Insteon Camera and ISY

[smokegrub]

I have two Insteon cameras at a remote location along with several insteon devices and a 2412n. The cameras are set up to send motion-activated snapshots. I can access them with my Mac and with my iPhone using MobiLinc Pro. I would like to switch the controller at that location to an ISY 994i but I have been unable to find specific information as to what happens with the cameras following installation of the ISY and removal of the 2412n. It is critical that I be able to control the cameras and get live video and motion-activated snapshots. Does the software that currently manages the cameras reside on the 2412n? Is it transferred to the ISY? If I lose camera control as I currently have it, I will be forced to stay with the 2412n. Thanks.

[LeeG]

I do not know what is in a SmartLinc 2412N but it cannot be transferred to an ISY. I think MobiLinc can control cameras but this is what I think, not what I know, and for sure no ISY function is used for camera control.

[smokegrub]

The 2412n is the predecessor to the Hub. MobiLinc can control the position of the camera using presets and receives audio but that's about all. I was hoping that someone on here uses the ISY and these cameras and would fill me in. I love the ISY here at my home and would love to switch at the away location but managing the cameras is of paramount importance there.

[PurdueGuy]

If memory serves, the Insteon cameras are rebranded Foscams?

 

If so, read on. I have my ISY controlling one my Foscam cameras. Based on my alarm status and such, the camera is pointed in certain directions (at the front door, rear door, privacy mode, etc) via presets. ISY also turns the enables and disables the automatic IR light. I can then view the cameras via MobiLinc HD.

Is that what you are looking for?

 

I leave the motion activation up to the Foscam. It uploads immediately on motion to a remote location.

[smokegrub]

Thanks, Purdueguy. That's headed in the right direction. How do you manage the camera settings, e.g., presets, etc. found under Device Management in the Insteon camera software? Does that software remain available for the camera after the ISY is installed in place of the Insteon controller. That is, I guess, my bottom line?

[LeeG]

There is no camera support in the ISY. The Network Module is sending messages to the camera(s) but that is the general capability of the Network Module. Nothing specific for cameras.

[oberkc]

To the other posts, I will add my own understanding.

 

First, I also understand that the insteon cameras are simply foscams in disguise. Second, unlike mobilinc for android, the iOS version of mobilinc can display camera images. Given this, you would have the same app (mobilinc) that provides remote access to the ISY and insteon also display your video images. While I cannot confirm that mobilinc is compatible with the insteon camera (I suspect it is), I am more confident that mobilinc IS compatible with a much larger selection of cameras than is the insteon software for the hub.

 

Regardless, it is not too hard to come up with a camera app for your remote devices for video images, and use mobilinc for insteon. I can tell you that IP Cam Viewer lists the insteon camera as compatible. I am quite satisfied viewing video imagery from a separate app than I use to control insteon.

 

Does that software remain available for the camera after the ISY is installed in place of the Insteon controller.

 

I suppose that you could leave the 2412 in place after you install insteon, but I am not sure that it plays a role with the imagery. I suspect that would, in the end, create more problems than it is worth. Instead, I would use a generic camera app for the video imagery after you install the ISY-994. But, if you are seriously committed to that software for you video imagery, I suggest temporarily unplugging the 2412 module and see if you still receive imagery data. If so, I see no reason why you could not use it after the ISY-994 is installed. Of course, you could not use that software for control of your insteon system via the ISY.

[PurdueGuy]

Thanks, Purdueguy. That's headed in the right direction. How do you manage the camera settings, e.g., presets, etc. found under Device Management in the Insteon camera software? Does that software remain available for the camera after the ISY is installed in place of the Insteon controller. That is, I guess, my bottom line?

I don't manage the presets via ISY, I do those via the standard camera webpage.

I then use HTTP calls from ISY to set the camera to certain presets. For example, to set my camera to Preset2, I use the command:

http://CAMERA_IP:PORT/decoder_control.cgi?command=33

To enable the automatic IR:

http://CAMERA_IP:PORT/decoder_control.cgi?command=95

When doing this from ISY Network Resource:

Protocol Information:

- HTTP

- GET

- Host = IP address of Camera

- Port = Port of camera (default is 80)

- Path = /decoder_control.cgi?command=XX (replace XX with your command number)

- Details -> Headers -> Click Add, choose "Authorization" and fill in the name/password for an "Admin" or "Operator" user (a "Visitor" user shouldn't be able to move the camera, etc)

 

More info here:

http://www.zoneminder.com/wiki/index.php/Foscam

[smokegrub]

Purdueguy:

 

You say you use the standard camera webpage. Are you able to access that web page without an Insteon controller (Hub or 2412n) at the location of the cameras? If I can do that, then I can eliminate the 2412n and switch to the ISY994i.

[PurdueGuy]

Purdueguy:

 

You say you use the standard camera webpage. Are you able to access that web page without an Insteon controller (Hub or 2412n) at the location of the cameras? If I can do that, then I can eliminate the 2412n and switch to the ISY994i.

Locally, I just use standard http://IP_ADDRESS:80

 

I access my cameras in a number of ways, if I am remote.

1) I typically SSH/VPN back to a computer at my home, and look at them that way.

2) I connect to my Vera remotely, which does 1-second image updates for the camera.

3) I (reluctantly) port-forward via my router to each camera, from a random port to the camera port.

