Media Routes

Media Routes Overview

Media routes enable processing of visual data including barcode scanning and video streaming. These routes bridge the gap between image/video sources and your MQTT infrastructure.

Like adding eyes to your broker. Media routes let your MQTT broker see and interpret visual data — scanning barcodes off a camera feed or streaming video to a dashboard — without any external processing code.

Barcode Route

The BARCODE route enables encoding and decoding of various barcode formats including QR codes, Code 128, EAN-13, and more.

Basic Syntax

DEFINE ROUTE BarcodeProcessor WITH TYPE BARCODE
    ADD BARCODE_CONFIG
        WITH SUPPORTED_FORMATS "QR_CODE, CODE_128, EAN_13"
    ADD EVENT DecodeBarcode
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "barcode/scan"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "barcode/result"
        WITH MODE "DECODE"

Configuration Parameters

SUPPORTED_FORMATS

string

Comma-separated barcode formats to support (e.g., QR_CODE, CODE_128, EAN_13).

Event Parameters

SOURCE_TOPIC

string

MQTT topic with barcode image (base64) or data to encode.

DESTINATION_TOPIC

string

MQTT topic to publish barcode results.

MODE

string

Operation mode: ENCODE (create barcode) or DECODE (read barcode).

ENABLE_ANNOTATION

boolean

Annotate decoded barcode location on image. Default: false.

ANNOTATED_IMAGE_TOPIC

string

Topic to publish annotated image (for DECODE mode).

Supported Formats

Format	Description
`QR_CODE`	QR Code (2D)
`CODE_128`	Code 128 (1D)
`CODE_39`	Code 39 (1D)
`EAN_13`	EAN-13 (1D retail)
`EAN_8`	EAN-8 (1D retail)
`UPC_A`	UPC-A (1D retail)
`UPC_E`	UPC-E (1D retail)
`DATA_MATRIX`	Data Matrix (2D)
`PDF_417`	PDF417 (2D stacked)

Barcode Examples

Decode Barcode
Encode Barcode
Production Line Scanner

Scan barcodes from images:

DEFINE ROUTE BarcodeScanner WITH TYPE BARCODE
    ADD BARCODE_CONFIG
        WITH SUPPORTED_FORMATS "QR_CODE, CODE_128, EAN_13, UPC_A"
    ADD EVENT ScanBarcode
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "camera/frame"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "barcode/decoded"
        WITH MODE "DECODE"
        WITH ENABLE_ANNOTATION "true"
        WITH ANNOTATED_IMAGE_TOPIC "barcode/annotated"

Input: Base64-encoded image on camera/frameOutput: JSON with decoded data on barcode/decoded:

{
  "format": "QR_CODE",
  "data": "https://example.com",
  "timestamp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}

Generate barcode images:

DEFINE ROUTE BarcodeGenerator WITH TYPE BARCODE
    ADD BARCODE_CONFIG
        WITH SUPPORTED_FORMATS "QR_CODE, CODE_128"
    ADD EVENT GenerateBarcode
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "barcode/generate"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "barcode/image"
        WITH MODE "ENCODE"

Input: JSON with data and format on barcode/generate:

{
  "format": "QR_CODE",
  "data": "Product-12345",
  "width": 300,
  "height": 300
}

Output: Base64-encoded barcode image on barcode/image

Industrial barcode scanning:

DEFINE ROUTE ProductionScanner WITH TYPE BARCODE
    ADD BARCODE_CONFIG
        WITH SUPPORTED_FORMATS "CODE_128, DATA_MATRIX"
    ADD EVENT ScanProduct
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "line/camera/frame"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "line/product/scanned"
        WITH MODE "DECODE"
    ADD EVENT ScanSerial
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "line/serial/frame"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "line/serial/decoded"
        WITH MODE "DECODE"
        WITH ENABLE_ANNOTATION "true"
        WITH ANNOTATED_IMAGE_TOPIC "line/serial/annotated"

Video Input Route

The VIDEO_INPUT route captures video frames from RTSP streams, webcams, or video files and publishes them to MQTT topics.

Basic Syntax

DEFINE ROUTE VideoCapture WITH TYPE VIDEO_INPUT
    ADD VIDEO_INPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE "rtsp://192.168.1.100:554/stream"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "video/frames"
        WITH FORMAT "JPEG"
        WITH FRAME_RATE '10'

Configuration Parameters

SOURCE

string

Video source: RTSP URL, webcam identifier, or file path.

