For various reasons, management has requested that we look at alarms and
cameras to keep a remote track on the house.

It's not a subject I have looked at in any depth, but I have seen a few
things about cameras that will send images to smart phones etc.

Does anyone know of a useful authoritative source of information on this
sort of stuff, so I can have a look into it?

Cheers chaps

On 06/07/15 09:54, GMM wrote:
For various reasons, management has requested that we look at alarms and
cameras to keep a remote track on the house.

It's not a subject I have looked at in any depth, but I have seen a few
things about cameras that will send images to smart phones etc.

Does anyone know of a useful authoritative source of information on this
sort of stuff, so I can have a look into it?

Cheers chaps

I use Hikvision 2432-F-IW direct from Aliexpress from China.

These have good image quality and work pretty well with TinyCam Pro on
android. They can also be configured to email or FTP images to a remote
server based on various triggers, including rudimentary image movement
detection and an inbuilt PIR.

However, they are still of the type that expect you to have a windows
machine to deal with the activeX ********.

For a higher class device, look at Axis - but the cost will go ^^^

On 06/07/15 12:02, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 10:28:47 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

However, they are still of the type that expect you to have a windows
machine to deal with the activeX ********.

If you're proficient with HTML you can usually work out the URL to access
the cameras streaming output.

Indeed - that's not the problem.

The problem is if you want to configure anything (including activating
or deactivating alarms).

In article ,
Jethro_uk writes:
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 12:34:14 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

On 06/07/15 12:02, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 10:28:47 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

However, they are still of the type that expect you to have a windows
machine to deal with the activeX ********.

If you're proficient with HTML you can usually work out the URL to
access the cameras streaming output.

Indeed - that's not the problem.

The problem is if you want to configure anything (including activating
or deactivating alarms).

I refer you to my previous answer.

The ZM forums have quite a wealth of contributors. It was a combination
of that, and 30+ years of hacking that helped me create a custom command
file for the noname IP camera I bought off Amazon 3 years ago. Got the PTZ
and low-light IR LED function working.

Wireshark may help too.

Beware that many of these network attached camera recorders have been
completely riddled with security holes, allowing people to get back
through your router firewall onto your home network. If you have the
capability, at least put the thing into a DMZ of its own, so it can't
see the rest of your home network or access your router's own address
except for essentials such as DHCP and possibly DNS.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Mon, 6 Jul 2015 18:28:53 +0000 (UTC)
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:

In article ,
Jethro_uk writes:
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 12:34:14 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

On 06/07/15 12:02, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 10:28:47 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

However, they are still of the type that expect you to have a
windows machine to deal with the activeX ********.

If you're proficient with HTML you can usually work out the URL to
access the cameras streaming output.

Indeed - that's not the problem.

The problem is if you want to configure anything (including
activating or deactivating alarms).

I refer you to my previous answer.

The ZM forums have quite a wealth of contributors. It was a
combination of that, and 30+ years of hacking that helped me create
a custom command file for the noname IP camera I bought off Amazon
3 years ago. Got the PTZ and low-light IR LED function working.

Wireshark may help too.

Beware that many of these network attached camera recorders have been
completely riddled with security holes, allowing people to get back
through your router firewall onto your home network. If you have the
capability, at least put the thing into a DMZ of its own, so it can't
see the rest of your home network or access your router's own address
except for essentials such as DHCP and possibly DNS.


Good point. And I thoroughly endorse the use of Zoneminder, it does all
that you appear to require of it.

The ability to turn off a camera's LEDs would be useful, now you
mention it. I haven't done (wouldn't know where to start) any of that
type of hacking, just worked my way around the ZM commands.

--
Davey.

Tim Watts wrote:

Jethro_uk wrote:

Tim Watts wrote:

expect you to have a windows machine to deal with the activeX
********.

you can usually work out the URL to access the cameras streaming
output.

Indeed - that's not the problem.
The problem is if you want to configure anything

Onvif seems to be an open standard for that ...

On 06/07/15 20:36, Andy Burns wrote:
Tim Watts wrote:

Jethro_uk wrote:

Tim Watts wrote:

expect you to have a windows machine to deal with the activeX
********.

you can usually work out the URL to access the cameras streaming
output.

Indeed - that's not the problem.
The problem is if you want to configure anything

Onvif seems to be an open standard for that ...



The Hikvision claims to support ONVIF.

I tried. In reality "ONVIF" seems to be a standard rather like "MS
Office XML" - it has a buzzword, but is actually about as useful as a
fishnet condom.

