Want to add additional cameras - Help!

[Bill Stewart]

Can someone give a brief simple basic explanation as to the types of cameras that can be used and what the setup requirements are for the various types that are supported...I currently have a PC Logitech Quickcam Pro 9000 hooked to a Vista machine and want to see how additional cameras can be added to other rooms where I don't have my PC...thanks in advance for anyone who can help out....Bill

[Jay]

The iCamSource software currently connects to USB, FireWire, and Built-In webcams with preliminary video-only support for MJPEG- and JPEG-compatible IP network cameras.  If you want to add cameras to a room without a computer, you'll need to use network cameras.  The Linksys WVC54GCA (not the WVC54GC) and the Airlink101 SkyIPCam250W are the models we own, so they've both been tested extensively. 

[Bill Stewart]

Thanks Jay. So, Using a Network camera is all I need to monitor a different room than the one where my PC is located. What steps are necessary to get it up and running with the iCam software - both iCamSource and iCam on the iPhone? Thanks for your patience and help with someone trying to understand what I can do and how to do it...Bill 

[Jay]

When you run iCamSource, you'll need to select the "Ethernet / Wi-Fi" tab because your camera is a network camera, not a USB camera.  Then, enter the MJPEG URL for your camera.  If you don't know the MJPEG URL, just hit the "Help" button and it'll take  you to a page that will help you figure out the right URL to use.  If the camera has a login and password, enter those as well.  Then enter an iCam login and password.  This is the login and password that you will enter in iCam on the iPhone.  Then hit the Start button. If all the settings are correct, video from your camera should show up in the iCamSource window.

In iCam on  your iPhone, make sure you are using the exact same login/password you entered in iCamSource on your computer.  To edit the login and password in iCam on your iPhone, click the "i" button in the bottom right corner of the screen.  That button will take you to the Settings page, where you can edit the login and password.

[Bill Stewart]

Jay, how does a "network" camera connect to the computer? If I install a network in a different room from the computer, how does the iCanSource get the signal from the camera? Sorry, I know nothing about network stuff...Bill

[Jay]

The network camera acts as an http server on the network, and iCamSource makes an http connection to the camera.  Thats why it needs the http URL for the MJPEG data.  Otherwise, iCamSource wouldn't know where to look on the network for the video feed. 

I hope that answers you question.

[Bill Stewart]

Sorry I wasn't clear. What I was trying to ask is "is there a physical connection between the network camera and the pc running the icamsource" my ignorance of the setup has me thinking in terms of a tv using a hardwired cable to a cable box to receive tv signals....sorry to need such basic information but as I said I know nothing of networking. I'm assuming that I need to supply power to the network camera or are they battery powered. These aspects kind of influence where I think I can put additional cameras around the house. Thanks again for your patience and for also providing us with a super app that users are going to find all sorts of uses for. Bill

[Jay]

Network cameras can either connect to your home network with an ethernet cable or with Wi-Fi.  If the room isn't wired for ethernet, you'll probably want to use a Wi-Fi camera. 

iCam supports network cameras that output MJPEG or JPEG formatted data.  Most networks cameras do output MJPEG or JPEG, but some only output MPEG4, which won't work with iCam.  We own the Linksys WVC54GCA (not the WVC54GC) and the Airlink101 SkyIPCam250W, so they've both been tested extensively.

Yes, you do need to plug these cameras into a power outlet.

[SCVThunder]

Jay,

When might we see support for mpeg4 format? I'm trying to find some decent wireless IP cameras, and the latest seem to mostly have mpeg4, at least when coupled with PTZ functionality.

Regards,
SCVThunder

[Jay]

There are PTZ cameras available that output MJPEG data.  Cameras by Axis, Panasonic, and Canon have been known to work well with iCamSource.

We own the following Pan/Tilt camera, so it has been tested extensively with iCamSource:

AirLink101 SkyIPCam747W - http://www.airlink101.com/products/aicn747w.php

MPEG-4 support is on our list of potential features to add to iCamSource in the future.  Unfortunately, I can't give really give a timeframe for the feature.  When deciding which features to add to iCam, it really comes down to which one is requested most and how difficult it is.  Adding support for the various MPEG-4 formats is a complex process, and the number of users requesting it is fairly small in comparison to some other requested features. 

[LabradorNYC]

Any others besides the SkyIPCam747W? Doesn't seem to be in stock on their website or Amazon