Multiple viewing monitors in home

[Sailboater410]

Not finding an existing thread on this. We'd like to monitor our cameras from multiple rooms in the house. Has anyone explored the easiest or cheapest way to do this? Wifi is good throughout house. Options I can think of are:

a. separate low cost computer and monitor with BI software load connected to switch
b. tablet or other Android device with BI App loaded, connected via wifi

Any other ideas or methods that you have used?

Thanks!

 

[NoloC]

I'd forget about wifi. Generally doesn't work well for continuous streaming like this. I use a wired (ethernet) Android box and a monitor. Works pretty well but I think hdmi extenders from the main BI box would be the way to go.

 

[tangent]

Ethernet or hdmi cables required.

Options
apps for amazon fire, roku, nvidia shield
pc on a stick running blue iris
raspberry pi
HDMI over ethernet extender and HDMI splitter to watch the same thing on multiple screens

There are threads on all of these, just search a bit more. Be sure to try a google search with site:ipcamtalk.com in your search.

 

[tangent]

here are a couple threads:
Viewing on a smart tv
J-Tech Digital Hdmi Extender By Single Cat 5E/6/7

 

[handinpalm]

I have tried different ethernet HDMI extenders from a BI server and they do not produce the quality video image. All seem to be junk. I bought a 32" Samsung 1080p smart TV with the smarthub capability. This allows you to use a Linux web browser and point it to Brian's (@bp2008) remote live view tool. Just pushing 3 buttons on TV remote, including the power button and you have a good real time video monitor. Only problem is frame rate is around 2fps when viewing 4 cameras, but latency is around 1 -2 seconds. Best solution that I have found. Brian's live view tool works well on this TV. Don't forget to change screen saver time out to 8 hr.

Brian's tool link -
I made a better remote-live-view page

 

[fenderman]

I have tried different ethernet HDMI extenders from a BI server and they do not produce the quality video image. All seem to be junk. I bought a 32" Samsung 1080p smart TV with the smarthub capability. This allows you to use a Linux web browser and point it to Brian's (@bp2008) remote live view tool. Just pushing 3 buttons on TV remote, including the power button and you have a good real time video monitor. Only problem is frame rate is around 2fps when viewing 4 cameras, but latency is around 1 -2 seconds. Best solution that I have found. Brian's live view tool works well on this TV. Don't forget to change screen saver time out to 8 hr.

Brian's tool link -
I made a better remote-live-view page

That is because you use junk cabling or junk gear or both..... Tripp Lite make high-quality units.... I have these implemented in two locations... With four or five monitors per location... Image quality is superb and it's 100% Rock Solid and not dependent on wifi or tablet to operate

 

[tangent]

I have tried different ethernet HDMI extenders from a BI server and they do not produce the quality video image. All seem to be junk. I bought a 32" Samsung 1080p smart TV with the smarthub capability. This allows you to use a Linux web browser and point it to Brian's (@bp2008) remote live view tool. Just pushing 3 buttons on TV remote, including the power button and you have a good real time video monitor. Only problem is frame rate is around 2fps when viewing 4 cameras, but latency is around 1 -2 seconds. Best solution that I have found. Brian's live view tool works well on this TV. Don't forget to change screen saver time out to 8 hr.

Brian's tool link -
I made a better remote-live-view page

HDMI over ethernet extenders certainly vary a lot. When possible and the distance isn't too long an actual HDMI cable with an HDMI splitter is the best choice. Generally the hdmi ethernet extenders on monoprice are pretty good, but it takes pretty good cable. STP Cat-6 is required in many cases.

Somewhere there's a thread where @nayr uses TinyCam on an Nvidia Shield, he was pretty happy with it.

 

[looney2ns]

I have tried different ethernet HDMI extenders from a BI server and they do not produce the quality video image. All seem to be junk. I bought a 32" Samsung 1080p smart TV with the smarthub capability. This allows you to use a Linux web browser and point it to Brian's (@bp2008) remote live view tool. Just pushing 3 buttons on TV remote, including the power button and you have a good real time video monitor. Only problem is frame rate is around 2fps when viewing 4 cameras, but latency is around 1 -2 seconds. Best solution that I have found. Brian's live view tool works well on this TV. Don't forget to change screen saver time out to 8 hr.

