> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stoutdata.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Webcams

> Watch the cameras on a box, and start, stop, and adjust their streams.

The **Webcams** tab shows a card for each webcam net on the box. To add a webcam net, see [Nets and templates](/source/boxes/nets-and-templates).

The tab works only when the Stout container on the box is healthy.

| Action                            | Who can do it                 |
| --------------------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| View a stream                     | Everyone who can open the box |
| Start or stop a stream            | Owners and admins             |
| Change the zoom or the brightness | Owners and admins             |
| Change the video device of a net  | Owners and admins             |

## Start and stop streams

A card without a stream shows **Inactive** and a **Start Stream** button. Select **Start Stream** to start the stream on the box.

To stop a stream, select **Stop** on its card. To start or stop all cameras on the box, select **Start All** or **Stop All**.

To look at one camera, select its net name. To return to all cameras, select **Back to Grid View**.

Each card shows the video **Device** of the net. The card of a live stream also shows its frame rate.

If a stream shows no picture, the card tries to reconnect by itself. If that does not help, select **Try again**. You can also stop the stream and start it again.

## One stream for each video device

Two nets that use the same video device cannot stream at the same time. If another net uses the device, **Start Stream** is not available, and the card names that net.

To point a net at a different device, select **Change device** on its card. Enter the device path, for example `/dev/video2`, and then select **Save**.

## Zoom and brightness

The card of a live stream has **Controls**:

* **Zoom** goes from 1.0x to 4.0x.
* **Brightness** goes from 0 to 255. The default is 128.
* **Reset** returns the zoom and the brightness to their defaults.

The controls change the stream on the box, so every viewer sees the change.

## Streams from the Lager CLI

A stream that someone starts with `lager webcam start` shows a **Lager CLI** badge. A stream that a Lager Python script starts shows a **Script** badge. Point at the badge to see who started the stream.

You can view and stop these streams like any other stream.

<Warning>
  Before you stop a stream with a **Lager CLI** or **Script** badge, ask the person who started it. The stream stops for every viewer.
</Warning>

For the commands, see [lager webcam](https://docs.lagerdata.com/source/reference/cli/webcam) in the Lager docs.

## How viewing works

All viewers of a camera share one stream from the box. Stout closes its connection to the box 30 seconds after the last viewer leaves. The stream keeps running on the box until someone stops it.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Nets and templates" href="/source/boxes/nets-and-templates">
    Add the webcam nets that this tab shows.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Boxes" href="/source/boxes/overview">
    Open the other tabs of the box page.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>