diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1de6b0e..3d4ca8d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,37 @@ All notable changes to this project are documented here. This project follows
 [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html) and [Keep a
 Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Fixed
+- **Camera on CC1 firmware >= V1.4.x** — newer firmware gates the MJPEG port
+  behind SDCP Cmd 386 ("enable video stream"): `:3031/video` accepts
+  connections but sends no frames until the stream is enabled, so `snapshot`,
+  `/stream`, and the RTSP bridge all timed out. The client now sends Cmd 386
+  best-effort before every snapshot, and the server re-sends it on every
+  (re)connect — the enable is global on the printer but resets when it
+  reboots. Cmd 386 is commented out in the official SDK
+  (`{MethodType::VIDEO_STREAM, 386}`) but firmware-handled — the same story
+  as Cmds 258/259. Verified live on V1.4.49 2026-08-09. Pre-V1.4 firmware
+  streams without the enable (this library never sent Cmd 386 before and the
+  camera worked); the command is documented for those versions but untested
+  there, so it is **never sent to firmware below V1.4** — the send is gated
+  on the version the printer reports in its Attributes, and an unknown
+  version counts as pre-V1.4 (both skip paths are logged). Snapshots adopt
+  the **port/path** of the firmware-reported `VideoUrl` but always connect
+  to the configured host — the printer puts its own LAN address in the URL,
+  which is the wrong host behind a tunnel or NAT. The enable stage inside
+  `snapshot()` is capped at `min(timeout, 8 s)` so SDCP waits can't eat the
+  camera-read budget; enable failures are logged and the read still
+  attempted. The standalone `centauri rtsp` command also sends the enable
+  before wiring ffmpeg to the MJPEG port.
+
+### Added
+- `Printer.set_video_stream(enabled=True, force=False)` — public wrapper for
+  Cmd 386; returns the firmware-reported `VideoUrl`, if any. No-op (nothing
+  sent) on firmware below V1.4 or unknown unless `force=True`, and always a
+  no-op on the CC2, whose camera does not gate on SDCP.
+
 ## [0.9.0] - 2026-07-15
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/src/pycentauri/cc2.py b/src/pycentauri/cc2.py
index 7ed49f5..30449b2 100644
--- a/src/pycentauri/cc2.py
+++ b/src/pycentauri/cc2.py
@@ -437,6 +437,16 @@ async def watch(self) -> AsyncIterator[Status]:
         finally:
             self._status_queues.discard(queue)
 
+    async def set_video_stream(
+        self,
+        enabled: bool = True,
+        *,
+        force: bool = False,
+        timeout: float = 15.0,
+    ) -> str | None:
+        """No-op on the CC2 — its camera does not gate on SDCP Cmd 386."""
+        return None
+
     async def snapshot(self, *, timeout: float = camera_module.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) -> bytes:
         return await camera_module.snapshot(
             self.host, timeout=timeout, port=camera_module.CAMERA_PORT_CC2
diff --git a/src/pycentauri/cli.py b/src/pycentauri/cli.py
index 08848bb..183737f 100644
--- a/src/pycentauri/cli.py
+++ b/src/pycentauri/cli.py
@@ -826,6 +826,19 @@ async def resolve() -> tuple[str, str | None, int]:
         # harmless kernel RST — we deliberately never probe :3030, which
         # is sensitive to connect/close churn.
         cam = CAMERA_PORT_CC2 if await _port_open(h, 1883) else CAMERA_PORT
+        if cam == CAMERA_PORT:
+            # CC1 fw >= V1.4.x gates the MJPEG stream behind Cmd 386;
+            # enable it before wiring ffmpeg to the port. Version-gated
+            # in the client (no-op on older firmware). If the printer
+            # reboots while the bridge runs, re-run this command.
+            try:
+                async with await Printer.connect(h, mainboard_id=mid) as printer:
+                    await asyncio.wait_for(printer.set_video_stream(enabled=True), timeout=8.0)
+            except Exception:
+                _echo_err(
+                    "warning: could not enable the video stream (Cmd 386); "
+                    "the RTSP feed may be blank on firmware >= V1.4"
+                )
         return h, mid, cam
 
     h, _mid, cam_port = asyncio.run(resolve())
diff --git a/src/pycentauri/client.py b/src/pycentauri/client.py
index 8530054..9d30dde 100644
--- a/src/pycentauri/client.py
+++ b/src/pycentauri/client.py
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@
 import asyncio
 import contextlib
 import logging
+import re
 from collections.abc import AsyncIterator
 from types import TracebackType
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, ClassVar
+from urllib.parse import urlsplit
 
 import websockets
 from typing_extensions import Self
@@ -38,6 +40,25 @@
 DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT = 15.0
 DEFAULT_PUSH_PERIOD_MS = sdcp.DEFAULT_PUSH_PERIOD_MS
 
