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    Streaming video to hs2 hstouch

    I have been unsuccessful searching this question, can anyone help? I run an Hs2 system and access it via hstouch on an ipad. The new hstouch app offers a camera screen. Can I stream video from my ip cameras to hstouch without building a custom designer interface?
    HS4Pro on Windows 10
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    #2
    No I don't believe you can, the support was added to the HS3 plugin. If you have HS2 and the default project then you are stuck with a dead button, I am not aware of a way to get it working...probably some coding going on in the plugin that is not going to be in the HS2 one.

    Comment


      #3
      Here are a few ways you could do this with any IP Camera/Imaging Device, that allows snapshots/images to be pulled from it using HTTP or HTTPS access methods, with automatic snapshot refreshes. The methods use far less bandwidth then full motion video and also is compatible with all Internet browser capable devices. There are secure and insecure methods you can use. So there are many options.

      Example:

      http://foscam.us/forum/showing-secur...ras-t8721.html

      Don

      Comment


        #4
        When the screens are to be connected over the local network, I prefer the method that uses an html reference and will stream actual video. This has the advantage of running in a different thread on the device, so it doesn't have the potential to hang or otherwise make HSTouch become unresponsive like the snapshot method does. Plus you get actual video. It is a bit more complex to set up though. You can find some references if you search the forum.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Automated View Post
          When the screens are to be connected over the local network, I prefer the method that uses an html reference and will stream actual video. This has the advantage of running in a different thread on the device, so it doesn't have the potential to hang or otherwise make HSTouch become unresponsive like the snapshot method does. Plus you get actual video. It is a bit more complex to set up though. You can find some references if you search the forum.
          Yes. The only issue with that is you need to find a media player that can deal with live streaming and the IP Cameras live streaming protocol. For that specific device.

          Whereas. This is generic and once you set it up it will and does work on any Internet browser capable devices, using the same copy. With no additional software/plugins/media players required from Computers to Tablets and Phones to TVs. Running on any Operating System and using any browser. You can store the HTML on the device(s) themselves, a web server or even as an Email attachment that you can access from any device, in emergencies.

          Plus it easily allows you to display multiple IP Cameras at the same time. Different brands and models and uses very little CPU/Memory/Battery life, while doing so. Again, from any device.

          Here is a live demonstration. You can try it from any Internet browser capable devices. Showing in real-time, 14 different IP Cameras, at the same time. That can also be accessed and controlled individually. Try doing that other ways from many mobile tablets and phones. Without having quick access to a fire extinguisher or trying to have enough battery life after 5 minutes of doing the same to do other things later, using other methods. The bandwidth savings are also important for those that have monthly bandwidth limits on devices as well:

          http://107.170.59.150/foscam/FoscamUS.htm

          So there are some valid reasons to have something like this in your toolbox of tools for your IP Cameras. You can use it as needed. As stated, in my prior post here. It works with virtually any IP Camera brand and models. It's also free.

          Don
          Last edited by TheUberOverLord; August 24, 2014, 09:36 PM.

          Comment


            #6
            Streaming video to hs2 hstouch

            Right. I do it the way I listed mainly to get around HSTouch programming limitations compared to HSTouch's own snapshot example from the HS2 period (hoping they will improve it), which is really no good for anything other than the most basic setups as it would appear to pull snapshots in the same thread as the interactive screen. That causes hangups during the fraction of a second of each snapshot download and ruins the user experience. The method I speak of can also be used to get a better snapshot feed as you suggest because it would appear to use a separate thread (and here I am specifically talking about HSTouch on iPads as I am not sure how this behaves on Android although I would guess it is similar).

            You must be the same camera guru Overlord I have read some posts for in the past over on the Foscam board. You seem to have built up some great libraries/tools. I have been meaning to check those out.

            Edited for clarity...
            Last edited by Automated; August 24, 2014, 09:44 PM.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Automated View Post
              Right. I do it the way I listed mainly to get around HSTouch programming limitations compared to HSTouch's own snapshot method which is really no good for anything other than the most basic setups as it would appear to pull snapshots in the same thread as the interactive screen leading to hangups during the fraction of a second of each snapshot download. It could also be used to get a better snapshot method as you listed. You must be the same camera guru Overlord I have read some posts for in the past over on the Foscam board. You seem to have built up some great libraries/tools. I have been meaning to check those out.
              Thanks.

