video server help

Setting up i-Catcher Console to work with i-Catcher Video Server

One of the most useful ways to use i-Catcher Video Server is to connect i-Catcher Console to its feeds. The following example is a typical Video Server/Console configuration. i-Catcher Video Server is running on a computer connected to the internet, that already has an existing web server on it. i-Catcher Console is running on an internal computer on the local network. This configuration allows a quick check of the feeds via the internet, through i-Catcher Video Server's Live Feed Page, but keeps the recording process internal.

The computer with i-Catcher Video Server has an internal IP Address of 10.1.3.10, and only one supported capture card, a ViewCast Osprey 100. All four ports will be used, and all ports will have monitoring enabled.

After installing i-Catcher Video Server and Console onto the appropriate computers, the next step is to configure Video Server.

Configure the network settings

Since we want to be able to use the live feed page from the internet, and also serve images internally, we will leave the IP Address field set to 0.0.0.0, that is, "Use all available IP Addresses". We will change the port however, as we are already running a web server on the Video Server computer. A sensible value of 81 has been chosen for this. The maximum number of connections is adequate.

After changing these settings, remember to click on "Set" to apply them.

Start the Video Server

Now that the network settings are set appropriately, we can start i-Catcher Video Server. Do this by clicking on the "Start" button. You may find that very little happens at the moment, because nothing is attempting to acquire video data from the video server. The monitoring views may only display the words "waiting for capture request" until an actual image request is made. This is normal.

Configure i-Catcher Console

Now that i-Catcher Video Server is up and running, we can configure i-Catcher Console. Most of the configuration required is supplied by default, so we only need to change a few settings. 

Add a new local feed

Click on the "Local Feeds" button in i-Catcher Console. A window will pop-up showing all the locally operated feeds that i-Catcher Console knows about. "Local Feeds" actually means feeds that are controlled by a local slave copy of i-Catcher Sentry, called a node. Each node can be acquiring images from either a local camera or a network feed, such as i-Catcher Video Server. 

Click on "Add" to add a new feed. Another window will pop-up asking for the name of the new feed. Note that this is the NAME of the feed, not its address. Something like "Video Server Feed 1" will do fine. Click on "OK" to confirm the new feed name. i-Catcher Console will create a new node for our new feed, which can be seen to be operating by the presence of a new i-Catcher node icon in the bottom right corner of the screen (System Tray). 

Set the feed address

Since the new node knows nothing about the Video Server feed other than that it exists,  we need to tell it the device type (Network Source) and location. Select the newly created feed in the "Local Feeds" window, and click on "Devices". After a moment, another window will pop-up, allowing you to adjust the source of the feed. Ensure that "Network Device" is selected in the list, and then click on "Video Source". A further window will pop-up, requesting the address of this feed. Enter the address http://10.1.3.10:81/camera.cgi?1, and click "OK". The preview window that popped up when you added a new local feed will change to show the video output of i-Catcher Video Server, and you will be returned to the Local Feeds window.

Set up the remaining ports

Now we can proceed to set up the remaining ports in the same way. Just change the 1 in the name and address to the appropriate port number (1 to 4). When you are finished you should have 4 local feeds called "Video Server Feed x", where x is the port number of i-Catcher Video Server that is being captured. Click on "Close" in the Local Feeds window, and click on "Start Monitoring" in the main i-Catcher Console window. You should see the feeds from i-Catcher Video Server. At this point can use i-Catcher Console just as you would in any other scenario. For more information, see the i-Catcher Console support pages.