+# Cmd 386 is verified live on firmware >= V1.4, where it is also required
+# (the MJPEG port sends no frames until the stream is enabled). Older
+# firmware streams without it and the command is untested there, so
+# set_video_stream only sends at or above this version unless forced.
+VIDEO_STREAM_MIN_FIRMWARE = (1, 4)
+
+
+def _parse_firmware_version(version: str | None) -> tuple[int, ...] | None:
+    """Parse a firmware string like ``"V1.4.49"`` into ``(1, 4, 49)``.
+
+    Returns ``None`` when the version is missing or unparseable.
+    """
+    if not version:
+        return None
+    m = re.match(r"[vV]?(\d+(?:\.\d+)*)", version.strip())
+    if not m:
+        return None
+    return tuple(int(part) for part in m.group(1).split("."))
+
 
 class PrinterError(RuntimeError):
     """Base for all client-side printer errors."""
@@ -237,9 +258,96 @@ async def watch(self) -> AsyncIterator[Status]:
         finally:
             self._status_queues.discard(queue)
 
+    async def set_video_stream(
+        self,
+        enabled: bool = True,
+        *,
+        force: bool = False,
+        timeout: float = DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT,
+    ) -> str | None:
+        """Enable or disable the webcam's MJPEG stream (SDCP Cmd 386).
+
+        Firmware >= V1.4.x gates the MJPEG port behind this command: the
+        port accepts connections but emits no frames until the stream is
+        enabled (verified live on V1.4.49). Older firmware streams
+        without it, and while Cmd 386 is documented for those versions
+        too, it is untested there — so the command is only sent when the
+        printer's reported firmware is >= V1.4. On older or unknown
+        firmware this is a no-op returning ``None``; pass ``force=True``
+        to send regardless.
+
+        The enable is global on the printer and resets when it reboots.
+        Returns the ``VideoUrl`` reported by the firmware, if any.
+        """
+        if not force:
+            try:
+                attrs = await self.attributes(timeout=timeout)
+            except Exception:
+                log.warning(
+                    "could not read printer attributes to determine the firmware "
+                    "version; not sending Cmd 386 (video-stream enable)",
+                    exc_info=True,
+                )
+                return None
+            fw = _parse_firmware_version(attrs.firmware_version)
+            if fw is None or fw < VIDEO_STREAM_MIN_FIRMWARE:
+                # Normal on pre-V1.4 firmware (the stream is ungated there).
+                log.debug(
+                    "firmware %r is below V1.4 or unparseable; not sending Cmd 386",
+                    attrs.firmware_version,
+                )
+                return None
+        mid = await self.wait_for_mainboard()
+        resp = await self._request(
+            sdcp.Cmd.ENABLE_VIDEO_STREAM,
+            {"Enable": int(bool(enabled))},
+            mid,
+            timeout=timeout,
+        )
+        inner = resp.inner or {}
+        url = (inner.get("Data") or {}).get("VideoUrl")
+        if not isinstance(url, str) or not url:
+            return None
+        # V1.4.49 returns a scheme-less URL ("172.16.2.78:3031/video");
+        # the OpenCentauri docs show "http://…". Normalize to a full URL.
+        if "://" not in url:
+            url = f"http://{url}"
+        return url
+
     async def snapshot(self, *, timeout: float = camera_module.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) -> bytes:
-        """Return a single JPEG frame from the built-in webcam."""
-        return await camera_module.snapshot(self.host, timeout=timeout)
+        """Return a single JPEG frame from the built-in webcam.
+
+        On firmware >= V1.4 the MJPEG stream must be enabled first
+        (:meth:`set_video_stream`). The port/path of the firmware-reported
+        ``VideoUrl`` are adopted for the read, but the connection always
+        targets :attr:`host` — the printer reports its own LAN address in
+        the URL, which is the wrong host behind a tunnel or NAT. The
+        enable stage is capped at ``min(timeout, 8.0)`` seconds so SDCP
+        waits cannot eat the camera-read budget; an enable failure is
+        logged and the read still attempted (older firmware streams
+        without it, and on newer firmware the read's own timeout surfaces
+        the problem to the caller).
+        """
+        video_url: str | None = None
+        try:
+            video_url = await asyncio.wait_for(
+                self.set_video_stream(enabled=True, timeout=timeout),
+                timeout=min(timeout, 8.0),
+            )
+        except Exception:
+            log.warning(
+                "enabling the video stream (Cmd 386) failed; attempting the camera read anyway",
+                exc_info=True,
+            )
+        port, path = camera_module.CAMERA_PORT, camera_module.CAMERA_PATH
+        if video_url:
+            try:
+                parts = urlsplit(video_url)
+                port = parts.port or port
+                path = parts.path or path
+            except ValueError:
+                log.warning("ignoring malformed VideoUrl %r", video_url)
+        return await camera_module.snapshot(self.host, timeout=timeout, port=port, path=path)
 
