Camera Server Application

A simple Flask app for video streaming and image capture using OpenCV.

Features

• Live video streaming via /video_feed endpoint
• Image capture via /capture endpoint (POST request)
• Download latest captured image via /image endpoint
• Health check endpoint at /health
• Graceful shutdown via /shutdown endpoint
• Automatic IP detection or manual host/port configuration
• Cross-platform compatibility (works with PyInstaller)

Prerequisites

• Python 3.7+
• Virtual environment (recommended)
• Camera connected to your system

Setup

1. Clone this repository.

2. Create and activate a virtual environment:

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # Linux/MacOS
.\venv\Scripts\activate   # Windows

3. Install the required dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Running the Server

Basic Usage

python run.py

With Custom Host/Port

python run.py --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8080

Production Deployment (using Waitress)

The server already uses Waitress (a production WSGI server) by default.

Endpoints

• GET /video_feed - Live video stream (MJPEG)
• POST /capture - Capture and save an image
• GET /image - Download the latest captured image
• GET /health - Health check endpoint
• POST /shutdown - Gracefully shutdown the server

Compiling with PyInstaller

To create a standalone executable:

1. Install PyInstaller:

pip install pyinstaller

2. Compile the application:

pyinstaller --onefile run.py

for windows 11

python patch.py && pyinstaller --noconsole --onefile --manifest manifest.xml run.py 

3. The executable will be in the dist folder. Run it with:

./dist/run

Configuration

• The server automatically creates an images directory to store captured images
• Default port is 5000
• Host IP is auto-detected (can be overridden with --host argument)

Troubleshooting

• If the camera isn't working, verify it's properly connected
• Make sure no other application is using the camera
• Check firewall settings if accessing from another machine
• For port conflicts, try a different port with --port

License

MIT License