rory

640x480 or 720x480 .. is fine. any frame rate .. eg. 5fps+ most 4 channel "affordable DVR" users arent watching vehicular traffic so frame rate will normally be a last thought on these. thanks.

in most cases you wont find day night manual adjustment levels unless you spend alot on the camera, like extreme CCTV and as you mentioned, Mobotix.

Yes. copper in and out.

Why dont they have a portable recorder so when on location they can just grab the video of the monitor output from those trouble DVRs? I use an Eee PC 701SD 7" netbook with [stripped down] XP and a USB TV tuner ... just plug the video into the TV tuner, run WM9CAP.EXE and then capture what I need, in this case to an external USB drive if there is alot of video as this netbook is only 4GB max SSD .. but with a 160GB HDD model you can do what is needed. Take that back to the station and manipulate it as needed.

its cold here right now, around 73 degrees ... we are freezing!!!

If there is no software client or local feature on the DVR that works properly to download/backup the video, you can try: Playback with the monitor output connected to: 1-VCR 2-DVD Writer 3-USB/PCI Capture Card Re #3 - you just install the software that comes with it, you now have some "webcam" type drivers on the PC. You can now use something as simple as AMCAP or the variations of it (or spend alot on the big software), the MS one seems to work well, or really any Webcam type software that allows you to record. With AMCAP it will let you to select CAPTURE of the stream from the device. It will be huge with no compression, so do it in parts. Once you have those parts, you can then open up Windows Movie Maker and convert them to standard AVI (or lower quality more compressed WMV) which will decrease it considerably, or download an app called Handbrake that lets you convert files to other formats like MP4. AMCAP MS version (included in the Windows Media Software) http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2aab262d-fe33-4a4e-aaf1-fa1d3ce20d75&DisplayLang=en Handbrake: http://handbrake.fr/ And view this thread for additional info on using AMCAP: http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2021

it sounds like those cops need some more training.

check the username or password that is set to auto login. if it is incorrect then it wont login. disable hibernation altogether. turn power settings to always on.

I havent tested it to the point that it actually changes the camera settings .. as you need privilege on an 8.3 DVR . .. but you could actually run it remotely also. Ive never tried to run the activeX on the DVR so cant say if there are any issues with doing that, shouldnt be though. There is a part of the SDK that gives one more local access to the DVR functions etc, but thats out of what I do nor do I have the updated SDK. It doesnt edit the geo multi file, it uses the activeX control's AdjustCamAttribute method.

try this file .. example cmd file included with the command switches. http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=67629739681247247382 it saves a log file in the app path (100kb max size). log file will show details of errors. has a 60 second time out and exit fail safe incase the 8.3 activeX events dont work, they are a little sketchy at times. basically it just connects, checks the cam attributes and applies new ones if you have privilege (or just applies the existing server ones if you dont supply any), then disconnects and exits. other events also disconnect or exit the app like cant connect or login fail. i couldnt get it to work on an 8.12 dvr using the 8.3 activeX but it should work on 8.3 servers once you have privilege (i have none to test), it would say no privilege in the log file otherwise. SetCamAttr.exe /ip:[] /user:[] /pass:[] /cmd:[4550] /data:[5550] /cam:[0-31] /b:[0-255] /c:[0-255] /s:[0-255] /h:[0-255] see the read me for more details. run the included ActiveX install file first if you dont have 8.32 yet. Let me know if it works. Rory

ok checking it out ..