     async def upload_file(
         self,
diff --git a/src/pycentauri/sdcp.py b/src/pycentauri/sdcp.py
index 16bbce2..52f903e 100644
--- a/src/pycentauri/sdcp.py
+++ b/src/pycentauri/sdcp.py
@@ -40,6 +40,18 @@ class Cmd(IntEnum):
     GET_PRINT_HISTORY = 320
     GET_PRINT_HISTORY_DETAIL = 321
     GET_CANVAS_STATUS = 324
+    # Cmd 386 is commented out in the SDK ("{MethodType::VIDEO_STREAM, 386}
+    # // Get camera video stream") but the firmware handles it — and from
+    # V1.4.x it is *required*: the MJPEG port accepts connections but sends
+    # no frames until the stream is enabled (verified live on V1.4.49,
+    # 2026-08-09). Pre-V1.4 firmware streamed without it — this library never
+    # sent 386 before and the camera worked; the enable is documented for
+    # those versions too but is untested there.
+    # Payload {"Enable": 1|0}; response Data carries {"Ack": 0=ok,
+    # 1=max-streams-exceeded, 2=no-camera, 3=unknown, "VideoUrl": …} — the
+    # URL is scheme-less on V1.4.49 ("<ip>:3031/video"), though the
+    # OpenCentauri docs show it with http://.
+    ENABLE_VIDEO_STREAM = 386
     # Cmd 403 is overloaded — the payload shape dispatches:
     # {"PrintSpeedPct": N}                            → set print speed
     # {"TargetFanSpeed": {"ModelFan":...,"BoxFan":...,"AuxiliaryFan":...}}
diff --git a/src/pycentauri/server.py b/src/pycentauri/server.py
index 4f0ea4b..12c8de5 100644
--- a/src/pycentauri/server.py
+++ b/src/pycentauri/server.py
@@ -152,6 +152,21 @@ async def _run(self) -> None:
                             timeout=5.0,
                         )
                 log.info("connected to %s", self.host)
+                # CC1 fw >= V1.4.x only streams MJPEG after Cmd 386; send it
+                # on every (re)connect so /stream, /snapshot and RTSP recover
+                # when the printer reboots (the enable resets with it).
+                # No-op on pre-V1.4 firmware (version-gated in the client)
+                # and on the CC2 (its camera does not gate on SDCP).
+                try:
+                    await asyncio.wait_for(
+                        self._printer.set_video_stream(enabled=True),
+                        timeout=8.0,
+                    )
+                except Exception:
+                    log.warning(
+                        "could not enable the printer video stream (Cmd 386)",
+                        exc_info=True,
+                    )
                 # The MJPEG port differs per model (CC1 :3031, CC2 :8080)
                 # and we only know which we got after connecting.
                 if self._rtsp_config is not None:
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index ee96690..0a47056 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -16,7 +16,12 @@
 import pytest
 from websockets.asyncio.server import serve
 
-from pycentauri.client import ControlDisabledError, Printer, PrinterError
+from pycentauri.client import (
+    ControlDisabledError,
+    Printer,
+    PrinterError,
+    _parse_firmware_version,
+)
 from pycentauri.models import Status
 from pycentauri.sdcp import Cmd
 
@@ -26,8 +31,16 @@
 class _FakePrinter:
     """In-process SDCP server just good enough for the client tests."""
 
-    def __init__(self) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, firmware: str = "V1.4.49") -> None:
         self.received: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        self.firmware = firmware
+        # Model of the firmware's Cmd 386 behavior, derived from the
+        # version like the real device (same parser the client uses, so
+        # strings like "V0.3.0-o" work): V1.4.x acks with a scheme-less
+        # VideoUrl (observed live on V1.4.49). What pre-V1.4 firmware
+        # returns is unobserved; modeled here, once, as a plain ack with
+        # no VideoUrl.
+        self._video_url_in_ack = (_parse_firmware_version(firmware) or (0,)) >= (1, 4)
         self.port: int | None = None
         self._server = None
         self._tasks: set[asyncio.Task[None]] = set()
@@ -60,7 +73,7 @@ async def _handler(self, ws) -> None:  # type: ignore[no-untyped-def]
                             "MainboardID": MAINBOARD,
                             "Name": "FakeCarbon",
                             "MachineName": "Centauri Carbon",
-                            "FirmwareVersion": "V0.0.0",
+                            "FirmwareVersion": self.firmware,
                         },
                     },
                 }
@@ -78,6 +91,14 @@ async def _handler(self, ws) -> None:  # type: ignore[no-untyped-def]
             request_id = data.get("RequestID")
 
