I've been considering purchasing one or more of these devices. The device itself is self-contained, as in you'd only need a browser to look at the images. So, that's platform independence for you Besides, in the technical dept I found it uses quite some OSS, including an ARM kernel

If you use(d) this device, can you tell me:

• how easy is it to set up and use w/o the Win-OS tools? Especially using multiple devices.
• what format (container) does it use for video?
• what browser plugins do I need?
• how hackable is it?
• other things you'd like to share about this device?

Sitecom page
Full manual (English, PDF) (see licence pages for OSS part )

TIA!

FYI: the device(s) will be used to monitor an automated process during exhibitions. It may be shown on a TV too, if I can get the videostream channelled through the machine (server-like) connected with it.

Since you posted a link to the manual (thanks) I could answer some questions even if I didn't use the device.


Asserting a sane factory default of "Obtain DNS server address automatically" is given for networking the device will ask for a lease from your LAN's DHCP server. So if you can't find its IP by other means (nmap, heh) you could always check your routers logs. The manual shows the device itself has a good management interface so configuring it from your browser should not be a problem except that not all browsers like these types of interfaces. Firefox usually handles things well but I've noticed more than a few times that Opera doesn't. If browser-based management doesn't work out then if you've got a valid license you could install a bare mcrsft OS in VMware, QEmu or VirtualBox, install the management software included on the CDROm and work from there?..


MPEG / Motion-JPEG. See page 16: "Adjusting the Video Image".


On page 13 the browser generates a warning as it's trying to load an ActiveX ("SitecomViewer.cab") component. ActiveX isn't a valid COM / RPC implementation on GNU/Linux but luckily page 64 ("Streaming Video/Audio through Internet Camera") shows you the URI's to access the various image and video streams directly. Client-side you need an application that understands MPEG, RTSP, Motion-JPEG etc, basically a video player like VLC, Xine or Mplayer. At least VLC and Mplayer have browser plugins.


(c)vlc should be able to grab the video stream and send it on to whatever destination you have.

Thanks... Now why didn't I notice that while reading the **** manual myself...