Scrypted — High-Performance Smart Home Video Platform

Introduction

Scrypted is a high-performance video integration platform that connects IP cameras and other smart home devices to major ecosystems like Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. It runs locally with hardware-accelerated video transcoding.

What Scrypted Does

• Bridge any ONVIF or RTSP camera to HomeKit Secure Video, Google Home, or Alexa
• Hardware-accelerated video transcoding via GPU, Intel Quick Sync, or Apple VideoToolbox
• Local AI-powered object detection for people, vehicles, animals, and packages
• Two-way audio support for compatible cameras and doorbells
• Plugin system for extending device support and automation

Architecture Overview

Scrypted is written in TypeScript and runs on Node.js. It uses a plugin architecture where each device type (camera, sensor, doorbell) is handled by a dedicated plugin. Video streams are processed through FFmpeg with hardware acceleration. The web console provides device management and live preview.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Install via Docker, npm, or as a Home Assistant add-on
• Pass through GPU devices for hardware-accelerated transcoding
• Add cameras by entering their RTSP or ONVIF URLs
• Enable HomeKit pairing via QR code scan from the iOS Home app
• Configure object detection with the built-in OpenVINO or CoreML plugin

Key Features

• Sub-second camera loading in HomeKit and Google Home
• HomeKit Secure Video recording with iCloud storage
• Night vision and motion zone configuration via web UI
• NVR plugin for continuous local recording and timeline view
• Automation scripting with JavaScript or TypeScript

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Frigate — NVR-focused with Coral TPU support; Scrypted excels at HomeKit and multi-ecosystem bridging
• Home Assistant — broad home automation; Scrypted specializes in video performance
• MotionEye — simple motion detection UI; Scrypted adds smart home integration and AI detection
• Shinobi — open-source NVR; Scrypted provides faster stream loading and ecosystem bridges

FAQ

Q: Does Scrypted require a cloud subscription? A: No. All processing runs locally. HomeKit Secure Video uses your iCloud storage.

Q: Which cameras are supported? A: Any camera with RTSP or ONVIF support works. Specific plugins exist for Amcrest, Hikvision, Reolink, Ring, and others.

Q: Can I use it with Home Assistant? A: Yes. Scrypted runs as a Home Assistant add-on or alongside it, feeding camera streams via HomeKit or MQTT.

Q: Does it support GPU acceleration? A: Yes. NVIDIA, Intel Quick Sync, AMD VAAPI, and Apple VideoToolbox are all supported.

Sources

• https://github.com/koush/scrypted
• https://docs.scrypted.app