Blank Monitor with ACTI-5001

smitchell · Post by **smitchell** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:26 pm

Hey everyone,

I recently setup zoneminder 1.24.2 on Ubuntu 9.10 (referencing packages from this guide http://www.zoneminder.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14819), but I'm having some problems. I've configured the source to match the many other examples of ACTI configs in the forum, yet my source still shows red in the console, and I'm unable to view anything in the monitor window. My zmdc.log just continues to list

[zmc -m 1' exited abnormally, status 255]

with my /var/log/messages just showing the monitor continually restarting. Am I missing something? Any help would be appreciated... be gentle. Thanks!

smitchell · Post by **smitchell** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:16 pm

Update

When trying ffmpeg -i rtsp://10.x.x.xx:7070 /tmp/cam.avi

I receive

Code: Select all

FFmpeg version SVN-r19352-4:0.5+svn20090706-2ubuntu2, Copyright (c) 2000-2009 Fabrice Bellard, et al.
  configuration: --extra-version=4:0.5+svn20090706-2ubuntu2 --prefix=/usr --enable-avfilter --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-vdpau --enable-bzlib --enable-libgsm --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-pthreads --enable-zlib --disable-stripping --disable-vhook --enable-gpl --enable-postproc --enable-swscale --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --extra-cflags=-I/build/buildd/ffmpeg-0.5+svn20090706/debian/include --enable-shared --disable-static
  libavutil     49.15. 0 / 49.15. 0
  libavcodec    52.20. 0 / 52.20. 0
  libavformat   52.31. 0 / 52.31. 0
  libavdevice   52. 1. 0 / 52. 1. 0
  libavfilter    0. 4. 0 /  0. 4. 0
  libswscale     0. 7. 1 /  0. 7. 1
  libpostproc   51. 2. 0 / 51. 2. 0
  built on Oct 13 2009 22:15:16, gcc: 4.4.1
[NULL @ 0x9556af0]Error, header damaged or not MPEG4 header (qscale=0)
Input #0, rtsp, from 'rtsp://10.x.x.xx:7070':
  Duration: -115:-43:-31.-82, start: 416611.827712, bitrate: N/A
    Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 640x480 [PAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], 3 tbr, 90k tbn, 3 tbc
Output #0, avi, to '/tmp/cam.avi':
    Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 640x480 [PAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], q=2-31, 200 kb/s, 90k tbn, 3 tbc
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
Press [q] to stop encoding
[mpeg4 @ 0x9556af0]Error, header damaged or not MPEG4 header (qscale=0)
[mpeg4 @ 0x9556af0]header damaged     6kB time=10000000000.00 bitrate=   0.0kbits/s    
frame=    0 fps=  0 q=0.0 size=       6kB time=10000000000.00 bitrate=   0.0kbits/s
frame=    0 fps=  0 q=0.0 size=       6kB time=10000000000.00 bitrate=   0.0kbits/s
frame=    0 fps=  0 q=0.0 size=       6kB time=10000000000.00 bitrate=   0.0kbits/s
Error while decoding stream #0.0
frame=    0 fps=  0 q=0.0 Lsize=       6kB time=10000000000.00    
video:0kB audio:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead inf%

Which is similar to what I've seen in post http://www.zoneminder.com/forums/viewto ... c&start=15 except for the fact that I can't get a single frame over. I've been trudging through the forums but I'm still unable to find a solution or any bits than might lead me to something. I haven't the slightest clue what step I need to take next.

TechGuy · Post by **TechGuy** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:47 pm

See my messages in the thread:
"No pictures when viewing via rtsp"

Change the source type to ffmpeg and use the source path: rtsp://10.x.x.xx:7070

I think Phil's rtsp code doesn't support the newer Acti firmware. I assume your using firmware 3.09 or 3.10 or 3.11? I think Phils code only works with version 3.08 or earlier.

FWIW: I also used the option "FFMPEG_INPUT_OPTIONS" "-analyzeduration 59000000". I noticed that if you don't increase the ffmpeg analyze duration it drops frames.

Post by **zoneminder** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:44 am

I am slightly confused by why it would work as an ffmpeg cam but not otherwise. Going from the debug when you use ffmpeg directly my guess would be that ffmpeg is just more forgiving of errors than ZM is.

Ultimately without knowing what the difference is between the two firmware versions (e.g. ideally having a wireshark trace of each) it is difficult to know where to look.

smitchell · Post by **smitchell** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:23 pm

Thanks for the info. I'll try going around the rtsp then. Just as an FYI, the ACTI-5001 with firmware V3.09 works perfectly on a ZMLarch install using the ACTI preset. I'll keep having to fiddle with my Ubuntu install to see where I went wrong.

TechGuy · Post by **TechGuy** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:37 am

zoneminder wrote:I am slightly confused by why it would work as an ffmpeg cam but not otherwise. Going from the debug when you use ffmpeg directly my guess would be that ffmpeg is just more forgiving of errors than ZM is.

Ultimately without knowing what the difference is between the two firmware versions (e.g. ideally having a wireshark trace of each) it is difficult to know where to look.

If you like I can perform a wireshark dump for you. Just let me know, and any test parameters you would like me to use.

Thanks