Acti D32 camera, cannot get it to work

[barrypilger]

The camera shows up in Windows Explorer under Network. When I double click on it I get 192.168.1.117, which I use in the set up screen in Sighthound. I have the user name and password correct, as it works to access the camera using browser after I double click on it in Windows Explorer.

I have tried to add the camera three ways:

1. Add camera, IP camera, Acti, Next, then choose D32 and enter IP address and login for camera. Get Could Not Connect error. Camera feed is viewable in browser.

2. Add camera, Network IP Camera, Other; I choose Set Up Sighthound video with a Camera that is Working; camera ID appears on next screen; I select the camera; Next, enter IP address, user and p/w; Could Not Connect.

3. Add camera, Network IP Camera, Other; ; I choose Use Sighthound video to Help Me Get My Camera Working; (the next screen tells me to plug in camera to ethernet, but not to power --cannot do that as camera is already plugged into a POE switch); camera ID appears on next screen; I select the camera; The next screen says to log into camera using browser to get user and p/2. I do so; I Click Wired Connection; Next, user name and p/w; Could Not Connect.

Help!!!

Barry

[ryan]

Hi Barry,

By default the camera should be providing the camera stream over the URL

http://IP:PORT/cgi-bin/encoder?USER=YOU ... GET_STREAM

Replacing of course IP, PORT, YOURUSERNAME, and YOURPASSWORD with the appropriate values. This should work from any media player, including Quicktime or VLC.

• If it is not working from those, something may have changed from the default values on the camera and we'll simply need to find what that is, or the new/current URL to retrieve the stream from.
• If that URL does work from another media player, something odd may be occurring internal to the application, in which case you can file a bug report from "Help->Report a Problem" and we'll take a look at the recent logs.

[barrypilger]

Ryan, thanks for your reply. Mysteriously, I check the application a few minutes ago and it was working fine. Sighthound had managed to keep trying (as the screen said), succeeded and it is now working fine. I'll save your URL for another time if it gives me some trouble.

Many thanks.

Barry

[barrypilger]

Ryan,

I have run into the same problem again. I unplugged the camera to install a longer Cat5 cable and it will not connect again inside Sighthound. Web viewer(Acti Web Configurator) works fine.

I have used the URL you gave me with VLC Media Player (I entered the URL on the Open Network Stream page), but would like to know what I use for PORT.

In the camera's web configurator it lists 9 ports. I have attached a screen shot.

Last question, do I need to open the applicable port on my router?

Barry

[Devin]

Hi barrypilger,

You should use the http port (80) with the stream path Ryan provided. You do not need to open a port on your router unless you are connecting to this camera from outside your network.

[barrypilger]

I have tried the following URL in both Quicktime and VLC.

http://192.168.1.117:80/cgi-bin/encoder ... GET_STREAM

It does not connect with either media player.

Barry

[ryan]

Hi Barry,

I'm not sure what settings you changed on your camera from when it began working to when it stopped. This is the document the manufacturer uses to document how to retrieve streams:

http://www.acti.com/getfile/KnowledgeBa ... 27_002.pdf

It does at least indicate that you can should be able to leave the username and password out of the stream path itself, allowing the normal http auth format to transmit them:

Code: Select all

http://yourusername:yourpassword@cameraip/cgi-bin/cmd/encoder?GET_STREAM

If you have been tweaking settings, you may need to follow their examples in that document and from a browser visit other config URLs first to set encoders and other settings. Example from the doc to set MJPEG:

Code: Select all

http://CameraIP/cgi-bin/encoder?USER=Admin&PWD=123456&VIDEO_ENCODER=MJPEG

[barrypilger]

Curiously I changed nothing. All I did was swap a short Cat5 cable for a longer one. At that point the camera disappeared from Windows Explorer too. Bizarre. I reset my modem and router back to factory settings and that restored the camera to Windows Explorer at least. I also reset the camera back to factory settings. More than once.

I just tried the first URL, inserting user/ pw and IP where indicated. I inserted it on the "Enter settings to allow the Sighthound Video application to find your camera", with no success. Then I omitted the user and pw with no success. I have tried the URL in my VLC and Quicktime, also with no success. When URL was entered without user and PW I was prompted both times for them, but when entered, nothing happened. No stream

I'll poke around some more and let you know. If any fresh ideas come to mind, please ping me.

Barry