iCamSource 2.3 BETA - Motion Detection Zones

[Stefan]

We currently have a new BETA version of the iCamSource available for download that includes the following additions / changes:

- Addition of Motion Detection Zones to the Motion Detection tab to allow users to "mask out" or ignore portions of the camera's view (like trees blowing in the wind or an oscillating fan) when detecting motion.
- Improved Auto-Config Router status messages.

The new version can be downloaded here:

Windows - http://skjm.com/icam/iCamSetup2.3.exe
Mac - http://skjm.com/icam/iCamSource2.3.0.1.dmg

Please let us know how things go!

[Merlin]

Like what I see thus far.  Testing is working real good as well.  In the future, a division of six zones leaving a center column and row would be very helpful for motion detection.

Merlin

[Stefan]

Thanks for the feedback.

Users can choose 2x2 up through 9x9 zones to (hopefully) give everyone as much granularity as needed for their specific monitoring needs.

[Merlin]

I stand corrected I did not see that feature.  There is only one word for this..................SWEET!

[Stefan]

 

[steveken]

Well, I hate to say this, but I have to do it since it is a beta.

Apparently, this version of the program does not work well enough for me for it to be useful at all. I can start it up, set the zones I want it to watch in the preferences, and leave it alone. BUT, if I try to go to look at the cameras at all, the program quits. Sometimes it will let me choose one and look at it for a little bit, but if I try to look at the motion events it has recorded, the program simply shuts down on me. No error messages or anything. It just quits as if I had done it myself. It happens on both my iPhone 4 and my iPad 2 when using the applications for them.

I have tried rebooting the iMac and everything, but it still does the same exact thing. It is pretty easy to reproduce. Happens all the time on me. I really wish it worked as I need this zone detection portion. I am going out of town and would love to save on the notifications by having it only watch certain areas. Oh well.

[Stefan]

Well, I hate to say this, but I have to do it since it is a beta.

Apparently, this version of the program does not work well enough for me for it to be useful at all. I can start it up, set the zones I want it to watch in the preferences, and leave it alone. BUT, if I try to go to look at the cameras at all, the program quits. Sometimes it will let me choose one and look at it for a little bit, but if I try to look at the motion events it has recorded, the program simply shuts down on me. No error messages or anything. It just quits as if I had done it myself. It happens on both my iPhone 4 and my iPad 2 when using the applications for them.

I have tried rebooting the iMac and everything, but it still does the same exact thing. It is pretty easy to reproduce. Happens all the time on me. I really wish it worked as I need this zone detection portion. I am going out of town and would love to save on the notifications by having it only watch certain areas. Oh well.

How many cameras do you have your iCamSource monitoring, and what type (USB/FireWire/Built-In or network IP camera) are they?

If the iCamSource is crashing on your Mac there should be crash logs available that would help us determine what the issue is. They should be found in your Library / Logs / CrashReporter folder in your home folder. Look for the most recent file that begins with "iCamSource". (If the files in that folder are actually symbolic links then the actual files will be found in your Library / Logs / DiagnosticReports folder in your home folder.)

If you could e-mail support@skjm.com the latest 2 or 3 crash reports we can hopefully track down what the issue is.

Thanks!

[steveken]

I just tested it on another iMac I have in a different room. Same exact thing. When I pulled up the camera and looked at the recorded events, it just shuts down on me. On this machine, I have only the built-in camera that is in iMacs. I don't have the latest iMac, but it is about a generation or two old. I got it in December 2009.

The iMac that initially had the problem has 2 cameras hooked up to it. One is the built-in camera and one is a Logitech camera that is connected via USB.

Apparently the crash report I wanted to attach here is too long, so I will do what I can to send this one, plus others that I can find to the address you supplied. I really really want this fixed so I can use it, but I doubt it will be done in time for it to be useful to me.

[Stefan]

I just tested it on another iMac I have in a different room. Same exact thing. When I pulled up the camera and looked at the recorded events, it just shuts down on me. On this machine, I have only the built-in camera that is in iMacs. I don't have the latest iMac, but it is about a generation or two old. I got it in December 2009.

The iMac that initially had the problem has 2 cameras hooked up to it. One is the built-in camera and one is a Logitech camera that is connected via USB.

Apparently the crash report I wanted to attach here is too long, so I will do what I can to send this one, plus others that I can find to the address you supplied. I really really want this fixed so I can use it, but I doubt it will be done in time for it to be useful to me.

Thank you for the crash logs. We are working on a fix now.

[Stefan]

One question: If you check the "Android" checkbox next to the Audio drop-down list before you start the iCamSource are you then able to connect without problem?

[steveken]

One question: If you check the "Android" checkbox next to the Audio drop-down list before you start the iCamSource are you then able to connect without problem?

Well, I never tried that before because I don't have any "Android" devices. It is appearing to be stable though for some reason. I will have to try it on the computer I want it to work on.

[Stefan]

One question: If you check the "Android" checkbox next to the Audio drop-down list before you start the iCamSource are you then able to connect without problem?

Well, I never tried that before because I don't have any "Android" devices. It is appearing to be stable though for some reason. I will have to try it on the computer I want it to work on.

Thank you for the update. I believe that I have narrowed it down to the audio compression processing changes that are new to 2.3 ... The "Android" checkbox directs the audio processing down a different path, so that would be why it doesn't crash.

I'll have a new version (2.3.0.1) with a fix ready shortly.

[steveken]

Yeah, it seems to be working fine with that checkbox done. Thanks for pointing that out for me. I would have never thought to use it.

Only issues other than this I have been running into lately is the fact that sometimes I can't get the iPhone app to work on my phone on wifi. I have to turn off wifi and use 3G instead. But if I let it sit for a while without trying to use it, it will start working again. It is very weird. This is on the full release and on the beta.

[Stefan]

Yeah, it seems to be working fine with that checkbox done. Thanks for pointing that out for me. I would have never thought to use it.

Only issues other than this I have been running into lately is the fact that sometimes I can't get the iPhone app to work on my phone on wifi. I have to turn off wifi and use 3G instead. But if I let it sit for a while without trying to use it, it will start working again. It is very weird. This is on the full release and on the beta.

Ok, there is a new version available for you to try that should not require the use of the Android checkbox: http://skjm.com/icam/iCamSource2.3.0.1.dmg

Please let me know if that one also works for you.

Are you having problems connecting when your iPhone is connected to the same WiFi network as the computer running the iCamSource? Do you have multiple WiFi networks available? Or perhaps a router that supports a "guest" network that is separate from the "primary" one?

[steveken]

Ok, there is a new version available for you to try that should not require the use of the Android checkbox: http://skjm.com/icam/iCamSource2.3.0.1.dmg

Please let me know if that one also works for you.

Are you having problems connecting when your iPhone is connected to the same WiFi network as the computer running the iCamSource? Do you have multiple WiFi networks available? Or perhaps a router that supports a "guest" network that is separate from the "primary" one?

Yep, seems to be working. We will have to see with a little more testing, but I think it should do just fine. The wife really likes the idea of being able to keep the street in front of the house out of the detectible area.

The issues with the iPhone and WiFi is all on the same WiFi network with no other WiFi interferences. Just the one network. It is as if it can not find the iCamSource for some reason. Or, if it does, it performs very slowly. It might just be one of the odd, intermittent issues that is almost impossible to figure out. It really isn't a big deal or anything, just more of an occasional irritant. I can always just use the 3G portion of my phone when it happens. It isn't *that* big of a deal, I just thought it might be something to bring up in case someone else has the issue.

Thanks for the quick update like that. It is nice to know my meager $5 for the iPhone app is actually backed with support.