I might be maligning ONVIF and maybe Hikvision are lying. Even Tinycam
cannot get anything out of the Hikvision I have except a video and audio
stream. It would be nice if I could remote switch the IR lamp on and off
and other things.

For anyone wondering, the hikvision gives great video and passable audio
at a great price and it does wired, Wifi, direct power and PoE which
makes for flexible deployment.

It just has a useless web interface.

On 06/07/15 20:23, Davey wrote:
Good point. And I thoroughly endorse the use of Zoneminder, it does all
that you appear to require of it.

The ability to turn off a camera's LEDs would be useful, now you
mention it. I haven't done (wouldn't know where to start) any of that
type of hacking, just worked my way around the ZM commands.



I might try zoneminder too (or similar).

IIRC turning off the IR LED on the Hikvision requires a reboot too.

On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 10:28:47 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

I use Hikvision 2432-F-IW direct from Aliexpress from China.

Be aware that the Chinese ones may have issues with firmware upgrades
that aren't Chinese.

I've a UK 2432 works pretty well but the regular timed FTP upload
works you can't set the filename (which has the date/time encoded
into it) and the path is restricted to parent and child.

These have good image quality and work pretty well

Yep, I'll agree with that and the PIR/Motion detection and the IR
illumination would make them good little security cameras. Which is
after all what they are designed to be. B-)

But what do you do when the cameras contact you and you are 20 miles
away? Watch the miscreants trash your place and crap in the Mrs's
knicker drawer?

The Police might respond if you called 'em but I wouldn't bank on it.
Send a neighbour round? Bearing in mind that the miscreants may well
have some form of weapon or grab one of your kitchen knives to go
through anybody trying to stop 'em.

I guess neighbour can look from a distance to see whats going on and
call the Police saying "crime in progress, intruders still present".
But whether they have anybody not baby sitting the city/town centre
binge drinkers is another matter.

For a higher class device, look at Axis - but the cost will go ^^^

Real higher class is Mobotix... they'll really put the costs up. B-)

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 20:56:02 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

IIRC turning off the IR LED on the Hikvision requires a reboot too.

Not on mine:

Configuration Advanced Config System Service IR enable tick
box.

Clicking "save" toggles the IR LED as expected. BUT the rest of the
camera thinks the IR LED should be on. I have a feeling it's a bit
more complicated if the rest of the cameras thinks that the IR LED
should be off.

The biggest annoyance is the manual, if covers every single feature
on every singla camera but with no reference to which camera has
which features. Mine doesn't have number plate recognition for
example...

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 06/07/15 22:01, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 10:28:47 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

I use Hikvision 2432-F-IW direct from Aliexpress from China.

Be aware that the Chinese ones may have issues with firmware upgrades
that aren't Chinese.

True - I can give you the link to one seller that reliably does the
English FW (several do).


I've a UK 2432 works pretty well but the regular timed FTP upload
works you can't set the filename (which has the date/time encoded
into it) and the path is restricted to parent and child.

These have good image quality and work pretty well

Yep, I'll agree with that and the PIR/Motion detection and the IR
illumination would make them good little security cameras. Which is
after all what they are designed to be. B-)

But what do you do when the cameras contact you and you are 20 miles
away? Watch the miscreants trash your place and crap in the Mrs's
knicker drawer?

I think the main thing is peach of mind - when you check and nothing's
happened. If something happens, you can't stop it but you can at least
go over, get the police, and secure the property - which is better than
not knowing and just leaving it.

If you are really lucky you might get some photos for the police.

The Police might respond if you called 'em but I wouldn't bank on it.
Send a neighbour round? Bearing in mind that the miscreants may well
have some form of weapon or grab one of your kitchen knives to go
through anybody trying to stop 'em.

I guess neighbour can look from a distance to see whats going on and
call the Police saying "crime in progress, intruders still present".
But whether they have anybody not baby sitting the city/town centre
binge drinkers is another matter.

For a higher class device, look at Axis - but the cost will go ^^^

Real higher class is Mobotix... they'll really put the costs up. B-)


Must google...

On 06/07/15 22:17, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 20:56:02 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

IIRC turning off the IR LED on the Hikvision requires a reboot too.

Not on mine:

Configuration Advanced Config System Service IR enable tick
box.

Clicking "save" toggles the IR LED as expected. BUT the rest of the
camera thinks the IR LED should be on. I have a feeling it's a bit
more complicated if the rest of the cameras thinks that the IR LED
should be off.

