a test device on the camera VLAN.

Expected: Cameras reach Frigate and NTP only; the test to the internet fails.

Failure means: A camera VLAN with internet access can phone home and be reached if credentials leak.

Safe next step: Block the VLAN's WAN access; allow only Frigate and NTP.

Hardware boundary

Hardware and platform boundary

Change only when

Replace or add cameras when a Reolink model has no local stream (battery, some Wi-Fi), or when a 4K Reolink keeps failing after the documented transport fixes; Frigate's hardware page recommends Dahua, Hikvision and Amcrest ahead of Reolink for new purchases.

Evidence that matters

PoE, a listed RTSP/ONVIF spec, H.264 on at least the sub stream, a true second stream you can set to about 640x360 at 5 fps, and constant-bit-rate and keyframe-interval controls in the firmware.

Evidence that does not matter

Headline megapixels above 5MP for a home Frigate setup, and the camera's own AI marketing; Frigate does detection itself.

Avoid

Avoid battery cameras for Frigate, avoid relying on Reolink RTSP where the table says http-flv, and avoid exposing camera ports to the internet.

Related tool/calculator

Use the linked calculator or tool to turn this runbook into numbers for your exact setup.

Frigate hardware planner

Last reviewed

2026-09-06 · Reviewed by HomeTechOps. Written to answer the most-asked camera question in Frigate's community in 2026 ('Reolink cameras now have their own AI, is Frigate still compatible', unanswered GitHub camera-recommendation threads, r/frigate_nvr). Every transport rule is taken from Frigate's camera-specific documentation table and Reolink's own FLV and RTSP/ONVIF support articles rather than from forum lore, and the page is explicit that Frigate recommends other brands first. On-camera Smart Detection is described as coexisting with Frigate, not feeding it, because that is how the software actually behaves. No camera was bench-tested for this page.

Sources/assumptions

Stream recommendations follow Frigate's camera-specific documentation (checked 2026-09-06): 5MP-and-lower Reolink cameras of any generation should use http-flv (H.264); 6MP-plus on the latest generation (Duo 3, CX-8xx) can use http-flv-enhanced over H.265 with ffmpeg 8.0 or RTSP; 6MP-plus on older generations (RLC-8xx) should use RTSP.
The FLV URL format, port 1935, channel numbering from 0, and the H.264-only limitation of FLV are from Reolink's own 'Introduction to FLV Stream' support article. Which Reolink models support RTSP and ONVIF at all is from Reolink's 'Which Reolink Products Support CGI/RTSP/ONVIF' article; battery and some Wi-Fi models do not.
Smart Detection categories (person on all cameras; vehicle on all except E1 Indoor and FE series; pet/animal by model and firmware; visitor and package on doorbells) are from Reolink's Smart Detection article. Frigate does not consume camera-side detections; it runs its own detector.
Frigate's hardware page recommends Dahua, Hikvision and Amcrest in that order and notes many user reports of problems with 4K-plus Reolink cameras. This page reports that guidance; it does not test cameras.

Source-backed checks

HomeTechOps turns official docs and conservative safety rules into a shorter runbook. These links are the source trail for the page direction.

Frigate Docs: Camera Specific Configurations (Reolink section)Primary source for the Reolink transport table (5MP-and-lower → http-flv; 6MP+ latest generation → enhanced http-flv with ffmpeg 8.0 or RTSP; 6MP+ older → RTSP), the 'On, fluency first' and 'Interframe Space 1x' camera settings, NVR channel numbering, and the two-way-talk go2rtc layout (http-flv for video plus a non-ffmpeg-prefixed RTSP Preview_01_sub source).Frigate Docs: Recommended hardware (cameras and detectors)Used for Frigate's camera recommendation order (Dahua, Hikvision, Amcrest), the note that many users report problems with 4K-plus Reolink cameras and should stay at 5MP and lower, and the current detector guidance.Frigate docs: Camera setupUsed for the detect-on-substream / record-on-main pattern and recommended stream roles.Reolink Support: Introduction to FLV StreamUsed for the FLV URL formats (main, ext, sub; port 1935; channel id from 0; NVR credentials for NVR channels) and the statement that FLV supports H.264 only, so 8MP/12MP cameras at top resolution (H.265) cannot be displayed via FLV.Reolink Support: Which Reolink Products Support CGI/RTSP/ONVIFUsed for which Reolink models expose local RTSP/CGI/ONVIF streams (needed by Frigate) and which, such as battery cameras and some Wi-Fi models, do not.Reolink Support: Introduction to Reolink Smart DetectionUsed for the on-camera detection categories (person on all cameras; vehicle on all except E1 Indoor and FE series; pet/animal by model and firmware; visitor and package on Video Doorbells) that run on the camera independently of Frigate.Frigate GitHub issue #3235: Reolink stream reliability (http vs rtsp)The discussion Frigate's documentation cites for the finding that Reolink's HTTP video streams are more reliable than RTSP across hardware versions.

