UI7 - "Dear MiOS Development Partner" email

[Marc Shenker]

Cameras support is a grey area. Vera does not support ptz and other functions unless there is an appropriate I_xxx.xml file for that camera or a plugin is tailored for it. You should only expect support for getting an image for it. The problem lies in that every make / model uses a different api to retrieve the image and controls. To support every camera would be a pain! Do not expect out of the box support on full control besides an image with vera without some hacking / fiddling.

Adding a camera as a generic camera will only get you support for retrieving the image.

- Garrett

garrettwp, you hit the nail on the head. For the most part no two are alike regarding ptz and non Vera cameras require a plugin whether it is integrated into the UI or a 3rd party plugin and then there are some cameras that cannot be integrated at all because of walls that are put up by the manufacturer.

The response that @mht got was not acceptable and the Tech Support staff member is being spoken to.

By the way, I don't think that I have ever mentioned here that I have been producing a series of videos that is geared towards newer users to help them understand what Vera can do and how to do it. These are not geared to more advanced users such as yourselves but as some of you are answer questions for others they could be helpful. One of our goals with the videos is to eliminate some of the basic questions going into Tech Support to free up our staff to deal with more advanced issues. If you subscribe to the channel you will get notifications when new videos are added. Door locks are going to be the next two.
youtube.com/veratraining.

[BOFH]

I agree with the camera support as it's been biting me as well. Luckily recently the Blue Iris plugin became available which offloads camera support on a PC running a Windows OS and the excellent Blue Iris camera server software.my Ui5 main Vera still runs a mix of camera's on various plugins but my Ui7 test Vera has all camera's running the Blue Iris plugin as to save memory as well. The drawback is having to run a Windows computer 24/7 but as I am already running a WHS2011 one, that is no big deal for me. I just had to beef it up spec wise.

I much rather GetVera focus on getting Ui7 stable and ready for prime time than trying to develop support for as many IP camera's as possible.

[mrv777]

I agree with the camera support as it's been biting me as well. Luckily recently the Blue Iris plugin became available which offloads camera support on a PC running a Windows OS and the excellent Blue Iris camera server software.my Ui5 main Vera still runs a mix of camera's on various plugins but my Ui7 test Vera has all camera's running the Blue Iris plugin as to save memory as well. The drawback is having to run a Windows computer 24/7 but as I am already running a WHS2011 one, that is no big deal for me. I just had to beef it up spec wise.

I much rather GetVera focus on getting Ui7 stable and ready for prime time than trying to develop support for as many IP camera's as possible.

+1

BlueIris is great.  I run it in a VM and I have had no issues with it or getting it to work through my Vera.  I would prefer attention at working on UI7's stability and performance.  Then adding new features like more camera support.

[mht]

I don't won't to hijack this tread since it's isn't a thread about my specific camera problems. But I feel I must make some comments and correct one of my earlier statements.

chixxi:
I am using the impl file that you linked to.

rstrouse:
I have checked all parameters that is used in the luup.inet.wget command in my impl file. I have good knowledge about the camera commands and I am sure the pan/tilt commands are correct and has also tested them in other enviroment including a regular browser.


When testing the luup.inet.wget command in the "Test luup code (Lua)" I get the correct camera response. So I was wrong when I in my previous post claimed that the luup.inet.wget didn't perform authentication. The funny thing however is that the identical luup.inet.wget command inside the imp file doesn't work. According to wireshark logs the correct command is sent from vera but without authentication. So my results suggest that the luup.inet.wget command is working correct but not from within my impl file.

I only have limited knowledge in reading the log file from vera. In the log with timestamp 19:59:09.622 there is no username and password. I think there should be when I know that the parameters in the luup.inet.wget is correct.

Update January 30:
Today I recieved an email from Vera support: My colleagues from the development have acknowledged that there is indeed a bug in the current firmware. Since the January release is already to be released on Monday, they cannot include the fix in this build, however, it will be included in the February release.