The biggest annoyance is the manual, if covers every single feature
on every singla camera but with no reference to which camera has
which features. Mine doesn't have number plate recognition for
example...


You read the manual?

"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
On 06/07/15 22:01, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 10:28:47 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

I use Hikvision 2432-F-IW direct from Aliexpress from China.

Be aware that the Chinese ones may have issues with firmware upgrades
that aren't Chinese.

True - I can give you the link to one seller that reliably does the
English FW (several do).

Yes please.

I've a UK 2432 works pretty well but the regular timed FTP upload
works you can't set the filename (which has the date/time encoded
into it) and the path is restricted to parent and child.

These have good image quality and work pretty well

Yep, I'll agree with that and the PIR/Motion detection and the IR
illumination would make them good little security cameras. Which is
after all what they are designed to be. B-)

But what do you do when the cameras contact you and you are 20 miles
away? Watch the miscreants trash your place and crap in the Mrs's
knicker drawer?

I think the main thing is peach of mind

Yeah. I managed to end up in hospital and one of the neighbours
who got some stuff from the house for me manage to leave the
main door unlocked. Fortunately another visitor discovered that
and couldn’t find me and told one of the other neighbours who
fixed that, but a camera that alarmed me when someone was
inside the house would have been much more preferable to
that good luck.

- when you check and nothing's
happened. If something happens, you can't stop it

Be interesting to see what would happen if you announce that
you can see what they are up to, and claim that the cops are on
their way, even if they aren't. Not clear if they would usually just
leave or start trashing anything that looks like a camera etc.

but you can at least
go over, get the police, and secure the property - which is better than
not knowing and just leaving it.

Yes, and most of my neighbours are quite capable of checking
what is going on without endangering themselves. I do that
myself when the neighbours alarms go off.

If you are really lucky you might get some photos for the police.

Yeah, I have done that too. Gave them to a mate of mine who is a
teacher at the local highschool and while the school wasn’t prepared
to tell me who it was, they were happy to tell the cops who it was.

And got his dad frog marching him around once he discovered that
the cops wanted to talk to him about what his brat had got up to.

The Police might respond if you called 'em but I wouldn't bank on it.
Send a neighbour round? Bearing in mind that the miscreants may well
have some form of weapon or grab one of your kitchen knives to go
through anybody trying to stop 'em.

I guess neighbour can look from a distance to see whats going on and
call the Police saying "crime in progress, intruders still present".
But whether they have anybody not baby sitting the city/town centre
binge drinkers is another matter.

For a higher class device, look at Axis - but the cost will go ^^^

Real higher class is Mobotix... they'll really put the costs up. B-)


Must google...

Couldn’t justify those prices myself. The Hikvision class prices are fine.

On 07/07/15 00:13, ratsack wrote:



True - I can give you the link to one seller that reliably does the
English FW (several do).

Yes please.


http://www.aliexpress.com/item/whole...472253824.html

Julia speaks perfect english and is very quick about returning messages
(I wanted a different lens) - bear in mind she's in China so there's a
big time difference.

I had mine about 3 - 3.5 weeks after order and most of that was the post.

I've a UK 2432 works pretty well but the regular timed FTP upload
works you can't set the filename (which has the date/time encoded
into it) and the path is restricted to parent and child.

These have good image quality and work pretty well

Yep, I'll agree with that and the PIR/Motion detection and the IR
illumination would make them good little security cameras. Which is
after all what they are designed to be. B-)

But what do you do when the cameras contact you and you are 20 miles
away? Watch the miscreants trash your place and crap in the Mrs's
knicker drawer?

I think the main thing is peach of mind

Yeah. I managed to end up in hospital and one of the neighbours
who got some stuff from the house for me manage to leave the
main door unlocked. Fortunately another visitor discovered that
and couldn’t find me and told one of the other neighbours who
fixed that, but a camera that alarmed me when someone was
inside the house would have been much more preferable to
that good luck.

- when you check and nothing's
happened. If something happens, you can't stop it

Be interesting to see what would happen if you announce that
you can see what they are up to, and claim that the cops are on
their way, even if they aren't. Not clear if they would usually just
leave or start trashing anything that looks like a camera etc.

but you can at least
go over, get the police, and secure the property - which is better
than not knowing and just leaving it.

Yes, and most of my neighbours are quite capable of checking
what is going on without endangering themselves. I do that
myself when the neighbours alarms go off.

If you are really lucky you might get some photos for the police.

Yeah, I have done that too. Gave them to a mate of mine who is a
teacher at the local highschool and while the school wasn’t prepared
to tell me who it was, they were happy to tell the cops who it was.