Diagnostic rule

1. Check the simplest signal first.
2. Change one thing at a time.
3. Prove the stream/reachability before deep config.
4. Stop when the evidence says the risk moved.

FAQ

Which stream should I use for Reolink in Frigate: RTSP or HTTP FLV?

HTTP FLV for almost every home Reolink camera. Frigate's own table: 5MP or lower, any generation, use http-flv (the stream is H.264). 6MP or higher on the newest generation (Duo 3, CX-8xx) can use the enhanced http-flv over H.265, which needs ffmpeg 8.0 in Frigate, or fall back to RTSP. 6MP or higher on older generations (RLC-8xx) should use RTSP. The reason is stability: Frigate's tracking issue on Reolink found the HTTP streams far more reliable than RTSP across hardware versions. The URL shape is `http://CAMERA-IP/flv?port=1935&app=bcs&stream=channel0_main.bcs&user=USER&password=PASS`; swap `_main` for `_ext` or `_sub` for the low-resolution streams, and use `channel1` to `channel15` when the camera sits behind a Reolink NVR.

Why does my 4K Reolink show no frames or a grey stream in Frigate?

Because FLV only carries H.264, and Reolink's 8MP and 12MP cameras encode their top resolution in H.265. Reolink's own FLV article says so and suggests lowering the main stream below 4K if you want it over FLV. In Frigate you have three choices: use http-flv for the sub stream (detection) and RTSP for the main stream (recording) on older 8MP models; use the H.265 enhanced http-flv with ffmpeg 8.0 on the newest models; or drop the main stream to a 5MP or 4MP H.264 setting. Frigate's hardware page is blunt that 4K-plus Reolink cameras generate many problem reports and recommends staying at 5MP and lower for this brand.

Which two camera settings fix most Reolink stuttering in Frigate?

In the camera's stream settings: set the bitrate mode to 'On, fluency first', which makes the camera use a constant bit rate instead of variable, and set 'Interframe Space' to 1x, which makes the keyframe interval equal to the frame rate. Frigate's documentation lists exactly these two. Then follow Frigate's general advice: the detection stream around 5 fps at a low resolution that matches the main stream's aspect ratio (for example 640x360 for a 16:9 main stream), and the recording stream at 15 fps at the resolution you want to keep.

Reolink cameras now have their own AI. Do I still need Frigate's detection?

They do different jobs, and they coexist. Reolink Smart Detection runs on the camera and tells person from vehicle from pet or animal (and visitor or package on doorbells); it drives the Reolink app's alerts, the camera's own recording filters, and the sensors exposed by Home Assistant's Reolink integration. Frigate never reads those results; it decodes the sub stream and runs its own detector (OpenVINO on an Intel iGPU, Hailo, and so on), which gives you zones, object tracking, review items, snapshots and the Frigate+ models. Keep the camera's detection on if you use the Reolink app or its Home Assistant sensors; it costs Frigate nothing. If you only use Frigate, it does not matter either way.

Can I use two-way talk on a Reolink doorbell or camera through Frigate?

Yes on Reolink's latest cameras, with a specific layout Frigate documents: keep the http-flv stream as the video source for stability, and add the camera's RTSP sub stream (`rtsp://USER:PASS@CAMERA-IP/Preview_01_sub`) as a second source on the same go2rtc stream, used only for the two-way audio. That RTSP entry must not be prefixed with `ffmpeg:` because go2rtc has to handle it directly, and HTTP must be enabled in the camera's advanced network settings. Two-way talk itself then works from Frigate's live view over HTTPS.

Do all Reolink cameras work with Frigate?

No. Frigate needs a local RTSP or HTTP stream, and Reolink only offers those on some models. Reolink's own compatibility article is the reference: most wired PoE and Wi-Fi cameras and the NVRs support RTSP and CGI, while battery cameras (Argus, Go), some Wi-Fi models such as the Lumus and E1 series, and cameras that only work through the Home Hub either lack RTSP entirely or expose it only through an NVR or Home Hub. If you are buying cameras for Frigate, buy PoE models with RTSP and ONVIF listed in the specification, and, per Frigate's hardware guidance, consider Dahua, Hikvision or Amcrest first; Reolink is workable, not the recommendation.

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