Code: [Select]

08 01/28/15 19:59:09.490 JobHandler_LuaUPnP::HandleActionRequest device: 17 service: urn:micasaverde-com:serviceId:PanTiltZoom1 action: MoveUp <0x74147520>
08 01/28/15 19:59:09.490 JobHandler_LuaUPnP::HandleActionRequest argument DeviceNum=17 <0x74147520>
08 01/28/15 19:59:09.490 JobHandler_LuaUPnP::HandleActionRequest argument serviceId=urn:micasaverde-com:serviceId:PanTiltZoom1 <0x74147520>
08 01/28/15 19:59:09.490 JobHandler_LuaUPnP::HandleActionRequest argument action=MoveUp <0x74147520>
08 01/28/15 19:59:09.491 JobHandler_LuaUPnP::HandleActionRequest argument rand=0.8716865025926381 <0x74147520>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.491 Job::Job created <0x10a4e08> name job#33 : dev:17 (0x10a4e08) <0x74147520>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.491 JobHandler::AddJob job#33 : dev:17 (0x10a4e08) P:50 S:0 <0x10a4e08>  type Lua_Job first 0 size 0 <0x74147520>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.492 JobHandler::PurgeCompletedJobs force 0 purge job size: 1 blocking 0 delete 30 <0x776c6000>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.492 JobHandler::Run jobs 1 blocking jobs 0 <0x776c6000>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.492 JobHandler::Run ready to run job#33 : dev:17 (0x10a4e08) P:50 S:0  status 0 <0x10a4e08> priority 50 tNextRunAttempt 0 <0x776c6000>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.493 FileUtils::ReadURL starting user:xx pass:yy http://192.168.1.101/cgi/ptdc.cgi?command=set_relative_pos&posY=-10&posX=0 <0x776c6000>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.494 luvd_get_info_data_request creating file buffer /data_request?id=lu_action&DeviceNum=17&serviceId=urn:micasaverde-com:serviceId:PanTiltZoom1&action=MoveUp&rand=0.8716865025926381 pMem 0x1122000/17965056 diff: 3805184 <0x74147520>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.434 luvd_get_info_data_request creating file buffer /data_request?id=lu_status&DataVersion=471506093&MinimumDelay=1000&Timeout=60&LoadTime=1421859974&rand=0.2929283892735839 pMem 0x1122000/17965056 diff: 3805184 <0x74347520>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.497 luvd_get_info_data_request done /data_request?id=lu_status&DataVersion=471506093&MinimumDelay=1000&Timeout=60&LoadTime=1421859974&rand=0.2929283892735839 ret 0 size 33552 pMem 0x1122000/17965056 diff: 3805184 took 0 info (nil) <0x74347520>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.497 mg_callback /data_request stop id: 72 <0x74347520>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.499 luvd_get_info_data_request done /data_request?id=lu_action&DeviceNum=17&serviceId=urn:micasaverde-com:serviceId:PanTiltZoom1&action=MoveUp&rand=0.8716865025926381 ret 0 size 143 pMem 0x1122000/17965056 diff: 3805184 took 0 info (nil) <0x74147520>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.499 mg_callback /data_request stop id: 72 <0x74147520>
10 01/28/15 19:59:09.622 FileUtils::ReadURL resp:200 size 53 http://192.168.1.101/cgi/ptdc.cgi?command=set_relative_pos&posY=-10&posX=0 <0x776c6000>
25 01/28/15 19:59:09.622 LuaInterface::CallFunction_Job device 17 function SPanTiltZoom1_PanTiltZoom1_MoveUp_job didn't return a value <0x776c6000>


[rstrouse]

rstrouse:
I have checked all parameters that is used in the luup.inet.wget command in my impl file. I have good knowledge about the camera commands and I am sure the pan/tilt commands are correct and has also tested them in other enviroment including a regular browser.


