Confirmation of Program Functionality

[iCamUser2010]

From what I can tell, this is a great app if you run the PC application
manually at the PC and then want to check in or get notifications/video
when there is motion.  However, I wanted to confirm that it is always
on and takes control of the webcam.  A local user cannot use another
application that uses the webcam and it is always active (even if you
don't want to use it for motion detection).  This is fine, but it does not
support other use cases if true.

- it ties up your webcam - no other webcam apps can run locally
- it cannot be turned on/off from the iPhone on as-needed basis
- the server cannot be turned on automatically at boot (auto-start really isn't what it sounds like)
   you have to manually run it.

I just wanted to confirm that I have it right.

Thank.

[OUAnthony]

You can download/install ManyCam, a free program that will clone your webcam so you can access the video feed in more than 1 program. I use it occasionally, and it works great. ManyCam has some other useful features too.

It is true that icamsource will auto-start upon login (on Windows machines)...not upon boot up. However, there is a free work around for Windows users. You can run icamsource as a service upon boot up...meaning you don't actually have to login as a user. There are detailed directions in a post on here. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll find the link for you.

iCam 2.0, which has been submitted to Apple for approval, might have the ability to start/stop the webcam feed through icamsource. I do know it has a scheduling feature, but I haven't researched it or installed the beta version, so I can't be specific in what it can do. If it lacks the features you need, you can always remotely connect to your computer and stop/start icamsource as you desire. Not exactly easy, but the option is there.

One other thing you might look into...Dropbox. It allows you to remotely back up the motion images...which is nice. It's free and works great.

[Stefan]

It is true than on some systems the iCamSource (as well as any other webcam application) does take control of the webcam, making it so that no other application can do so, but it doesn't seem to be a consistent problem. For example, I can connect more than one iCamSource, Photo Booth, and iChat to the same webcam on my Mac without issue, but once Skype is brought into the mix, it won't connect to the camera until all of the other applications are closed. Also, if you start Skype first, no other application can access the webcam until Skype lets go.

If the iCamSource did not keep connected to the camera then a large portion of iCam's functionality would not be possible: Motion Events could not be recorded, Push Notifications could not be sent, and if some other application had greedily taken control of the webcam and not released it, you wouldn't even be able to connect to your camera. Even if another webcam application had released the webcam, but perhaps left it in an odd state where the solution would be to unplug and re-plug in the webcam (something that has definitely happened to me before) then if you're away from your computer there's not much that can be done.

Since iCam is largely a remote monitoring app, whenever things go wrong with the computer running the iCamSource, there's not much you can do.

We recommend that if you are physically at your computer and want to use Skype or some other webcam application, just Stop the iCamSource, use your application, and re-Start it when finished.

To add to what OUAnthony said about the iCamSource not running at boot and running it as a service, that is correct, but you can also copy the iCamSource shortcut into the Startup folder in your Start Menu so that it will launch when you login. Clicking the Auto Start checkbox will cause the iCamSource to "Start" as soon as it is launched.