LightNVR - Lightweight Network Video Recorder

LightNVR is a tiny, memory-optimized Network Video Recorder software written in C. While originally designed for resource-constrained devices like the Ingenic A1 SoC with only 256MB of RAM, it can run on any Linux system.

Overview

LightNVR provides a lightweight yet powerful solution for recording and managing IP camera streams. It's designed to run efficiently on low-power, memory-constrained devices while still providing essential NVR functionality.

Key Features

• Cross-Platform: Runs on any Linux system, from embedded devices to full servers
• Memory Efficient: Optimized to run on devices with low memory (SBCs and certain SoCs)
• Stream Support: Handle up to 16 video streams (with memory-optimized buffering)
• Protocol Support: RTSP and ONVIF (basic profile)
• Codec Support: H.264 (primary), H.265 (if resources permit)
• Resolution Support: Up to 1080p per stream (configurable lower resolutions)
• Frame Rate Control: Configurable from 1-15 FPS per stream to reduce resource usage
• Standard Formats: Records in standard MP4/MKV containers with proper indexing
• Web Interface: Ultra-lightweight interface for management and viewing
• Storage Management: Automatic retention policies and disk space management
• Reliability: Automatic recovery after power loss or system failure
• Resource Optimization: Stream prioritization to manage limited RAM

System Requirements

• Processor: Any Linux-compatible processor (ARM, x86, MIPS, etc.)
• Memory: unknown RAM minimum (more recommended for multiple streams)
• Storage: Any storage device accessible by the OS
• Network: Ethernet or WiFi connection
• OS: Linux with kernel 4.4 or newer

Screenshots

Stream Management	Recording Management

Settings Management	System Information

Quick Start

Installation

1. Build from source:

   # Clone the repository
   git clone https://github.com/opensensor/lightnvr.git
   cd lightnvr
   
   # Build the software
   ./scripts/build.sh --release
   
   # Install (requires root)
   sudo ./scripts/install.sh

2. Configure:

   # Edit the configuration file
   sudo nano /etc/lightnvr/lightnvr.conf

3. Start the service:

   sudo systemctl start lightnvr

4. Access the web interface: Open a web browser and navigate to http://your-device-ip:8080

Docker Installation

docker pull lightnvr/lightnvr:latest
docker run -d \
  --name lightnvr \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -v /path/to/config:/etc/lightnvr \
  -v /path/to/recordings:/var/lib/lightnvr/recordings \
  lightnvr/lightnvr:latest

Documentation

• Installation Guide
• Build Instructions
• Configuration Guide
• API Documentation
• Troubleshooting Guide
• Architecture Overview

Project Structure

• src/ - Source code
  • core/ - Core system components
  • video/ - Video processing and stream handling
  • storage/ - Storage management
  • web/ - Web interface and API handlers
  • database/ - Database operations
  • utils/ - Utility functions
• include/ - Header files
• scripts/ - Build and utility scripts
• config/ - Configuration files
• docs/ - Documentation
• tests/ - Test suite
• web/ - Web interface files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)

Memory Optimization

LightNVR is specifically designed for memory-constrained environments:

• Efficient Buffering: Minimizes memory usage while maintaining reliable recording
• Stream Prioritization: Allocates resources based on stream importance
• Staggered Initialization: Prevents memory spikes during startup
• Swap Support: Optional swap file configuration for additional virtual memory
• Resource Governors: Prevents system crashes due to memory exhaustion

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• FFmpeg for video processing capabilities
• SQLite for efficient database storage
• libmicrohttpd for the web server
• All contributors who have helped with the project