             # Ack the request.
+            ack: dict[str, Any] = {"Ack": 0}
+            if cmd == int(Cmd.ENABLE_VIDEO_STREAM) and self._video_url_in_ack:
+                # Real V1.4.49 firmware returns the URL scheme-less (the
+                # client normalizes it to http://) with the printer's OWN
+                # address in it. Deliberately a different host than this
+                # fake's, so tests catch a client that dials the reported
+                # host instead of the configured one (wrong behind NAT).
+                ack["VideoUrl"] = "192.0.2.99:3031/video"
             await ws.send(
                 json.dumps(
                     {
@@ -87,7 +108,7 @@ async def _handler(self, ws) -> None:  # type: ignore[no-untyped-def]
                             "Cmd": cmd,
                             "RequestID": request_id,
                             "MainboardID": MAINBOARD,
-                            "Data": {"Ack": 0},
+                            "Data": ack,
                         },
                     }
                 )
@@ -135,8 +156,10 @@ async def _push_status(self, ws) -> None:  # type: ignore[no-untyped-def]
 
 
 @asynccontextmanager
-async def _fake_printer():
-    server = _FakePrinter()
+async def _fake_printer(firmware: str | None = None):
+    # None → _FakePrinter's default; the class is the one place it lives
+    # (test_server.py instantiates _FakePrinter directly).
+    server = _FakePrinter() if firmware is None else _FakePrinter(firmware=firmware)
     await server.start()
     try:
         yield server
@@ -335,3 +358,61 @@ async def test_adjust_disabled_without_control(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch)
                 except ControlDisabledError:
                     continue
                 raise AssertionError("expected ControlDisabledError")
+
+
+async def test_set_video_stream_round_trip(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    async with _fake_printer() as server:
+        monkeypatch.setattr("pycentauri.client.WS_PORT", server.port)
+        async with await Printer.connect("127.0.0.1") as printer:
+            url = await asyncio.wait_for(printer.set_video_stream(), timeout=3)
+            assert url == "http://192.0.2.99:3031/video"
+
+    sent = [m["Data"] for m in server.received if m["Data"]["Cmd"] == int(Cmd.ENABLE_VIDEO_STREAM)]
+    assert sent and sent[0]["Data"] == {"Enable": 1}
+
+
+async def test_snapshot_enables_video_first(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    """fw >= V1.4.x sends no MJPEG frames until Cmd 386 — snapshot must
+    enable the stream *before* reading the camera, adopt the VideoUrl's
+    port/path for the read, and never adopt its host."""
+    async with _fake_printer() as server:
+        grabbed: list[tuple[str, int, str]] = []
+
+        async def fake_camera_snapshot(
+            host: str, *, port: int = 0, path: str = "", **_: object
+        ) -> bytes:
+            # Ordering: the enable must already be on the wire when the
+            # camera is read, else the pre-fix bug is back.
+            cmds = [m["Data"]["Cmd"] for m in server.received]
+            assert int(Cmd.ENABLE_VIDEO_STREAM) in cmds, "camera read before Cmd 386"
+            grabbed.append((host, port, path))
+            return b"\xff\xd8fake-jpeg"
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr("pycentauri.client.WS_PORT", server.port)
+        monkeypatch.setattr("pycentauri.client.camera_module.snapshot", fake_camera_snapshot)
+        async with await Printer.connect("127.0.0.1") as printer:
+            jpeg = await asyncio.wait_for(printer.snapshot(), timeout=5)
+            assert jpeg.startswith(b"\xff\xd8")
+
+    # Port/path come from the fake's VideoUrl; the host stays the
+    # configured one, NOT the 192.0.2.99 the firmware reported.
+    assert grabbed == [("127.0.0.1", 3031, "/video")]
+
+
+async def test_set_video_stream_gated_on_old_firmware(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    """Cmd 386 is untested on pre-V1.4 firmware, so it must not be sent
+    there unless explicitly forced."""
+    async with _fake_printer(firmware="V1.1.29") as server:
+        monkeypatch.setattr("pycentauri.client.WS_PORT", server.port)
+        async with await Printer.connect("127.0.0.1") as printer:
+            assert await asyncio.wait_for(printer.set_video_stream(), timeout=3) is None
+            cmds = [m["Data"]["Cmd"] for m in server.received]
+            assert int(Cmd.ENABLE_VIDEO_STREAM) not in cmds
+
+            # force=True must send despite the version gate, and the client
+            # must not invent a URL when the ack carries none.
+            url = await asyncio.wait_for(printer.set_video_stream(force=True), timeout=3)
+            assert url is None
+
+    cmds = [m["Data"]["Cmd"] for m in server.received]
+    assert cmds.count(int(Cmd.ENABLE_VIDEO_STREAM)) == 1