How do I test a camera with no X?

Source3 · Post by **Source3** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 3:51 am

Hello group,

I am beginning the journey of setting up zoneminder and would like to check to see if my camera works as suggested at http://www.zoneminder.com/wiki/index.php/Documentation.

However, I am not running X. I prefer not to use a GUI on the server and the server is located in an isolated room with no keyboard or monitor attached. The server is hardwired to the LAN.

I am running Ubuntu 8.04 server 64-bit with LAMP. I connect to the server via SSH from a laptop running Ubuntu 7.10 desktop. I have installed the PT-149 video capture card and am assuming it "just works".

Does anyone know of a way to check a camera's connected (maybe via xawtv or camorama) to the server via a remote connection?

Thanks. And I know this will be one of many posts through my journey.

Hardware of importance:
All video hardware purchased from Bluecherry
* PV-149 8-port video capture card
* Topica TP-989WIR
* Topica TP-101IR Dome

Thanks again,
~andrew

kingofkya · Post by **kingofkya** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 1:33 am

Mybe vlc frame buff i have never tryed but take a look

http://www.google.com/search?q=frame+bu ... =firefox-a

Source3 · Post by **Source3** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 2:02 am

Thanks kingofkya. I started to play around with VLC after downloading gnome desktop. Saw the camera was working in xawtv, then reinstalled the server and zoneminder. Had everything working in 30 minutes from the time I started the reinstall. What can I say, I do not like a GUI on a server.

Furthermore, at our local New Mexico Ubuntu user group, their is a guy that is a VLC guru. When I have a little more time, I am going to ask him how to use VLC.

And thanks for the link.

Lee Sharp · Post by **Lee Sharp** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 3:47 pm

I remember hearing of a way to use xawtv to capture a single frame from the command line. You can look into that...

fleed · Post by **fleed** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:23 am

I use vnc on the server just to run xawtv and make sure the cameras are working fine, change a few basic settings, etc. You start the vnc server on the server and connect to it from the vnc client on your laptop. It shows you a remote desktop and you can run any X program on your server. It might just bloat your server a bit with X libs and all but it's just wasted space and will not take away any of your processor power when you're not using it.