Zee - NetCams?

[TechFan]

When I first purchased my Zee, I thought that I would be able to integrate the Foscam netcams, so I purchased one of those to play with. Now, I have discovered that this would require an additional plugin. Since I just jumped into the HomeSeer world, there are lots of things that I don't understand yet and I haven't found a great place (like a manual) to get educated.

In this case, I am wondering what is special about the Foscam cameras that makes them eligible to work with HomeSeer? I already have a bunch of other Trendnet cams I have been using for years and I am just wondering how the integration works so I can determine if there is a way for me to integrate my existing ip cameras somehow (and also understand what the Foscam integration is like and why it wouldn't work with the Zee).

Thanks to anyone who is able to help enlighten me.

[wkomorow]

When I purchased my Zee this week, I was told that at present time, the Zee does not have a webcam plugin so at least today, it is not able to integrate with net/web cams.

[Pete]

The Zee is a budget with limited features HS3 on Linux.

That said its the "no frills" fully functional HS3 on Linux; (throttled). The HS3 Pro for Linux is not throttled.

http://store.homeseer.com/store/x-P1599.aspx

You do not need a plugin for any IP camera.

The Foscam plugins are made for the Foscam IP cameras.

I am wondering what is special about the Foscam cameras that makes them eligible to work with HomeSeer?

Nothing really.

Here is how I capture one still from one IP camera. Basically all IP cameras are the same but each one uses a different commands sometimes to talk to the camera such that the end result is the same; just the means is different.

Sub Main(parm as object)

Dim S As Object = hs.GetURLImage ("http://IPOFCAMERA","/cgi-bin/nph-zms?mode=single&monitor=4&scale=100&user=username&pass=userp assword",false,80,"html/images/deck.jpg")

End Sub

[TechFan]

Thanks. That makes sense. I assumed I could probably connect my other cameras as well in some way. Where do I add code like that? I haven't gotten that far yet.

So, is the Foscam integration just the ability to grab a still? Do the cameras just show as devices in the list? When I try a manual add (only done zwave device adds so far), do I just put an IP address in the address field?

Thanks again.

[Pete]

So, is the Foscam integration just the ability to grab a still?

yes

Its just a line (couple) lines of script. Play with it. You cannot break it.

Homeseer is not a fully featured DVR for CCTV. You can capture a series of stills relating to an event; IE: doorbell, garage door, et al.

I have read that the newest netcam program is very nice. Personally I have not tried it yet.

For CCTV / Security DVR's many folks just purchase an "off the shelf" device with embedded code or utilize software in Wintel or Linux. Personally here use a Linux software DVR (running on Ubuntu today).

Integration into Homeseer is easier with software than embedded firmware unless the MFG company provides you with an API for development. Relating to HSTouch you can just update a still every second which will provide something similar to motion.

[TechFan]

Viewable in HSTouch? How would I do that? I assume you can't do that with the Zee?

So, create event that captures image from camera and somehow add a link in HSTouch that points to that image?

[Pete]

Viewable in HSTouch? How would I do that? I assume you can't do that with the Zee?

Yup you should be able to do that too on the Zee (well HSTouch lite). But you have to build the screen with HSDesigner. I think too there is a default screen. I'll have to look though to validate what I just wrote.

When you design a screen with HS Designer; you just put the JPG link in the "box" and tell it to update once a second or as fast as it can. The HSTouch screen is getting the link directly from the camera or DVR; not really from Homeseer. No events are necessary.

You can have dynamic or static links on HSTouch. Lately I am just using HD IP cams mostly and the picture quality is way better than the SD analog cams.

You can do a pop up event with an updating JPG of your front door when the doorbell is rung.

[huggy_d1]

...When you design a screen with HS Designer; you just put the JPG link in the "box" and tell it to update once a second or as fast as it can. The HSTouch screen is getting the link directly from the camera or DVR; not really from Homeseer. No events are necessary.

...

At least with HS2 and HSTouch, the bold/italic portion above is not true. My understanding is that everything displayed on screen in HSTouch went through HomeSeer first.

