Camera problems with Zoneminder

[kristtoper]

Hello friends i am using ubuntu from quite few weeks now and having no problem with it. All its features are running quite well on ubuntu. Currently I am using a Logitech Quickcam just for picture capturing purposes. When I connect the camera it works smoothly with Ubuntu, and I can even see clear pictures whenever I use XawTV. Now the problem arises when I use Zoneminder on my ubuntu, I just cannot see any thing when I connect camera using Zoneminder. I just dont no whats really going on can any one with knowledge of Zoneminder can help me sort this problem.

[Solomon]

Hey you should first check the zoneminder console by selecting form under the option source. You should also check the setting to make sure that the complete Zoneminder software is successfully installed onto your system. It can be that some of the files are missing from the installation and that is forcing thsi kind of problem. Also, if you dont know it, I would like to inform you that ZoneMinder also requires MySQL and PHP, and is enhanced by a webserver such as Apache. So before coming to any sort of conclusion you must make sure that you have all the general requirements that are necessary to run this software. Without this your camera wont detect the software and you would not see any thing.

[Calvin K]

First of all have you set up the Zoneminder inorder to make it compatible with your computer system that has a Ubuntu operating system on it.
These are some setting that you probably want to make inorder to make your zoneminder run with your ubuntu.

• protocol -> http
• method -> simple
• remote hostname -> what ever it would be
• port -> port
• width -> 640
• height -> 480
• orientation -> normal

This are the settings which you normally have to do before setting your camera to use Zoneminder. Also, you have to find teh logs of your Zoneminder software inorder to make sure that the software is completely active. You can find the logs as follows.zoneminder console -> options -> paths. After, this restart your Zoneminder and you will be able to see everything clearly.

[kristtoper]

Thank you all for your kind information and would like to tell you that there is something wrong when I went inside the Zoneminder setup in search of log file was something like this

• 10/05/2009 16:22:32.055844 zmdc[22302].INF [Starting pending process, zmc -d /dev/video0]
• 10/05/2009 16:22:32.057722 zmdc[22302].INF ['zmc -d /dev/video0' starting at 09/10/05 16:22:32, pid = 19336]
• 10/05/2009 16:22:32.099510 zmdc[22302].ERR ['zmc -d /dev/video0' exited abnormally, exit status 6]

To me it looked like there is some error as it is suggested in the first line "Starting pending process", I am still not able to locate the exact problem. Can anyone suggest few more options.

[SalVatore]

Hey I would like to inform you that Zoneminder is designed for use in single or multi-camera for all the various purpose including capture, analysis, recording, and monitoring of video data coming from one or more video or network cameras attached to a Linux system. It also very useful when it comes to theft prevention or monitoring some places. So one thing that you need to make sure is that the camera is compatible with your Zoneminder and it satisfies the set of protocols which are required by them. You cannot use ant different camera with Zoneminder and think that it will work. It obviously has to be a Zoneminder compatible. Without satisfying a set of protocols you cannot do any thing with Zoneminder.

[Dolsy_bendal]

Hey if you are using a compatible camera with Zoneminder than I would want to know that have you specified the capture width and height of the camera in the camera source setting. I think the resolution which you might have selected is something different and which is out of the range of the camera. So I would want to tell you that first set the resolution to minimum as possible and then keep on increasing and see which one fits with your camera. Since you have mentioned that the camera is on but you are not able to see any thing then I think it is something to do with the resolution problem. So go and try different things as possible and hope so it will solve your problem.