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    RTSP URL formats · Axis · Checked against Axis documentation, October 2026

    Axis RTSP URL: /axis-media/media.amp and its parameters

    Axis cameras use one RTSP path for everything, /axis-media/media.amp. Without parameters it sends the camera's default stream; parameters pick a stream profile, codec, resolution or, on an encoder, the input.

    RTSP URL generator

    Your RTSP URL
    rtsp://[email protected]:554/axis-media/media.amp

    Built in your browser. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

    Axis RTSP paths

    • Main stream: rtsp://user:password@IP:554/axis-media/media.amp
    • Default port: 554
    Default stream
    rtsp://user:[email protected]:554/axis-media/media.amp
    H.264 at 1280 × 720
    rtsp://user:[email protected]:554/axis-media/media.amp?videocodec=h264&resolution=1280x720
    A saved stream profile
    rtsp://user:[email protected]:554/axis-media/media.amp?streamprofile=Quality
    Encoder input 2
    rtsp://user:[email protected]:554/axis-media/media.amp?camera=2

    Without parameters the camera sends the default stream from its Video stream settings.

    Parameters pick another stream, for example ?resolution=1280x720 or ?videocodec=h264. On a multi-channel encoder, ?camera=2 selects the second input.

    Source: Axis developer documentation: Video streaming (VAPIX)

    URL parameters

    Join parameters with &. The ones installers use most:

    streamprofileA stream profile saved in the camera, with its own codec, resolution and frame rate.
    videocodecThe compression, for example h264 or h265.
    resolutionFrame size such as 1920x1080. The options depend on the model.
    fpsFrame rate.
    compressionQuality from 0 to 100.
    cameraThe video source on multi-channel encoders and multi-sensor cameras.
    audio0 to leave audio out, 1 to include it.

    Source: Axis developer documentation, Video streaming (VAPIX).

    Axis and ONVIF

    A recorder that adds an Axis camera by ONVIF still receives an RTSP URL from it, so the paths above are what actually carries the video.

    Of the 20 Axis cameras in the CCTVplanner catalog whose datasheets list ONVIF profiles, 20 list Profile S (live video), 20 Profile T (H.264/H.265 streaming), 20 Profile G (edge recording) and 11 Profile M (analytics metadata).

    More on the profiles in ONVIF profiles explained, and on testing a camera in the ONVIF Device Manager guide.

    How to test the Axis RTSP URL

    1. Open VLC, choose Media > Open Network Stream, paste the URL and press Play.
    2. No picture? Try the sub stream. If that plays, the main stream is too heavy for the network or the player.
    3. For the codec, resolution and frame rate the camera actually sends: ffprobe -rtsp_transport tcp "rtsp://…"
    4. Once it plays in VLC, add it to the recorder or VMS by RTSP URL or by ONVIF.

    Axis RTSP questions

    What is the RTSP URL for an Axis camera?

    rtsp://user:password@IP:554/axis-media/media.amp. Add parameters such as ?videocodec=h264&resolution=1280x720 to request a specific stream.

    How do I get a sub stream from an Axis camera?

    Axis has no fixed sub stream path. Request a lower resolution with the resolution parameter, or save a low-bandwidth stream profile in the camera and call it with ?streamprofile=.

    How do I pick an input on an Axis encoder?

    Use the camera parameter: ?camera=2 selects the second video input.

    What port does Axis use for RTSP?

    554 by default.

    Planning where the Axis cameras go?

    CCTVplanner has Axis and every other brand in one catalog. Place the cameras on the real site map, see each camera's view in 3D and check pixel density, bandwidth and storage before anyone mounts a camera.

    RTSP URLs for other brandsRTSP explained