Brian's tool link -
I made a better remote-live-view page

2fps? I have two Samsung smart tvs. Both hardwired to the network, 4 channels display fine at 8-10FPS using @bp2008 viewer.

 

[bp2008]

Smart TV processing power varies. Mine sucks at rendering the BI web interface. Apparently @looney2ns TVs are fine.

Active HDMI and USB extension cables are the way to go in my opinion. Though getting 4K video any appreciable distance might not be easy, 1080p should be easy.

Some HDMI over network cable extenders can be plugged in through switches, routers, etc, but they are real bandwidth hogs and result in slightly reduced output quality. Even if I had one of those, I would still want to run a dedicated cable between the sender and receiver. This looks like it could be a good one since it has USB built in: Amazon.com: AGPtEK USB HDMI KVM Extender Over Single Cat 5/5E/6/7 Ethernet Cable- Signal Extension Up to 120m/365Ft- USB Keyboard Mouse Support- Adapter for Residential/ Commercial Use: Home Audio & Theater

 

[bp2008]

Another option, if a small screen and single camera is all you need, at not-great frame rates: My permanent front door monitoring tablet

Another option still is to use a raspberry pi (version 2 or 3 preferably) and OmxPlayer to directly stream video feeds from the cameras (bypassing Blue Iris). You get the best frame rates and quality that way, without putting any additional burden on your Blue Iris. But it is the most complicated setup you could choose to do, I think.

 

[handinpalm]

2fps? I have two Samsung smart tvs. Both hardwired to the network, 4 channels display fine at 8-10FPS using @bp2008 viewer.

I have my Samsung smart TV connected through ethernet Gigabit switches with very good cat6 cable. The BS Samsung web browser on this TV, using their "smarthub" gives me very low frame rate. Maybe because of low memory in TV?? @looney2ns, what Samsung TV are you using? I am thinking of getting another one for the bedroom, but may wait for next years version to see if the browser is better/updated. Anyone else using a good smart TV with decent web browser? Good discussion BTW!

 

[Mike A.]

Another option, if a small screen and single camera is all you need, at not-great frame rates: My permanent front door monitoring tablet

I have several old 10" tablets scattered around running your UI2 over 5GHz. Works great. Easy to just touch to view if you want to see a specific cam. Do double-duty as home control interfaces.

 

[Tolting Colt Acres]

This looks like it could be a good one since it has USB built in: Amazon.com: AGPtEK USB HDMI KVM Extender Over Single Cat 5/5E/6/7 Ethernet Cable- Signal Extension Up to 120m/365Ft- USB Keyboard Mouse Support- Adapter for Residential/ Commercial Use: Home Audio & Theater

I bought that this past spring when I was looking to view my BI server's video wall in my office.

Complete garbage. The review by "Will"' is accurate.

Thank god for Amazon Prime free returns.

I ended up running the highest quality hdmi and usb extension cables I could find instead. I also use the web interface now on a tablet when I want to view in other rooms.

 

[bp2008]

I bought that this past spring when I was looking to view my BI server's video wall in my office.

Complete garbage. The review by "Will"' is accurate.

Thank god for Amazon Prime free returns.

I ended up running the highest quality hdmi and usb extension cables I could find instead. I also use the web interface now on a tablet when I want to view in other rooms.

Ah, thanks for the tip.

 

[looney2ns]

I have my Samsung smart TV connected through ethernet Gigabit switches with very good cat6 cable. The BS Samsung web browser on this TV, using their "smarthub" gives me very low frame rate. Maybe because of low memory in TV?? @looney2ns, what Samsung TV are you using? I am thinking of getting another one for the bedroom, but may wait for next years version to see if the browser is better/updated. Anyone else using a good smart TV with decent web browser? Good discussion BTW!

Ugh, sorry, after rechecking, I'm wrong about my Sammy's and frame rates. 2-3fps is what Ui2 shows.
Guess I had my head up my ass.
Sorry about that.
Senior moments coming more often each day.

 

[bp2008]

 

[Tolting Colt Acres]

Senior moments coming more often each day.

I refer to mine as "McCain moments"