Alert Security Systems

[MickeyS]

Does the Commander software have to be running for the camera to record motion?Can I install the Commander software on more than one computer? Can they run simultaneously? I want to have a laptop always running the software on the first floor and be able to have my desktop computer also running when I am on the second floor. 

[UselessS]

The first question is easy...no, the motion detection and recording are all done within the camera itself.

The second and subsequent questions are a bit messy...and you could make a mess...Alert is designed to have one and only one Alert Commander "master" for the cameras.  I'd recommend trying to use something like VLC player to view the RTSP streams on other PCs instead of trying to have another instance of Alert Commander running simutaneously.

[F4U_Corsair]

If latency isn't an issue, using alert.logitech.com and your browser is also another way of using other PC's for camera viewing.

[MickeyS]

Thanks for the reply, I'll use one computer with the Commander software, can you explain how to use VLC to view the RTSP stream on the other pc's?It sounds like a better way to do things, thanks again  for your assisstance.

[UselessS]

Once you install VLC player, just setup a shortcut similar to the following ( this one is on an XP machine )...

"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" rtsp://192.168.123.123/LowResolutionVideo

Above is for low resolution, below is for high resolution...

"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" rtsp://192.168.123.123/HighResolutionVideo

...just substitute your camera's IP ( reserve them in your router to keep them from changing, Alert Commander Diagnostics will also tell you their IP ).  If you have set a password for your Alert camera network, a couple more things have to be added, but above should work if not.

[MickeyS]

When you refer to a shortcut, are talking about opening a network stream or just a stream? I went to the media menu on VLC  and those were the only menu items that made sense. Thanks for the help.

[UselessS]

I just meant a desktop shortcut.

[DanielB_Logi · Accepted solution]

VLC is certainly a good way to view on other machines, especially if you do DHCP address reservation so that IP addresses don't change.  Running more than one Commander on the same local network can also work just fine.  As things are right now, you'll get the best experience if you only setup online account information for one of your installs of Commander.

If you want just one of the installs of Commander to archive the camera media recordings, and others to be more "live viewing" stations, you can uncheck the "Copy camera video to my PC (Recommended") either from the first run wizard, or from the Storage -> Computer settings page for the other installs of Commander.  You can technically have more than one install of Commander archiving recordings.  It will just take more bandwidth and camera resources.

You can live view from 2 or more Commander installs at the same time as well, it will just take more bandwidth, and a lttle more camera processing (all streams share the same "heavy lifting" on the camera). If you have your 2nd Commander setup without an online account, and without archiving, then its similar to a VLC situation. Also, with the recent 3.1 release, live view for smaller windows (like cameras 2-6 in 6 up view non-maximized) will use the low-res stream instead of the high res stream, so it makes for more headroom (on the network and on the computer rendering the live video).

If you do have online account information setup for 2 or more Commanders on the same network and discover the same set of cameras, the 2nd Commander to discover the camera will ask you a one time question for each camera - do you want to change the online site to the new Commander's site, or leave on the old site.  Currently, you're not asked this question again. As it is at the moment, you can change that choice by resetting the camera, and rediscovering first with the Commander you want as the "master".

Where things can get tricky is if you've done the "Secure Local Camera Network".  The main thing with that to have it work smoothly is to enter the exact same security key for all installs of Commander.  If you are running on a HomePlug network, that security key (right now at least) is also used as the basis for the HomePlug password.  If a 2nd install of Commander runs on a network with HomePlug, it can detect that it doesn't know the right HomePlug password, and it will ask you about that.  When it asks you for a security key, just be sure to match exactly what you'd entered for the 1st install of Commander.

-Daniel

[MickeyS]

Thanks so much Daniel, this is the information I really needed, you explained it quite well, I'll follow yor recommendations and let you know how it went. Thanks again.

[bearbuck]

Hi Useless $,

I have done what you suggested but I get only a orange striped pylon on a black screen with the timer in the bottom right corner ticking away.  Have I missed a step?

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