Webcams on iPhone?

[VirtualPanther]

Hi,
Just testing the waters here. New to HomeSeer and have been an owner of the pro controller for a week or so. Got some switches up and running. Love it! Most of all, love access and control via iPhone. That is the key for me.

Moving in that direction, want to start building a webcam "collection", getting one and then slowly adding more, as budget permits. One but: HSTouch.

My main purpose for webcam, aside from the obvious ability to view the house remotely, is to tie triggers (i.e. motion) into event (record, email alert, etc.). One of my pre-eminent concerns is to be able to EASILY view those snippets of video (or a full live stream) on the iPhone. I know it is quite doable outside of HSPro and HSTouch: bunch of companies make software that has an iPhone companion app for viewing and controlling cams remotely.

Is there such capability in HSTouch or do I have to physically get someone else's app in order to view and control my webcams from iPhone?

[zimmer62]

I'm not sure there is a way to get quite as rich functionality in HSTouch without a lot of work on your part.

I think the best bet would be to use a 3rd party application if you want to review the old videos etc..

Still use HSTouch for displaying a live view now, and possibly showing still images of the last few important events.

I used to have mine show me the last 3 images from when the doorbell was rang.

[VirtualPanther]

OK, but even viewing stills via HSTouch on iPhone: how is that done? I don't see a menu item for cameras or security? Will any webcam (i.e. security cam on home LAN, either attached to DVR or with its own server) will work? i don't have any cameras yet and selection at HomeSeer store is extremely limited. If and when I buy, I want to ensure I get the easiest to work with cameras with the highest day/night resolution. Any ideas on camera selection? How does an IP camera integrate into HSPro? Via what interface?

[zimmer62]

Most cameras will have a URL that is an image of what the camera is seeing right now. In effect it's a still image, but if you refresh it it's animated to a live stream.

If you use an image on your HSTouch screen there is an option for IsVideoRefreshRate that you'll want to set to 1 or higher.

There is a property for ImageURLNormal, which is where you would put the web address to your camera's .jpg live feed.

It's hard to recommend a camera, everyone has needs that are a little different. Mine have evolved over time, from wanting just an image of who is at my front door, to watching if someone walked through my back yard during the night.

You may want to start with software that you're going to use to record or monitor the cameras. Cameras such that homeseer sells provide a live feed, but do not record anything on their own. Some users have setup either WebCamXP, Zoneminder or VitaminD etc.. Me personally I use Zoneminder, it has a mix of features that let me do what I want at a price I'm okay with. It can be a bit frustrating for someone who doesn't know linux though.

You'll also need to decide on hard wired cameras, or IP cameras (wifi or wired)

In places where you need to see well at night, you might consider IR Illuminators or flood lights depending on the situation and range.

With cameras you usually get what you pay for, a $39 wireless camera from ebay will stand no chance against a $200 camera, with some IR flood lights...

I'm sure some other users can help recommend the cameras if you describe your needs.

[VirtualPanther]

Understood. I was planning to spend about $150-300 per camera, with focus on outdoor compatibility (PL-66 standard) and at least 0.1 lux sensitivity with IR illuminators.

I was not sure whether or not it is worth buying a DVR, since I have two server-grade PCs at home and close to 12 TB of storage available. The appeal of an IP-based camera, aside from ease of remote access, is also in ability to use processing software, such as VitaminD, to seek motion.

The most of confusion for me comes with the HomeSeer integration. I am still clueless as to how does HomeSeer console "see" my IP/non-IP cameras and how can I trigger events in HomeSeer based on motion. I am pretty impressed with the ease of integration all of the z-wave Leviton switches I purchased and enjoyed putting them into scenes. I am honestly trying to avoid a brand/type of camera that will be difficult to integrate into HomeSeer and troublesome to use. I'd rather spend more money now than have to troubleshoot each and every step of the process...

[zimmer62]

Fair enough. There is some talk (on this forum) on how to integrate VitaminD, zoneminder, and it looks like there is a new plugin for webcamXP.

I've been using zoneminder for some time, but with this new plugin out, I think I'll revist using webcamXP.

All three packages work with wired, or IP cameras, I have a mix of both.

I found that pan tilt cameras don't work so well with VitaminD, if you want them to actually follow the motion. I don't know if webcamXP supports motion tracking for pan tilt cameras. Zoneminder has motion tracking and will follow, however I've found it to be quite annoying for anything other than a person walking through your back yard. It would be better served with two cameras covering two different angles than trying to follow a subject.

Currently there is no camera that just seamlessly works with homeseer, you'll need DVR software or DVR hardware that can notify homeseer in some way if you're looking for triggering events etc. I think software is the way to go if you have the PC horsepower available.

[VirtualPanther]

Thanks. This was very, very helpful. I don't really have any need for a PTZ camera. I do need s few for outside, day and night, weather-resistant. I have an extremely strong Wi-Fi signal both indoors and out. Additionally, using Wi-Fi cams eliminates the need for DVR. If I do go this route, I suppose I can use any of the programs mentioned to have them run on my PC (not on HomeTroller Pro console) to record clips of motion for future viewing. That is clear enough.

What is necessary for the HSPro (running on the pro controller) to see these cameras and to control them? I mean, how does the HSPro software/my controller interface with the Wi-Fi cameras and tells them when to start/stop recording based, say, on motion sensor trigger?