And got his dad frog marching him around once he discovered that
the cops wanted to talk to him about what his brat had got up to.

The Police might respond if you called 'em but I wouldn't bank on it.
Send a neighbour round? Bearing in mind that the miscreants may well
have some form of weapon or grab one of your kitchen knives to go
through anybody trying to stop 'em.

I guess neighbour can look from a distance to see whats going on and
call the Police saying "crime in progress, intruders still present".
But whether they have anybody not baby sitting the city/town centre
binge drinkers is another matter.

For a higher class device, look at Axis - but the cost will go ^^^

Real higher class is Mobotix... they'll really put the costs up. B-)


Must google...

Couldn’t justify those prices myself. The Hikvision class prices are fine.

On 07/07/2015 07:30, Tim Watts wrote:
On 07/07/15 00:13, ratsack wrote:



True - I can give you the link to one seller that reliably does
the English FW (several do).

Yes please.


http://www.aliexpress.com/item/whole...472253824.html

Is it hd or not, the ad implies 600tvl which is nowhere near hd.

On 07/07/15 18:20, dennis@home wrote:
On 07/07/2015 07:30, Tim Watts wrote:
On 07/07/15 00:13, ratsack wrote:



True - I can give you the link to one seller that reliably does
the English FW (several do).

Yes please.


http://www.aliexpress.com/item/whole...472253824.html


Is it hd or not, the ad implies 600tvl which is nowhere near hd.

It is 2048 x 1536 (for real). I have no idea how that fits into the
SD/HD/HD+ whatever marketing ******** - I stick to pixels, me

On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 23:22:44 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

I use Hikvision 2432-F-IW direct from Aliexpress from China.

Be aware that the Chinese ones may have issues with firmware
upgrades
that aren't Chinese.

True - I can give you the link to one seller that reliably does the
English FW (several do).

I have an EU market camera and the URL for the HIK Vision EU firmware
pages. Which is pretty well hidden... What I really want is a decent
contact into the support/firmware writers to try and persuade them
that a simple single field for the FTP upload path and a configurable
filename for a snapshot upload would be a Very Good Idea. I've had a
dig about in the SQL databases and it looks like the variables are
already in place you just can't get at them via the web UI.

I think the main thing is peach of mind - when you check and nothing's
happened. If something happens, you can't stop it but you can at least
go over, get the police, and secure the property - which is better than
not knowing and just leaving it.

Yes, I can see that for a holiday home, though I'd rather get to know
the locals and have one or two neighbours keep an eye on the place as
well.

If you are really lucky you might get some photos for the police.

One would need to check the rules that enable CCTV evidence to be
admissable in court. Resolution, security of recordings, etc

Real higher class is Mobotix... they'll really put the costs up.
B-)

Must google...

Sit down first. B-)

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Tue, 07 Jul 2015 21:51:44 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/whole...n-DS-2CD2432F-
IW-3MP-w-POE-IP-Camera-network-camera-Built-in-microphone-
DWDR/1472253824.html

Is it hd or not, the ad implies 600tvl which is nowhere near hd.

It is 2048 x 1536 (for real). I have no idea how that fits into the
SD/HD/HD+ whatever marketing ******** - I stick to pixels, me

HD is only 1920 x 1080 ... ie around 2 M pixels

"tvl" is how many distinct vertical black and white stripes you get
in the horizontal distance equal to the picture height. ICBA to get
me 'ed around non-square pixels and Kell factors this early in the
morning.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 23:23:16 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

The biggest annoyance is the manual, if covers every single
feature
on every singla camera but with no reference to which camera has
which features. Mine doesn't have number plate recognition for
example...

You read the manual?

You try finding a cheapish, 2 or 3 Mpix IP camera with a sensible
field of view (ie not more than about 70 deg) that can FTP upload a
configurable but static filename still image on a regular basis say
every 15 minutes.

Not many can these days, they are all geared towards remote
monitoring on an iThingy or only doing things on an "alarm" trigger,
like motion detect.

The HIK Vision only fails on the static filename(*). The Vivotek
IP8131 ought to pass but seems to be made of unobtainium, it's also
only 1 Mpixel.

(*) A thought has just struck me I wonder if the HIK Vision camera
has any command line SQL tools that could be used to change the db
entries. It has SSH access...

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 08/07/15 09:05, Dave Liquorice wrote:

One would need to check the rules that enable CCTV evidence to be
admissable in court. Resolution, security of recordings, etc

Wouldn't worry about that - the Police's first problem is to find the
scrote. Any picture that has some clarity to aid identification will do.

