i have just started to delve into streaming libraries and the underlying protocols. I understand rtsp/rtp streaming and what these 2 protocols are for. But if we need the ip address, codec and the rtsp/rtp protocols to stream the video and audio from any cameras then why do we have onvif standard which essentially also aims to standardize the communication between IP network devices. I have seen the definitions of onvif so thats not what I am looking for. I want to know why at all we need onvif when we already have rtsp/rtp and what additional benefits it can provide.
Answer
ONVIF is much more than just video streaming. It's an attempt to standardize all remote protocols for network communication between security devices. This includes things like PTZ control video analytics and is much more than just digital camera devices.