I came here to look for this answer. I was hoping that a license is needed only on the machine with cameras. Even the two license types differentiate by the number of cameras used. I thought I could install BI5 on a couple of other machines without licenses and periodically connect to the server with cameras. It seems illogical to require licenses for the "client" machines without cameras. Does anybody know if it's an overthought or an early "glitch", or this requirement is stated somewhere?
BI-5 Remote Management? Anyone using it?
- Thread starter TJH
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fenderman
Staff member
- Mar 9, 2014
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Its a requirement. Additional licenses can be purchased for 30/35 dollars from support.
I just installed BI5 on my laptop to test out Remote management and *really* like it. Convenient but not sure I'd pay for a full license to use it.
Question: when I launch BI5 on my laptop I do get the 15 day evaluation splash screen but when I press Demo button and launch the remote management button at top, it fully loads remote management but there is no demo indication.
Does that mean after 15 days BI5 will stop completely and I won't even be able to launch it to get into remote management?
I'm asking now because I remember when I had a demo version of BI that it would say demo on the camera screens but doesn't in remote management.
Question: when I launch BI5 on my laptop I do get the 15 day evaluation splash screen but when I press Demo button and launch the remote management button at top, it fully loads remote management but there is no demo indication.
Does that mean after 15 days BI5 will stop completely and I won't even be able to launch it to get into remote management?
I'm asking now because I remember when I had a demo version of BI that it would say demo on the camera screens but doesn't in remote management.
fenderman
Staff member
- Mar 9, 2014
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You dont see the demo on the camera video because you are logged in to the remote system which is not a demo. The demo will not let you do this after 15 days.
You can buy a second license at a discount from the developer, for v4 it was 30, for v5 i would assume 35. That is nothing in the grand scheme of vms pricing and about 10 bux a year over the likely term of bi5.
Enough playing around with BI4. It's time to grab that 2nd licence and test out remote management.
Thanks for the tip!
Purchased the second BI licence for remote viewing. IMO a second licence For $35 USD is a bargain. (contact support via BI to get details of 2nd licence discount).
Remote viewing setup was quick and simple.
The images were a little pixelated at times,but the quality is about what I would expect for remote viewing. That is, the images are good, but not same quality as local viewing.
I have not checked to see if there are adjustments I can make to the remote image quality. I do recall seeing them somewhere...
Overall, I'm quite happy with price and quality.
Remote viewing setup was quick and simple.
The images were a little pixelated at times,but the quality is about what I would expect for remote viewing. That is, the images are good, but not same quality as local viewing.
I have not checked to see if there are adjustments I can make to the remote image quality. I do recall seeing them somewhere...
Overall, I'm quite happy with price and quality.
TL1096r
IPCT Contributor
- Jan 28, 2017
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In your opinion, how does it compare to UI3? I have been thinking about the second license myself, but more for the remote configuration.
I purchased a second license about a month after I upgraded to 5.x version. My setup is that I have BI running 24/7 on a dedicated "weather" computer in my home office. I also have two other computers in the office so, while I'm in close proximity to the weather computer, it's a pain to scootch in a chair over and the computer is in a corner, just not easy to sit there for a few moments. So my purchase was mainly a big "convenience" but very worth it for my purposes.
I like the additional copy since you basically are getting another full license. The familiarity of the screens, settings, etc., are all there. I didn't "add" any new cameras or existing cameras to my 2nd copy, I just use it to remote into the main BI that I have running on the weather computer, although I guess you could have a couple of cameras set up on the second copy, not sure why you'd want to do that but there may be a reason why some people might want that.
During my first two weeks of using the remote console I had several issues and worked directly with Ken to resolve them. The *only* minor issue (and I wouldn't let it stop you from buying it) is that occasionally when I have the cameras up on the remote screen, when I click on one camera to open it or edit properties, on a rare occasion BI "thinks" I'm clicking on another camera and opens that one. No biggie, I usually just have to re-click on that camera (in the gray bar area) and it usually works fine but I still plan on reporting that to Ken when I have time to do screen shots or video captures for him to aid in the details of the issue.
One more minor issue is that if you use the second copy on a lower CPU machine it will most likely slow down other things on that machine while running it, but since I only occasionally get into BI remote console that is not a big issue at all.
All in all I really am happy with the second copy and depending on your circumstances on why you want to buy it, I'd highly recommend it.
I like the additional copy since you basically are getting another full license. The familiarity of the screens, settings, etc., are all there. I didn't "add" any new cameras or existing cameras to my 2nd copy, I just use it to remote into the main BI that I have running on the weather computer, although I guess you could have a couple of cameras set up on the second copy, not sure why you'd want to do that but there may be a reason why some people might want that.
During my first two weeks of using the remote console I had several issues and worked directly with Ken to resolve them. The *only* minor issue (and I wouldn't let it stop you from buying it) is that occasionally when I have the cameras up on the remote screen, when I click on one camera to open it or edit properties, on a rare occasion BI "thinks" I'm clicking on another camera and opens that one. No biggie, I usually just have to re-click on that camera (in the gray bar area) and it usually works fine but I still plan on reporting that to Ken when I have time to do screen shots or video captures for him to aid in the details of the issue.
