Adding Security Cameras

[CJVann]

Can you share some advice on what I need to purchase to view security camera(s) on HSTouch? A networked camera, right - but then would you need to login every time you wanted to view a camera on HST, or login to each camera when you open HST ... how does this work?

THANK YOU - !!

[Pete]

One or two IP cameras are easy except a pain with security when dealing outside of your internal network.

Best; personally my opinion is to have a reverse proxy box or application serving all of the IP cameras such that you utilize one IP and user name and password. The whole security log on log off issues becomes a non issue when using a reverse proxy. I have different security profiles on the proxy depending on what is accessing it (IE: HSTouch for instance). There really is no uniformity or one method as ZM can use simple or complex authentication while the main IP camera to connection to the server authentication is taken care of by each of the IP cameras' connection to the reverse proxy.

This takes the load off of Homeseer some with an autonomous security DVR.

The above said; IP cameras in general now are moving from the SD to the HD world. Relating to the SD world of IP cameras you can just purchase say the Foscam to "practice with".

The work or CPU power for 1-2 IP SD cameras is nil versus the work or CPU power needed for HD multiple streaming cameras.

BTW HST does not stream but rather it just does quick snapshots. So it does authenticate with each snapshot of my video server. That said have a look at the different camera servers being utilized by the Homeseer users in the Wintel or Linux world.

[CJVann]

Oh - HST can only do shap shots? I thought I could have it display an HTML box to display a live camera feed.

I'm not opposed to a DVR. I purchased an 8-camera DVR for the last house for HST, with the promise that you could view your cameras over the network. Kind of - you enter your DVR's IP in IE, and it does a one-time download of a program that you must use to view your cameras. So it really didn't work in HST, other than to run the program all the time and minimize HST to view. I was deeply disappointed.

I was hoping motion on the porch would cause HST to display the front door camera, for example.

[Pete]

Oh - HST can only do shap shots? I thought I could have it display an HTML box to display a live camera feed.

No; its just quick stills in a rapid succession.

Yes many of the purchased multicamera DVRs are based in with running Linux non documented OS's. So the company will provide a custom written client to see the video off of the server. They keep the information close. While other companies today are publishing the API's and provide SDK's for developmental purposes.

What is interesting is that there are only a few basic methodologies of compression / streaming and many companies use these methods. They just change the way they do it. That alone makes access say via Homeseer unique per application or said IP Camera OS. I mean the direct access to my Panasonic IP camera is different from the Trendnet and is different from the Radio Shack one and so for and so on. Just for the RTSP streaming with VLC; each of my HD (only two right now) have a totally different command syntax unique for each camera. I can though stream two resolutions simultaneously.

I was hoping motion on the porch would cause HST to display the front door camera, for example.

You can do this. There are many ways that HS users are doing this today. One way is to utilize and configure motion based on the video, others via outdoor wired or wireless PIRs, etc.

But there is a gotcha. That is the triggering of the video/stills when its happening. A delay will only provide say the person walking away from your front door or yet nothing as that person has already walked away. You can "fix" this by having the DVR record streams 24/7, then "tag" a motion event; rewind a bit and save that video. That takes the endeavor to a different realm. You can do snapshots say with HS using early triggers; like maybe something in the driveway before you walk up to the front door or just even on the front door walk and use multiple cameras with multiple views of front door. Its up to your imagination. Many high end IP PTZ cameras do it all internally even moving the camera and focusing/zooming in on an object with motion all automatically for a price.

[Aquatic]

Rtsp????

No; its just quick stills in a rapid succession.

Yes many of the purchased multicamera DVRs are based in with running Linux non documented OS's. So the company will provide a custom written client to see the video off of the server. They keep the information close. While other companies today are publishing the API's and provide SDK's for developmental purposes.

What is interesting is that there are only a few basic methodologies of compression / streaming and many companies use these methods. They just change the way they do it. That alone makes access say via Homeseer unique per application or said IP Camera OS. I mean the direct access to my Panasonic IP camera is different from the Trendnet and is different from the Radio Shack one and so for and so on. Just for the RTSP streaming with VLC; each of my HD (only two right now) have a totally different command syntax unique for each camera. .

This is what's killing me...I put up iSpy and used that (and some web searches) to figure out the rtsp string so I can see both my Monoprice IP cams in iSpy, but I can't for the life of me get the video to show up in a HSTouch Image box. Not sure if it's sizing, or what, but the same string iSpy uses won't work in HST. Turns out the Monoprice cams are rebranded Starvedia cameras. they do have a still pic capability via a browser (http://<ip address>/snapshot.cgi ) in addition to the rtsp stream.

Any hints or threads that I missed here would be very welcome! I'd love to get the rtsp working correctly on HST and my iPad interface.

[Pete]

I am using RTSP with the new HD IP cameras. I do it differently though with an indirect stream versus a direct to RTSP stream. This such that the means to get the video from the multiple cameras and multiple methodologies of accessing the streams is all the same.

Many 3rd party CCTV software programs do just that. You configure each camera's unique stream into the application. When you stream from the application versus the camera its just an IP and the common video stream link for the software versus the camera.

IE: Then HSTouch configuration is the same for all of the cameras with only the stream number changing. (dub dub dub IPOFCAMERA/stream command&cameranumber&username&userpassword)

I have tested though using VLC on the client for a direct RTSP stream and it works fine. To use it in HSTouch though I just build a TS with controls on it and overlay the VLC program over HSTouch (or next to it). It's a mickey mouse way to do it though.

Another thing to consider though is the reverse proxy thing. If you go to your HSTouch from outside of your home network and HSTouch video is referencing an external to HS IP on your network; you will not see the video. On the other hand if you configure your camera software such that it passes the one IP of the CCTV software to the internet you will not have an issue seeing the video. If you install the software on HS such that the IP is the same as HS you will also not hae an issue seeing it. You will though make the HS box work harder (relating to streaming the videos).

Also I remember installing IE and FF plugins for one of the two HD RTSP IP cameras. That said I am not sure or recall seeing any OSX browser plugins for the one RTSP camera. I have tested though using an outside WAN link with VLC and it worked fine.