EasyPTZ: a new simple camera viewer for Windows

42er · Feb 14, 2019

Thanks a lot again

Next request/wish: Is it possible, to edit the directory/path for snapshots?

I don't use C: for any kindy of data, its only for programs reserved, so I would love to write a path in the "EasyPTZConfigs.txt" in the [general] area.

Do you think, you can make that?

wrybread · Feb 14, 2019

> Is it possible, to edit the directory/path for snapshots

K, added. In the [general] section of the config, you can now optionally add:

snapshots_directory = d:\snaps

Other changes:

- If you hold the control key when pressing a keyboard number key it'll add 10 to the number (so control-2 goes to preset 12), alt adds 20 (so alt-2 goes to preset 22), control-alt adds 30 (control-alt-2 goes to preset 32). As before shift changes cameras (so shift-2 opens camera 2).

- added a Presets pulldown menu. I'd really love to figure out how to get the list of preset names from the camera so I can put the preset names in that menu...

- for each camera you can now add a name for the camera, which will appear in the Cameras pulldown menu and when switching cameras. Handy for when you have a lot of cameras. You set it using the optional "camera_name" value for each camera (example here)

- improved onscreen buttons and hit states

EasyPTZ - Dahua Camera Controller for Windows

42er · Feb 15, 2019

Hello wrybread,

after writing the camera names into the config file, EasyPTZ abort, direct after starting, with the following error message:

ok, I found the problem.... in the german language, we have special letters call umlauts (ö, ü, ä) and ß, and it seems, that they are not "known" in utf8 "standard" table...

So I can write instead "ö" "oe" and it works well, or using the unicode, as shown below.

Thanks again and great progress.

wrybread · Feb 15, 2019

> in the german language, we have special letters call umlauts

Thanks for that, should be fixed in new version, let me know if not.

Other fixes and improvements:

- The presets pulldown menu now gets the actual preset names from the camera! That's been a holy grail for me for a long time, since I have lots of presets and it's hard to remember them by number. Currently it only loads the first 30 presets but I'll probably have it load all of them. And you can override these names if you want using the config file (see docs).

- Added the ability to launch on any monitor, in any state (regular, maximized, fullscreen or fullscreen with no buttons). Handy to launch on monitor 2 fullscreen.

- Fixed "custom tours". These let you make tours like this:

button15 = customtour:interval=8, loops=300, preset1, preset2, preset3

That makes button 15 start a tour of presets 1, 2 and 3, staying at each preset for 8 seconds, looping 300 times. That's useful and all, but this is the one I've been using:

button15 = customtour:interval=8, loops=300, random

That makes it go to a random preset every 8 seconds, 300 times. I've been loving that feature. Life is better with a bit of randomness.

- When I'm loading random presets I frequently want to return to a previous location, so I added the ability to press control-left or control-right arrow to navigate the preset history. In other words control-left loads the preset you were looking at earlier. Press it again to go to the preset before that, etc.

gizmoware.net/easyptz

42er · Feb 15, 2019

The German umlauts works now with V0.894 very well.... thanks to that.

Also the presets names from the Dahua now in EasyPTZ is very good and helpfull.

wrybread · Feb 15, 2019

Quick note: I made it so the Presets menu gets *all* the presets from the camera, and doesn't show any undefined presets. Same with the Cameras menu.

Thoroughly loving having a full list of presets from my cameras. And this has the added benefit of allowing for unlimited cameras.

And there's now a couple of optional commandline args to launch a specific camera, and/or on a specific monitor. Explained in the docs, but for example:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyPTZ\EasyPTZ.exe" -monitor=2 -startup_state=fullscreen -camera=2

And by the way if you want to hide a preset from the Presets menu, here's how (this would hide preset 5 on camera 2):

Code:

[camera2]

preset5_name = [hidden]

You can also use that syntax to give it a different name.

msantic · Feb 16, 2019

Hello,

installed latest version but I cant control camera with keyboard or mouse.
No movement happens.
I can see video without problems.

Camera Dahua SD49225T-HN, Windows 7 32bit.

Any suggestion ?

Thank you.

42er · Feb 16, 2019

Hello msantic,

can you choose a preset, and the Dahua drive to the preset?

Maybe a reboot of the Dahua camera can help...if the problem still exist, I would deinstall EasyPTZ, download it again and install it again....

wrybread · Feb 16, 2019

I have that same camera, great camera, should work well. As 42er says pressing the onscreen preset buttons will be the simplest way to see if it's working. If it's not but it's showing the video then maybe there's a problem with the http port in the config file? I'll add some debug stuff for when it doesn't successfully communicate with the camera next week .

And probably obvious but note that app needs focus to get keyboard shortcuts.

And shouldn't be any reason to uninstall before reinstalling. If you want to reinstall just reinstall and check the box labelled "reset config file" during installation.

