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chill
May 18th, 2004, 01:50 PM
Hi!

I am using a toolkit (application) written in c++ that consists of three parts:

1) video capture
2) image processing
3) OpenGL wrapper

The video capture program only works with local hardware (for example an usb webcam). Since I have to use a remote live camera with a fixed Ip-address, I then have to write my own video capture program to replace the original video library.

Actually, it’s an IP-videoserver that use (netscapes) “server push” – technology to stream images over http, using TCP/IP only. For the Internet Explorer a Java-Applet or ActiveX-module is used to make the stream visible.

In short, I need to use this remote camera as the video source for the toolkit instead of a local usb cam. Do you have any suggestions for a solution?

I’ve been looking at the HttpClient class that I think can be useful.. This class makes downloading the frames easy, but I only get one frame at a time. I don’t know how to get a live stream instead and how to connect this stream to the toolkits framegrabber. If you want to look at the code to the framegrabber or the HttpClient class, I can send it to you. How do I get and decompress JPEGs from an URL?

There is maybe another way to solve my problem. That is to derive a filter from Csource or CbaseFilter and grab the frames using normal network operation. I don’t know if this will work or not and how to connect this to the toolkit either. I suppose “using network operation” means using Winsock?? I don’t know how to proceed further. It would be great if you can tell me how or which of these solutions you think is best

Thank you for taking the time helping me, I really appreciate it! Hope I didn’t waste any of your time.


Regards

Chill

kuphryn
May 18th, 2004, 10:45 PM
Yes, winsock is one solution. Conceptually, you can have one thread that reads from the stream, and have another thread that shows the stream video.

Kuphryn

chill
May 22nd, 2004, 02:10 PM
Than you for answering!

I'm sorry if my question is "stupid", but how can I download the live stream?

I can use winsock to connect to the videoserver, but what do I do further?

The toolkit will use this stream to do some image processing and OpgenGL stuff on the videostream. So I don't need to worry how to show the stream, because the toolkit will do this for me.

The only thing is how to get and decompress JPEGs from this remote live-videoserver from an URL and how to connect this live stream to the toolkit.

kuphryn
May 24th, 2004, 08:28 PM
That depends on the server. Sounds like you are connecting to the server via a toolkit. Try to connect to it using just winsock.

Kuphryn

chill
May 25th, 2004, 07:25 AM
Actually, it’s an IP-videoserver that use (netscapes) “server push” – technology to stream images over http, using TCP/IP only. For the Internet Explorer a Java-Applet or ActiveX-module is used to make the stream visible.

A controllable camera is connected to the IP-videoserver. The server is just a little black box connected to the net and has a fixed IP to it.

I'm trying to do this:

1. use winsock to connect to the videoserver
2. download the live stream
3. connect this live stream to the toolkit

I can't connect the server via the toolkit, because the toolkit only works with local usb webcam.

I don't know how to implement point 2 and 3. How do I push the live stream from the server into the toolkit?