Apart from regular bug fixing and minor improvements, the new release (v3.2) of IP CAM Controller is mainly about adding a motion detection mode in single view screen. With this feature in place, you are able to turn your phone into a baby monitor - when motion is detected, the phone will play alarm audio and vibrate to attract your attention.

After activating the motion detect mode, you can adjust the sensitivity of the detection as well as the threshold to trigger alarm. In case movement is detected in the video, the movement will be highlighted in red, just like above screen shows. When the motion state reach the configured threshold in a certain level (e.g. exceed a certain time in a few seconds), the alarm is trigger - the phone will play a sound effect and vibrate as well (they can be switched in setting screen though).

A few important things to note:

• As motion detection is based on a series of calculation, this function will consume a lot of power, so it's HIGHLY recommended to plug in power before use (if you intend to monitor for a long period of time).
• Not only power usage, this feature also require a lot of CPU usage and so with this mode turn on, the UI will become a bit "laggy" i.e not so smooth, as a lot of stuff happening at the background. As a result, although other functions remain accessible but it's not suggested to do any PTZ actions before switch off motion detection.
• Image quality will be poor in this mode in order to speed up the whole process, which make sense in my opinion, since this mode is mainly about detecting movement. You can switch back to normal mode whenever your eyes are back on screen.
• Free trial is offered for 5 minutes after activating the function, when time is up, you can go back to main screen and enter the viewer screen again to get another 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can support my development by paying the app at $1.99 to remove this limitation (it will also remove advertising and limitation on grouping)

 What next? Probably and hopefully monitor the volume in audio, we will see:)

Italian Translation:

Dopo aver attivato il motion detection, potrai regolare la sensibilità al meglio, come per la soglia di allarme. In caso di movimento rilevato sul video, il movimento sarà evidenziato in rosso, come mostrato nella figura sopra. Quando il movimento raggiungerà la soglia fissata in un certo livello (per esempio superandolo per qualche secondo), l’allarme sarà lanciato – il telefono quindi suonerà e vibrerà (possono essere regolati nelle impostazioni).

Alcune importanti cose da sapere:

• motion è calcolato in base ad una serie di calcoli,  consumerà parecchia potenza, per cui è CALDAMENTE consigliato di collegarlo al caricatore prima dell’uso (se intendi utilizzarlo per lunghi periodi)
• Non solo corrente, Motion richiede molto uso della CPU ed è per questo che quando attivo, la visione a schermo apparirà leggermente lenta e non così bella, dovuto ad una quantità di elaborazioni in background. Comunque le altre funzioni rimangono accessibili ma è consigliato di non compiere azioni con le PTZ prima di aver spento la funzione di motion detection.
• La qualità dell’immagine sarà povera al fine di velocizzare l’intero processo, che ha senso secondo me, perché questa funzione è prevalentemente usata per rilevare il movimento. Sarà possibile comunque tornare alla normalità quando potrai tenere gli occhi sullo schermo in maniera più costante.
• La versione trial offre 5 min di servizio, quando il termine è raggiunto,  potrai tornare indietro e rientrare nella funzione per altri 5 minuti. In alternativa, potrai supportare il nostro lavoro pagando 1,99$ per rimuovere questa limitazione (verranno tolte anche le pubblicità e la limitazione sul numero di gruppi)

Cosa abbiamo in mente per il futuro? Probabilmente spero monitorare il volume dell’audio, vedremo :-)

Tradotto da BBSYSTEM.IT

Update: the testing had completed, now every one could download the v1.6 with HD video support from Google Play

The next Android version of IP CAM Controller will be equipped with a H.264 engine, in other word, we are able to get HD video working if your camera support H.264.

This is now in final testing and so I would like to invite some foscam camera owners to test the HD streaming on your Android phone. If your camera is a foscam H.264 series such as 9820W, 9821W, 8608W, etc, please click following link to ask for a beta:

http://www.jerryhuang.net/contact.aspx

In order to download the beta, please also provide your Google Account in the message you're going to send me.