After that, I expect they will be able to pin things on him by other
means - DNA forensics for one (which is fine if you have the scrote to
match your DNA or fingerprints against, but hopeless if not, unless
somehow he is already on a database).

Real higher class is Mobotix... they'll really put the costs up.
B-)

Must google...

Sit down first. B-)


Ow...

I though Axis were pricey!

On Tue, 7 Jul 2015 09:13:49 +1000, ratsack wrote:

I use Hikvision 2432-F-IW direct from Aliexpress from China.

Be aware that the Chinese ones may have issues with firmware
upgrades
that aren't Chinese.

True - I can give you the link to one seller that reliably does
the
English FW (several do).

Yes please.

The EU HIK Vision portal:

http://www.hikvisioneurope.com/portal/

Be interesting to see what would happen if you announce that
you can see what they are up to, and claim that the cops are on
their way, even if they aren't. Not clear if they would usually just
leave or start trashing anything that looks like a camera etc.

They'd trash the camera, unless you add a remote speaker the "voice
of god" will come from the camera giving away it's location. Could
have a second better disguised camera of course.

Couldn t justify those prices myself. The Hikvision class prices are
fine.

And the image quality PDG at least when new. The Hik Vision here has
replaced a 10 year old Axis 2110 that has a well worn out sensor.
Better than a Raspbery Pi camera module. Bit of grey day today:

http://www.howhill.com/weather/webcam.php

On a less murky day you can see the sheep in the fields the other
side of the valley on the Pi cam. Looks at HIK Vision, hum the very
gently graduated grey sky is banded and a bit blocky, over doing the
compression. 67 k byte file for a 1920x1080 3 bytes/pixel image
(nominal 6 M bytes).

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Tue, 7 Jul 2015 09:13:49 +1000, ratsack wrote:

I use Hikvision 2432-F-IW direct from Aliexpress from China.

Be aware that the Chinese ones may have issues with firmware
upgrades
that aren't Chinese.

True - I can give you the link to one seller that reliably does
the
English FW (several do).

Yes please.

The EU HIK Vision portal:

http://www.hikvisioneurope.com/portal/

Be interesting to see what would happen if you announce that
you can see what they are up to, and claim that the cops are on
their way, even if they aren't. Not clear if they would usually just
leave or start trashing anything that looks like a camera etc.

They'd trash the camera, unless you add a remote speaker the "voice
of god" will come from the camera giving away it's location. Could
have a second better disguised camera of course.

Yeah, wouldn't be hard to have a dummy designed to be
the target and make the real camera completely invisible.

Couldn t justify those prices myself. The Hikvision class prices are
fine.

And the image quality PDG at least when new. The Hik Vision here has
replaced a 10 year old Axis 2110 that has a well worn out sensor.
Better than a Raspbery Pi camera module. Bit of grey day today:

http://www.howhill.com/weather/webcam.php

On a less murky day you can see the sheep in the fields the other
side of the valley on the Pi cam. Looks at HIK Vision, hum the very
gently graduated grey sky is banded and a bit blocky, over doing the
compression. 67 k byte file for a 1920x1080 3 bytes/pixel image
(nominal 6 M bytes).

I don't really care much about the scenic stuff, I only want to have
some decent footage of what some scrote is getting up to so its
easy for someone who knows them to identify them and for me
to see who it is so that I can recognise them if they show up again.

The main downside with with the Pi approach is rather more work
to get the alarms on a movement in part of the field of view etc.

PIR would in theory be fine and easy to do with a Pi camera
but I'd prefer the alarm to work with the camera inside the
house where its less vulnerable to vandalising tho there is no
reason why you couldn't have just the PIR sensor outside I spose.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 23:22:44 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

I use Hikvision 2432-F-IW direct from Aliexpress from China.

Be aware that the Chinese ones may have issues with firmware
upgrades
that aren't Chinese.

True - I can give you the link to one seller that reliably does the
English FW (several do).

I have an EU market camera and the URL for the HIK Vision EU firmware
pages. Which is pretty well hidden... What I really want is a decent
contact into the support/firmware writers to try and persuade them
that a simple single field for the FTP upload path and a configurable
filename for a snapshot upload would be a Very Good Idea. I've had a
dig about in the SQL databases and it looks like the variables are
already in place you just can't get at them via the web UI.

I think the main thing is peach of mind - when you check and nothing's
happened. If something happens, you can't stop it but you can at least
go over, get the police, and secure the property - which is better than
not knowing and just leaving it.

