Is is possible to randomize the patrol positions a PTZ camera does?

area651

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I'm experimenting with an Amcrest IP3m 941 (dahua rebranded) PTZ camera and setting up auto PTZ positions. I don't believe it matters but I'm actually not using the wifi on it right now and have it cabled on the LAN. I have 5 PTZ different positions that I have the PTZ cycling through and obviously, it goes Position 1, 2, 3, 4, then position 5. My thought is that if someone was watching this then they could easily see the pattern and decide when to scoot by undetected. Is there any way to set BI to randomize the next position it moves to instead of going in sequential order? It looks like "Auto-cycle Patrol" and "Auto reverse" are the only two options. Any ideas? thanks,
 

DarkHelmet

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if someone is actively watching where the camera is pointing, randomizing isnt going to matter. thats why its never good practice to try and cover multiple angles with a PTZ. get multiple stationary cameras instead. If you have 5 PTZ positions, then 4 are always unwatched, which is a big security hole. youll see this advise throughout the site
 

Mark_M

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Is BlueIris able to control the PTZ functions?
Could there be something within BI for present positions and have hundreds of them set to trigger throughout the day?
 

Mark_M

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Yes. BI can control the PTZ. Right click a PTZ camera, select the PTZ/Control tab. Edit Presets button.
There you go.
Spend an hour making hundreds of positions. Then slap the number pad for the time each one triggers.

If there's some "random" engine in BI to randomly trigger an event that would be better to link to presents in a list.
 

area651

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if someone is actively watching where the camera is pointing, randomizing isnt going to matter. thats why its never good practice to try and cover multiple angles with a PTZ. get multiple stationary cameras instead. If you have 5 PTZ positions, then 4 are always unwatched, which is a big security hole. youll see this advise throughout the site
While I agree with you on the practice, I didn't want to criticize the BI program itself. If that's a function they provide, I just wanted to understand how to use it. Definitely the more cameras the better but these are inside of the house so I wasn't too worried about it. I always chuckle that if someone's already to the point where these cameras are, then I probably have bigger problems. lol!
 
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