Desktop as ONVIF camera! Alternative to DeskCamera?

daru84

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Hi,

I want to transmit the desktop of a computer to Blue Iris. AFAIK there is a software called DeskCamera. So problem solved.

I just want to know if there is a cheaper but still easy way to do it cause the license itself costs 80$/desktop.

Thanks for any recommendations!
 

mat200

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Hi,

I want to transmit the desktop of a computer to Blue Iris. AFAIK there is a software called DeskCamera. So problem solved.

I just want to know if there is a cheaper but still easy way to do it cause the license itself costs 80$/desktop.

Thanks for any recommendations!
HI Daru

What are you attempting to capture? What is the purpose? There maybe an easier way to do what you want.
 

mat200

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Hi Mat,

sorry but I dunno what you mean with that.
Hi Daru,

I would look at your application you are using for the cashier software and see what sort of logging it does.
 

TonyR

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You can use Blue Iris to make the PC-based Point of Sale desktop viewable from any PC, tablet or smartphone on your LAN or remotely at least 2 ways that I know of:

Method #1: As you stated, you could use the 'DeskCamera' software, and the POS' desktop would appear as an ONVIF-compatible IP camera to Blue Iris, according to their claims. I have no way of verifying that but assuming it does, then one cam can be configured in Blue Iris to stream MJPG.

Method #2: If DeskCamera is NOT installed on the POS but Blue Iris is, I know for sure that one cam can be configured as in the 2 images below to stream MJPG.

Either way you create the stream, either with DeskCamera or Blue Iris, then Blue Iris will allow the stream to be available to any PC, tablet or smartphone on the LAN or remotely using a browser (I tested with Chrome on PC and Safari on iPhone) or on the Blue Iris smartphone app. For a browser, the URL is:

Code:
http://BI-server_IP:port/mjpg/{cam-short-name}/video.mjpg
Image #1 is the 'General' configuration.
Image #2 is the 'Video' configuration.
Image #3 is a screenshot of my Blue Iris cams, the desktop cam is at upper left.
Image #4 is a screenshot taken on my iPhone of the desktop cam while using the Blue Iris app via WAN, over the LTE cellular network. I minimized Blue Iris on my PC so the desktop would reveal the browser window on the IPCT forum!
Image #5 is a graphical representation of the 2 methods.

Image #1
BI_desktop-as-cam_config1.jpg

Image #2
BI_desktop-as-cam_config2.jpg

Image #3
BI_desktop-as-cam3.jpg

Image #4
BI_desktop-as-cam4.jpg

Image #5
BI_Desktop-Cam.jpg
 
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daru84

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Hi Tony,

thank you so much for that detailed manual!

I indeed know and tested method 2 already, but I am running BI on a non POS system which means I have to install BI on every POS I have then. Correct? If so, it's not the perfect solution yet.
 

TonyR

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Hi Tony,

thank you so much for that detailed manual!

I indeed know and tested method 2 already, but I am running BI on a non POS system which means I have to install BI on every POS I have then. Correct? If so, it's not the perfect solution yet.
Deskcamera is $72 per PC if you buy 5, BI is $60 per unit. Although I'm a BIG fan of BI, I cannot say that even at $12 more per PC that it would be unwise to go with Deskcamera. It boils down to which one does that single job (streaming the desktop) well and does so with little CPU overhead. The single most important job of the POS PC at that location is to function as a POS and I must assume you don't want ANY program slowing it down a lot or causing issues.

DC has 1 job and that's to turn the desktop into an ONVIF-compatible stream; you're familiar with BI and know it's somewhat of a 'Swiss Army Knife', very configurable. You may find that installing DC at each POS and streaming to BI on another PC is the best solution...time to try, test and make that call.

Good luck ! :D
 

bp2008

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It is a somewhat little-known fact that you can get additional BI licenses cheaper if you contact the developer and prove you own a copy already. Might get it cheaper still if you are willing to get the "LE" or single camera version just for the desktop streaming purpose.
 

daru84

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Is it possible to stream the desktop of my POS via Blue Iris to my "Main Blue Iris Surveillance Station"? I tried it once like Tony mentioned but BI was on the same computer.
 

TonyR

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Is it possible to stream the desktop of my POS via Blue Iris to my "Main Blue Iris Surveillance Station"? I tried it once like Tony mentioned but BI was on the same computer.
Yes. Either using BI's built-in webserver pages (UI3) or setting up another 'new' cam on your main BI station and view the raw h.264 stream from BI residing on the POS.
 

daru84

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A single camera license which then is needed costs only 30$. I think I will give it a try. Thanks to everybody for your help!
 

fenderman

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A single camera license which then is needed costs only 30$. I think I will give it a try. Thanks to everybody for your help!
you can get a full license for 30. just email support and they will ask for your current key.
 

daru84

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Yes. Either using BI's built-in webserver pages (UI3) or setting up another 'new' cam on your main BI station and view the raw h.264 stream from BI residing on the POS.
Hi Tony,
now I got BI installed on the POS. But...how to stream the desktop to my BI surveillance system? Can you please explain that to me in detail?
 

TonyR

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How to stream POS PC Desktop as a camera to a Blue Iris Server

  • Insure both the POS PC and the Blue Iris server PC have a unique, static IP address on LAN.
  • Install Blue Iris on the POS PC.
  • In POS PC's Blue Iris, on 'User' page, check 'Anonymous' or create a user with password.
  • In POS PC's Blue Iris, set up new camera as in image #1 'POS General' and #2 'POS Video'


Image #1: POS General
BI_POS_general.jpg

Image #2: POS Video
BI_POS_video.jpg

  • On Blue Iris server PC, set up new camera as in image #3 'Server General' and #4 'Server Config'.
  • Insure camera short name you noted in image #1 is put in the 'Video Path' as in image #4.

Image #3: Server General
BI_server_general.jpg

Image #4: Server Config
BI_server_config.jpg
 
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TonyR

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@daru84 , see above. Holler back if issues, this is running on my BI server (as your POS) and is streamed to a Lenovo ThinkPad with a demo version of BI (as your BI server) and works great as configured in the text and images.

Sorry it took some time...some of us old farts spend lots of time driving back and forth (30 miles each way) to doctor appointments and sitting in waiting rooms! :facepalm:
 

daru84

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@TonyR , OMG Tony that is perfect!! I don't know how to thank you for this! I haven't try it so far cuz I think it will take me some time to figure out the static IP but you are amazing!! I will let you know when it works!

btw My POS and my PC are not in the same network! Does it work then? Through the internet?

I think I need a DNS service which convert my static ip address into a www reachable address, correct? Any recommendations for that?
 
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TonyR

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btw My POS and my PC are not in the same network! Does it work then? Through the internet?
Yes, read this ==>> Show cam stream from a Remote BI server on a Local BI server

I think I need a DNS service which convert my static ip address into a www reachable address, correct? Any recommendations for that?
Yes, that's "DDNS" (2 D's). I use no-ip.com but I have 2 dozen hostnames for a fee. Check DNSDynamic for 1 free one.[/user][/user]
 
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Mateo

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Hi,
I want to transmit the desktop of a computer to Blue Iris. AFAIK there is a software called DeskCamera. So problem solved.
I just want to know if there is a cheaper but still easy way to do it cause the license itself costs 80$/desktop.
Thanks for any recommendations!
I test all software best is ITV Desk Home page - ITV Desk - Computer desktop video surveillance over Onvif IP camera, he fast, simple and support all onvif profile and many stream video/audio codec.
The price is real, twice less than others.
 
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