DESTINATION_TOPIC

string

MQTT topic to publish video frames.

FORMAT

string

Output format: JPEG, MJPEG, H264, H265, MP4, MPEGTS.

FRAME_RATE

integer

Frame rate for capture (1-60 fps).

WIDTH

integer

Frame width in pixels.

HEIGHT

integer

Frame height in pixels.

QUALITY

integer

JPEG quality (1-100).

Event Parameters

SOURCE_TOPIC

string

MQTT topic to control video capture.

QUERY

string

Control command: START, STOP, or CAPTURE <duration>.

Video Input Examples

RTSP Stream
Webcam
Video File
Motion Detection

Capture from IP camera:

DEFINE ROUTE IPCamera WITH TYPE VIDEO_INPUT
    ADD VIDEO_INPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE "rtsp://admin:password@192.168.1.100:554/stream1"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "camera/entrance/frames"
        WITH FORMAT "JPEG"
        WITH FRAME_RATE '5'
        WITH WIDTH '1280'
        WITH HEIGHT '720'
        WITH QUALITY '80'
    ADD EVENT CameraControl
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "camera/entrance/control"
        WITH QUERY "START"

Capture from local webcam:

DEFINE ROUTE Webcam WITH TYPE VIDEO_INPUT
    ADD VIDEO_INPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE "webcam:0"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "webcam/frames"
        WITH FORMAT "JPEG"
        WITH FRAME_RATE '15'
        WITH WIDTH '640'
        WITH HEIGHT '480'
    ADD EVENT WebcamControl
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "webcam/control"
        WITH QUERY "START"

Process a video file:

DEFINE ROUTE VideoFile WITH TYPE VIDEO_INPUT
    ADD VIDEO_INPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE "/videos/sample.mp4"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "video/file/frames"
        WITH FORMAT "JPEG"
        WITH FRAME_RATE '30'
    ADD EVENT FileControl
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "video/file/control"
        WITH QUERY "START"

Low frame rate for motion detection:

DEFINE ROUTE MotionDetection WITH TYPE VIDEO_INPUT
    ADD VIDEO_INPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE "rtsp://192.168.1.50:554/stream"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "security/motion/frames"
        WITH FORMAT "JPEG"
        WITH FRAME_RATE '2'
        WITH WIDTH '640'
        WITH HEIGHT '480'
        WITH QUALITY '60'
    ADD EVENT MotionControl
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "security/motion/control"
        WITH QUERY "START"

Video Output Route

The VIDEO_OUTPUT route streams video frames from MQTT to various output protocols.

Basic Syntax

DEFINE ROUTE VideoStreamer WITH TYPE VIDEO_OUTPUT
    ADD VIDEO_OUTPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "video/frames"
        WITH OUTPUT_PROTOCOL "HTTP"
        WITH OUTPUT_PATH "/stream"

Configuration Parameters

SOURCE_TOPIC

string

MQTT topic with video frames (base64).

OUTPUT_PROTOCOL

string

Output protocol: HTTP, RTSP, UDP, TCP.

OUTPUT_PATH

string

Output path or port for streaming.

Event Parameters

QUERY

string

Control command: START or STOP.

Video Output Examples

HTTP Stream
RTSP Output
UDP Multicast

Stream via HTTP (MJPEG):

DEFINE ROUTE HTTPStream WITH TYPE VIDEO_OUTPUT
    ADD VIDEO_OUTPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "camera/frames"
        WITH OUTPUT_PROTOCOL "HTTP"
        WITH OUTPUT_PATH ":8081/video"
    ADD EVENT StreamControl
        WITH QUERY "START"

Access stream at: http://broker-ip:8081/video

Re-stream as RTSP:

DEFINE ROUTE RTSPOutput WITH TYPE VIDEO_OUTPUT
    ADD VIDEO_OUTPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "processed/frames"
        WITH OUTPUT_PROTOCOL "RTSP"
        WITH OUTPUT_PATH ":8554/stream"
    ADD EVENT RTSPControl
        WITH QUERY "START"

Access stream at: rtsp://broker-ip:8554/stream

Multicast video stream:

DEFINE ROUTE UDPStream WITH TYPE VIDEO_OUTPUT
    ADD VIDEO_OUTPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "broadcast/frames"
        WITH OUTPUT_PROTOCOL "UDP"
        WITH OUTPUT_PATH "239.0.0.1:5000"
    ADD EVENT UDPControl
        WITH QUERY "START"

