X10 Community Forum

🖥️ActiveHome Pro => Plug-ins => iWatchOut/iWitness => Topic started by: brian roberts on July 06, 2005, 04:30:40 PM

Title: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: brian roberts on July 06, 2005, 04:30:40 PM
When I set the stills capture and multi-
camera scan mode to "on" (either through the
GUI or through the Plug-ins menu), the
function works for about 15 minutes and then
just shuts down arbitrarily. The countdown
timer disappears from the status bar but the
camera flash icon keeps going. However, the
multiview ceases to scan and there are no
more JPGs being created in the Stills folder.

I just added a 2.0 USB port to my 98SE PII
512k Ram Dell hoping that might solve the
problem--but no luck. :(

Any suggestions?
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: marc on July 16, 2005, 09:09:25 PM
Hi Brian.  I have the same exact problem.  I
have the latest Active home 3.187.  I even
tried removing and reinstalling Active
Home/iwitness, but that did not cure it
either.  I have placed 2 calls into tech
support about it, someone is supposed to call
me on Monday (7/18).  If they are able to
find a solution, I will post what they did to
make it work here.  I'm pretty happy with the
hardware side (cameras, ninja pan and tilt).
The software side looks great, but is not up
to speed.  I hope they can fix it.
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: brian roberts on July 20, 2005, 07:52:40 PM
Hey Marc,
Thanks for the reply. Did you end up having
any luck with Tech Support on this issue?
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: marc on July 21, 2005, 11:11:20 AM
Unfortunately, the support team did not call
me at all this week. I'm pretty disappointed
by that.  At this point, I'm thinking that I
should seek some type of refund for the
active home pro portion of my order.  Its
getting close to the 30 day money back
guarantee.  I can't believe no one has
contacted me after online support promising
I'd get a call twice.
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: brian roberts on July 21, 2005, 12:38:40 PM
Thanks again, Marc.
I'm pretty astounded by X10's lack of
response across this forum in general. It's
fairly obvious that both their software and
hardware is not as advertised. I have a
number of other hardware and software
issues with their other products as well.
Unfortunately, I'm already past the 30 day
window. Guess I'll just have to wait for
the inevitable class-action lawsuit to
recoup. :(
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: X10 Pro on July 21, 2005, 05:58:08 PM
Brian & Marc: I'm making sure a technical
support rep contacts you today. We don't have
an immediate answer for this problem, but
will work on it with you.
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: chuck on August 10, 2005, 06:02:57 PM
I am having the same problem.  Please
forward the answer to me as well.
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: robnator :) on August 20, 2005, 01:25:44 PM
Here's a possible work-around I've found:
on v. 3.187 I've set my cameras up in separate rooms (one
per, although I don't think this makes a dif) and scan at
10 secs. capturing every 5. Still had arbitrary scan stop at
this point, but I hadn't fixed the interval to 15 mins as you
have. I have now open the View->Live Video window, and
clicked to start Auto Scan via the button control in that
window. Stable scanning for an hour an a half so far...

Cheers and good luck to you,
robnator
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: robnator :) on August 20, 2005, 08:48:24 PM
nah, still poops out, but lasted 3 hours or so...
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: david k on August 27, 2005, 02:38:50 PM
Have had this problem since I got the
system.  Cannot use it for the reason I
bought it.  X10 knows about problems but
does not seem to get them fixed.
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: robnator :) on August 31, 2005, 12:54:53 AM
Finally got this licked... set a macro to start the autoscan,
and replicated a timer to fire it every 10 minutes for the
24 hour daily schedule. This has given me solid captures
for the last week. I'm off to the "macros and timers die
after x days" thread ;)

Good luck with x10 support
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: chuck on August 31, 2005, 05:57:36 PM
Are you using the floodcams?
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: chuck on August 31, 2005, 07:28:49 PM
Does this require the smart macro plug in?
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: robnator :) on September 07, 2005, 04:41:56 PM
Hi Chuck,

Sorry for the delay... I'm using the anacondas -- wired
color cameras, and the ActiveHome Pro software. I'm not
sure if it includes the smart macro plug in; I didn't buy
anything extra (I'm pretty sure it's not a smart macro --
no conditionals, just turn on autoscan every 10 minutes).

Let me know if I can be any further help!

Cheers,
robnator
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: Reve_virtuel on December 21, 2005, 08:12:30 PM
To X-10 pro did you solve the 15min or so
issue? Because i do have it too!

Did any has also this problem the still
memory allocation is gray and the only way
i may give more memorie space is by
clicking up arrow manymany time....And my
pc has plany spaire space.....Any clues!
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: Bishop on December 28, 2005, 01:14:40 PM
My scan and and still capture is in the same
boat, since X10 simply doesn't exsist, can
we start to solve this ourselves....

Lets try and find some commonality to what
is or is not happening.

I am using the newest iWitness on a Pentuim
4 -1.5 Ghz Machine, with 98SE, the system is
not running anything other than
Activehomepro and iWitness. What are you
running
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: Reve_virtuel on December 29, 2005, 08:54:54 PM
The soft version of AHP
macro+myhouse+Iwitnes 3.199
Running on Window Xp amd 2800+ somewhere
1.8ghz temporary untill i upgrade my
computer... Got many software running but
when i am living home i do activate AHP for
iwitness and remove from memory almost all
software pending trough manager.

