Must an IP camera have a http connect string ?

here is that extra info:
the URLs must be http://x.x.x.x with x.x.x.x = the IP or the host name of your IP camera

• if the IP camera does not stream on the default 80 port, you have to specify the also port after the IP, separated by a “:”, e.g. for the port 6015:
  http://x.x.x.x:6015/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?camera=&resolution=640x480

E.g. for the A-Linking camera just below, if the IP camera is 192.168.0.120 use http://192.168.0.120/GetData.cgi
A-Linking
/GetData.cgi

Airwave
/cgi-bin/pusher.cgi

Arecont
/mjpeg

Aviosys
/GetData.cgi

Aviosys 9060-I
/cgi-bin/Stream?Video?Authorization=

Axis IP camera in MJPEG format
/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi
/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?camera=&resolution=320x240
/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?camera=&resolution=640x480

Axis IP camera in MPEG4 format
axrtsp/mpeg4/media.amp (http)
axrtsphttps://x.x.x.x/mpeg4/media.amp (https)

Remark: to use the Axis camera in MPEG4 format, you need to install:

• the AXIS Media Control (AMC) that you can download from http://www.axis.com/techsup/software/amc/index.htm
• the AXIS MPEG4 decoder that you can install directly from your IP camera at this page: /incl/license.shtml
  Axis (IP video server, several cameras) in MJPEG format
  /axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?camera=1&resolution=320x240
  /axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?camera=2&resolution=320x240
  /axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?camera=3&resolution=320x240
  /axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?camera=4&resolution=320x240
  /axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?camera=quad&resolution=704x576 (4 x 4 layout of the 4 inputs)

Axis (IP video server, several cameras) in MPEG4 format
For the MPEG4 formats below, replace /n/ by the number of the camera, e.g. axrtsp/mpeg4/3/media.amp for the camera 3
axrtsp/mpeg4/n/media.amp (http)
axrtsphttps://x.x.x.x/mpeg4/n/media.amp (https)

Bosch
/snap.jpg?

Convision
/fullsize.push?camera=1&sleep=15

Digicom
/mjpeg.cgi

D-Link
/_gCVimage.jpg
/cgi-bin/video.jpg
/mjpeg.cgi
/cgi-bin/video.vam

Ego PT-200
/cgi-bin/sf.cgi

Fulicom FC-CR1060
/cgi-bin/sf.cgi

Gadspot
/GetData.cgi?Status=0
/Jpeg/CamImg.jpg

Kingnow PT200
/cgi-bin/sf.cgi

Hamlet
HNIPC30W
/mjpeg.cgi

Intellinet
/jpg/image.jpg
or
/temp/image.jpg
(you may have to enable the direct HTTP image access in the setup of the camera)

IP Cam waterproof Infrared IP Camera: http://ipcam.en.ecplaza.net/11.asp
/snapshot.cgi

IQeye
/now.jpg?snap=spush

Linksys WVC54G & WVC200
/img/mjpeg.cgi
(MJPEG mode activated with SendIPCameraCommand (“/adm/file.cgi?h_videotype=mjpeg&todo=save”)

mms://x.x.x.x/img/video.asf
(ASF mode activated with SendIPCameraCommand (“/adm/file.cgi?h_videotype=mpeg4&todo=save”)

Linudix
/cgi-bin/nph-update_4ch.cgi?ch=1

Lumenera
/cgi-bin/nph-video

Pixord
/getimage?camera=1&fmt=full (full size)
/getimage?camera=1&fmt=qsif (half size)
/getimage?camera=1&fmt=sif (quarter size)

PLANET ICA-108
/jpg/image.jpg

Skyway Security
/GetData.cgi?Status=0
/Jpeg/CamImg.jpg

Sony
MJPG stream: /image
MJPG stream: /image?speed=0
JPG images: /oneshotimage.jpg
Mobotix
/record/current.jpg
/faststream.jpg?stream=full&fps=1.0 (1 fps)
/faststream.jpg?stream=full&fps=3.0 (1 fps)
/faststream.jpg?stream=full&fps=0 (max frame rate)

Moxa
//cgi-bin/video.jpg

Panasonic
/nphMotionJpeg?Resolution=640x480&Quality=Clarity
/cgi-bin/camera

Surecom
/mjpeg.cgi

Shenzen Sunsky S-NC-0201: http://www.sun-usb.com/product/details/S-NC-0201.htm
/cgi-bin/sf.cgi

Topcom
Wireless IP cam 2000
/mjpeg.cgi

Toshiba
/__live.jpg?&&&

Trendnet: http://trendnet.com/products/products.asp?cat=48
/cgi/mjpg/mjpg.cgi (TV-IP410)
/GetData.cgi
/image.jpg
/goform/video
/goform/video2

Vilar Max T200
/cgi-bin/sf.cgi

Vivotek
/cgi-bin/video.jpg

yes, I saw that info in wdwebcamcapture (or at least, something very similar), and since my camera wasn’t listed, started going through the list trying everyone of them - then gave up when 2 sources told me there was no http connection to this camera.