When testing the luup.inet.wget command in the "Test luup code (Lua)" I get the correct camera response. So I was wrong when I in my previous post claimed that the luup.inet.wget didn't perform authentication. The funny thing however is that the identical luup.inet.wget command inside the imp file doesn't work. According to wireshark logs the correct command is sent from vera but without authentication. So my results suggest that the luup.inet.wget command is working correct but not from within my impl file.

I only have limited knowledge in reading the log file from vera. In the log with timestamp 19:59:09.622 there is no username and password. I think there should be when I know that the parameters in the luup.inet.wget is correct.

Start a thread and post your implementation file there we'll get you some help.  Your likely problem is that username and password are nil because they are stored out of scope for your call.  The call stack and heap for the I_ file can be a mystery but once you understand its context it becomes entirely clear.  Btw this is not a Vera problem and I'm sure we can help you out with this.

[hek]

Hmm.. Found this thread today (mostly check the Arduino-plugin part of the forum).

I never got the "developer email".   
 

[Marc Shenker]

@hek

The email that is going referred to is the first post on this thread. Not everyone everyone received it do to a snafu with the email service we used.  This is a follow up post from Colin regarding developer boxes for those how have developed plugins or apps and need a UI7 box to test on.

Quick follow up on this thread and dev samples status. I know that Marc got quite a few units shipped out late last week, but there are still many developers that have yet to respond. In order to expedite, simplify, and track the process we've loaded all the current development partners into a MailChimp list.

You can use the link below provide/update your ship to address (and phone) directly.

http://eepurl.com/bbMORj

You'll get follow up emails from this distribution list (and or Marc) with additional info/updates this week.

[hek]

Ok, thanks @Marc.

Filled out the details.

[RHINESEL]

Cameras support is a grey area. Vera does not support ptz and other functions unless there is an appropriate I_xxx.xml file for that camera or a plugin is tailored for it. You should only expect support for getting an image for it. The problem lies in that every make / model uses a different api to retrieve the image and controls. To support every camera would be a pain! Do not expect out of the box support on full control besides an image with vera without some hacking / fiddling.

Adding a camera as a generic camera will only get you support for retrieving the image.

- Garrett

garrettwp, you hit the nail on the head. For the most part no two are alike regarding ptz and non Vera cameras require a plugin whether it is integrated into the UI or a 3rd party plugin and then there are some cameras that cannot be integrated at all because of walls that are put up by the manufacturer.

The response that @mht got was not acceptable and the Tech Support staff member is being spoken to.

By the way, I don't think that I have ever mentioned here that I have been producing a series of videos that is geared towards newer users to help them understand what Vera can do and how to do it. These are not geared to more advanced users such as yourselves but as some of you are answer questions for others they could be helpful. One of our goals with the videos is to eliminate some of the basic questions going into Tech Support to free up our staff to deal with more advanced issues. If you subscribe to the channel you will get notifications when new videos are added. Door locks are going to be the next two.
youtube.com/veratraining.

Why is it then that Vera's own branded camera requires a plug-in for PTZ and as far as I know speaker/audio isn't supported?

[airedale]

I don't know if I am alone in this, but all of this camera talk is detracting from the main point of this thread, which is to discuss an improvement in community relations with the developers. A new thread on the topic would probably be a better approach.

[bucko]

Indeed, please do not hijack this thread with banter about cams. Allow Marc to concentrate on the important issue of getting Vera on track and usable. Start another thread for these other issues.

[TC1]

...and another developer leaves.

http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,30450.msg0/

[racarter]

@TC1 - and a telling quote from automator.app, I think:

"Companies that actively support users and developers while providing open communication in this burgeoning market will thrive."

[macrho]

He has a pretty good point there but didn't say where he's going.
If I can find out where everyone is going with this exodus, I'll join along, don't want to be left with the rats

@TC1 - and a telling quote from automator.app, I think:

"Companies that actively support users and developers while providing open communication in this burgeoning market will thrive."

[akbooer]

... don't want to be left with the rats

No, no.  You have that wrong.  It's the rats that go first