How you can monitor your cameras remotely

It is just the test page for video streaming to the browser, mobile device etc. Once you configured your cameras they should be available through our running RIA client. Due to security restrictions we expose one camera stream in a time (no broadcasting). But we also believe it is enough (objections ?). Another level of restrictions os video stream quota. It means once you received 1Gb of video it will be disconnected by server. Why so ? Normally folks have 2-3Gb in data plan and by mistake you can drain whole your plan in hour. Here the small protection. Also we decided to not write special app per each device cause it is road to nowhere, instead we provide HTML5 page adjusted for client device screen. 

First screen of working system

Layout management panel demonstrates 8 video streams. Left horizontal listbox shows  layouts available for selected uses and right one used to show cameras, but now all of them dropped to 3x3 layout. Some look and feel issues will be fixed eventually :)

What means good surveillance system

Just quick review of features that "good to have" when you choose surveillance system.
1. Sure your budget. There are a lot of big players who will be more then happy to take your money. But careful, money spoiled many of them, their software very heavy, complex and often useless. Service probably great ;)
2. Features:
 a) Multiple user support
 b) Support user roles
 c) Simplicity
 d) Web interface
 e) archive
 f) support for many manufacturers, not just support but support of camera features. It is really sad if you have 2K PTZ camera that you can't use as PTZ
 j) Flexible camera layouts. More is better
 k) Algorithms for image recognition. more is better
 l) Support handheld devices.
 m) Camera assessment. What is this? Simple, camera can follow the object and pass it to another camera if object leave camera vision area. Nice feature, I like it.
But most important simplicity and price. That is it, now go and choose one that you like.

BTW we can't implement reliable assessment with simple IP Cam, but other points we do. And our system completely free ;) Will release it soon, stay tuned

How to get full control

To Camera ?
Actually biggest problem of all surveillance system is drivers. How to communicate to camera knows only vendor. IP camera much simpler then professional but still have many capabilities. Most cases consumer level surveillance systems cover  basic functionality which is video stream. I guess it is just wrong , easy but wrong. Our drivers implement whole camera functionality. We do with 2 ways. First camera documentation. Mostly cheap vendors have nothing which is bad. But cheap vendors using the same software which is good. I don't know who is vendor of that built in server, but in HTTP header it identified itself as Netwave. Ok, lets call it Netwave compatible cameras.  We reversed HTTP commands and our driver cover full functionality of such cameras. Next non - Netwave devices. Here we follow simple pattern - implement basic "video stream" functionality first (it takes 10 min cause we built driver SDK and just need to decorate driver skeleton with  behaviors. Next step is look at another features like frame rate, brightness, resolutions. It usually takes 2 more hours, add 1 hr for testing and new driver is ready. Easy job which any intern can perform. what is most complex thing is just get the device, it could be expensive. Here is 2 ways again: First get test camera from vendor. It is possible in case company has big market value and impact. Second and more realistic, buy camera and use it. It could be costly but there are no other way to provide competitive solution.

Amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic

Well, well, I am always impressed why I have to "contact our sales" or "download trial" version or even worst, install client and server, configure it if I need just simple surveillance system to overlook my property. Right, I bought several IP Cameras on Amazon, it was sale. Now I cant use all of them, each has own interface and run in own browser window. Also I need to install DVR software, huh, DVR that I bought couple years ago with coax Cameras is too old and need to reload firmware (in case company exists and support it).  I asked myself all this questions and found only one answer, if you want something done properly, do it by yourself. So we are doing... Fortunately we know how ;)

Hey, something is wrong here

Ok, ok, let me explain. I saw consumer level several surveillance systems that offer you fat client and collect your video at their server. So far so good, you can have simple access to this video from your lovely AndroidIphone. But wait, does it mean you can eventually find yourself on youtube with 100000 views. It is good that you are not naked there but who knows... That makes me little bit nervous. Even company disclaimers and promises cant aware me that it is impossible (on the other hand why millions credit cards get stolen directly from Visa). Personally I see little bit different schema, I'd call it reverted logic, let go out only what you want to go and keep locally whatever is coming by default. But in this case you cant have access from your phone. Well I doubt, and second you don't make useless traffic, remember day when internet "stood still" is coming.

Give me my service, not software

That is. We are looking for services now, it is like sex without strings attached. I need my data repository, well guys from bitbucket know how, Tax preparation? no problem, just start your browser. Software could be stolen, service never, what a beauty! So now when somebody offers me to download and install 40M installer I feel bad, why ? I know the result: junk on a disk, junk in registry, installation problem, tons of questions, for upgrade unistall / install. Now imagine surveillance system, by nature it is complex beast, and it just asks to turn it into the service. It could be great, choose any workstation you like, and just login to service provider. Done. You see all your cameras, all your presets loaded based on role, you get notifications etc...
Mission accomplished.