Video Surveillance, Blue Iris and HomeSeer/HSTouch or IPCameras

[DanielHeth]

I'm trying to integrate my 16 surveillance cameras into HomeSeer (well actually HSTouch) and need recommendations on a 4x capture card and software capable of handing 16 inputs.
 
I'm building a computer (i7 w/16Gb) that will be my main HomeSeer Pro server. I'd like to install (4) 4x capture cards which I'll move the 16 cameras from my NightOwl DVR. Any recommendations on what 4x capture cards i should use for this purpose? My thoughts are if i can get the video signals into the computer, i have many more options on what to do with it. Feed to web, feed to HSTouch, etc...
 
I've read that Blue Iris is a good software for capturing video and feeding it for the purpose of integrating into HSTouch from HomeSeer... Does anyone know if this software is capable of doing what i'm wanting, if not do you have any recommendations on software?
 
My end goal is to open the HSTouch app on any device and access any one of the 16 cameras when i move to each room's screen. This will give me a single app for controlling lights, security system, thermostat, etc... Much later i plan to flush mount cheap android devices all over the house to be access points into the control system.
 
Plan B: i will break down and get IP cameras to replace the 16x and NightOwl DVR. If this is ultimately what i do, then any recommendations on a good reasonably priced IP Camera? Anybody have thoughts or experience with the Foscam FI8905E?

 

[electron]

I would take a look at Zone Minder, it's pretty easy to set up (assuming you aren't afraid of Linux, or are willing to learn), and turns your pc into a full blown CCTV DVR.  I believe the Blue Iris website sells cards which are compatible with Zone Minder.
 
Does the NightOwl DVR not offer an Ethernet interface?  If it does, chances are you can grab the data (this is what I do with my DVR).

 

[DanielHeth]

It does have ethernet... and i can pull the video cameras up on my iphones.  My goal is to get the feeds integrated with HSTouch.  That way any panel i walk up to (multiple android thing) can control lights and view video cameras.

 

[electron]

Right, I use HSTouch myself, and have my cameras integrated this way as well.  Do you know how to access the image without using an ActiveX component?

 

[DanielHeth]

Unfortunately i haven't found anywhere that describes how to pull a video feed from a NightOwl DVR without using the ActiveX component.  I'm very disappointed by this.    If i could find some code or command line utility or something that can pull the image i seek, i could program something to work.
As it stands, due to the low cost of NightOwl, i got into this mess in the first place.  Good thing is i can replace the dvr itself without having to change the cameras.  But what to change it with is the question.
Even if there was another brand DVR that would be fine... so long as i can integrate it with HSTouch.

 

[electron]

Most DVRs rely on ActiveX (including mine), but usually there is a way around it.  The IP Cam Viewer app for iOS/Android supports the following DVRs (this means they are accessible without ActiveX):

• Night Owl FS DVR
• Night Owl FS DVR w/ Web Port
• Night Owl FS w/ Mobile Port
• Night Owl Poseidon w/ Media Port
• Night Owl RTSP(TCP) DVR
• Night Owl Zeus w/ Media Port

Which model do you have?  Don't give up hope yet, it's looking good

 

[DanielHeth]

IP Cam recently upgraded and added ADs... poor taste but i know they have to make money.  They also rearranged the gui which i don't like and sent me looking. 
It looks like Night Owl released a new app called "Night Owl Lite" which will interface with the cameras, nice interface and no ADs.  That is my vote to interface with my Zeus DVR16B.
 

Dan (electron):  Most DVRs rely on ActiveX (including mine), but usually there is a way around it. The IP Cam Viewer app for iOS/Android supports the following DVRs (this means they are accessible without ActiveX):

 
That is what i am thinking... which is why i was suggesting programming something.  Does anybody have programming experience with pulling camera images off from ActiveX based DVR's?

 

[electron]

Yes, I do, that's why I have been trying to help you
 
Can you try this link:
 
http://x.x.x.x:9472/stillimg1.jpg
 
replace the x.x.x.x with the IP address of your DVR.
 
As for the ads, that's just the Lite version, the software is worth the low price, and it won't show ads in the commercial version.

 

[DanielHeth]

LOL... i just saw your picture... must have had tunnel vision or something.
 
Excellent... Are there any Libraries or something which has the functionality already?
 
Do you have links to example code or projects you've already built which pulls the images?

 

[electron]

There is no coding involved if you can figure out the static JPG links, you can import it directly into HSTouch.  did you try the link I posted?

 

[DanielHeth]

Sorry, I know where the disconnect is.
i've been searching for the static JPG link for over a year with no luck.  I've seen on multiple forum threads that people have asked but no one has found the answer.
 
Since i spent a year looking for the solution with no luck... i started this thread to find alternatives.  My first thought was putting video capture cards into the purpose built pc that will replace the DVR all together.  My backup if i can't find capture cards or software that can simultainiously capture from the 16 cameras is to find recommendations for IP cameras.

 

[electron]

I feel like we are communication on different frequencies
 
Have you tried the http://x.x.x.x:9472/stillimg1.jpg link (replacing the x.x.x.x with your IP)?
 
The fact is, the DVR is supported by several apps on the market.  This means that there is a way of getting this raw data, worst case, we have to run a packet sniffer and find out what data it is sending.

 

[DanielHeth]

Thank you for sticking with me... i know getting on the same page via forums can be difficult.
 
Yes, i've tried the url you've suggested, with no luck.  I've also tried changing the port to the 9000 (default) and 18004 (which I have configured on my DVR).
 
I don't have much experience with packet sniffing... so not sure where to start here.
I also don't have much experience with how the ActiveX could be configured to "cloud" the url like they are.
 
I would expect that somewhere hidden there is a static url for these images... I have found one website which talks about hacking these DVRs and they got into the Linux cmd line and was able to do a few things, but they didn't mention anything about researching the static image url.
 
I find it hard to believe that no one has found the solution to this prior to my research.

 

[electron]

It should be easy, it looks like they use the same platform as the Q-See systems, which are very well documented.  That said, I have contacted them, asking them for API info, so we'll see.  The Zeus is the only model I don't have the URL for, the others I have been able to sniff out already, as they use standard HTTP request.

 

[DanielHeth]

I just downloaded and using an HTTP packet sniffer to try and find the url... with no luck.
Here is what i'm seeing when i have the sniffer running, launch a browser to access the cameras:
 
1 http://xxx.xxx.x.x/
2 http://xxx.xxx.x.x/play.html
3 http://xxx.xxx.x.x/images/logo_null.jpg
4 http://xxx.xxx.x.x/play.xml?action=get
 
When I look further into the Play.xml... i get the following xml doc:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="GB2312"?>
-<Root><port>9000</port></Root>
 
I've browsed around the ActiveX control opening various cameras, starting/stopping feeds, etc... nothing beyond these 4 packets are ever sent.  Thinking i may open up to a full packet sniffer... thoughts?