[zimmer62]

It's hard to give you an exact answer until you've selected hardware and or software...

Each brand / model of camera offers different ways to connect to them, usually through a webpage, or a URL that has an updating image of the live feed. If you use HSTouch you'll need that URL to display that there.

Most IP cameras don't do any video recording so you'd need software for that.

I'd take a look at the new WebcamXP Plugin, and see if that answers any more of your questions. If you go the zoneminder route there are some scripts you'll need to install on the zoneminder computer that allows for communication with homeseer over XAP I think. An that route would require an XAP plugin on homeseer to read / send those network messages.

If you find an IP camera that does do video recording, it's likely you'll have to figure out some way to communicate to that camera to start / stop recording if it's even supported that way.

If you search this board for zoneminder, webcamxp, and vitaminD you'll get a lot more information on how people are connecting homeseer to those systems.

[VirtualPanther]

Makes sense. That is actually part of the answer I was looking for: what can HomeSeer do and what it can not do. It is really unfortunate that after paying over a thousand bucks on a console I have to spend countless hours on Google and on this board, searching for very basic answers... There really should be a verified compatibility list, similar to what many companies do (Netgear is a good example) and outside of that list - test and tell. I honestly found squat when it comes to letting HomeSeer control security cameras. This floods the new owner with a myriad of questions--quite basic in nature--that go unanswered (if it weren't for the good folks here!) and that is not the way to support a product.

Back to my dilemma: exactly why I haven't jumped at buying cameras. I wanted to figure out the limitations of my controlling software, i.e. HSPro. So far, I am leaning towards wired cams with DVR, which for many upper level companies includes a dedicated iPhone app that does both live and triggered recordings just fine. Still quite fuzzy (and very, very upset!!!) at how clumsy and difficult it is to have this done with HomeSeer! Copy-and-paste URLs, trying various adapted scripts, getting half-way functionality for that? Terrible for this level of software. It should have plugins for major brands of cams, with explicit description of supported functions -- without diving into Linux and script-writing!

[zimmer62]

Welcome to the world of DIY home automation. If you spend the really big bucks minimum of 10x the cost, you'll start to get a little better with some of that stuff... One of the flexibilities with homeseer is that it does support many less expensive technologies allowing the DIYer to jump in without being a millionaire.

I'm pretty sure homeseer never advertised DVR functionality with their software out of the box.

Don't get discouraged, just realize that homeseer is more like the backbone of your automation system, you'll need both hardware and software nodes running in conjunction. Homeseer gives you a way to tie many of those systems in together.

There are many users here willing to help, that's usually what makes homeseer better than other options.

[VirtualPanther]

Sorry for my frustration. I hope it is somewhat understandable. Everyone here has been very helpful, indeed. I just wish it was a bit easier to figure this out

If folks out here have had particularly good experience with a specific IP camera that worked easily with HomeSeer, I would really appreciate knowing about your success

Thanks again to everyone: this community is a solid one.

[zimmer62]

No problem here... I completely understand. I get frustrated all the time.

I've sunk a lot of money and a silly amount of time into this hobby... Funny how we'll spend hours installing new light switches that will save us minutes over the course of a lifetime.

I've seen people happy with all sorts of solutions for cameras... but everyones needs are slightly different. Some people are happy with the homeseer cameras which I think are just foscam's (beware there are counterfeit foscams on the market that can be screwed up if you flash the wrong firmware on them)

Personally I have had such a mix of different things over the years because I never found that sweet spot of a perfect balance between price and quality.

I want to be able to capture 640x480 5-10fps 0.01lux with IR illumination that is invisible to humans in complete darkness, motion tracking, face recognition, triggered alarms, intercom, and a live view with no lag...

Oh.. and I want it to cost $100-$200 per camera...

So what ends up happening is I have a mix of really cheap cameras, and a fistful of things I've tried and never been completely satisfied.

If you do decide on cameras or a system, let us know what you picked and why.

[VirtualPanther]

Thank you. You know, hours and hours of research certainly has its impact on one's sanity

Having said that, I arrived at a number of decisions:

• IP cameras instead of the standard camera set + DVR. Both can be accessed remotely and most companies have iPhone apps for freeze frame and live cam viewing, But... integrating DVD into HomeSeer and using that to trigger events seems like asking for trouble.
• I have to resolve that some features simply will not be there, unless I get another mortgage For example, company like Mobotix makes superb fan-less, heater-less indoor/outdoor true HD cameras. That is, if you have a grand or more per camera to spend.
• Below certain price point, the specs tend to degrade noticeably.
• Final choice is still a bit of a gamble

Having said that, here is what I have found and, despite being from a company I personally am not familiar with, still seem very tempted to buy and try:

Sharx Security SCNC3605 Wireless Weatherproof Outdoor MPEG4 IP Network Camera with Infrared Night Vision and built in DVR

There are actually two versions of this cam: Wi-Fi / CAT 5 with DC power, as well as a CAT-5 only with PoE

Amazon has pretty solid reviews on these, both of the cameras and the customer support:
http://www.amazon.com/Sharx-Security...dp/B003O54DQK/

http://www.amazon.com/Sharx-Security...dp/B003O5LLFG/

If you guys have any thoughts at all, please speak up!

[zimmer62]

You know, hours and hours of research certainly has its impact on one's sanity

It also seems to be causing my hair loss