              Yes I am.

              While I do a lot of work with Foscam IP Cameras. I try to create methods that work with any IP Camera brands and model when possible. My focus is on supporting the ability for any devices to be able to generically access any IP Camera these days. Using secure methods, while doing so as well.

              More about my background here:

              http://airforce.togetherweserved.com...heUberOverLord

              Another downside of using a media player on any device, over an unsecure Internet connection. Is that most likely you will be exposing your IP Cameras DDNS/ISP IP Address, Port and User credentials for the IP Camera while doing so. Whereas, I do also provide secure methods that can be used even over unsecure Internet connections when using these methods. Again for free as well.

              As an example no information of any kind for the 14 IP Cameras shown live in the demonstration in my prior post here is exposed. Nothing.

              The issue really is NOT only about someone being able to "Play with" or even "View or record" your IP Camera by getting that information. It's more about them eventually gaining access at some point to the IP Camera configuration data that may contain Email/FTP User credentials. So it's about exposing as little as possible to avoid anything like that from ever taking place due to some security vulnerability being abused now or in the future with your IP Cameras. Most IP Camera owners never think about that. They simply think "Big deal, I can always change my IP Camera password if it becomes abused". Not so easy to get your FTP server back and/or your Email account back. The same way it was before it was taken/breached. If those user credentials happen to be contained in your IP Cameras configuration data. ;-)

              Don
              Last edited by TheUberOverLord; August 24, 2014, 10:04 PM.

              Comment


                #8
                I think what Sheriff was trying to avoid is doing anything in the designer, you can of course do HTTP requests but this needs you to set up your camera in the designer and mess around in the project file. The default project file has a camera button which is for the automatic camera detection which does not need anything doing in the designer but that is HS3 only.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Automated View Post
                  Right. I do it the way I listed mainly to get around HSTouch programming limitations compared to HSTouch's own snapshot example from the HS2 period (hoping they will improve it), which is really no good for anything other than the most basic setups as it would appear to pull snapshots in the same thread as the interactive screen. That causes hangups during the fraction of a second of each snapshot download and ruins the user experience. The method I speak of can also be used to get a better snapshot feed as you suggest because it would appear to use a separate thread (and here I am specifically talking about HSTouch on iPads as I am not sure how this behaves on Android although I would guess it is similar).
                  ...
                  Automated,

                  Can you explain a little more how you doing this? Are you actually sending MJPEG video stream from your camera to a HSTouch project? I've read the CGI doc from Foscam, so I know there is a MJPEG cgi command, but can you simply drop that into the project?

                  Steve

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by stevea View Post
                    Automated,

                    Can you explain a little more how you doing this? Are you actually sending MJPEG video stream from your camera to a HSTouch project? I've read the CGI doc from Foscam, so I know there is a MJPEG cgi command, but can you simply drop that into the project?

                    Steve
                    These methods are not using live video streaming methods. They are pulling snapshots/images refreshed automatically at the rate of your choice. So that if required you can control bandwidth. As the demonstration shows, you can also add camera controls as well.

                    Also. Not all browsers support all video streaming formats of IP Camera brands and models. The video.cgi example you show, will not work with IE ("Internet Explorer") browsers and is used only for the Foscam MJPEG based IP Cameras. RTSP is used for the H.264 based IP Foscam Camera models which also is not supported in all browsers on all devices. If you review the demonstration again you can see that both MJPEG and H.264 based IP Cameras are being displayed at the same time and that can be done on any Internet browser capable devices for any IP Camera brands and models and types as well as Imagine devices, as long as they support pulling snapshots/images using HTTP and/or HTTPS access methods.