I did wonder if the timming of the still is
interfering with one unknown process so:
No screen saver is active,No schedule task
and in bios did remove any power
consomption saving! (Hard disk have no time
out from mother board...)Win Xp is set as
computer without power saving option....

I hope will find something commun fox!
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: Bishop on December 30, 2005, 08:08:14 PM
I have tried running without snapshots. It
still stops scanning after 15 - 20 minutes,
and crashes (freezes) within 24 hours. I
have yet to have it run more than 10 hours.
Does anyone have it running longer? maybe we
can find out what they are doing right.
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: robnator :) on January 02, 2006, 02:47:12 AM
my system is still running strong! I have had to restart the
box occasionally (every couple of weeks out of habit, I'm
running this on a 1.7 GHz AMD Shuttle with 1 GB RAM
under W2K SP4 -- 3 cameras with capture set for every 5
seconds), and have once seen a low virtual memory
warning, but otherwise the cams and software run fine
<heh, with the mods detailed before> and churn snaps to
the pic directory. The process was painstaking, but if you
go through it I think you should be able to maintain
capturing. If I didn't explain fully enough previously, what
I've done is created a macro and then created timers in
that macro, one for every 10 minutes (yes 6x24!), each
with the sole function to start the camera scan. Autostill is
set to start with the application from the Preferences and
Multi camera is set to sweep through each of my 3 cams
every 5 seconds. I have a shortcut to the app in my
Startup directory, and as long as I auto-login, the system
even returns after a power outage that takes down my
ups.

Here's hoping this helps you guys.

Cheers,
robnator
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: Reve_virtuel on January 04, 2006, 09:26:04 PM
Robnator could you send me you file that
you save myhome.ahx so i would be able to
copy the macro!

If you dont whant me to see what setup in
your home just do save under file menus
give it a name other then myhome and reopen
it( the new save file)! Then flush
everything except the macro then send me
this file....Afterward you will just have
to reopen the myhouse.ahx and you will have
keep every thing.

You probably already no how but just to
save post  time:o)

You whould save me a lot of time Sir..

Thank!
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: Reve_virtuel on January 04, 2006, 09:27:07 PM
Robnator Send it to s_boisahotmail.com
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: brian roberts on January 06, 2006, 05:51:12 PM
Hey Robnator--any chance you could post
your macro code here (in a generic form)
with some instructions? Does this require
that we have the "Smart Macros" module?

I gave up trying to make this work back in
July--but it sounds like you have a decent
work around X10 doesn't care to fix their
own #$#!#% software!
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: robnator :) on January 07, 2006, 02:01:42 PM
Hi Brian and Stephane,

Sure, no problem. Sorry for the delay in replying.

Stephane's solution is most elegant, but Brian's
suggestion reaches more folks. Combining, I've posted
the .ahx file here:

http://homepage.mac.com/robnator/

so everyone can download and copy the macro and
timers.

Cheers,
robnator
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: Reve_virtuel on January 07, 2006, 09:43:20 PM
Robnator that is clever and profitable!
No doubt! Online for everyone ya!

Thank ill try that this week!
Looking at it now, it is so obviousely
simple gee did not think of it  héhé!
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: adriguerrero on January 08, 2006, 10:26:31 PM
DEAR  FRIENDS.....
Try to solve this problem in  the
preferences window  in ActiveHome
Pro....you have to change the in the option
of "General Video", there in Diskspace
threshold" you put how much memory you
want to use for capturing video, stills,
etc. Preset is of 20 MB, so depending in
the option of still capture of the image
quality...so if you put for example an
image of 1 MB, how many shots would you
have available?  in 20 MB just twenty...so
pure mathematics...try this in all the
options of video and still....BYE BYE
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: Bishop on January 13, 2006, 06:07:47 PM
HUGE thanks to Robinator for the file - now
for us newbies, how exactly is it imported
or installed? Thanks again !
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: Bishop on January 14, 2006, 04:30:14 PM
Im an idiot, I figured it out. Looks like
its working great. I have also installed
the "MyHouse" service and it seems to be
working 'for now'.
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: ViperDragon on April 06, 2006, 01:43:45 AM
I recently setup AHP and iWitness (latest versions) and I too am having the issue where the auto stills (and camera scan) stops at various times (from 60 min to 3 hours sometimes).  All program settings are default and I have 110GB of drive space to use for stills.  I downloaded the AHX file from robnator but I am unsure on how to install/load it into the software.  Do you use the macro library to load it?  Thanks.

ViperDragon
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: blades on April 06, 2006, 08:15:44 AM
For what it's worth, I think (from memory here) that the 20mb "limit" you speak of is the minimum amount of space to leave on the drive.  In other words, stop recording vid/pics when my drive is down to x Mb.  20 is probably WAY too low, as your system would probably grind to a halt long before that anyway!

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: ViperDragon on April 07, 2006, 01:28:23 AM
I agree with you Blades.  It says it will stop recording when it gets to below this limit in MB.  So I take it this sudden stopping of autostills is happening across many systems?  Say, can anyone help tell how to load the AHX macro file that was posted above?  Thanks!

ViperDragon
Title: Re: Scan and still capture stop after 15 minute
Post by: bronco on April 07, 2006, 07:39:02 PM
I only get 11 seconds of Video with a 60 sec delay.
I set it for 2 min and now get between 11 and 16 seconds.
Still a problem.  X10