PTZ IP camera for my parents?

[quacked]

My parents had a Wanscam PTZ IP camera that suddenly stopped working. Now they need something a new. They want to place it in a window to watch the garden, but they don't really need IR. But if some kinda IR worked through the window, I'm sure they would be glad to have it working at night as well. Placing the camera outdoors is not an option.

The important thing is that it needs to be easily accessible through a Web GUI in Chrome (they're old). It should also be minimum 720p. My own Hikvision camera works through Web GUI in Chrome via the mjpeg button, but it doesn't allow for more than 1 users at the same time, so that's not an option.

Is there a camera that fit my parents' needs for maximum 50 USD? In worst case they could use the IE Tab plugin in Chrome.

Thank you.

 

[TonyR]

I have installed several of these Amcrest IPM-721 cameras (rebranded Dahua). They seem to meet all your requirements. They're 720p, Pan and Tilt with optical zoom, ONVIF compatible, work with Blue Iris, VLC, etc. IE or Chrome with a plug-in and you can turn the IR off. They can stream RTSP directly to VLC.

Mine is 3 years old and the other 2 have been in a office environment for 2 years; not a hiccup out of all 3. It can record to SD card or local drive, has alarm in/out, built-in mic and speaker and a jack for an external mic.

Have both Ethernet and wireless. Powered by a 5VDC wall wart.

Hard to beat for $50, IMO.

EDIT: just tried with IE-Tab installed on Google Chrome and the cam's webGUI works great, live cam video great.
BTW, multiple users can be set up as well.

 

[quacked]

Is that the Amcrest Web View plugin at only 1,7 stars? Amcrest Web View

Many bad reviews...

 

[TonyR]

Is that the Amcrest Web View plugin at only 1,7 stars? Amcrest Web View

Many bad reviews...

No, in my post I said "IE-Tab", here. I'd say 4.3 out of 5 stars from over nearly 20K folks is pretty good.

 

[quacked]

Yeah, I was typing my reply while you edited your reply and added the IE Tab info. And like I said in the first post, IE Tab is worst case scenario.

 

[TonyR]

Yeah, I was typing my reply while you edited your reply and added the IE Tab info. And like I said in the first post, IE Tab is worst case scenario.

OK, just so I'm clear, what would be the "best" case scenario for them to view the cam?

EDIT @8:24 PM CST: FYI, the following URL works for the IPM-721 with VLC media player and includes login credentials for the cam (if "anonymous" user not set up in cam):

rtsp://username:password@camera-IP:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1

 

[quacked]

Best way would be for them to open an URL/favourite in Chrome, popup window asking for login details is able to save password, and then they would see the live stream in 720p and be able to adjust the PTZ.

IE Tab requires me to set it up on 7 PCs and fix it when something goes wrong. And I live many hours away.

 

[TonyR]

Best way would be for them to open an URL/favourite in Chrome, popup window asking for login details is able to save password, and then they would see the live stream in 720p and be able to adjust the PTZ.

IE Tab requires me to set it up on 7 PCs and fix it when something goes wrong. And I live many hours away.

Well, I guess you're stuck with either IE looking at cam's webGUI or your "worst case scenario", I guess.

FWIW, you can create a bookmark on the bar in IE Tab that when in Chrome, IE Tab is not open and you click on the bookmark (with cam's IP) it automatically launches IE Tab and brings up the cam's webGUI....so it's like opening up a bookmark in Chrome....1 step.

BTW, what's up with "set up on 7 PC's" ? Your parents have 7 or ??? Just curious.

 

[quacked]

Yeah. Shame the manufacturers haven't converted to pure HTML5 for live view yet.

They have 3-4 laptops and 2 desktops. But I also have grandparents with several PCS who wants to see the stream.

 

[TonyR]

Yeah. Shame the manufacturers haven't converted to pure HTML5 for live view yet.

They have 3-4 laptops and 2 desktops. But I also have grandparents with several PCS who wants to see the stream.

Oh, OK. Now I'm not curious.

Have you considered serving that cam with Blue Iris on one of those desktop PC's? It can stream MJPEG, have several simultaneous users, each with unique configs as to cams accessible, bandwidth allocation, time limit, allow/disallow PTZ control, scheduled access time, even launch a HTML page unique to that user.

If the upload speed at the cam's location is as dismal as mine is then assigning users to time slots could help the stream's quality.

Viewable remotely with Chrome, no plug-in's, etc. Just open BI's built-in UI3 page.

You could access it with remote desktop or Teamviewer, etc. to tweak or fix. Just a thought.....