Using Spotter Cameras to direct a PTZ where to look in an NVR or Blue Iris and setting a spotter cam as a priority in Blue Iris

[Mike A.]

One thing that I found in BI 4 that affected the return was that there needed to be a schedule or cycle running; otherwise, there was nothing to resume. Even if the schedule/cycle did nothing it just needed something set up as either. Not sure if that still applies to BI 5 or not.

 

[wittaj]

^You might be on to something.

I do have a schedule set up for the PTZ and maybe that is why it goes back?

@Holbs - try this:

Open up the camera settings and select the Schedule tab.

Then at the bottom right is an "Events Schedule" button. Select it.

Then you get a menu where you can tell it to go to different presets based on time of day or with sunrise/sunset. If you don't have different ones, then just enable a schedule that is the same preset and let's see if that brings it back.

 

[Holbs]

no go. did create a single schedule with the PTZ HOME function. triggered spotter camera. PTZ does not return home after 20 seconds of no triggers.
I have more research to do when I return home from work. Have not yet email Mike as spent 4 hours doing all that wiresharking last night. Will do when I get home.
If there is something related to the need of a PTZ schedule for it to return home after any trigger...it is not mentioned in blue iris help file or anywhere.

 

[Coldair]

OMG my ADhd will go nuts setting this up

 

[Holbs]

OMG my ADhd will go nuts setting this up

naw I am sure for 95% of PTZ users, the method @wittaj mentions will work as there are not many complaints about it other than...2 or 3.
IF I find an answer, I'll gladly share a verbose explanation. I think it's a user-error configuration issue (meaning.,...me!) with Blue Iris. OR....Blue Iris is expecting my Dahua SD4 with Andy's special firmware with auto-tracking, to handle the idle timeout back to home.

 

[Holbs]

Ken at Blue Iris...not Mike at Blue Iris. I have too many brothers named Mike & Ken that gets me confused.

 

[Coldair]

it certainly does not help when your speed dome suffers from ADHD

 

[Mike A.]

How about the checkbox for Search-back at startup/reset box at the bottom of the Camera control event schedule?

From the help file:

Event search-back also applies when using the option on the PTZ page to resume cycle/schedule after a period of time. This allows you to use manual PTZ control, yet return to a
normally schedule PTZ preset position after a period of time without manual PTZ control.

Not sure if that also affects things beyond the manual example when using the resume.

Also, instead of PTZ home maybe try using an actual preset. You'd kind of think that it would be the same effect but PTZ home is separate from the presets.

And I guess just double check that schedules are enabled and whatever profiles are active.

 

[wittaj]

I good test to try is to manually move the PTZ using the BI controls. Move it to a new spot and let it sit and see if it returns back. Mine does after 30 seconds.

I will post screenshots of the PTZ settings. I do not remember having to do anything under that tab, but maybe the default actions have changed since I set it up and a simple check box on that tab somewhere will make your work. If so, I will update the first post to reflect that.

 

[wittaj]

OK, here are a few areas in the PTZ camera settings that could impact it going back.

 

[Holbs]

Off the top of my head you are correct that looks like the default menu settings.
I did notice that one check mark to resume cycle/schedule after inactivity. I do wonder why that is there when there is already a break time on the main camera page. Either way for my settings I know I changed it all for 20 seconds for troubleshooting purposes as I didn't want to wait a full minute for all the testing I still have to do.
I did email Ken this morning well at least I did email the Blue Iris support email. Asking if Blue Iris sends the command to go back to preset home after a break time or is blue iris expecting the PTZ itself to manage that. And I asked a couple other questions

 

[Coldair]

good work. keep is posted as I would love to have my other cameras trigger the speed dome to respond

 

[wittaj]

I do remember that when I set up the poorman autotrack using spotter and clone cameras, I needed to create a patrol zone in BI that was just one preset and then checked the auto cycle box and that would get it back. But by the time I got the autotrack PTZ, something changed and it wasn't needed anymore.

 

[Holbs]

I good test to try is to manually move the PTZ using the BI controls. Move it to a new spot and let it sit and see if it returns back. Mine does after 30 seconds.

I will post screenshots of the PTZ settings. I do not remember having to do anything under that tab, but maybe the default actions have changed since I set it up and a simple check box on that tab somewhere will make your work. If so, I will update the first post to reflect that.

My PTZ does not go back home after any specified time after moving it manually.
So now I am thinking Blue Iris does indeed trigger and sends the preset during the initial trigger from spotter cam...but that's it. I bet it's now up to the PTZ to delay/idle timeout to go back HOME.
Digging through help file about break time I understand it a bit more and why there are two options in the "break time" window box of camera settings/trigger.
a.) end trigger unless re-triggered within: 10 seconds [variable time is set to your own liking]
b.) maximum trigger/alert duration: 60 seconds [variable time is set to your own liking]
Suppose you have a drunk naked guy doing just 1 jumping jack on your front lawn and it takes him 5 seconds. You will not have 5 seconds of recorded video but the entire triggered time of 15 seconds (Blue Iris resets trigger timer back to 0 for every re-trigger to start counting to 10 again ) , and only 1 alert image. How often/fast does it re-trigger while naked guy is hitting tripwires or motion? Unknown...I can only assume every second as a guess.
Suppose you have a drunk naked guy doing jumping jacks your front lawn for 4 minutes (240 seconds). Because he keeps initiating re-triggers, the max re-trigger possible is 60 seconds. Boom...a new trigger is started at 61 seconds. 2 more triggers. You will have 4 triggers and 4 alert images.

I do not think 'break time' has any bearing upon the PTZ going back home when idle, other than doing it's job when initially triggered and for how long the trigger lasts.

Just sharing some neat Blue Iris help info about break time as I never understood what it did til today

 

[wittaj]

Interesting.

If I move the PTZ in BI, after 30 seconds it returns back.

If I move the PTZ in the camera GUI, it stays there until I move it.

So my PTZ isn't administering the idle return time, it is BI.

Do all of your screens match mine above? Maybe time for a delete of the PTZ camera and re-add?

 

[Holbs]

Interesting.

If I move the PTZ in BI, after 30 seconds it returns back.

If I move the PTZ in the camera GUI, it stays there until I move it.

So my PTZ isn't administering the idle return time, it is BI.

Do all of your screens match mine above? Maybe time for a delete of the PTZ camera and re-add?

i'll try BI vs camera GUI and see.
yes my screen matches your's, as never dabbled with those screens before so must be default values. Considering deleting and rebuilding.
But this troubleshooting brings such joy

 

[wittaj]

So I deleted my spotter cam and PTZ in BI and re-added.

It works as intended and goes back. Confirmed a home setting is not in the PTZ.

 

[Holbs]

So I deleted my spotter cam and PTZ in BI and re-added.

It works as intended and goes back. Confirmed a home setting is not in the PTZ.

do you dabble with Wireshark at all? If home setting is not in the PTZ, it must be Blue Iris. And that means, Blue Iris has to notify the PTZ via HTTP ONVIF packets.

 

[wittaj]

I do not, but tell me how and I can see what happens

 

[TechieTech]

With mine in alert actions (or trigger if you aren't confirming alerts with Deepstack) in the spotter cam, I use a wait command and then a go to previous preset command.