Blue Iris

Hey everyone,

I am wondering is there a way to disable a camera or camera data stream based a schedule? I have a remote camera that is running over a cradle point and I would like to shut off the camera stream when I am not recording. I dont use motion detection and only a fixed schedule on this camera where it only records for a few hours a day and I would like to stop any unnecessary data usage if possible.

Thanks in advance

Interesting. So does an IP camera send data even if the camera is disabled in BI5 ? Testing...

My cameras run on a second NIC on the BI5 pc, so they are completely disconnected from the rest of my LAN or WAN.

BI5 PC 1st NIC - connects to normal LAN and internet via modem/router.
BI5 PC 2nd NIC - POE ethernet switch - various cameras (No router here, all static IP addresses).

With BI5 on, the POE ethernet switch LEDs are flashing a lot. If I stop BI5, then I only see an occasional flash. Not quantitative, but I think it gives me the answer that you can minimise data transmission by stopping BI5, which should equate to minimising data transmission by disabling the individual camera. That should be possible within BI5.

You could always put a timer on the camera psu to prevent all data transmissions

Please note that I have muddled my way through setting up my cctv system, and I am not pretending to be an expert. Now if somebody who actually knows about this stuff can respond, we may get a proper answer

At least in my environment, zero data transfer is initiated FROM the camera. If BI stops connecting, disables, etc... the traffic should stop. At that point the camera would probably only be doing occasional DNS/NTP/network type stuff. Very very low data rates.

That said, in re-reading the OP, I think you are asking if there is a way to disable a camera within BI on a schedule. Not sure... I'd think so, you can definitely set schedules, but if not it should be a feature request!

It's not a feature that I am familiar with, but I remember reading that some BI users had internal cameras that they disabled whilst at home, so it sounds feasible.

A quick look at the settings shows that each camera can be selected to work in selected profiles, and then you can schedule the profiles. OP: Will that do what you need ?

Sorry for the delay. Basically what I my goal is to completely disable the camera so there is no active stream between the camera and blue iris. I used to use iSpy where you could disable the camera and enable the camera based on a schedule. The way I am thinking of this is just like if you were to right click and disable the camera. There may be different way but when I looked over the scheduling options I did not see an disable/enable camera feature.

I have a similar interest in conserving bandwidth for using remote cameras connected to Blue Iris using a VPN and a 4G (or LTE) mobile connection. I have this working successfully

It isn't practical from a cost perspective to have video streaming 24/7 using the 4G connection for the number of cameras being anticipated. I am wondering if streaming can be disabled but the camera can control the motion detection and therefore what gets sent to blue iris over the air.

Blue Iris can then be used primarily for reviewing footage from these types of cameras alonside other more conventional wired cameras. Could I then use AI services to process this footage to eliminate false postivies and also record number plates etc?

Is there a product other than BLue Iris that maybe more appropriate for this configuration?

Thanks in advance!

Adam

Tsk tsk. There can be only one !

Still hoping someone may have a solution for this issue.

There is at least one way to do this, and maybe more, that I found. I verified that this method stops the RTSP stream from the camera using Wireshark.

Under the individual camera's settings, go to the "Schedule" tab.

Check "Override global schedule for this camera".

Do NOT check "Use global schedule when this schedule shows clear/inactive".

Under the schedule area, next to "Select a profile to draw" choose "0 Inactive" from the dropdown.

Draw the times when you want the camera inactive (it will "erase" whatever color is drawn, in the case of the Inactive schedule -- it's "clear" instead of a color, if you will.)

Near the bottom, UNcheck "Continue to stream and display video while inactive". If you don't unckeck this, the RTSP stream continues, but the camera wouldn't record/trigger/whatever.

Click OK. You should see the camera get a little red square with a "0" in it in it's frame, which shows that it has an override from the global schedule. Also, in the "Cameras" tab of the status window, the camera will go "red" and the bitrate will be gone.

Hope that helps!