WinCamHTTP

WinCamHTTP allows you to create virtual Windows webcams that stream video directly from a network URL (HTTP/MJPEG). This is useful for bringing IP cameras, network streams, or other HTTP video sources into applications like Zoom, Teams, Discord, or OBS that expect a standard webcam.

Features

• Network to Webcam: Turn any MJPEG HTTP stream into a recognized Windows Camera source.
• Multi-Camera Support: Create multiple independent virtual webcams with different names and sources.
• Easy Configuration: Includes a Setup application to add, remove, and configure cameras easily.
• Tray Application: Simple system tray utility to manage the active virtual cameras.

Installation

1. Download the latest installer (WinCamHTTPSetup.exe) from the GitHub Releases page.
2. Run the installer. Note: Administrator privileges are required to register the virtual camera drivers.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

How to Use

1. Configure Cameras

Run the WinCamHTTP Setup application (Administrator privileges required) to manage your cameras.

• Click Add to create a new virtual camera.
• Friendly Name: The name that will appear in apps like Zoom or Teams.
• MJPEG URL: The HTTP URL of the video stream (e.g., http://192.168.1.50/video.mjpeg).
• Click Save to apply changes.

2. Start the Service

Run the WinCamHTTP application from the Start menu.

• This runs in your system tray (near the clock).
• It ensures the virtual cameras are active and ready for use.

3. Use in Applications

Open your video conferencing or streaming software (Zoom, Teams, OBS, etc.). You will see your configured cameras (e.g., "WinCamHTTP Camera 1") listed alongside your physical webcams.

---

Developer Notes

The following section is intended for developers contributing to the project or building from source.

Project Structure

• VCamSampleSource/ — Media Source DLL (virtual camera implementation) and COM registration logic
• VCamSample/ — Setup application to add/remove/configure virtual cameras
• WinCamHTTP/ — Tray application that starts/stops configured virtual cameras
• Installer/ — Inno Setup script (WinCamHTTP.iss) and installer assets
• Build scripts: PowerShell scripts to build, register, and create installers

Technical Overview (Multi-Camera Support)

• Registry Layout:

  • All cameras are stored under HKLM\SOFTWARE\WinCamHTTP\Cameras.
  • Each camera is a subkey named by a GUID and contains:
    • CLSID — COM class ID for the virtual camera implementation.
    • FriendlyName — Display name.
    • Url — MJPEG source URL.
    • FrameRate — Requested frame rate.

• COM Registration:

  • The DLL registers one or more COM class entries.
  • During registration (DllRegisterServer), the code enumerates HKLM\SOFTWARE\WinCamHTTP\Cameras and registers class information for every camera found.
  • The Activator/MediaSource code reads HKLM configuration based on the camera ID.

Build & Registration Workflow

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio 2022 (MSVC C++ workload)
• Inno Setup 6 (for building the installer)
• PowerShell

1. Build (Non-Elevated)

Restore packages and build the solution in Release mode:

nuget restore WinCamHTTP.sln
msbuild WinCamHTTP.sln /p:Configuration=Release /p:Platform=x64 /m

Artifacts are placed under x64\Release for each project.

2. Manual Registration (Dev Loop)

To test without the full installer, use the registration script in an Administrator PowerShell:

./build-and-register.ps1

This builds the solution, copies binaries to C:\WinCamHTTP, and registers the DLLs via regsvr32.

3. Build Installer

Run ./build-installer.ps1. This compiles Installer\WinCamHTTP.iss and produces the setup EXE in Installer\Output\.

Runtime Behavior & Troubleshooting

• The Tray App (WinCamHTTP) enumerates the registry and initializes the virtual cameras using MFCreateVirtualCamera.
• The Setup App (VCamSample) manages the registry keys in HKLM. Use regedit to inspect HKLM\SOFTWARE\WinCamHTTP\Cameras if settings seem incorrect.
• Permissions: Writing to HKLM and registering COM DLLs requires Admin privileges. Ensure the DLLs are in a location accessible by LocalService (e.g., Program Files or a dedicated generic folder like C:\WinCamHTTP).

License

See the LICENSE file in the repository root.