                    You can read these and also look at the HTML source code of the examples of the demonstrations there:

                    http://foscam.us/forum/a-how-to-embe...13.html#p43654

                    The secure methods below. Also show/include php server side code as well:

                    http://foscam.us/forum/showing-secur...ras-t8721.html

                    Don
                    Last edited by TheUberOverLord; August 25, 2014, 09:03 AM.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by TheUberOverLord View Post
                      It's not using live video streaming methods. It's pulling snapshots/images refreshed automatically at the rate of your choice. So that if required you can control bandwidth. As the demonstration shows you can also add camera controls as well.

                      Don
                      Don,

                      I'm actually not talking about the page you linked to, but the method that Automated was talking about. If it is just pulling snapshots at intervals, that is just the standard way that HSTouch has done it for a very long time. Nothing special. Automated's post makes it sound like he is doing something different to avoid the constant refresh in HSTouch.

                      Steve

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by stevea View Post
                        Don,

                        I'm actually not talking about the page you linked to, but the method that Automated was talking about. If it is just pulling snapshots at intervals, that is just the standard way that HSTouch has done it for a very long time. Nothing special. Automated's post makes it sound like he is doing something different to avoid the constant refresh in HSTouch.

                        Steve
                        Are those methods secure methods? Have you tried to use tools like Fiddler2 or Wireshark to verify and see if the cameras DDNS/IP Address, Port and User credentials are exposed ("In the clear") while using those methods? Most likely that information is being exposed ("In the clear") when using those methods.

                        No information of any kind is exposed when using these methods below. You can also verify that here, using the same tools above, with the methods below as well:

                        http://foscam.us/forum/showing-secur...ras-t8721.html

                        So. There is a huge difference between these methods. The one above is not standard. Has not been used for a very long time and is special and secure, the other is not secure, in any way.

                        Note: The above link does also show unsecure methods so that one can use tools like Fiddler2 or Wireshark to compare the unsecure methods to the secure methods to be able to easily see the difference between the two methods.

                        If I gain access to your IP Cameras DDNS/IP Address, Port and even a visitor User Id and password. I can record/view your camera 24/7/365. If I gain access to an Operator User Id for your IP Camera. I can do that and also control your IP Camera, move it around, change brightness/contrast, turn IR lights on/off, talk to anyone at your IP Cameras location 24/7/365. If I gain access to your IP Cameras Admin User Id. I OWN any Email/FTP user credentials stored in your IP Cameras configuration data and any other IP Camera configuration data and can completely re-configure your IP Camera 24/7/365.

                        In any of the above cases. If I publish on the Internet or share with my friends, what I know about your IP Camera. You have even BIGGER problems.

                        Don
                        Last edited by TheUberOverLord; August 25, 2014, 09:36 AM.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Don,

                          Others may do it differently, but I don't have any of my cameras exposed outside my local private network. Non-routable IPs and they are not NAT'd to the Internet. I only access them via HSTouch and NetCam, and so only the Homeseer server actually sends the credentials to the camera.

                          I know there are probably lots of people who want to NAT into their cameras, but I don't go there.

                          Steve

                          Comment


                            #14
                            For me personally, I do not care what is exposed because they are not exposed outside of my automaton network, which is even more secure than my regular network. All my cameras have static addresses, and guess what, they do not even have a gateway configured. Suffice it to say no packets will be routing out of here. When I want to connect remotely it is through VPN, which gets me to my network, but even that is not my automation network. I do not use the built in camera emailing and what not features. I do use some edge storage recording on some of my higher end cameras as backup to the server, but no features needing to route packets out, so why even have the risk? No gateway, no camera hacking...

                            Other people should consider Don's concerns.
                            Last edited by Automated; August 25, 2014, 09:32 AM.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Automated View Post
                              For me personally, I do not care what is exposed because they are not exposed outside of my automaton network, which is even more secure than my regular network. All my cameras have static addresses, and guess what, they do not even have a gateway configured. Suffice it to say no packets will be routing out of here. When I want to connect remotely it is through VPN, which gets me to my network, but even that is not my automation network.

                              Other people should consider Don's concerns.
                              Yeah. What you said.

                              Now back to my original question: Your earlier post sounded like you are not just using snapshots in HSTouch. Can you clarify?

                              Steve

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