All may not be lost if you are prepared to take a walk on the techie side. Here is a barebones procedure for grabbing a static image (jpg) from an rtsp stream.

Download ffmpeg from https://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/ and unzip to a folder of your choice, no installation is necessary.

Using a text editor e.g. notepad create a batch file with this all on one line:

c:\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg -y -i rtsp://username:[email protected]/Streaming/Channels/1 -ss 00:00:01.500 -f image2 -vframes 1 c:\wdisplay\webfiles\camcap.jpg

Replace "c:\ffmpeg\bin" with the path to ffmpeg.exe (based on where you put it)

Replace “rtsp://username:[email protected]/Streaming/Channels/1” with the rtsp link address for your webcam

Replace “c:\wdisplay\webfiles\camcap.jpg” with the desired name and destination of the .jpg

Save that file as something.bat

Using the text editor create a file with this text

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run chr(34) & "C:\ffmpeg\bin\something.bat" & Chr(34), 0
Set WshShell = Nothing

(Replacing “C:\ffmpeg\bin\something.bat” with the name/location of the .bat file)

Save this file as something.vbs

Double click something.vbs and verify that it works, it runs silently (no window) but should create the .jpg

Use windows task scheduler to run something.vbs however often you want to update the webcam images. Point WD’s webcam function to the .jpg and choose an update schedule that’s compatible with the image creation schedule (giving the image creation time to complete).

I played with this on Win 7 (on Win 10 you may have some security issues to overcome) and using my Hikvision webcam’s rtsp stream.

Note: Updated 4/26/18 to run without command window.

Replace "rtsp://username:[email protected]/Streaming/Channels/1" with the rtsp link address for your webcam

is that url able to be viewed in a web page? if so then it still might work as the url to use in WD webcamcapture

Real Time Streaming Protocol, I don’t believe so. It will open in a video player like VLC but not directly in a browser (maybe with a plugin).

yes, the browser needs a plug-in for RTSP

So, I’m guessing the answer to my original question is “yes - the only way to use an IP camera with WD is for it to have a http connect string as outlined in wdwebcamcapture” ?

according to a demo of the component I use , rtsp will work
http://www.weather-display.com/downloadfiles/MainDemo.zip
have you actually tried using that?
i.e
Replace “rtsp://username:[email protected]/Streaming/Channels/1” with the rtsp link address for your webcam

"RTSP H264/MPEG4 mode:

Note: this mode requires TVideoGrabber 8.5.2.2 or higher, and to install an additional DirectShow source filter, e.g. the Datastead RTSP/RTMP Source filter is suitable."

http://www.datastead.com/products/rtsprtmpsrc.html

It worked after I downloaded and installed the Datastead RTSP/RTMP Source filter, but without that installed it couldn’t open my rtsp stream.

that’s good that the demo worked
does the latest wdwebcamcapture program work then?

I’ll get a fresh copy and try again.

It does indeed work! Thank you both.

I tried the demo, and it didn’t work, then I installed the component suggested by niko and the demo worked. I then copied the connect string into wdwebcamcapture - and it works too.

Great - I don’t have to buy another camera after-all.

Hmmm, you did better than me, the demo worked, but not WD’s webcamcapture. Note that the download I linked is only a demo.

Does it still work in WD if you uninstall the component (and restart WD)?

yes, wdwebcamcapture 10.28 (might not be the latest) seems to be working fine.

One question though: the “log file window” (or whatever you call it on the left side of the image in wdwebcamcapture) shows the text “copying temp file to bla”, “Saving as temp file bla” repeating every second. This seems unnecessary processing and disk activity - is this as expected ?

you must have set the file save update rate as 1 second

It seems the minimum is once per minute - however restarting wdwebcamcapture has it saving every minute now.

However another problem has surfaced. The DataStead RTSP filter that I installed from niko’s link is an evaluation version that says it stops working after “a few minutes to a few hours”. I didn’t notice it stopping, but it put an “evaluation version” text across the picture. This text disappeared when I restarted wdwebcamcapture, so I’ve ticked the “restart regularly” box in wdwebcamcapture and I’ll see if that restarts it often enough to keep the annoying text away.

Whoa, $950 8O

hmmm - the “restart regularly” isn’t enough to keep the annoying messages away all the time. I get a couple of periods/day, some that last an hour-or-more. Still, there’s no way this hobbyist is ever going to spend $950 to get a weather camera going (especially when the camera itself was only $60!)

Maybe Brian can find an affordable rtsp stream component, or you could try the free solution I outlined above.