Apparently my speculation about enabling the beta channel is a dud for this particular situation, because I’ve done that and have been checking for the past day or so, but my non-RTSP-enabled Cam Pan v3[1] is still using firmware 4.50.15.4800, and the app tells me that it’s “Up to Date”, not ever offering me the 4.50.15.5336 version from December.
At this point I still think it’s just a waiting game with whatever phased release scheme Wyze is using.
I have a question as an RTSP noob: the streams seem to be always active, regardless of whether the camera is turned on or not. This is a little disconcerting. Can someone explain to me what might be going on or if I have things wrong?
I’m using the Generic Camera integration to bring my v3s and v3 Pans into HA.
What do you consider “the camera is turned on or off”?? Is this AC powered on/off or viewing on/off? RTSP (RealTime Streaming Protocol) should always be active unless not powered.
The on/off button in the app does not turn the camera on or off. It just puts it to sleep. The stream is active as it awaits a wake or sleep command when you press the on/off button. The real on/off is the AC power at the wall adapter.
I just checked, and here’s how it works on a Cam Pan v3.
While viewing the RTSP video on one device, and simultaneously viewing the video in the Wyze app on another device, when Privacy Mode is selected on the device running the Wyze App the audio and video is stopped in the Wyze app.
However, on the device viewing the RTSP video, the video stream continues with an image of the camera looking at itself in the blocked Privacy Mode position. The audio in the stream continues. So… “Privacy Mode” is not that private for the RTSP stream (with respect to audio), unlike in the Wyze app.
That comports with what @talormanda and I described previously in this topic:
That was with the previous β firmware, before RTSP was integrated into the production channel, and I haven’t personally re-checked this with the new version. I’m disappointed but not surprised by your result.
Subject: Feedback on PanCam v3, App UX, and Privacy Concerns
As a Wyze customer, I am disappointed with the direction Wyze is taking with the PanCam v3 software and app experience, particularly with the post‑purchase push toward cloud subscriptions. I expected a better interface, reliable local storage, and parity of motion detection features — not a system that makes personal security camera use feel secondary to a recurring cloud revenue model.
Current iOS App Experience:
The Wyze iOS app, once intuitive and clean, now feels visually cluttered, inconsistent, and overwhelming. Icons, labels, and navigation lack a clear hierarchy, making even basic tasks difficult to find. Left-right scrolling workarounds in the app are one of many reminders of it. Thumbnail notifications of events don’t show recordings on sdcard in one click, but goes to the cloud, which I don’t use. It’s broken experience reminder every time the Wyze camera detects motion. App settings are fragmented like a radar map on multiple vectors– between app, device, and RTSP sub-sub-submenus, creating confusion rather than clarity. This is a regression from earlier app versions that felt user‑focused, predictable, and reliable. #featurecreep#boltedon
Key Areas for Customer Relief:
Unified Camera Management & RTSP:
Merge camera app credentials & RTSP specific authentication into a single, cohesive workflow. Current fragmentation of adds unnecessary complexity.
iPad & Desktop Browser Experience:
The iPad app and desktop browser interface must match the simplicity and functionality of handheld devices.
Desktop web browsers should provide full access to all motion and activity videos stored on SD cards, with straightforward navigation, filtering, and event playback. A desktop browser should mirror the iPad app.
Apple TV 4K app is absent. The expectation is an app ported from the iOS core to tvOS and makes use of tvOS excellent notification abilities (think caller ID on tv) Siri voice search for recorded events Playback/FF/REV, and setting to the camera– not a 3rd party RTSP app to your camera. Those other ipcam RTSP apps are a workarounds. Wyze own this experience… unless you go to Matter firmware instead.
Simplify and Clarify the Interface:
Follow classic human interface UI principles for clarity, consistency, and hierarchy. Icons and labels should guide, not confuse.
Resources such as Niki Tonsky’s critique of macOS Tahoe icons and classic Apple Human Interface Guidelines (pre‑Tim Cook) illustrate the value of predictable, user‑centric design. Watch the video below to understand some of what is being lost.
Avoid fragmenting settings across multiple menus — unify controls so users can find everything in one place.
Restore Balanced Storage & Notification Control:
PanCam v3 was sold to me on Amazon and many other channels as a no‑cloud-needed camera, yet there’s no clear option to choose between SD card or cloud for recording, previews, or notifications.
Users should have equal control over where their video data is stored and how accurately & frequently detection notifications are previewed and easily accessed in 1-click. Cloud should be optional — not an invasive, mandatory commitment, or a reminder that what you bought has negative comparative value in capabilities. Cloud is taking a lot away from Wyze development resources as well as customer expectations, and the Wyze brand overall.
Privacy & Trust Concerns:
CES 2026 highlighted major failures in the home security camera industry: privacy breaches, privacy deception buried in TOS, cloud lock‑in, poor data protection, and invasive subscription models (Ring and others). Consumers are increasingly wary of cloud-only approaches that compromise control and security.
I see Wyze starting to drift in the same direction — cloud-first, subscription-heavy, and potentially compromising customer trust. This approach risks repeating the same mistakes as other “worst in show” devices. The original Nest was wonderful until Google got subscription fever and disappointed millions of once satisfied customers.
