QCAM IP3M952E
Any advise on setting up this QCAM IP3M952E with Security Spy?
Comments
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This camera looks like it supports ONVIF, which should make setting it up very easy. Firstly, locate the camera's address on your network using our Network Device Finder app, then add it to SecuritySpy (in the Video Device Settings window) by entering the camera's IP address, username and password, and select the ONVIF profile.
You will also want to give the camera a static IP address on your local network, as per our Setting up network cameras instructions.
Please report back and let us know how you get on. -
No luck using ONVIF with ports left blank and user name and password. RTSP TCP I get a communications error. I can view the camera in a browser by IP no problem.
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In that case, please try this:
- In the Video Device Settings window in SecuritySpy create a new device
- Set the device type to Manual
- Enter the camera's IP address, username and password
- Select RTSP as the Format
- Enter cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1 as the Request
Does this work? -
I am trying to configure the same camera and started this thread: (http://www.bensoftware.com/forum/discussion/1480/amcrest-qcam-3-megapixel-poe-weatherproof-ip66-bullet-ip-camera#Item_15)
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Tried it and now get a unrecognized request error. I think we'll just return these cameras and try another model/manufacturer.
Any recommendations? Amcrest support has been pretty pathetic. I think spending the extra money on Axis cams may be the best bet.
For what it's worth, we bought the unlimited cam license for Security Spy and I'm very happy with all the support. -
Hi @dannasoft I'm currently in touch with someone at Amcrest support and I have specifically asked them about this camera model, so please hold on for a few more days, I will let you know when/if I hear back from them.
Axis is certainly a safe bet - their cameras are top quality and will definitely be compatible with SecuritySpy. Amcrest is still quite new and may be still working out some teething problems, but their hardware looks good so if we can get this camera working with SecuritySpy it will hopefully perform well. -
Thank you Ben. I too have contacted their support. They suggested trying port 37777 or 80 in ONVIF but I get the same unrecognized request error.
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Also Ben, my client would be willing to ship you one of them if you'd like to be able to look at it yourself. I like the camera, and the price so I'd love to get it working.
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Hi @dannasoft - thanks for the offer, it would be very useful to have one of these cameras myself for testing. However I have literally just heard back from Amcrest and they have sent me the API documentation for the Qcam cameras, which is exactly what we need to get this working. Going by their information, the setup in SecuritySpy would be as follows:
- In the Video Device Settings window in SecuritySpy create a new device
- Set the device type to Manual
- Enter the camera's IP address, username and password
- Select RTSP as the Format
- Enter h264Preview_01_main as the Request
Does this work? -
Those setting made the camera connect (RTSP over UDP, there is not option for just rtsp) but oddly only about the top third of the image comes across with grey below. If I connect to the camera directly it looks fine.
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Well that's progress at least. Try the RTSP TCP option - TCP provides more reliable transport than UDP. Is this any better?
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I tried this and am having the same issue as dannasoft - 1/3 of the video comes through via RTSP UDP. RTSP TCP option does not work.
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Odd, but now I'm getting a full picture. Thanks Ben.
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dannasoft - did RTSP TCP work for you?
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No, only UDP.
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Did you do anything different? restart security spy or power cycle cameras? I'm still only getting 1/3 video
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I had power cycled the camera a few times but honestly I have no idea why it finally worked. I'm sure I'd restarted security spy as well. I fiddled with it on and off for several days after Ben sent the setup instructions here.
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Ben,
Can you help? Thanks! -
dannasoft,
Can you recall anything you might have done to get the full picture to come through? I'm not having any luck.
Cheers -
Hi @gauchers - a partial image implies that some data is getting lost in transmission. UDP is fast but inherently unreliable, so if there is any network bandwidth problem (e.g. a temporary lack of bandwidth due to other traffic), then data will be dropped and the video image will be corrupt. I'm surprised that the RTSP TCP option doesn't work at all - most cameras support this.
Can you describe the network connection between the camera and computer? Ideally you want a fast wired connection. If you are connecting wirelessly then this may be the issue, as WiFi is much less fast and reliable than wired ethernet. -
Ben, it's hardwired POE via Cat6 cable through a gigabit switch. I can see the full image via web browser & VLC.
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It's probably not the network then. How many cameras total are you using in SecuritySpy? When comparing SecuritySpy to VLC it's a fair comparison only if this is the only camera set up in SecuritySpy, as all resources are of course shared between cameras if there is more than one.
Please try this test:
- Enable continuous capture for the camera
- Set the "Create a new movie" option to "Every time the camera is switched to active mode"
- Disable any text overlay or transform for the camera in SecuritySpy
- In the Video Device Settings window, enable the "No recompression" option
- Set the camera to Active mode for 20 seconds or so, then back to Passive mode
- Locate the movie file that has been created, within the ~/Documents/SecuritySpy/Captured files/ folder (within your user folder)
- Try playing back this file with both QuickTime Player and VLC
Does the file play back OK or do you see any playback problems (any kind of image corruption)? I'm trying to determine if the problem you are seeing is related to SecuritySpy's video decompression, or if it's related to actually receiving incomplete data over the network. -
Ben,
I followed your instructions above. When I view the captured file in VLC, I see the full video crystal clear, but when I view in Quicktime, I only see 1/3 of the picture and the rest is noise. Does the help?
Cheers,
Roger -
Hi Roger, this is interesting, as it indicates that it's not the data transmission over the network that is at fault: it's the video decompression. There appears to be some incompatibility with the data produced by this camera and QuickTime (which is what SecuritySpy currently uses for its video compression and decompression).
By coincidence we've just had another user post about a different camera with the same problem. It was fixed by changing the H.264 encoding profile in the camera's settings. Does your camera have such a setting? -
Ben,
I don't see any adjustments for encoding other than resolution, fps, and bandwidth. I've tried different parameters but so far no luck. I'm wondering how dannasoft got it working?
-Roger -
Hi Roger, would it be possible for you to put your camera online temporarily so that we can connect to it from here and do some testing? To do this you will have to set up the port forwarding settings on your router to forward incoming connections to the camera on ports 80 and 554, and email us your public IP address (or DDNS name, which can be set up in SecuritySpy's Web Server Setup window), along with the camera's username and password. Let me know if you need more information about how to set this up.
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Hi again Roger, if you log on to the camera using a web browser and click Camera and then Video section, do you see an "Encode Mode" setting? If so, select H.264B.
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Ben,
There is no encode selection that I see. I will put the cameras online & forward you the details.
Thanks!
Roger -
Ben, sent email. -Roger
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Gauchers, now mine is again only rendering 1/3rd in Security Spy. Did you resolve your issue?
