[SOLVED] Network Video Recorder (App) for MX?

[mmikeinsantarosa]

I joined the zm forums and learned something pretty important.

zoneminder requires rtsp (Real-Time Streaming Protocol) is always on and draws too much power for the solar only camera to run for any length of time. And this is most likely why solar only ptz cameras (at least all that I've investigated) don't support rtsp.

I'm now on the hunt for an opensource video security system that will work off motion activation. -m

[CharlesV]

I have found iSpy to be very good, especially on ferreting out the various cams that I have (only two of which are rtsp)... And the first time I set it up it was pretty excellent. I struggled with it on the second and real setup and went a different direction, but I think it is pretty good.

Either way, I am also VERY interested in finding a good linux solution. ( Currently, I had to set two clients and myself into a windows solution - its very good, and I can run it in a VM.. but prefer to do it all linux!)

[mmikeinsantarosa]

I saw that one too and motion which is motion activated.
There wasn't any documentation with the last pair of cameras I bought and returned. I couldn't find anything that even listed what protocols it supported. I had to guess what the connection string should be and I tried every combination I could find in online examples.

What I don't know yet is how well a camera will work up where I want them. both locations are about 100ft from the wireless router.

Time to watch some instructional videos for ispy & motion.

[CharlesV]

Yup. I purchased two sets of cams and nvr's ( cheap) from amazon, great cams, and the nvr's work well, but I want more control over how it all works. The cams supposedly cannot be used with out the nvr's

HOWEVER.. I setup a wifi system that mimics the NVR wifi, connected the camera to it and then I can run into the cam and get images. Setting up the refresh rate and working a little with the software and I have video, motion detection and a pretty nice cam setup.

I also have found some pretty nice use on various other older cams I had and have brought these into the system as well.

Bottom line... once you understand how to manipulate the cams around, then most everything else is just 'record on motion' and area detection.

The iSpy camera database was AMAZING to learn how to work the various cams I have had and have worked with... Nothing I have found beats their DB on that !

[mmikeinsantarosa]

CharlesV, did you have install instructions you followed?

A Zm install isn't just sudo apt-get install zoneminder...

[CharlesV]

Yes, I attempted to follow their instructions from the website and had to hack two versions together to get it working this last time around.

m_pav had some discussions with the zoneminder peeps, as I think we got their attention :-) ... and he posted detailed steps here:
viewtopic.php?p=744423&hilit=zoneminder#p744423

and there is more discussion there too.

[mmikeinsantarosa]

Yes, I attempted to follow their instructions from the website and had to hack two versions together to get it working this last time around.

m_pav had some discussions with the zoneminder peeps, as I think we got their attention :-) ... and he posted detailed steps here:
viewtopic.php?p=744423&hilit=zoneminder#p744423

and there is more discussion there too.

I don't see a debian package for ispy but the ispy site does have an install and download section. I guess this is where you got it from, eh?

[CharlesV]

Oh iSpy... let me grab my notes...

[CharlesV]

No, I ran the AgentDVR.

Down load here:
https://www.ispyconnect.com/download.aspx

basically this:

Code: Select all

bash <(curl -s "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ispysoftware/agent-install-scripts/main/v2/install.sh")

According to my notes I had to do a little work on the install script too. I am not sure I have the VM any more, that had all my notes on it...I will check that.

[mmikeinsantarosa]

Ever since I read some woman discovered everything she said to her Alexa device ended up as audio files saved on an amazon drive, I really don't want my stream to go to google or anywhere but my devices. What bugged me about the last pair I tried is I had to install their app on my phone to initialize the cameras. This was done through their site which means they could have a hook into my streams.I'm not doing anything nefarious, I just don't want them in the picture. Similar to the reason I run nothing but MX at home.

Is there some generic app that can discover most cameras, get their IP etc or are we all at the mercy of the vendors app?