Summary

We have tested network cameras from three vendors with Elvis: Advantech, Axis and Mobotix.

Details

As always, we are interesed in standardized solutions. For integration of video streams in Windows applications the ActiveX interface can be regarded as standard. By this all components (camera, video server, driver and user interface) are from a single source ensuring optimal interworking. Elvis just has to host the ActiveX control – an easy task for Elvis!

Hint: Unfortunately the property pages of some of the ActiveX controls assume to be displayed in a modal dialog (dialog with OK button). But Elvis uses a non-modal property dialog to allow to continue working with the dialog kept open. Sometimes this leads to the problems that entered data is not saved.

Workaround in these cases:

1. Use the “raw” property page by holding the Ctrl and Shift keys down when opening the property dialog.
2. Use a terminal event handler (see examples below).

Advantech

We tested the ADAM-6090 camera. The ActiveX devliered with the camera must be installed first. Setting the IP address of the camera in the property page was not possible in the tested version (Gif89).

But using the following event handler worked:

Sub Form_Load() Form.Gif1.RemoteHost = "192.XXX.XXX.XXX" Form.Gif1.Play End Sub

Notes: Gif1 = the Name of the control (may be chosen freely). Instead of the fixed IP address, of course a Text datapoint may be used:

Sub Form_Load() Form.Gif1.RemoteHost = Database.Datapoint("IP Adresse Kamera").ActualValue Form.Gif1.Play End Sub

Axis

We tested the 2120 camera.

The “CamImage” ActiveX control delivered until recently also had problems saving the IP address. Solution as above, but instead RemoteHost, the property URL has to be set:

Form.CamImage1.URL = "http://192.XXX.XXX.XXX/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi" bzw. Form.CamImage1.URL = "http://" & Database.Datapoint("IP Adresse Kamera").ActualValue & "/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi"

For the network server 2400+ the individial channels can be selected as follows  (/2/ is the channel number):

Form.CamImage1.URL = "http://192.XXX.XXX.XXX/mjpg/2/video.mjpg"

The new “Axis Media Control” works without problems (the IP can be enetered and is remembered). Download
directly from Axis:  http://www.axis.com/techsup/software/amc/index.htm

Mobotix

We tested the M22M camera.

For a long time, Mobotix did not supply ActiveX controls for their cameras; this has now changed: the control can be downloaded from http://developer.mobotix.com/ocx/MxPEG_ActiveX.html. The page says that it will only run in Internet Explorer, but according to our tests it supports Elvis as well. The installation has to be done manually:

• extract the MxPEG_ActiveX.ocx from the CAB file into an arbitrary directory (e.g. using WinZIP)
• then register the control as described in KB000001.

To view the camera image on a page:

• add the control “MxPEG_ActiveX Control” (from the library “MxPEG_ActiveX ActiveX control module”)
• open the property dialog, page “General” and enter the IP address, user name and password