 

Once I get my new router than supports VPN from my iPhone, I will no longer need to do #3.

[MWareman]

I use an Apache instance with a wildcard SSL cert (from cacert), external DNS cname records for cam1.domain.com, cam2.domain.com etc all pointing to my dynamic DNS name where my Apache listens on 443.

 

Apache unwraps the SSL, receives the name requested, routes the request to the appropriate name base vhost then forwards the request to the non-SSL port on the cam using mod_proxy.

 

This results in SSL wrapped access, all thru standard port 443 (no matter how many cameras). Sound does not work though, but I don't need that. Just secured access thru a standard SSL port.

 

My ISY REST and SOAP interface can be accessed this way as well, but the GUI does not work (due to the way the event subscription works).

 

You need an Apache server to run as a proxy, but I'm happy to help you set this up is you have a machine available. It needs much more horsepower than the likes on a Pi or similar can deliver, unfortunately. I run it only MythTV back end which has horsepower to spare, and is running all of the time anyway.

 

I really should just setup a VPN though... Much easier.

 

Michael.

[PurdueGuy]

Michael,

Sounds interesting...I have been debating doing something like that too, since the router won't be here for a while.

I have a recent Mac Mini running full time for my HTPC/Media Server, so I can run it on that.

Any pointers for tutorials?

[smokegrub]

I just got the definitive answer to my question at the Insteon forum: "The 'software' is actually firmware built into the camera accessible via a browser." Thought I would pass it along here for others.

 

My thanks for the help from everyone.

[apostolakisl]

Thanks, Purdueguy. That's headed in the right direction. How do you manage the camera settings, e.g., presets, etc. found under Device Management in the Insteon camera software? Does that software remain available for the camera after the ISY is installed in place of the Insteon controller. That is, I guess, my bottom line?

I don't manage the presets via ISY, I do those via the standard camera webpage.

I then use HTTP calls from ISY to set the camera to certain presets. For example, to set my camera to Preset2, I use the command:

http://CAMERA_IP:PORT/decoder_control.cgi?command=33

To enable the automatic IR:

http://CAMERA_IP:PORT/decoder_control.cgi?command=95

When doing this from ISY Network Resource:

Protocol Information:

- HTTP

- GET

- Host = IP address of Camera

- Port = Port of camera (default is 80)

- Path = /decoder_control.cgi?command=XX (replace XX with your command number)

- Details -> Headers -> Click Add, choose "Authorization" and fill in the name/password for an "Admin" or "Operator" user (a "Visitor" user shouldn't be able to move the camera, etc)

 

More info here:

http://www.zoneminder.com/wiki/index.php/Foscam

 

Trying to have ISY turn my camera alarm on/off. I am getting error "tcp client request failed net module rule 134:401", which I believe is th user/password failing. I included the authorization header with the correct user name (admin) and password. ISY is translating that to base 64 which I reverse translated and it shows admin: mypassword

 

I tested my syntax in IE and it works (turns the alarm on/off)

 

Any ideas on what I am doing wrong? Thanks

 

[Xathros]

Remove the colon from the end of the path line, increase the timeout to 1500.

 

-Xathros

[apostolakisl]

I had already tried both with and without the colon. I tried increasing time out to 1500ms but no go.

 

Purdueguy PM'd me that he thinks the new Foscam firmware is requiring encrypted passwords. I don't know that this is possible with ISY. The ISY and the Foscam are on the same LAN, so I'm not terribly worried about encryption.

[kstock]

You need to put your user id and password in the path with this syntax:

/set_alarm.cgi?motion_armed=1&user=xxxxxx&pwd=yyyyyy

 

Where xxxxxx = camera username

yyyyyy = camera password

 

I am using network resources to control several Foscam mpeg cameras without problems.

[kstock]

Was just noticing, when using the above syntax, you don't need/perhaps shouldn't have the authorization header. I don't.

 

Also for what it's worth, I have the Encode URL box checked to the right of the path.

[apostolakisl]

Was just noticing, when using the above syntax, you don't need/perhaps shouldn't have the authorization header. I don't.

 

Also for what it's worth, I have the Encode URL box checked to the right of the path.

 

 

OK, thanks. It works! I also had to increase to 1500 ms the time out. . . at least to not have ISY show an error.

 

Where did you get this syntax "&user=" etc? I have not seen the "amp;" in any of the foscam docs.

[kstock]

I have my timeout set to 2000ms.

 

I came across the syntax when surfing the net over a year ago. It puzzled me also, but as I recall it's necessary--testing the resource without this specific syntax I think errors out.

 

As an FYI, the Foscam HD cameras DO use the syntax as specified in the CGI User Guide for the HD cameras.

[Xathros]

amp; is the URLEncoded form of &

 

You should be able to replace "amp;" with "&" as long as you have the EncodeURL box checked.

 

-Xathros

[apostolakisl]

amp; is the URLEncoded form of &

 

You should be able to replace "amp;" with "&" as long as you have the EncodeURL box checked.

 

-Xathros

 

Then effectively it is && since I put an actual "&" and the "amp;"

 

Maybe I could delete one or the other and have it still work. I did not check the "encoded url" button and it works so maybe it is seeing the actual "&" and ignoring the "amp;". But, it works, so all is well . I think the key was putting the credentials into the path box instead of using the authentication header, along with extending the timeout.

 

Thanks to all.