A method and a system for transcode avoidance of a data stream from a camera at a client device are described. A camera generates data streams with each data stream having a corresponding data configuration. A web server discovered by the camera dynamically determines data configuration for each data stream, the configuration of the client device, and the network conditions at the client device. The web server dynamically identifies a data stream for the client device based on the data configuration of each data stream from the camera, the configurations of the client device, and the network conditions at the client device so that the client device or an intermediary device do not need to transcode the identified data stream. The web server refers the client device to receive the identified data stream from the camera.