And if it still doesn't work, let me know what firmware version you're running on your camera .

msantic · Feb 16, 2019

Whey I start app I can see video but I can't control camera with mouse or keyboard.

From log I can see that software can't get presets.

8:09:42pm: Initting joystick engine...
8:09:50pm: VLC plugin found at C:\Program Files\EasyPTZ\vlc_library
8:09:50pm: Done initting the VLC video engine.
8:09:50pm: Populating the presetts for this camera...
8:09:50pm: Got 0 presets from the camera in 0.005 seconds.
8:09:50pm: Playing rtsp://admin

ASSWORD@192.168.0.45:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0

Camera firmware version:

Software Version
2.422.0000.0.R.4.2510, Build Date: 2016-09-21

WEB Version
3.2.1.379855

ONVIF Version
2.4.2

PTZ Version
3.00.42.RHNZ

42er · Feb 16, 2019

Again, pls answer to:

"can you choose a preset, and the Dahua drive to the preset?"

msantic · Feb 16, 2019

42er said:
Again, pls answer to:

"can you choose a preset, and the Dahua drive to the preset?"

When I click on preset button, it looks like button did not activated and camera do not move.

I just tried app with my another Dahua PTZ model SD29204T-GN.

It works with this camera

System Version
2.622.0000000.3.R.T4.484.9A.NR, Build Date: 2018-01-16

WEB Version
3.2.1.0

ONVIF Version
16.12(V2.4.1.513183)

PTZ Version
2.200.0000000.9.RHNVFJCB

msantic · Feb 16, 2019

In my scripts when I send CURL command to camera with older firmware I use "Basic" authentication, but I must use "Digest" authentication with my SD29204T-GN.

wrybread · Feb 16, 2019

Yup, I'm using Digest authentication.

And interesting about the other camera working, hmm. I'd love to troubleshoot next week if you don't mind trying some testing. In the meantime I just uploaded a new version that adds some error reporting. Currently it only checks for errors when trying to load a preset, but I'll add more error checking and reporting next week. Try this version if you get a chance, click one of the onscreen preset buttons then look at the log after a couple of seconds (File -> Show Log Window) to see any error:

gizmoware.net/easyptz

And by the way here's the output from my SD49225T-HN (which works well):

System Version
2.622.0000000.7.R.R4.2510.9A.NR, Build Date: 2018-04-04

WEB Version
3.2.1.563437

ONVIF Version
16.12(V2.4.1.513183)

PTZ Version
3.02.93.RHNZ_170518_22722

msantic · Feb 16, 2019

Installed new version.
Click on button 1 but nothing happens.

11:25:25pm: Initting the VLC video engine...
11:25:26pm: Initting joystick engine...
11:25:33pm: VLC plugin found at C:\Program Files\EasyPTZ\vlc_library
11:25:33pm: Done initting the VLC video engine.
11:25:33pm: Populating the presetts for this camera...
11:25:33pm: Got 0 presets from the camera in 0.009 seconds.
11:25:33pm: Playing rtsp://admin:xxxxx@192.168.0.45:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0
11:25:50pm: Going to preset 1

I think app can't login to camera...

wrybread · Feb 16, 2019

Weird, it shows an error on mine. I only tested with an invalid port, simulating no response. I'll add full logging, so it shows whatever response it gets.

wrybread · Feb 17, 2019

I just added some additional error reporting to version 0.897, freshly uploaded. As of now I didn't update the website, but it's a new version.

As before, after clicking a preset have a look at the log window.

gizmoware.net/easyptz

msantic · Feb 17, 2019

Here is log output after I press button for preset 1.

9:54:17am: Changing to camera DAH04PTZ25X (#3)
9:54:17am: Trying to get the presets from the camera...
9:54:17am: Playing rtsp://admin:[password]@192.168.0.45:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0
9:56:00am: Going to preset 1
9:56:00am: There was an error reported by the camera! Response = 401, text =

wrybread · Feb 17, 2019

Error 401 is "unauthorized" .You said you're using admin though, who definitely should have ptz rights so I don't really have a theory at the moment. Hmm. Maybe try making a new admin rights user?

wrybread · Feb 17, 2019

I guess one thing to try is to see if you can control this camera from a mobile app? For android you can try Tiny Cams Pro (or maybe there's a free version), for iOS Live Cams Pro. Or whatever other app. If you try one, let me know if it can successfully control your camera .

EasyPTZ: a new simple camera viewer for Windows

Getting the hang of it

Pulling my weight

Getting the hang of it

Pulling my weight

Getting the hang of it

Pulling my weight

Young grasshopper

Getting the hang of it

Pulling my weight

Young grasshopper

Getting the hang of it

Young grasshopper

Young grasshopper

Pulling my weight

Young grasshopper

Pulling my weight

Pulling my weight

Young grasshopper

Pulling my weight

Pulling my weight