There is another option .. its at the end of this post. Meanwhile .. about your solution. Terminating Geo is like pulling the plug. Cant say how taskkill works, but seems with the /f tag that is forcing the app to be terminated. Best method would be to get the handles of the buttons - Login, Stop Monitoring and Restart. Then use those to restart it <- need to login as a user with rights to stop monitoring and exit - a program could set that account up automatically, probably. Would need an Exe for that though. Might be able to accomplish that with VBscript also, using Sendkeys, but an Exe using API for the window and button handles is always better for that type of thing. Or, set the system to reboot at the certain time everyday. Are you seeing any database/files rebuild on geo restart? If not then it should be okay. Additionally you might want to look at this INI app .. lets you change INI values. Basically its easy to do in EXEs using API or even our own simple code ... this program just does it for you is all and takes command switches. http://www.ericphelps.com/setini - so instead of changing the file maybe just change the values. Just another idea. Ofcourse could just do a single EXE that takes command switches and does everything for you. The other option is to run the ActiveX control inside an exe or script .. and send commands to it ... yes I can actually use Winsock in a VBscript and capture the events, so it can be done with the GeoActiveX also, but exe is better. In the latest Geo activeX you can change the camera settings. Just have 2 settings in that, using command switches (can be passed to scripts or exe's), one for day and one for night, then just call that on a schedule using the particular switch depending on what time it is.

the cam2life one needs dot net installed or it wont run so yeah thats a pretty big dependency

this is from 7.xx but its not that diff now .. brightness etc should be in there like this: [Camera 1] Naming=Camera 1 UDPBrightness=128 UDPContrast=128 UDPSaturation=128 UDPHue=128 InitOff=1

I dont have one here to check but it should be the GeoMulti.ini file in the Windows directory. Yes Geo needs to be restarted for the changes to take effect.

now that you mention it .. one might be able to run a separate script or program and put that on a schedule using windows scheduling. . the script could just change the day time values to night time values .. or change it back .. depending on the time of day. OR, could create a daytime INI and then a nighttime INI and back them up and replace them each time, so as not to get any corruption with the INI. BUT if there is power failure when the INi is being updated or replace could blank it out or cause it be deleted without being replaced. So one could run another call to that script/program on window startup and check the time and verify the right file or settings exist. If that INI file is corrupt Geo wont start or will start with diff values or may crash, which is why that needs to be addressed.

i spoke about this a couple years ago on this forum .. would be a nice feature but they dont seem to have it yet

Or. instead of using VMware or Parallels and needing to install Windows XP.. . Take a look at my thread here about using Wine on Mac: http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=19615

Thanks, and actually you are right in the case of this app, it does work in a user account (yes i admit i was incorrect LOL) - however the nero one that AK posted failed big time in a user account as it basically tries to do a temporary install on the users PC, yet doesnt have admin rights. As for the BXS client, I tested it in a user account also, tracking it with a reg and file tracker, it does make some minor registry changes related to direct draw but those allow user level changes. As mentioned though as with any stand alone app the other windows dependencies must exist or to make it portable would need to virtualize like thinstall and then all dependency files are included in its own virtual file system (also like mojopac did). As you mentioned this is a very simple app and takes very little hence the small amount of dependencies. I would see the biggest problem with an OS like Vista and Windows 7 though as they dont like to run like that - but then there is always WinXP compatibility mode (i have neither to test right now as i prefer XP myself). It uses Direct draw, Winsocks, and very little else, other then that I didnt use it so cant say how it is. It isnt that difficult to get small apps to run like this (a depends program helps too), but a big app like luxriot would probably mean them rewriting their code some, or making some kind of lite version without databases and less features - im sure they (or someone else) could easily just do a basic version using their browser based ActiveX? Roman you guys should also maybe look at making a version to work with Wine in Mac and Linux if you havent already, its fairly easy and its easy for the user to install (see my mac post here and the ubuntu one here) Oh well .. im off now .. good chatting

or you can save some money and put a regular camera at the door pointing in .. to catch them leaving.

POE is for IP cameras, not CCTV cameras. If you want night vision, stick to CCTV cameras, unless you are willing to spend alot.

Hi, going by the specs: first, I would suggest never to order that camera again - its not a sony camera its a COP camera and its a CMOS chip. The BW resolution leaves much to be questioned: B/W: NTSC(320x240). Going by the specs though, as it mentions 3.6mm for BW and 6mm for color, and it is a fixed lens, that the camera is either sold as a COLOR or BW camera, not both. Either way, the color says it needs at least 3 lux so anything less would be BW.

