FAQ

The data

Where do the specs come from?

From the manufacturer: the official datasheet, user manual or product page for that exact model. Every record lists those URLs in sources, so any value can be checked at its origin. Retailer listings are only used to corroborate, never as the sole source. For discontinued models whose vendor page is gone, the source may be an archived (Wayback Machine) copy of the manufacturer's own file.

A field is empty. Does that mean the camera doesn't have the feature?

No. An empty field means the datasheet doesn't state it. The dataset never guesses or copies a value from a sibling model: a missing spec is honest, a plausible-looking wrong one is not. If you have an official source for a missing value, open a Correct an existing entry issue with the link.

Why is the minimum illumination (min_lux) often missing?

Datasheets quote low-light sensitivity in very different ways, so a value is recorded only when it is clearly labelled:

• min_lux_color = the colour figure; min_lux = the black-and-white figure.
• A figure that isn't labelled colour or black-and-white is not recorded.
• "0 lux with IR on" is not a sensitivity, so it is never recorded.
• Some brands (Reolink, for example) don't publish a colour figure at all.

What does ndaa_compliant mean?

Whether the camera may be used under US NDAA Section 889 rules, according to an official statement:

• true: the manufacturer states it, either on a compliance list, as a brand-wide declaration, or in that model's datasheet.
• false: the brand is named in Section 889 (Hikvision, Dahua and their sub-brands), or the manufacturer publishes a compliance list and this model isn't on it (for example ACTi).
• omitted: there is no official statement either way. That is not the same as non-compliant.

NDAA status is set by brand or model list, not by the hardware specs, so always confirm with the vendor for procurement.

What is the added date?

When the camera first appeared in the dataset, taken from git history. It's what drives the website's "Recently added" list and the RSS feed. It is not the camera's launch date (that is release_year, when known).

How current is a record?

last_verified is the last date someone checked the record against its sources. Specs rarely change after launch, but firmware can add features; the date tells you how recently it was checked.

Models and aliases

Why isn't my exact model code its own record?

Manufacturers often sell one camera under several order numbers that differ only in packaging or options: lens size ((2.8mm)), housing colour (-B/-W, (Black)), PAL vs NTSC, mount type, a regional or government suffix (-GOV, /IN), or an add-on such as a strobe light (/SL, /SRB). The dataset keeps one record per camera and lists the other codes in aliases. Search by any of them, on the website or with aliases in the data.

A code gets its own record when the hardware differs: a different sensor, resolution, lens type, housing (indoor vs outdoor, explosion-proof), or a separate product with its own datasheet.

My camera isn't in the database.

Open an Add a camera issue from the issue chooser with the brand, the model and a link to the official datasheet. No coding is needed. Models with no official spec source anywhere can't be added (the dataset doesn't take specs from retailers or forums), so the datasheet link is the key part.

I have a rebranded (OEM) camera.

Many budget brands sell Dahua- or Hikvision-made cameras under their own name. Search for your brand first. If the record uses the Dahua (/cam/realmonitor) or Hikvision (/Streaming/Channels) stream path, the original maker's settings usually apply. See Stream URLs by Brand.

Configs

Is the Frigate config tested?

Only if it says verified: true. The others are generated from the manufacturer's documented stream path for that brand or line and usually work, but haven't been confirmed on that exact model. See Stream URLs by Brand.

The config didn't work.

Please tell us: open a Verify a Frigate config issue and pick "did not work", or "worked, but I had to change something" with the config that works. See Reporting a Working Config.

Using the data

Can I use it commercially?

Yes. The dataset is CC0 (public domain): copy, modify and redistribute it, commercially or not, with no attribution required. A link back to the repo is appreciated.

Is there an API?

Yes. A static, read-only JSON API with no key and no rate limit. See Using the Data.

I found a wrong value.

Open a Correct an existing entry issue with the official source that shows the right value. Corrections without a source can't be merged, for the same reason new specs need one.