What's new:
What’s New
This update comes to you from a laundromat in Miami while I’m on vacation, because apparently that is when I decided to finally wrap up Kapal’s H.265 / HEVC support.
Main Improvements
H.265 / HEVC Reliability
This is a major H.265 / HEVC update for Kapal. Live camera streams and event clips using H.265 should now work much more reliably, including setups that previously failed or behaved inconsistently.
One of my own H.265 cameras has been a long-running troublemaker: unreliable live view, unreliable event playback, and constant edge cases exposing gaps in Kapal’s playback support. With this update, that camera is now correctly streaming its main feed and playing back events reliably.
Stream Quality Selection
You can now tap the stream quality while viewing a live camera and switch qualities directly from there. Kapal will remember your selection and use it as the default for that camera.
Other Improvements
- Improved live camera playback reliability for both main and sub streams.
- Improved playback handling for H.264 streams and event clips.
- Added better fallback handling for unsupported codecs and playback paths.
- Improved detection of available Frigate/go2rtc stream options.
- Improved main/sub/MJPEG fallback behavior so stream selection is clearer and more reliable.
- Added a connection status indicator while Kapal tests available stream fallbacks from main stream to sub stream to MJPEG.
- Improved event loading, filtering, snapshots, and thumbnails, especially for ongoing events.
- Added a dedicated fallback playback path so Kapal can still attempt event clips instead of failing immediately.
If you have a camera, stream, or event clip that still does not play correctly, please reach out: hey@judeworks.app
About this app:
Kapal
A minimal, secure viewer for your Frigate NVR system.
Kapal is a lightweight and privacy-focused iOS and iPadOS app built specifically for users of the Frigate NVR (Network Video Recorder) system. Designed with simplicity, performance, and security in mind, Kapal lets you connect to your Frigate server and monitor your camera feeds with ease, without unnecessary bloat.
Key Features:
- Live Camera Grid: View all your cameras in a clean, real-time grid layout.
- Minimal Mode: Hide borders, labels, and UI elements to maximize visibility. See more cameras at once with less scrolling.
- Full-Screen Playback: Tap any feed to enter fullscreen live view.
- Picture in Picture: Keep a live camera visible while using other apps or navigating around your device.
- Event Review: Browse and replay past detection events directly in the app.
- H.265 / HEVC Support: Watch supported H.265 / HEVC live streams and Event Clips directly in Kapal.
- Privacy-First Design: Built natively with no analytics, trackers, or data collection.
Whether you’re reviewing a single feed or monitoring multiple zones, Kapal keeps the interface fast, clean, and efficient.
Disclaimer:
Kapal requires an existing Frigate NVR system to function. H.265 / HEVC support is still evolving and compatibility may vary depending on your camera, stream configuration, and Frigate/go2rtc setup. If an Event Clip does not play correctly in Kapal, it may still work in a dedicated video player such as the VLC mobile app.
App Store details:
- Developer: JudeWorks
- Category: Utilities
- Version: 1.7
- Release date: 2026-05-12
- App Store URL: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kapal/id6748327011?uo=4