I say this because let's have the worst case scenario where you are away from home. If you put in the local ip/link to your camera, HSTouch would not be able to find and communicate with the camera.

This is why HSTouch was setup to run everything through HomeSeer first.

This way, you do not need to build two sets of screens for the same device (home address, away address). At least that's what I got from the discussion from Tinker.

[Pete]

I say this because let's have the worst case scenario where you are away from home. If you put in the local ip/link to your camera, HSTouch would not be able to find and communicate with the camera.

My understanding is that everything displayed on screen in HSTouch went through HomeSeer first.

With respect Huggy; that is Incorrect.

I do a bunch of stuff with HSTouch local only to the HSTouch client. Streaming audio and JPG stills from HD IP cameras never come from HS; just the configuration is seen by Homeseer. Then again I do not build my HSTouch clients for my mobile phone rather just the internal access.

If I shut down HS and leave the client up; it will show a disconnect but will continue to update the JPGs.

Yup away from the home network the camera will not be seen on your phone. You can put proxy software on Homeseer (making it work harder) such that the IP for the camera is the same as Homeseer. A direct link on an HSTouch page to another computer will not be seen outside of the home network. If you capture the JPGs on Homeseer and reference those snapshots locally on the same box with HSTouch you will be able to see them inside and outside of the network.

IE: you could tell HS to run an event taking snapshots and saving the images every second; then configure a script on HSTouch to play those captured JPGs.

My in house Homeseer touchscreens (15 or so now) all have direct links to the IP HD cameras and analog cameras; the stream is cached on the HSTouch client but it's not coming from Homeseer.

Been working fine in this manner for many years now.

Have a look at the HSTouch XML configuration file on the HSTouch client. You will see the direct links there. I remote from outside my network to either HS or my CCTV DVR box (2 internal IPs and one external IP with two sets of rules; one per IP; separately though.

Another means is to use software DVR and open up ports on the firewall to that box. That means though you will have two IPs to get to on your phone internally and one NAT'd IP from outside your network using two different port forwards.

It sounds convoluted but its not. Typically your home firewall only has one external internet IP address and it will NAT a subnet of IP addresses to the inside of your

[huggy_d1]

With respect Huggy; that is Incorrect.

I do a bunch of stuff with HSTouch local only to the HSTouch client. Streaming audio and JPG stills from HD IP cameras never come from HS; just the configuration is seen by Homeseer. Then again I do not build my HSTouch clients for my mobile phone rather just the internal access......

Ok, maybe my perspective is skewed and only applies to the iPhone/iPad clients. The reason I say what I say is that my ip cams work away from home and they have LOCAL ip addresses, and I don't use https: or vpn access. That tells me every image update is captured by HS, then forwarded to the client.

Also, if I lose connection, the app pops up a dialog and stops working.

Sorry to assume (yeah, I know>..<) this also applied to other clients.

[Pete]

Yup if you can see your IP cameras with their IP's away from your home network then you must have a port opened on your firewall to allow this or you proxy them through Homeseer.

I am curious how you have your IP cameras configured on the Homeseer touchscreens?

[huggy_d1]

Yup if you can see your IP cameras with their IP's away from your home network then you must have a port opened on your firewall to allow this or you proxy them through Homeseer.

I am curious how you have your IP cameras configured on the Homeseer touchscreens?

My ip camera's have all their local ip addresses used and I can access them from outside the firewalls. None of the cameras have port opened for any of this. By using the local ip addresses rather than forcing HS to go outside the firewall and back in via port forwarding - according to Tinker - was the right way to configure ip cams.

[Pete]

Same here.

What HSTouch clients do you use?

Here I only utilize either Wintel or Linux HSTouch (and CE internally). One internally connected Android; but its mostly off.

Yup here do not use HSTouch across any wan links today; unless I am using ssh or VPN tunneling.

Yup securing camera access by using local IP's and proxying them via Homeseer would be the only way it would work. (and be a bit safe).

BTW what is it you open for HS access on your firewall?

Just the HSTouch client ports or both the Homeseer and HSTouch client ports?

Today I do not open Homeseer up to a WAN connection by default.