Camera software vs independent software

[Bobc]

I don't own an IP camera and am just learning about their capabilities before purchasing one. So, I was wondering if the software that comes with a camera doesn't perform a function I want, can I get the functionality from another software package?

For instance, I am looking at the Panasonic BL-C140A which apparently doesn't have a masking capability in its included software. By masking, I mean the ability to designate specific areas in a scene for motion detection while it ignores the rest of the scene. Would I be able to buy other software to give me the masking capability that would work with this camera?

Thanks

[Ingenious]

I found the included software built into the Panasonic and the Foscams I bought was very good. I now use WebcamXP to run them all. This enables me to bring together different brands of cameras (which otherwise would not talk to each other) plus a webcam and a camcorder which I used as two extra cams. It also enables me to digitally record from any source, and has much better motion detecting features.

Disadvantages of some software include loss of some camera features. For example, from within WebcamXP I cannot play about with the brightness and contrast on my Panasonic, or use the inbuilt alarm, or the presets etc.

So when you evaluate the various IP camera softwares, do check the list of compatible cameras and what you're able to do with them. It's not too much of a problem for me because I can still log in directly to any camera if I want to tweak the settings. But I am sure some of the more upmarket IP camera suites have a lot of really good features, you get what you pay for.

[Bobc]

Thanks, I took a brief look at WebCamXP and I see there is a free edition that I may be able to get to work with the Logitech Communicator Deluxe web cam I have. While the free version doesn't do motion detection, it will give me a feel for the software. Have you ever used it for a USB camera?

As for setting IP camera features, I assume you can still use the software that came with your Panasonic camera as long as WebCamXP is closed?

[Ingenious]

I downloaded the pro version - it's a 60 day free trial I'll almost certainly buy it when the trial ends. So why not download the full pro version so you can try out the motion detection?

You do not need to close WebcamXP to access your camera directly, because the cameras support multiple users. So I have WebcamXP running all the time, and can still log into any camera independently in my browser, to access the inbuilt software. In fact quite often I am viewing a camera on both WebcamXP and directly in another browser window, if I am making some settings changes.

Yes I run a webcam as an extra camera. It's a USB one. WebcamXP will treat it as any other IP camera, so you can access remotely, record, etc via WebcamXP. I also have a camcorder connected via firewire, and that's used as another extra camera.

Using a webcam has one other great advantage - mine is a HD webcam, so I can get a very large image from it - very detailed, great for being able to see number plates and faces.

[Bobc]

Thanks for the detailed reply. I will look into the 60 day trial, but it will have to wait till tomorrow when I have the time.

[buellwinkle]

Also check out BlueIris Software, you can download a trial of that.

If you are a really good c++ developer, you can get an Axis camera and they provide their in camera software in their SDK. You can add any feature you can image directly on the camera.
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[Bobc]

Thanks, I have been looking at Blue Iris but I don't think my system will handle it because I don't have a graphics card or enough memory on the PC I want to use it on. I have another PC with a graphics card but even less memory (I need to upgrade my PC's!). I can't seem to find a user guide for the Blue Iris software on their site which would help me assess it. Do you know of any on the web?

I have been looking at the WebCamXP site and user guide and so far I haven't found any system requirements, so I am not sure it will work on either of my PC's. Have you any experience with it?

I am afraid my programming experience stopped with C and I never could force myself up the learning curve to C++, but it is interesting to know the Axis cameras have the capability.

[buellwinkle]

I tried a few, but BlueIris supported all my mixed bag of cameras and does what I want so I stuck with it.

Consider that you have to pretty much dedicate a PC for this and that the PC has to be on 24/7 and can not have any power saving modes on as it's continously getting streams from each camera, non-stop, so the PC can't rest.

What I did is I got one of this mini PC's with the Atom 330 processor. I personally got the Zotac ZBox. It consumes about 35W (about 1/4 what a conventional PC uses) and it's very small, like a mac mini. Amazon has it cheap, like $268 with 2GB RAM and a small hard drive (you can get a 500GB laptop drive cheap if you need more, about $60). It has a good built in graphics card, WiFi built in and has HDMI out, so you don't even need a monitor, just plug it into your TV. I run 6 cameras on this, 4 of which are megapixel and I'm using about 50% CPU.

http://www.amazon.com/Zotac-MAG-Intel-NVIDIA-HD-ND01-U/dp/B0030UH2J4/ref=pd_cp_e_0
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For network camera articles and reviews, visit my blog at http://ipcamnetwork.wordpress.com

[Bobc]

Thanks for the tip on the Zotac, you must be reading my mind. I have been thinking of getting a new PC to put Ubuntu on and get away from Windows. I will study the Zotac to see what it can do.

[buellwinkle]

If you prefer Ubuntu, check out Zoneminder. It's free open source NVR software that runs on Linux. Haven't looked into it with any detail to know what distro's work, but I've seen Ubuntu mentioned on their forums, so I assume that will work. Ubuntu is good because it's light, comes on one CD. I typically work with CentOS, comes on lots of CD's or two DVD's.
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[Bobc]

As I was pricing nettops I began wondering is it really necessary to have a dedicated PC 24/7 if the camera has its own processor like Mobotix cameras? From the little reading I have done on them it seems they are autonomous units that don't need a PC connection to function. When you factor that into their higher cost it makes them more competitive price wise. Do you have any idea what the Mobotix cameras use for a processor?

Also, I was thinking that if a camera has ftp-email capabilities then all you need do is hook it to a router and send pictures and messages to a storage site away from home that can be seen later?

[Soundy]

The problem with using remote storage like that is that you'll be limited by the bandwidth of your internet connection. Most broadband connections have pretty thin upstreams (usually 1 megabit or less), so a compromise usually has to be made... either you're limited to stills only, or a lower-quality video stream, or limited in the number of cameras you can use.

It's not a matter of the camera having its own processor, it's a matter of storage. Some can store video internally or directly to flash memory, but you're limited by the size and price of media.

[buellwinkle]

Cameras like Mobotix do not need a PC at all, heck, I use an iPad with them . They will write to an SD card or to a NAS device directly and provides all the same features any NVR will have. So no big network needed as it only transmits the compressed video recordings, not a stream to an NVR or PC like most other cameras do.

You can do something similar with other cameras that allow you to FTP video like on my ACTi but I was not happy with that approach, didn't work as well as I expect and you just end up with thousands of files and you don't know what is what.
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For network camera articles and reviews, visit my blog at http://ipcamnetwork.wordpress.com

[Bobc]

Soundy: Good points, while I have a fiber connection with great download speed it is less than 1 meg up, so I see the problem.

buellwinkle: Those mobotix cameras are sweet but I get sticker shock looking at them. I was doing a little more research on cameras and I see where the Panasonic BL-C210/C230 series don't need a PC connection because they offer on-board memory. I am reading through all the manuals and I am still not sure how much memory they have. And, the BL-C230A series has an external I/O interface that would allow for triggering an external alarm or allow for additional alert input. Amazon has them for about $220.

The ability to trigger an external alarm is a big selling point for me because I am hoping that I can set up a camera that will alert me when it sees car headlights at night coming up my very long driveway. Even though the Panasonic cameras are said to have poor night vision I am hoping that the change from pitch black to headlights would trigger them.

[Soundy]

Unfortunately mere motion detection may be tricky for detecting that - you'd have to reduce sensitivity substantially for it NOT to be triggered by just about anything else.