ZoneMinder Forums

I am thinking of adding a Pan/Tilt/Zoom camera to my zoneminder 1.19.4 installation, does anyone have any suggestions on which ones they have tried or works best?

Thanks
L8nite

iam working on one .. PTZF "pan tilt zoom focus" i was working with the paralel port but how it is the easiest way to command is the most problematic one. very inestable.
so now iam working on my free time "not much" in serial port. by adding some compativility via serial 8 outputs. 2 ptz or watever and 8 inputs.

but i want to use someting better like rs485 or some other bus. iam not a brain in electronics. but i allways manage mi self to do it.

someone have more ideas.

I forgot to mention that I am looking into Network based PTZ cameras, sorry.

L8nite

there is a panasonic dome style network camera. i dont have any idea if its compatible with zm.

i use only sourvillance cameras. 0.5 lux o less. i have a watec with ptz and a zoom of 75 mm. so i was thinking you want some dry contact or rs-485 bus. ptz

there is a similar project called motion, they have a module on their hp. that does somthing like ptz but you need to make the hardware your self it really is quite impressive. Guess one could use motion to "feed" zoneminder. http://motion.sourceforge.net/

I just requested funding for a Panasonic KX-HCM280 web based pan and tilt camera. It costs about $900. If I get the funding I will definitely be testing it with zoneminder and I'll let you know how it goes. I'm assuming at this point that I'll just have another browser open to the camera's IP address, and I can use this second browser to control the pan and tilt.

Dlink also makes a more inexpensive web based pan and tilt (around $300). I'm sure there are many more.

I will shortly be starting work on a generic PTZ interface which should allow interfacing with any kind of camera, though a small 'driver' would have to be created the first time for each camera.

I am slightly handicapped by not having funds for even one PTZ but if people can feed me the specs on any that they own it would help greatly.

Phil,

most ptz cameras work using rs-485 or 422 serial protocol.
and there is not generic protocol since pelco clovis has his own and others manufactures have others

This link explains the Pelco P & D protocol:
http://www.codeproject.com/useritems/PelcoPDinC.asp

I may also be able to get you a PTZF camera for testing (it uses the P protocol), but I have to go through the appropriate channels. I'll contact you if/when I get approval.

As always, thanks for this great app!!!

Thanks I'll take a look at this.

Phil