Remote bits

[shellw]

Hi

I am just looking in to Vitamin D after some one recommended it. I am not in a situation to install and give the free version a go yet but have a few questions (so far! ).

1. Is there any type of remote client/web access? This would be running on a computer hidden a way in cupboard. Surely the video wouldn't watch too well over VNC/RDP?

2. How would you use the files which get sent off to FTP? Is it case of just downloading them and loading them back in to the software or are they actually AVI/MPGs or something?

Thanks
Shell

[ryan]

Hi Shellw,

1) There is no native remote viewer or web access. Personally I do use RDP/VNC, and a number of others do as well. With IP cameras to view live streams you can simply do port forwarding and access the feed (rather than using VDV as a proxy for it). There are also a number of posts on this forum detailing various remote access methods, most involving the ftp export which leads us to your second question...

2) The ftp response uploads the actual video clip that matches the rule (in a standard .mp4 video file). No importing or special viewers needed, and there is a variety of software that can make playback fairly seamless (Cyberduck's quicklook on OSX for instance).

[shellw]

1. Just thinking about when I want to flick through looking at events for a certain date or something. Live streaming isn't an issue, can do that direct from the cameras (Axis 210)

2. Neat!

Cheers
Shell

[shellw]

Can I ask, what hardware do you think I should reasonably look to run this on for 2 cameras at a standard usable resolution (what is given as a 'usable' resolution if you were giving this to police in the UK for evidence of a break in say?).

Trying to suss out if running it on an old laptop (about 1.6Ghz off the top of my head, few year old IBM laptop) is possible (with mapped network storage) or as a VM on a reasonably specced Linux (Ubuntu) box doing nothing much during the day except some file serving here and there (Intel Core 2 Duo (E6500) 2.9GHz/2GB RAM - can easily be upgraded though/tons of hard drive space (what the old windows laptop drive could mount as a network drive for storage anyway)). Or just build a mini windows box to run it? What spec though?

Cheers
Shell

[ryan]

There's a bit of information in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=90

I'd suggest just trying it out on your existing machines, especially before building a new one. Even with just the free version (limited to 1 camera, 320x240) you can get a feel for how much processing power is being used. Find the highest CPU using Vitamin D Agent process, this will be the camera process. If it's taking, say, 20-25%, that machine has room for higher resolutions/another camera. If it's taking 90%, well, that machine probably won't work for you. Upping the resolution will be more CPU intensive but your Axis 210 has a maximum resolution of 640x480, so it won't be a 10x increase or anything.

Please also see the following page from the reference guide: http://vitamindvideo.com/support/ref_guide_tips_01.html

Hope that helps,
- ryan