Complete Example: Vision System

A complete vision system with camera input, barcode scanning, and video streaming:

// Camera input
DEFINE ROUTE InspectionCamera WITH TYPE VIDEO_INPUT
    ADD VIDEO_INPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE "rtsp://192.168.1.100:554/stream"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "inspection/camera/raw"
        WITH FORMAT "JPEG"
        WITH FRAME_RATE '10'
        WITH WIDTH '1920'
        WITH HEIGHT '1080'
        WITH QUALITY '90'
    ADD EVENT CameraControl
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "inspection/camera/control"
        WITH QUERY "START"

// Barcode scanning
DEFINE ROUTE ProductScanner WITH TYPE BARCODE
    ADD BARCODE_CONFIG
        WITH SUPPORTED_FORMATS "CODE_128, DATA_MATRIX, QR_CODE"
    ADD EVENT ScanProduct
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "inspection/camera/raw"
        WITH DESTINATION_TOPIC "inspection/barcode/result"
        WITH MODE "DECODE"
        WITH ENABLE_ANNOTATION "true"
        WITH ANNOTATED_IMAGE_TOPIC "inspection/camera/annotated"

// Live stream for operators
DEFINE ROUTE OperatorStream WITH TYPE VIDEO_OUTPUT
    ADD VIDEO_OUTPUT_CONFIG
        WITH SOURCE_TOPIC "inspection/camera/annotated"
        WITH OUTPUT_PROTOCOL "HTTP"
        WITH OUTPUT_PATH ":8080/inspection"
    ADD EVENT StreamControl
        WITH QUERY "START"

Best Practices

Optimize Frame Rate

Use lower frame rates for bandwidth efficiency:

Monitoring: 1-5 fps
Motion detection: 2-5 fps
Barcode scanning: 5-10 fps
Live viewing: 15-30 fps

Choose Appropriate Resolution

Balance quality and performance:

Barcode scanning: 640x480 to 1280x720
Monitoring: 1280x720
High detail: 1920x1080

Use JPEG for MQTT

JPEG format is ideal for MQTT transport:

Reasonable file sizes
Wide compatibility
Adjustable quality (60-90 recommended)

Handle Network Interruptions

Configure reconnection for RTSP streams and monitor connection status.

Troubleshooting

RTSP Connection Failed

Verify RTSP URL format and credentials
Check camera is accessible on network
Ensure port is not blocked by firewall
Try alternative RTSP paths (check camera documentation)

No Barcode Detected

Ensure image quality is sufficient
Check barcode format is in SUPPORTED_FORMATS
Verify barcode is properly visible in image
Try higher resolution capture

High CPU Usage

Reduce frame rate
Lower resolution
Decrease JPEG quality
Process fewer simultaneous streams

Stream Latency

Use UDP for lowest latency
Reduce frame size and quality
Check network bandwidth
Use local network when possible

Next Steps

Industrial Routes

Connect to PLCs and industrial equipment.

Route Examples

See complete route configuration examples.

Quick Start

Developing and Managing Coreflux

Coreflux MQTT Broker

LoT Language

Product Updates

Media Routes Overview

Barcode Route

Basic Syntax

Configuration Parameters

Event Parameters

Supported Formats

Barcode Examples

Video Input Route

Basic Syntax

Configuration Parameters

Event Parameters

Video Input Examples

Video Output Route

Basic Syntax

Configuration Parameters

Event Parameters

Video Output Examples

Complete Example: Vision System

Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Next Steps

Industrial Routes

Route Examples

​Media Routes Overview

​Barcode Route

​Basic Syntax

​Configuration Parameters

​Event Parameters

​Supported Formats

​Barcode Examples

​Video Input Route

​Basic Syntax

​Configuration Parameters

​Event Parameters

​Video Input Examples

​Video Output Route

​Basic Syntax

​Configuration Parameters

​Event Parameters

​Video Output Examples

​Complete Example: Vision System

​Best Practices

​Troubleshooting

​Next Steps

Industrial Routes

Route Examples

Media Routes Overview

Barcode Route

Basic Syntax

Configuration Parameters

Event Parameters

Supported Formats

Barcode Examples

Video Input Route

Basic Syntax

Configuration Parameters

Event Parameters

Video Input Examples

Video Output Route

Basic Syntax

Configuration Parameters

Event Parameters

Video Output Examples

Complete Example: Vision System

Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Next Steps