How to connect and control camera without Video suit

BenjaminSeeker · Post by **BenjaminSeeker** » Thu Jan 11, 2018 10:58 am

Now we have a project. There are more than 3000 camera have to integrated into WinCC OA.
Those camera do not support ONVIF protocol. So we can not use video suit.
There are a group of video server and steam server connect and control all of those video.
The video provider can only provide SDK or ActiveX control.
But unfortunately that WinCC OA can not use SDK, and ActiveX control can only run under 32bit system and unstable.
If there is any other way to connect and control those camera through steam server?

fmulder · Post by **fmulder** » Thu Jan 11, 2018 11:24 am

'can not use SDK'.
WinCC OA has a C++ or a C# toolkit. I'm pretty sure that you'll be able to connect to the SDK.

In the past we have had several projects where we integrated an ActiveX into our scada graphics. This was not always successful.
In our recent projects we have decided to separate the entire video from WinCC OA.

Our latest approach (where I have the best feeling) is a separate C# application that contains the ActiveX's and the CCTV logic, that is linked to WinCC OA via OPC UA. This has several benefits.

* The OPC UA makes it easy to connect
* The CCTV developer can now develop separate from the WinCC OA developer
* When the WinCC Oa client freezes or crashes then you'll still be able to see the CCTV images
* The cpu load caused by the CCTV is no longer a problem since we run our 'CCCTV Box' on a separate computer

My advise to you:
* Consider WinCC OA Video or
* Implement your CCTV in a separate application (or even.. a separate computer)
* Do not attempt to integrate the ActiveX

Good luck

Share the fun
Frenk Mulder

BenjaminSeeker · Post by **BenjaminSeeker** » Thu Jan 11, 2018 11:35 am

Thanks, we also consider develop our own CCTV Client.
But it will take a long time and lots of pay.
If we use C# toolkit. I think it will better.
Is there any reference in help file?

fmulder · Post by **fmulder** » Thu Jan 11, 2018 12:17 pm

Just look for C# in the help file. also, the \\API folder has a subfolder called TemplateCSharpManager that should help.
(make sure that you install the API)

Building a C# application that contains some ActiveX's is relatively simple and it will take away the ActiveX problem from WinCC OA.
I believe that the work is worth the risk. It makes the WinCC OA less complex.

share the fun
Frenk Mulder

adaneau · Post by **adaneau** » Tue Jan 16, 2018 10:26 am

Hi,

somehow if you just need visualization, you can build an EWO using VLC libs and connect to stream.

From past experience I also used VLC 64bits active X and never encountered issues, but as Frenk said, this is risky as you are adding complexity.

I also investigated embedding opencv but this was far more complex (ie building own CCTV).

Also I guess that using WInCC OA video isnt impossible if your cameras are supporting classic RTSP...

acx.lilienthal · Post by **acx.lilienthal** » Tue Feb 13, 2018 12:31 pm

Hi,

could you provide further information about the cameras you wants to use?
Maybe they are allready supported by WinCC OA Video (without beeing documented).

Regards,
Benjamin Lilienthal
WinCC OA Video Productdevelopment

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