Preserve Core Strengths:
Wyze’s original appeal was simplicity, reliability, and local device access control with the SDCard. Prioritize local storage, strong motion detection, and a clean interface to be on balanced footing with the cloud to choose from. Either or, not both at the same time. Avoid cloud-first, invasive design choices that erode trust to suspicious sales offers. And tighten the development focus– Now I’m seeing engineers taking surveys about LTE cameras?? That’s looking for new problems to solve that no one is thrilled for. You’ve got plenty already with this product and app that need more eyes to fix in the UI. Solve problems for customers that have paid you for the camera products they are using now.
Resources Required:
Simplify and unify app look for screen-size responsive interface across devices. Add Apple TV 4K to maintain Wyze experience on tv and add on-tv notifications / wake-up’s
Show/hide features depending on using sdcard or cloud. Same level of UX functionality, control and detection notifications on all devices. It’s the camera that’s winning it for customers, not where they store their videos.
Make cloud optional, not mandatory.Overselling cloud. If a customer want to use an SD-Card, make the cloud settings vanish. If they prefer a cloud service, make the as card settings vanish. Not both. Remove the clutter that’s creeped in. Don’t be tempted to just add it all in there for developer simplicity on the app UI. This does not support customers time or patience while attempting to use your products.
Respect privacy, reliability, and user autonomy. Speak up to that in messaging as a positive differentiator.
Without communication and action on these requested corrections, I don’t feel confident in remaining a Wyze customer for much longer. No later than CES 2027 is my deadline for improvements. Wyze still has a brief chance to lead by example, avoiding the mistakes of other much larger compromised brands, and delivering cameras that respect privacy, simplicity, and true user control
More on UI / Human Interface Guidelines (pre Tim Cook):
What I mean is that they continue to capture video while the cameras are off in the app (which I can see in HA), and for v3s that means the standard video (and audio) capture just continues all the time, because it’s not a PTZ camera that points itself physically downward.
I guess my questions are twofold:
is this anticipated behavior?
if so, does this basically mean that RTSP makes cameras with a fixed view insecure? I rely on a geofence to turn off all cameras inside my house when there is anyone at home. Can this only be implemented safely by buying more smart plugs for every single RTSP Wyzecam?
I can NOT get this working now in Milestone (free version). I have tried every single option combination possible and it will not work. Anyone have any experience with Milestone and this release of firmware? The stream works 100% in VLC. Here’s my current settings and what I get in wireshark.
have a number of v3 cams and they work great with the RTSP software. just got a “solar cam pan” from amazon Amazon link and i was curious if this would support rtsp too. not worried about being able to move it via onvif, but as it would be powered all the time via hard wire (solar panel was just a bonus i can use for other projects ) i was wondering if it would work with the beta firmware. not sure how to tell what “version” of the camera i have. amazon just states “flagship model”
Firmware is specific to a given Cam model, and I have not seen even regular production firmware made available for download to flash Solar Cam Pan. The most recent official comments I’ve seen about RTSP for battery-powered Cams (even those powered with a wired source) are from @WyzeEric in a related topic:
Will this allow the Wyze cameras to work without sending data to their Wyze cloud, or even no internet connection? I’d love to hear anything about that!
That’s exactly what it does. I have a bunch of V3 block cameras on all of my 3-D printers and they all go to a video wall in the office so I can monitor the print progresses.
I believe this is correct, though I haven’t done extensive testing with it. What I have just tried is blocking my testing Cam Pan v3 from Internet access at the router and then streaming it on my LAN via RTSP to FFplay, and that worked as expected, but my understanding with these Cams is that some (at least with some previous firmware versions) will restart themselves after being unable to reach the Internet for a certain amount of time, and I don’t know if this behavior has been fully tested or described with the latest RTSP-enabled firmware. Someone with more experience specifically looking into these issues and use cases would likely be able to provide a better answer.
In any case, if you want to manage the Cams with the Wyze app (configure settings, etc.), I believe that they still require an Internet connection for that initial authentication.
Really glad to see RTSP support has resurfaced, this has the potential to get me using my many Wyze Cams again (especially the Pan v3’s which are such a unique form factor.) However my main use case is Unifi Protect…any plans to add ONVIF in addition to the basic RSTP endpoint? My understanding is that ONVIF is a pretty simple protocol that handles a handshake that includes the existing RTSP endpoints as well as negotiating any other control points (PTZ, motion, etc), but even just basic video streaming would be a huge deal for many of us.
Can anyone confirm whether this works with the Garage Door Controller connected to a v3?
I have 2 of these controllers, and the old RTSP beta lacks the garage door controller functionality, so I had to spin up an entire WyzeBridge Docker container just to get those cameras into Blue Iris. And even that was fraught with issues, as newer mainline firmware broke compatibility with the WyzeBridge. So I’d love to be able to get native RTSP and garage door controller functionality so I can get rid of the Docker container.
Also, does this new support for generic access suggest that someday Wyze might provide a snapshot URL?
Right now I’m using ffmpeg and RTSP to grab frames for a timelapse, but that’s terribly inefficient. It would be nice to just curl a JPG via http, like I can with most other IP cameras.
That’s a cool idea. I’m interested in an answer to this question.
I have no clue about the Garage Door Controller. Since RTSP is now in the mainstream production firmware release channel, I would expect that existing features like the Garage Door Controller still work, but I don’t use that (or even own Cam v3), so my speculation probably isn’t very useful. If you’re feeling adventurous, then you could try the production firmware update, see what happens, and report back to the community. If that nukes your Garage Door Controller feature, then I imagine you could re-flash older firmware.
) i was wondering if it would work with the beta firmware. not sure how to tell what “version” of the camera i have. amazon just states “flagship model”
