ZoneMinder Forums

I was checking these guys out today and BOY WAS I SUPRISED!!! cheapest one is ~$300.00 dollars US. I know it has extra hardwar internal to support a webserver and glue logic to tie the cam to the TCP/IP stuff, but WOW that's some serious dough....

add to that the fact that IP cams put lots of extra traffic on my internal network...another strike.

Anyone have any positive remarks about IP cams?

thanks
-frank

Hi,
In my experience, the fuzz about IP cameras is all about convenience.

For example, you can have multiple cameras going through the same cable if you use an inexpensive hub or switch. This also allows you to re-use existing network cabling. And, Cat5 network cable is easier to manage and less fragile than thick coaxial cable.

Also, IP cams can go wireless. Sometimes this is a plus for hard-to-wire locations, or when its just too far to use cable (over 300 feet). However, wireless can also bring in a multitude of problems, so USE WITH CARE.

Now, for some inexpensive IP cameras go to www.gadspot.com. Nice IP cams for $115 wired, and $160 wireless. And now they have wireless G cameras... sweet! All their cameras have nightvision, although you may want to buy separate IR illuminators for it.

Note that the gadspot cameras are not the same quality or have the advanced features as the more expensive AXIS brand, but they get the job done and with some work they can function quite well.

Other tips... Trendnet sells some inexpensive cameras, and using Froogle is becoming my standard for searching prices on the net.

Lastly, about the extra network traffic, if you have a 100Mbit network you shouldn't worry, unless you plan to have many ip cams. Also, with IP cams and JPEG images you can throttle Zoneminder to only capture a few FPS when there is no alarm triggered, and then go into full throttle when an alarm goes off. This method saves bandwith and consumes more only when required.

Regards,
Jose.

Jose,

many thanks for the great information.

I will most definitely use the info for a handful of IP cams for a new project.

thanks
-frank

No problem!

Drop me a line anytime if you need help. Just PM me and I'll give you my email address.

Regards,
Jose.

Jose,

I bought the Gadspot DS800 IP CAM and I can get "snap shot" images BUT I cannot seem to understand what ZM wants to see in the "Remote Host Path" box and I cannot understand what the GS800 needs as far as JPEG or MJPEG stuff....then there is this issue with a password that it seems to demand BEFORE I cen get any image out of it...

ideas?

thanks
-frank

I'm such an idiot... I forgot to say I use the NC1000 Series camera.

Anyhoo, I think the NC800 should work anyway. Look at this address for more information, there is a section for the NC800:
http://www.lavrsen.dk/twiki/bin/view/Mo ... treamDumps

If you plan to use JPEG images instead of MJPEG streaming, then the above does not apply.

About the password, the camera has a default username and password combination of admin/admin. If the camera demands a password for you to access it, then you'll have to use these in the network path when setting up a monitor. The host info should look like:
user:password@192.168.XXX.XXX

If you want, try to do a port forward on the camera, and send me the address information on a private message. I'll try to get the correct path for JPEG and MJPEG and post it back on this thread.

Let me know how it goes!

Regards,
Jose.

Jose!

ok I sent you a PM.

thanks much
-frank

Jose,

I'm going to return the NC800 (In my opinion it is a POS) and buy the NC1000 because those units appear to be what everyone can communicate with.

I have tried SO MANY permutations for the "source" remote paths, etc, etc. that I don't have time anymore to continue this "testing".

Thanks much for you willingness to help.

-frank

Frank,
Good news and bad news...

The bad news first...
The NC800 has a really weird manner of producing JPEG streams. It seems the stream headers are broken and need some work before actually becoming a valid MJPEG stream.

The good news...
Other people have had the same problem with this model, and have written up a script to actually produce an useful stream. Get the script at:
http://www.lavrsen.dk/twiki/pub/Motion/ ... eam.pl.txt

You can put that script on your server and feed your ZM monitors from it. For multiple cameras you'll probably need multiple copies of the same script, but with different name.

Also... (might work)
Looks like the NC800 camera is a close relative of the Aviosys IP Kamera 9060. You'll find more info about it, and a script to obtain a valid MJPEG stream, from here:
http://www.zoneminder.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6054

Here is some more info from the MOTION project wiki:

GadSpot NC1000-W10
Works well, Wireless, as IR uses standard CCTV lens.

netcam_url http://CAMERA_IP/GetData.cgi (for a video stream)

-- EvilPete - 09 Sep 2005

GadSpot NC800
works, but not too well, seems to overheat, 10/100 Twisted pair network and has IR "nightvision" for under $100. based on the SQ610 chip

(prototype specs: http://www.sq.com.tw/product/IC/resourc ... 5JUL04.pdf but not the same board, if you willing to do some soldering you can get a serial link into the device.

Upd by AF: It's not wireless. See http://gadspot.com/product_info.php?&products_id=29

netcam_url http://CAMERA_IP//snapshot.html (for a Jpeg snapshot)

I have a patch/hack for to get a video stream for those that are intrested ( a program that runs as a child process that converts the non-HTML video stream into a HTML'ize stream )

I would not recomend this cam yet ( not untill many firmware issues are addressed and fixed )

-- EvilPete - 09 Sep 2005

-- JaviPardo - 15 Nov 2005
GadSpot? NC800 not are wireless, have IR and only works with Internet Explorer The original name os NC800 are SQ610 and found the web http://www.sq.com.tw

Snapshot works with this script
http://www.lavrsen.dk/twiki/pub/Motion/ ... 00.php.txt from Angel Carpintero

Posible Stream video but have bad header
http://CAMERA_IP/cgi-bin/Stream?Video
-- JaviPardo - 15 Nov 2005

Yup, i've been using it for a streaming feed.

here some simple perl code that reads the vid stream this outputs a HTTP MJPEG stream
nc800-stream.pl.txt

and this will save 25 Jpeg images from the stream
nc800-frames.pl.txt

-- EvilPete - 20 Dec 2005

Sorry to hear you're returning the cameras. You might want to try this.

You said this didnt work...
remote host: admin:admin@yamato.homelinux.org
path: /snapshot.html

Well, the snapshot.html is the JPEG file we're looking for, only its been renamed with an .html extension. Dont know why ZM doesnt like it. Can you post a sample pic, so that someone in the forums can take a look at this issue?

Remember to configure the cameras before using them. Try with 320x240 first.

Jose.

Hi,

Anyone any luck with NC800? If not I could contact gadspot and see if they have firmware upgrades or such.

-h

unfortunately no luck. I spent about 5 hours futzing-around with one out of the 4 I bought.

I tried the script that should correct the broken headers but that didn't work, as the interpreter did not like it, that was going to take me down a path I didn't have time for so I bought the NC1000. my time is worth much more than the $20 delta between the two models....I also NEVER got it to stream MJPEG with IE...which seems to prove that the headers are messed-up.

My advice is to get a unit that has been tested by people on this forum.

-frank

To bounce an old thread...

Has anyone any experience of the GS1600H - good or bad?

http://www.gadspot.com/product_info.php?products_id=32

Looks to be a lot of camera for the price, with PT and supposed 640x480 Day/night MJPEG and JPEG streams. reading the above and others there are some queries about the technical ability of Gadspot so would really value some input on how good it works.

(Use for watching a field at night, will add additional IR lights if required. Need manual watching/control using Firefox or IE and ofc a recordable ZM feed. (No need for auto PT))

Just wanted to know if you have any issue with the Wireless connection with either gs1000 or gs1200

G'day