LOL no i wasnt talking about the link you posted. I was just saying the one you posted was not a portable app, as it uses a bunch of windows files that the user still already needs to have on their PC Id like to see how its useful to run a remote video app off a USB stick but i dont. You need full admin rights on the PC you are going on, it has to be XP and has to have all the dependencies allready installed. Its just pure luck it has worked for you so far. Not to mention that typically one would be using a remote video app from their remote computer, so installing it on there would generally be no problem.

Yeah no it doesnt create such folder on my PC. Rory would u call this Apps portable ? just curios This link will last for few hours only ok not really portable. Why?? It does the following, messing with the users PC, needs Admin rights: -Backs up the current program's registry if it is installed on PC, to the user temp folder -creates a new program registry section with the creators original values (some sections are in spanish) -registers all the dlls onto the users pc using the systems regsvr32.exe -runs the program then waits for the user to exit it ... -when the user exits the program it then unregisters the temporary dlls, removes the custom registry section, restores the registry backup, and exits Ok so yes it works, but needs admin rights AND if the user has the same software on their PC or software that uses those DLLs then the real version wont work again, as the DLLs were unregistered! Innovative though. I think virtualisation would be better. Also I had to delete the link due to the type of software it is. Additionally it still depends on these files and their exact paths: (but the user could check which of these files can legally be distributed). c:\windows\system32\ADVAPI32.DLL c:\windows\system32\COMCTL32.DLL c:\windows\system32\COMDLG32.DLL c:\windows\system32\GDI32.DLL c:\windows\system32\KERNEL32.DLL c:\windows\system32\MPR.DLL c:\windows\system32\MSIMG32.DLL c:\windows\system32\MSVCRT.DLL c:\windows\system32\NTDLL.DLL c:\windows\system32\ODBC32.DLL c:\windows\system32\OLE32.DLL c:\windows\system32\OLEAUT32.DLL c:\windows\system32\QUARTZ.DLL c:\windows\system32\RPCRT4.DLL c:\windows\system32\SHELL32.DLL c:\windows\system32\SHLWAPI.DLL c:\windows\system32\USER32.DLL c:\windows\system32\VERSION.DLL c:\windows\system32\WINMM.DLL c:\windows\system32\WINSPOOL.DRV c:\windows\system32\WS2HELP.DLL c:\windows\system32\WS2_32.DLL c:\windows\system32\WSOCK32.DLL c:\windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft.windows.gdiplus_6595b64144ccf1df_1.0.2600.2180_x-ww_522f9f82\GDIPLUS.DLL

Then that's REALLY weird. I'm going to have to see if I can figure out why it did on mine and why the apps will run out of that new folder, but not out of the box. I tried to run the start.exe file and after getting the little menu interface the second button from the left with the blue IE E, which is the remote viewer, crashed immediately like it did for you. That is actually "netpreview.exe". When I ran it from the new mystery folder it ran. I copied to a few other machines and it ran on those too. I put it on one of my USB keys and took it to a customers house and it worked on her machine as well. I dunno. Try THIS That's the folder that it created for me. Yeah but what im trying to say is ... it wont matter since it doesnt install (copy) the missing DLLs. I get 3 errors. It works for you, and AK, because your windows XP already has those DLLs installed, but not all XP machines nor Vista machines, will have them installed - hence its not a true portable app - if anything its a somewhat standalone app, but hardly even that, thats just the programs folder and you have the other dependency files already installed on your computer, by luck or by how basic the software is. They put their custom DLLs in the same folder is all, that works as well as if they were to put it in the system32 folder, in XP. In fact, that is old programming (according to microsoft) that worked on XP, putting DLLs and user files inside the programs folder. For Vista and above they would have had to rewrite their software and place those in the correct locations (user and system folders). I would actually like to know if it works on vista? i prefer XP myself anyway, hence why most of my own "standalone" apps only run in XP. But back to the subject .. i guess you need to talk to Luxriot staff to see if they will make theirs portable or at least standalone. maybe they could do a "lite" version using ini files instead of a database.