Security Camera Interface?

[nfmmalice]

I'm looking at building a small home monitoring system (maybe 8 cameras) and I'm trying to find one I can interface with a Hometroller.

Are there any cameras (or systems) that are readily supported?

[afmiller]

To my knowledge the cameras don't interface with the home troller directly, they are over ip. Wirelessly or wired will work. Homeseer sells ip based cameras. Make sure you look at the specs and get what you need. I recentl purchased some hootoo cams with the 24 LEDs and they seem to be fine. It doesn't see as far as the 60 LEDs, but it serves what I need them for.

[Rupp]

Cameras are typically interfaced via some type of a web view. If you are asking about software, many use 3rd party apps to manage their cameras like WebCamXP, etc.

[nfmmalice]

That's kinda the answer I was expecting.

I'm trying to balance all my needs before I jump in and take the plunge of buying a Hometroller.

Will any web based cam server work? I was hoping to be able to buy a basic System with a web server (Like the NightOwl O-885) and see if I could integrate it. Or am I going to have to build a standalone IP Cam server?

I've already relegated myself to Staging my HA Install (Lighting/HVAC first, then Security (Probably via Elk M1 or DSC 1832), Then Surveillance.

But I need to make sure I buy right on the front side to accommodate the Expandability on the backside.

[afmiller]

I don't know. It might not interface right since it's an enclosed system, that don't assign ip address. HStouch gets the pictures via the method below.


http://CAMIP:80/snapshot.cgi?user=admin&pwd=pass

I know this works with my cameras, but not having different ips, I don't think it will see all the cameras.

[Rupp]

It depends on the type of cameras you choose. IPCams all have built in web interfaces and can be viewed using the http link that was previously posted. Analog cams need some type of streaming software and thus require more horse power.

[nfmmalice]

Okay, so if I go with standard IP Cams, I can view them through , say HSTouch, and have them snap Stills and such to be sent with alerts?

What about recording capability? Can IP Cams be set to record on one unit, and still be available for viewing on the HSTouch?

Thank you for all the input so far, it has gone a LONG way to helping me make this decision less and less difficult.

[afmiller]

Yes to the first question. I know they can record video. I'm looking up the record and take still at the same time

[afmiller]

Ok for my cameras, I can speak for Foscam, maybe someone else can. I have to manually start recording from an IE browser, I am able to take snapshots while its recording. Once I leave the camera interface on the web it stops the recording but I can still do the snapshots.

[Pete]

Today there are numerous ways to achieve the goals you are looking for. The IP camera is one with its own CPU and processing can take stills and record. An analogue camera connected to an analogue to digital means of digital recording can also do the same.

HS per say is not a security DVR device; but you can manage recordings and store and forward still pictures with it. The HSTouch interface to Homeseer can be utilized to view live IP or Analogue video but doesn't function as a DVR.

That said many folks on the forum utilize autonomous applications either on separate boxes or the same as HS boxes as an intermediary to said methodologies.

Historically the optimal balance has been to achieve very good optical quality and a digital device which can handle the optimal optics. Most recently you can purchase an IP camera at a reasonable cost with gives you some OK quality.

I have a mixture of analogue and IP Cameras on a separate piece of hardware which does most of the work. Homeseer and this digital DVR work together such that snapshots can be take and emailed with Homeseer. Video motion archives can also be managed by HS although I do not do that today.

Video end processing though is in itself resource intensive and generally I would not recommend doing this with Homeseer or on the same box. I would though think of Homeseer as the middle control piece which can also be utilized with say motion detectors et al to do all kinds of "stuff"; IE: record a package delivery with stills, send you an email of said delivery, trigger other homeseer events etc.

I have one Foscam IP PT camera on line. It is connected to the "mothership" DVR box and application which in term saves videos and stills. It is in my garage and has been running just fine now for over a year.

Here is view of said IP camera. It does record video 24/7 and saves video events by doing a digital rewind and save of events.



Here's a snapshot of a pure analogue camera (weather cam) with HD resolution versus say SD resolution of the above IP camera. I am though thinking of upgrading it (not happy yet with the quality of the last upgrade a few months back).

[Pete]

Here's a you tube video from one security camera via HSTouch this morning. Not perfect but it works.

http://youtu.be/cOJmzfyTXqs

[Xiphoid]

Pete, I'm interested in the specifics you've used to set up the cameras. Which DVR interface do you use? How have you integrated it into Homeseer?

[Pete]

Mike,

I am using a program called Zoneminder as a security DVR. I have 8 analogue and 5 IP cameras connected to it. (testing IP camera stuff).

The HSTouch pieces work but you don't see 30 fps on the HSTouch screens. I am playing with VLC though and that works better right now on the wintel clients.

The Homeseer plugin called Netcam allows for stills from the ZM box.

Added to the base Zoneminder build is an xAP "plugin" which communicates to and from HS.

While ZM functions independantly of HS; utilizing the xAP ZM "plugin" allows for reading alarm/event status from the ZM box and control of the ZM box from HS.

I wrote a DIY on building a ZM box with Ubuntu in the DIY section. I've been using ZM now for about 9 years.