One more minor issue is that if you use the second copy on a lower CPU machine it will most likely slow down other things on that machine while running it, but since I only occasionally get into BI remote console that is not a big issue at all.
All in all I really am happy with the second copy and depending on your circumstances on why you want to buy it, I'd highly recommend it.
Okay, thanks for detailed reply. I intend to grab the second license. Not to add new cameras to, but rather to change the confiurations of the cameras on the main BI system. To tinker with alert motion settings etc. Like you this is more about convenience, in my case the BI system is tucked away so thieves don't walk off with all the video footage. Plus, like others have said, BI is a bargain at this price. Supporting the Dev for such quality software is never a bad idea.
This might be obvious but RDP establishes a full desktop session with the remote system, and the second license allows you to interact with the remote BI service.
The advantage of one over the other is likely more a matter of personal preference and situation. Personally I prefer a dedicated app that communicates with the remote BI service directly -Vs- taking over the entire desktop.
TL1096r
IPCT Contributor
- Jan 28, 2017
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Is there a difference besides that? If you are not on the home network you can connect through WAN to see BI app? I heard the quality is different? IN RDP on home network it seems to be same quality photo and no lag.
Does BI remote desktop take up a lot of CPU?
Does BI remote desktop take up a lot of CPU?
I used to connect to my dedicated BI computer via logmein, which is basically a desktop remote control software. While it worked it often was "laggy" and I didn't like the idea very well over the BI remote console I use now. It worked and even only 5' away on the same network hub (1gb), I found it to be a little cumbersome. BI does require CPU usage but still is much better for me than the remote desktop software. Maybe it's different for someone else but I keep all of my computers updated with current virus/malware protection minimal software needed on each machine.
Even when I used the remote desktop sw I still wheeled over to the BI machine and squeezed in and worked on it when needed. Now I don't do that with the BI remote console.
Even when I used the remote desktop sw I still wheeled over to the BI machine and squeezed in and worked on it when needed. Now I don't do that with the BI remote console.
I can easily imagine a configuration where you could connect from your WAN side. The application used (RDP, BI app, whatever) is arbitrary as long as you have connectivity into the home network, and your ISP speeds support the protocol being used. (Of course it goes without saying, NEVER forward ports on your router, always use a VPN)
I'm not experienced with the remote app yet to comment on the quality or CPU usage. That said, I can't imagine it's going to be much CPU. My main BI PC is an I5 with six 2MP Dahua cams and it hovers around 30%. So a secondary PC connection to the main BI PC is bound to be way less.
Anything running on a shared local 1Gbps network should be great. RDP is a perfectly fine solution.
Edit: Typos
Windows builtin Remote Desktop must be better than anything else similar because it utilizes builtin Windows functions, i.e., instead of drawing a window and sending it pixel by pixel it tells the other machine to draw a window with such and such parameters using the other machine's functions. Instead of sending bunch of pixels it sends a few parameters and the other machine does the job. Of course, it doesn't work when an image is sent, it would go pixel by pixel but the rest will be optimized. I don't know if logmein and such software is optimized the way RDP is but I think the builtin Windows Remote Desktop is the most optimized.
An update...
I bought the second BI license (I'm in Canada so discounted came to $50CA). I installed it onto a PC with an i7-3770K @ 3.5GGhz / 16GB RAM, solid state drive. So a capable machine for remote viewing I'd think.
Remote BI connects to the main BI system OK, but eventually crashes, and then crashes when re-opened. What made it crash initially was watching the feeds of all six cams from recent time periods. That is, say trying to watch events from earlier this week. I get an icon where the feed should be, and then..crash.
I head over to the main BI system, but can't open the app as there is a remote connection. I wish there was a way to kill all remote connections. To recover I have to restart the service.
This morning I'm trying again. Remote connects to main system, but now only shows one camera feed even though "All cameras" is selected.
My antidotal experience so far hasn't been great, but I'm stubborn and will play with it some more when I get free time.
I bought the second BI license (I'm in Canada so discounted came to $50CA). I installed it onto a PC with an i7-3770K @ 3.5GGhz / 16GB RAM, solid state drive. So a capable machine for remote viewing I'd think.
Remote BI connects to the main BI system OK, but eventually crashes, and then crashes when re-opened. What made it crash initially was watching the feeds of all six cams from recent time periods. That is, say trying to watch events from earlier this week. I get an icon where the feed should be, and then..crash.
I head over to the main BI system, but can't open the app as there is a remote connection. I wish there was a way to kill all remote connections. To recover I have to restart the service.
This morning I'm trying again. Remote connects to main system, but now only shows one camera feed even though "All cameras" is selected.
My antidotal experience so far hasn't been great, but I'm stubborn and will play with it some more when I get free time.
Remote was working OK for weeks. Now I can login to remote BI but I can't see any cameras. I see timeline but black screen only. Playing recording is OK.
I'm thinking about deleting all config and start from scratch. How to restore BI to default settings without losing the licence key?
I'm thinking about deleting all config and start from scratch. How to restore BI to default settings without losing the licence key?
