Pan/tilt/zoom camera?

extend
#1

I need to create an automated camera system with multiple (3) cameras, all panning/zooming/and tilting in a programmed pattern. I need to switch between cameras as part of this pattern, and pipe the entire result to a streaming server. But I can’t seem to find a camera that will work for this.

Can anyone suggest a camera with pan, tilt, and (optical) zoom controls that I could access from oF on OSX?

So far I’ve been focusing on UVC, and I’ve looked into the UVC addon and cameras that claim to be UVC-compatible, but there seem to be many problems on the OSX side. I’d be open to looking into other platforms, but I just want to make sure there is no other option before buying an additional machine.

I’m also open to looking into security cameras instead of conference cams. I haven’t yet looked into whether I’d be able to get a video stream comparable to a USB camera. Has anyone had any luck with these cameras for an application similar to what I described?

Thanks!

#2

Check out this camera. It has USB and supports UVC. I’m not sure about PTZ control through USB, but I do know that you can control them with RS232 fairly easily. The protocol is pretty simple.

Failing that, they do have a lot of other cameras with standard outputs. You could use a Black Magic ATEM switcher and control that via ethernet and won’t cost much for the quality of it.

-Ryan

#3

Thanks, Ryan! Will check it out. Better be pretty damn good for $3.4k!

#4

Yea they certainly aren’t cheap. But it does have a pretty good optical zoom. They are pretty nice units. And they are also HD. Just depends on what you are looking for.

#5

i use the axis Q6035-E with the ofxIpVideoGrabber for the video and ofxHttpUtils for the PTZ controls.