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Cool case study with Frisco School of Music

Hi Everyone!

Frisco School of Music in Frisco, Texas has shared from test footage from (4) PTZOptics 12X-SDI cameras. Frisco School of Music uses Wirecast streaming over IP with the PTZOptics cameras IP video output. The HD-SDI video output is a secondary option they use with a black magic video input card for their PC. As you can see the video stream is clear and low light scenarios look great. Thanks for this test footage!

ONVIF and UVC Converging

Hello AV & IT Pro’s,

The convergence between network video, usually used for video surveillance and web video conferencing, predominately used for online meetings, are benefiting organizations in some pretty cool new ways. The first time I saw these technologies come together was with the first time I used a regular USB webcam as a security camera with USB motion recording software. That was back in 2012 and a lot has changed.

Now PTZOptics offers cameras with built in UVC control, a camera control protocol for web conferencing software providers like GoToMeeting and Zoom.US, & ONVIF control, a camera control protocol used for surveillance video software like Axis, ExacqVision and Milestone, all built into just one camera! This means AV professionals can install 1 camera that that takes care of HD video conferencing and video surveillance all in one solution. Most video surveillance systems such as: Milestone, ExacqVision and Axis warmly accept H.264 IP streams with ONVIF control. Since the PTZOptics line also has USB 3.0 you can use the same camera with almost any web conferencing provider from Google Hangouts to WebEX. So now the high end board room users and facilities managers can finally agree on a win win camera solution!

What is ONVIF?

ONVIF stands for Open Network Video Interface and wikipedia says “ONVIF is a global and open industry forum with the goal to facilitate the development and use of a global open standard for the interface of physical IP-based security products.” Bascially this standard is used for video surveillance software to interact with the Pan Tilt Zoom controls of a network IP camera.

What is UVC Control?

UVC stands for “USB Video Class” Control software which is mainly used by web video conferencing software providers like GoToMeeting and Zoom.US. This control protocol allows web conferencing software to build in Pan Tilt Zoom control through the USB connection of a capable camera.

Here are just a few cameras that support UVC Control:

Logitech CC3000e
HuddleCam 12X
HuddleCam 18X
PTZOptics 12X-USB
PTZOptics 20X-USB

Local Network vs the Cloud?

Most IT departments will prefer local network control for cameras when possible. In this case IP control is ideal because it’s low bandwidth and the users never have to leave the network. For cloud conferencing software providers like VSee, Zoom.US and GoToMeeting UVC control is preferred. I personally always prefer local control in a web-browser but UVC control has been getting better in recent history and it is nice to have everything managed in one app. In the future most control will come delivered right through UVC controllable cameras and software.

How can open source camera control help?

If you have made it this far in our technical blog post you might also be interested in PTZOptics open source control platform. PTZOptics offers a completely open source IP control software to software developers with a HTML and Javascript know-how. Software developers can integrate the open source code into custom projects as simple as a custom web browser and as complex as existing web conferencing software. With open source UVC, UDP and TCP protocols PTZOptics offers something for any programmer.

Get the Open Source Code!

I’m not that tech savvy:
That’s okay don’t worry. The PTZOptics cameras come with a stock IP control software GUI. Plus you can download a free Android app to control the camera over your network. Customizing the software is only something experienced programmers work with. But you may still be able to benefit from the community of programmers on GitHub trading ideas and offering improved scripts.

I’m more of a Crestron/AMX/Extron Programmer
Cool! That’s the world we live in. You can download our pre-written modules for Crestron or VISCA command modules that will work with AMX/Extron. We can help you integrate your control system with RS-232 so your programmers can spend more time on the project where they need to!

Download the Crestron/Extron Programming Codes

I just want to learn more:

If you just want to learn more maybe the PTZOptics Academy is the right place for you! The PTZOptics Academy offers free training available 24/7 for online classes. You can log in and start taking interactive Audio Visual classes to get up to speed quickly and easily.

PTZOptics Open Source TCP UDP CGI Control

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the PTZOptics community! So you know what “open source” is. But what is “TCP UDP CGI” Control. TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol. UDP stands for User Datagram Protocol. Both protocols provide a way to send data over IP. For PTZOptics that means we have prebuilt HTML & Javascript files you can customize to build custom web interface controls for your cameras. Our customers have had so much success with this we have decided to create a open source file database where our technical engineers oversee revisions and changes. You can request a download of our open source code here and you can learn more about the protocol here.

New PTZOptics IP Control Software

Hey Folks!

PTZOptics is now offering new software addition for our IP Control software! If you have already seen our IP GUI control software then you know each PTZOptics camera includes IP control. With this additional software (completely free and open source) you can customize your experience and add preset buttons. This software has been used by houses of worship and enterprise clients alike to control multiple cameras using a simple web browser. For example: You can use multiple chrome browser tabs for each camera view OR design one layout that in a single chrome browser tab to control multiple cameras and presets. Take a look at the open source free panel that you can customize to your liking. (Click to view full image)

Posted by Paul Richards
IP Camera Control
IP Camera Control, open source, PTZOptics IP Control
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Enterprise Connect Show 2015

PTZOptics had a great time at Enterprise Connect show this year for 2015! PTZOptics debut show at Enterprise Connect had a huge turn out! It was cool to show off the PTZOptics cameras right next to big names like: Vaddio, Panasonic, Polycom and Cisco. Showing off our broadcast video conferencing cameras available with USB, HD-SDI, HDMI and USB simultaneous outputs really made people turn heads looking at our price point. We continue to provide high quality broadcast video conferencing cameras that are affordable.

Beyond USB

Let’s take a look at the markets we see these camera(s) serving beyond USB.

In listening to the feedback from our clients we realized there was a great interest in SDI capabilities for small broadcast studios.

The American security market has also been shifting from an all IP model to an SDI model in addition to IP for certain scenarios so we thought adding the potential to become a part of a security system adds another level of value to the cameras. From a streaming perspective we are working towards first conforming to ONVIF followed by attempting to achieve certification so that the camera used for conferencing could also act as an extension of your NVR, such as Milestone Genetec, ExacqVision to name a few. Creating a dual purpose to the device.

We also have had a lot of requests for the ability for the camera to accommodate overflow rooms or corporate wide announcements; as a result we have worked to incorporate H.264 RTSP streaming from these cameras so you could pull this up in VLC as an RTSP stream or we are also working to have PTZOptics IP Decoders that will allow for easy deployment of overflow rooms in any building with existing audio and display infrastructure.

They are ultimately serving a few markets that a traditional PTZ USB camera is unable to achieve without a multitude of add-ons.