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logbuilder
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Posted: February 28 2009 at 23:54 | IP Logged Quote logbuilder

Well, I finally got the cable I needed for the video card. I now have 4 video ports available. Today I hooked up 2 cameras that are monitored by webcamxp. During the day, the pictures are great. Now that it is night and the cameras are operating on IR light, visibility is less than I wanted. Several options on how to deal with that.

As you might recall, I have webcamxp sending a message to powerhome when motion is seen on any of the cameras. Powerhome then turns on outdoor flood lights. During the day today, we tested and tuned things and it was running pretty well. Now that it is night, an interesting situation has come up. If motion is seen outside, the lights come on just fine. If subsequent motion is detected, it extends the macro wait time and the lights stay on. Now the interesting thing. When no motion is detected anymore, eventually the lights turn off. However, that is seen as motion on the cameras so the lights come back on. Now we are in a non-ending cycle. Lights on, lights off which triggers motion, lights back on. Over and over.

I'm thinking of creating a global and incrementing by 1 when the macro fires. If the value of the global is < 2, then exit the macro. If the value of the global is > 2, then extend the macro wait if the lights are already on or else turn on the lights and wait. After the wait (which may have been extended by other macros firing) expires, then turn off the lights and set the global to 0.

I'm thinking this would bypass the false motion being detected when the lights are turned off. The downside is the lights would not come on quite as quickly when motion is detected and the motion needs to be more than momentary. That might actually be a good thing since I have seen bugs fly in front of the cameras and set off the motion which currently turns on the lights. This might eliminate that.

Ideas or criticism?

Thanks,

Robert
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dhoward
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Posted: March 01 2009 at 00:27 | IP Logged Quote dhoward

Robert,

When the macro wait expires, just before the lights are turned off, use the TRIGDISABLE macro I just recently documented in another thread. Use this to disable the WebcamXP trigger for 2 or 3 seconds and then re-enable it. This should have the effect of ignoring motion for just a couple of seconds when you turn the lights out and should prevent your cycling.

HTH,

Dave.
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logbuilder
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Posted: March 01 2009 at 01:23 | IP Logged Quote logbuilder

Dave,

Worked like a charm. Thanks a bunch!

Robert
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