Using a Panasonic IP camera as video source

Wowza Streaming Engine
1

Has anyone tried to use a Panasonic IP camera as the video source for Wowza? I have a Panasonic BL-C140 camera (and a few others from the same raneg) and want to put it on a website in a Flash viewer (must have max compatibility).

The camera outputs what I think is standard MJPEG and can also do MPEG4. Ideally, for bandwidth purposes, I’d like to re-broadcast using MPEG4 as the source.

Here’s an example source feed http://p.viewnetcam.com:60001/nphMotionJpeg?Resolution=320x240&Quality=Standard from http://www.networkwebcams.com where I bought the cameras.

Any pointers or ideas? Can it be done?

Thanks

2

It looks like this camera is not directly streamable to the Flash player. H.264/AAC is required. If this camera only streams MJPEG and MPEG4 video then it will not work with out transcoding the stream on the before sending it to Wowza Media Server for re-streaming. Some folks are using VLC to do the transcode but this is very tricky to setup properly and VLC is not super stable.

Charlie

3

It needs to go through the Wowza Media Server. If that is what you mean then yes. If the camera support RTSP/RTP of H.264/AAC then we can re-stream it to Flash. The instructions are here:

http://community.wowza.com/t/-/53

Charlie

4

Should be able to use VLC in that case too, with same caveats:

Some folks are using VLC to do the transcode but this is very tricky to setup properly and VLC is not super stable.

Richard

5

I haven’t been down that path, so I don’t know. I would be starting the usual google searches.

Richard

6

I have no info about this camera, but if requires username and password, it might work like Axis cam:

rtsp://username:password@[ip]:[port]/nphH264AACauth?Resolution=320x240

Richard

7

Have you tried to get this info from Panasonic. It would be nice to have it here. Please post back if you can get info from them.

Richard

8

No need to double post.

Richard

9

Ok, thanks Charlie. In that case though, if using a h.264/AAC compatible camera is it possible, do you know, to pull a stream directly from the camera into Flash player?

10

Hi Charlie,

I have a similiar question, but with different variables.

I have a Panasonic HCM531A which has MJPEG and MPEG4 streaming over RTSP. Is there another format other than flash I can use to stream using Wowza and Amazon EC2 from this camera? I do not believe this camera has h.264 either.

If no h.264, and streaming using a flash format is required, is it possible to transcode a live stream real time and then have it flow through the wowza/amazon EC2 setup?

Thanks for any direction. I am new to this and trying to learn as I go.

Brian

11

Thanks Richard. Do you have any resources where I can go to start learning VLC and try to see what I need to do to make VLC work with the IP camera.

12

I am trying to find the H.264 / RTSP URL for the BL-C230. The documentation and the Management UI seem to try to factor out complexity.

It supports H.264.

Does anyone know what the URL for it?

Thanks

13

I found this URL:

http://www.soleratec.com/rtsp/rtsp_listing.php?ip_comp=Panasonic&mymanufact=1

And it says the URL is:

rtsp://ip_adx/MediaInput/h264

I’ll be testing…

14

I found this document on the CGI interface for a number of Panasonic cameras:

The information in this document is written for use with the following Panasonic Network Cameras:

[Cgii/fVer:4.10R01]

BB-HCM715/735 (firmware Ver. 4.10R01 or later)

[Cgii/fVer:4.11R00]

BB-HCM705 (firmware Ver. 4.11R00 or later)

[Cgii/fVer:4.12R00]

BB-HCM701 (firmware Ver. 4.12R00 or later)

[Cgii/fVer.4.13R00]

BL-C230(firmware Ver. 4.13R00 or later)

[Cgii/fVer:4.20R00]

BL-C210(firmware Ver. 4.20R00 or later)

[Cgii/fVer:4.30R00]

The new firmware “Ver. 4.30R00” for BB-HCM7xx(firmware Ver. 4.30R00 or later)

http://panasonic.net/pcc/support/netwkcam/download/us/document/NEW_Camera_CGI_Interface_v4.30.pdf

The URL is:

rtsp://[ip]:[port]/nphH264AACauth

You can also pass various parameters (outlined in the doc above)

[URL=“rtsp://[ip]:[port]/nphH264AACauth?Resolution=320x240”]rtsp://[ip]:[port]/nphH264AACauth?Resolution=320x240

I have to add that I have not gotten it to work yet. But it looks like it will when I figure out how to ask nicely.

15

To Update: I poked around on this camera for a couple of days and could not work out the URL.

It seems like a good camera and the price is great, but Panasonic has it pretty closed up.

16

I finally found a a way to post a support question:

https://sec.panasonic.net/pcc/contact/age_inquiry.html

I’ve requested the RTSP URL for h.264. I’ll post the response.

Here’s their CGI interface documentation:

http://www.starthostingnow.com/documents/NEW_Camera_CGI_Interface_v4.30.pdf

(I can’t remember where I downloaded it from.)

17

any success in finding the H.264 / RTSP URL

rtsp://ip_adx/MediaInput/h264 I tried it in VLC and it didn’t work

18

hello

I have open the 552 port

On VLC The stream work with direct link :

localy rtsp://ip local:552/MediaInput/h264 ok

exteriorly rtsp://ipfixe:552/MediaInput/h264 ok with a latency but it work

With wowza application rtplive and a flash example player live :

localy It work fine

exteriorly it doesn work

the console repeat with incrementation :

INFO server comment - RTPMediaCaster.Reconnector[30538754:rtplive/definst:camra2.stream]: done: 1 2 3 4 5 6 …