Full-motion video stream

roussell · Post by **roussell** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 6:00 pm

I've searched the forums with no real answer found...

Is it possible to have an embedded webcam video stream in the software remote? I've done it with static and dynamic images, but would really like to have near real-time video. Is anyone doing this? If so, the next question is can it happen in a (moveable) pop-up window?

Thanks,
Terry

Post by **Richard Naninck** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 6:45 pm

It cannot be done... (yet I hope).
I have this ability high on my list as well since it is the only thing missing from making the SWRemote a full capable security system.
If you only run one SWRemote and it is installed on the same PC you run your cam software on, you could create a panel with a transparant gap in it and use it as an overlay over your cam software.
This feature would be best if it would be based on streaming video so remote SWRemotes could also display video without too much cpu usage. Unreal Media can do this, now the only we need is to get it in the SWRemote. Lets hope for the best in the future of HouseBot!

roussell · Post by **roussell** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 8:41 am

Thanks for the reply Richard. I agree, it seems to be one of the very few things missing in HB. If one were to attempt to write it, would it be something that could be accomplished from a plug-in point of view or would it need to be part of the core of HB? If it could be done with a plugin, maybe even as a wrapper for an existing webcam app (VisionGS, Catspy, Zoneminder, etc), maybe I can make an attempt to develop it...If Scott isn't already working on one for the next release, that is. :)

Terry

Post by **Richard Naninck** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 8:43 am

I don't know what Scott is working on, but this needs to be a HouseBot thing like displaying a (dynamic) image in the swremote, but then something that supports motion video.

roussell · Post by **roussell** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:04 am

Agreed. Do you know if it's possible to change a dynamic image on a SWremote when an event occurs? Example. The doorbell rings and a window pops up on one or more SWremotes with an image from the front door cam.

Right now, I have a HB script that collects images from various webcams with wget.exe and stores them in a folder on the HB server, I can display those images easily enough but don't know how to make one "pop-up" in response to an event.

dlmorgan999 · Post by **dlmorgan999** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:10 am

It's certainly possible, but you would need some kind of hardware device and associated plugin that could detect the doorbell button push. Assuming you have that you could easily create a task that pops a panel on a software remote.

I do something similar when a phone call comes in. I pop a panel that shows the name and number. The panel then automatically closes 20 seconds later.

roussell · Post by **roussell** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:53 am

Yeah, I was leaving out the hardware side, I already have all of that functionality in place. I can detect when the doorbell is pushed, and I can generate an image from the doorcam and store it when the doorbell is pushed; I'm just not sure of the steps required in HB to actually make the window pop-up with that stored image.

This is roussell from cocoontech, dlmorgan999. This is kinda of in response to upstatemike's questions about the same in this thread: http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showtopic=5147 I started wondering how it could be done in HB and also searching for a way (any way) to embed video streams in teh SWremote...

I'm the guy from the thread who is currently using Misterhouse/Xlobby/Zoneminder. I'm trying to evaluate HB and Mainlobby3 side by side.

Thanks,
Terry

dlmorgan999 · Post by **dlmorgan999** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 11:13 am

roussell wrote:Yeah, I was leaving out the hardware side, I already have all of that functionality in place. I can detect when the doorbell is pushed, and I can generate an image from the doorcam and store it when the doorbell is pushed; I'm just not sure of the steps required in HB to actually make the window pop-up with that stored image.

That part is pretty easy. Create a new Task with these entries:

1. If <doorbell button pushed> Then
2. Open Panel 'Camera Image' on All Remotes

If you want the auto-close I talked about then add two more lines:

3. Delay for 20000 milliseconds
4. Close Panel 'Camera Image' on All Remotes

On the Task, make sure to select the "When Conditions Are Met" Execution mode. On the "Camera Image" panel add an Image control, set it to Dynamic and point it to the camera image.

Note that (at least right now) Tasks can only control the "calling remote" (this assumes that the Task was activated from a button on a remote) or "All Remotes". There is currently no way to pop a panel on a specific named remote (although this feature has been requested). Popping the panel on "All Remotes" actually works fairly well though. It will only pop the panel on remotes that actually have a panel with that name and no errors are generated for remotes that don't have that panel.

I've never had cameras but I will have three in my new house so I'm going to be interested in being able to display motion video on a software remote as well. Keep an eye out here on the forums for possible developments on that.

-- Dave