GitPedia

Python amcrest

A Python 2.7/3.x module for Amcrest and Dahua Cameras using the SDK HTTP API.

From tchellomello·Updated June 20, 2026·View on GitHub·

.. image:: https://badge.fury.io/py/amcrest.svg :target: https://badge.fury.io/py/amcrest The project is written primarily in Python, distributed under the GNU General Public License v2.0 license, first published in 2016. Key topics include: amcrest, camera, homeautomation, ip-camera, python.

Latest release: 1.9.9
July 14, 2025View Changelog →

==============
Python Amcrest

.. image:: https://badge.fury.io/py/amcrest.svg
:target: https://badge.fury.io/py/amcrest

.. image:: https://travis-ci.org/tchellomello/python-amcrest.svg?branch=master
:target: https://travis-ci.org/tchellomello/python-amcrest

.. image:: https://coveralls.io/repos/github/tchellomello/python-amcrest/badge.svg
:target: https://coveralls.io/github/tchellomello/python-amcrest

.. image:: https://img.shields.io/pypi/pyversions/amcrest.svg
:target: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/amcrest

A Python 3.x module for Amcrest Cameras <https://www.amcrest.com/>_ using the SDK HTTP API. Amcrest and Dahua devices share similar firmwares. Dahua Cameras and NVRs also work with this module.

Documentation: http://python-amcrest.readthedocs.io/ <http://python-amcrest.readthedocs.io/>_


Installation

PyPI

.. code-block:: bash

$ pip install amcrest --upgrade
$ eval "$(register-python-argcomplete amcrest-cli)"

# To enable amcrest-cli autocomplete in the system:
$ echo 'eval "$(register-python-argcomplete amcrest-cli)"' >  /etc/profile.d/amcrest-cli-autocomplete.sh

RPM

.. code-block:: bash

$ git clone git@github.com:tchellomello/python-amcrest.git
$ ./autogen.sh
$ make rpm
$ dnf/yum install amcrest-cli-NVR.rpm pythonX-amcrest-NVR.rpm

Usage

.. code-block:: python

from amcrest import AmcrestCamera
camera = AmcrestCamera('192.168.0.1', 80, 'admin', 'password').camera

#Check software information
camera.software_information
'version=2.420.AC00.15.R\r\nBuildDate=2016-09-08'

#Capture snapshot
camera.snapshot(channel=0, path_file="/home/user/Desktop/snapshot00.jpeg")
<requests.packages.urllib3.response.HTTPResponse object at 0x7f84945083c8>

#Capture audio
camera.audio_stream_capture(httptype="singlepart", channel=1, path_file="/home/user/Desktop/audio.aac")
CTRL-C to stop the continuous audio flow or use a timer

#Move camera down
camera.ptz_control_command(action="start", code="Down", arg1=0, arg2=0, arg3=0)

#Record realtime stream into a file
camera.realtime_stream(path_file="/home/user/Desktop/myvideo")
CTRL-C to stop the continuous video flow or use a timer

Command Line

.. code-block:: bash

$ man amcrest-cli
or
$ amcrest-cli --help

# Saving credentials to file.
$ vim ~/.config/amcrest.conf
[patio]
hostname: 192.168.0.20
username: admin
password: 123456
port: 80

[living_room]
hostname: 192.168.0.21
username: admin
password: secret
port: 80

$ amcrest-cli --camera living_room --version-http-api
version=1.40

Text User Interface (TUI)

Configure amcrest.conf and trigger amcrest-tui, make sure the user
triggering amcrest-tui have access to framebuffer device or use sudo.

NOTE:
Execute it from console logins, like /dev/ttyX (Non X Window).
Pseudo-terminals like xterm, ssh, screen and others WONT WORK.

.. code-block:: bash

$ vim ~/.config/amcrest.conf
[patio]
hostname: 192.168.0.20
username: admin
password: 123456
port: 80

[living_room]
hostname: 192.168.0.21
username: admin
password: secret
port: 80

$ amcrest-tui

Supportability Matrix

Cameras

+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| Model | Tested | Status | Results/Issues |
+=========================+===============+==========+=================+
| IPM-721 | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IPM-HX1 | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP2M-841 | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP2M-842 | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP3M-941 | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP3M-943 | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP3M-956 | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP3M-956E | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP3M-HX2 | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP4M-1026B | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP4M-1041B | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP4M-1051B | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP5M-1176EB | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP8M-2496EB | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| IP8M-T2499EW-28M | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+

Network Video Recorders (NVR)

+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+
| Model | Tested | Status | Results/Issues |
+=========================+===============+==========+=================+
| XVR DAHUA 5104S | Yes | working | |
+-------------------------+---------------+----------+-----------------+

If you have different model, feel fee to contribute and report your results.


Help

If you need any help, please join our community on the Gitter channels available at Gitter <https://gitter.im/python-amcrest>_.

Contributors

Showing top 12 contributors by commit count.

View all contributors on GitHub →

This article is auto-generated from tchellomello/python-amcrest via the GitHub API.Last fetched: 6/22/2026