Yes, I can see that for a holiday home, though I'd rather get to know
the locals and have one or two neighbours keep an eye on the place as
well.

If you are really lucky you might get some photos for the police.

One would need to check the rules that enable CCTV evidence to be
admissable in court. Resolution, security of recordings, etc

I don't believe that there are any rules like that and I don't really
care as much about evidence in court as evidence that allows the
cops to find the scrote and belt the **** out of him until he puts
his hands up.

Real higher class is Mobotix... they'll really put the costs up.
B-)

Must google...

Sit down first. B-)

On Wednesday, 8 July 2015 11:02:41 UTC+1, ratsack wrote:
One would need to check the rules that enable CCTV evidence to be
admissable in court. Resolution, security of recordings, etc
I don't believe that there are any rules like that and I don't really
care as much about evidence in court

There are, and defence advocates will use their best efforts to get evidence declared as inadmissible or unreliable.

as evidence that allows the
cops to find the scrote and belt the **** out of him until he puts
his hands up.

They don't do that any more if they want to keep their pensions.

Owain

wrote in message
...
On Wednesday, 8 July 2015 11:02:41 UTC+1, ratsack wrote:
One would need to check the rules that enable CCTV evidence to be
admissable in court. Resolution, security of recordings, etc
I don't believe that there are any rules like that and I don't really
care as much about evidence in court

There are,

I don't believe that.

and defence advocates will use their best efforts to
get evidence declared as inadmissible or unreliable.

as evidence that allows the
cops to find the scrote and belt the **** out of him until he puts
his hands up.

They don't do that any more if they want to keep their pensions.

Don't believe that either.

On Wed, 8 Jul 2015 19:59:35 +1000, ratsack wrote:
I don't really care much about the scenic stuff,

It's of more value in the winter to see how full of snow the space
between the walls is and if the snow plough or snow blower has been
through.

In a "bad" winter like 9/10 or 10/11 the walls disappear, they are
about 5' high.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Wed, 8 Jul 2015 19:59:35 +1000, ratsack wrote:
I don't really care much about the scenic stuff,

It's of more value in the winter to see how full of snow the space
between the walls is and if the snow plough or snow blower has been
through.

In a "bad" winter like 9/10 or 10/11 the walls disappear, they are
about 5' high.

Don't have that problem myself. There is just one snow event in the
met records that go back for more than 100 years and that didn't
produce any snow on the ground.

A scenic view would have been useful in the last big storm which brought
down a decent sized tree in the small park/walkway next to the house, but
I don't really care if the image has a few bands on it with something like
that when just watching what actually happened to the tree as it fell etc.

On 08/07/2015 09:43, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Mon, 06 Jul 2015 23:23:16 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

The biggest annoyance is the manual, if covers every single
feature
on every singla camera but with no reference to which camera has
which features. Mine doesn't have number plate recognition for
example...

You read the manual?

You try finding a cheapish, 2 or 3 Mpix IP camera with a sensible
field of view (ie not more than about 70 deg) that can FTP upload a
configurable but static filename still image on a regular basis say
every 15 minutes.

Not many can these days, they are all geared towards remote
monitoring on an iThingy or only doing things on an "alarm" trigger,
like motion detect.

That was pretty much what I had in mind - an event-triggered setup that
sends the image to an i-thing. I thought they were pretty widespread
until I started looking and it ould just be a matter of finding one with
the right features. I certainly wasn't thinking of writing code or
buying a windows computer just to set it up.

Ah well.



The HIK Vision only fails on the static filename(*). The Vivotek
IP8131 ought to pass but seems to be made of unobtainium, it's also
only 1 Mpixel.

(*) A thought has just struck me I wonder if the HIK Vision camera
has any command line SQL tools that could be used to change the db
entries. It has SSH access...

On Wed, 08 Jul 2015 21:05:30 +0100, GMM wrote:

You try finding a cheapish, 2 or 3 Mpix IP camera with a sensible
field of view (ie not more than about 70 deg) that can FTP upload
a
configurable but static filename still image on a regular basis
say
every 15 minutes.

Not many can these days, they are all geared towards remote
monitoring on an iThingy or only doing things on an "alarm"
trigger,
like motion detect.

That was pretty much what I had in mind - an event-triggered setup that
sends the image to an i-thing.

Nearly all will do that, based on software movement detection, though
PIR detection seems to be getting quite common. What most cameras
lack is the upload trigger being based on a regular time interval.

--
Cheers
Dave.