Currently I'm focusing on foscam H.264 series, however if you have other type of camera, you can contact me to see if possible to add your camera as well, but please note I will need to access to your camera to work that out, so before contacting me, I will recommend you turn your camera toward a wall or put a large book in front of your camera if privacy concerns you.

Here is a preview of the app, if your camera's H.264 is supported by the app, a new HD button will show up next to the audio button:

Tap the icon to switch between HD and standard streaming

Add your first camera

a) Tap the "add" button in main screen

b) Input camera info and save it

1) Choose a camera type most close to your IP Camera; sometimes you need to try all types of your brand, e.g. Foscam user is suggested to test each Foscam type in the app in order to find out which one work the best for you.

2) Type in a camera name you like.

3) If your camera is a DVR, you may need to input a camera no which is normally corresponding to stream no, channel no etc.

4) Hostname or IP address of your camera. In order to access your camera over the internet (e.g. a 3G network), you must use internet IP address, but not internal address like 192.168.1.x. This kind of address only work at home when you are connected to home WiFi.

5) The port no where your camera is hosted on. If your camera is behind a WiFi router, you will probably need to configure port forwarding on your router.

6) Type in username and password of your camera (not the router) and choose the quality and image resolution.

7) Tap the "save" button at the bottom of this screen.

Add the 2nd camera

a) Tap the "add" button again

b) Then do the same as you set up the first camera, and don't forget to tap the "save" button to save it

Edit a camera

a) Press and hold on the camera you want to edit, then choose "edit" (this is new menu item from v2.5.3, older version please go to step c) from the pop up menu.

b) Update the camera info, then tap the "save" button 

Delete a camera

Press and hold a camera in the main screen, then choose "delete" from pop up menu.

Add a multi-view grouping

 a) Tap the "add" button in main screen (Multi View section)

b) Tap the ellipsis (...) from bottom, then choose your cameras from the list

c) Tap the "save" icon (only for paid version, free trial could not save the view) 

d) Input a name for the grouping

e) The view will then be saved for further usage

I received an interesting review from WP's market a while back. A user is complaining why my app access to his location details while the app doesn't have any map feature or any sort like that. Nice catch! Indeed, the app is not using the location service at all, but the ad control does. IP CAM Controller embeds an ad control from Microsoft to show advertising in free version. Microsoft's advertising control will use location-base ad service to improve ad quality and relevance. More info refer to here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/hh288088.aspx (search ID_CAP_LOCATION). I hope this will resolve some users' doubt about me being suspicious

Please note that I'm not able to reply comment on WP market - Microsoft doesn't allow to.  So when you have a problem or question, it's better leave me a message in this site.

In the latest 3.0 release, a "share camera" via deep link function has been introduced (Android version has the same feature). The main purpose of this function is to send an encrypted hyper link (aka deep link in WP's world) to a close friend (such as your wife/husband or your parent) who has very little knowledge about setting up camera on the phone. The recipient requires to have a Windows Phone 8 and installed my app beforehand.

Step 1: 

In the single viewer screen, tap the 4th button at the right-down corner:

 A pop up menu will shows up

Choose "share camera" from the menu

Step 2:

Choose the way you would like to send the link:

In this case, let's choose Email. After tapping the "Send by Email", it will prompt the phone's email app, if you have configured more than one email accounts, you will need to choose which account you would like the message sending from.

Step 3:

Send out the message.

Recipient:

 The email message at receiver's mailbox will look like this:

Just simply tap on the link, the phone will activate my app to view the camera directly (again, IP CAM Controller must be installed first)

Is that it? Not just yet! By tapping the 4th button again, and choose "save camera" from the menu, your recipient is able to save the camera so that he/she doesn't need to tap the link every time in order to view your camera.

Add your first camera

a) Tap the "settings" button in main screen

b) Input camera info and save it

1) Choose a camera type most close to your IP Camera; sometimes you need to try all types of your brand, e.g. Foscam user is suggested to test each Foscam type in the app in order to find out which one work the best for you.

2) Type in a camera name you like.

3) If your camera is a DVR, you may need to input a camera no which is normally corresponding to stream no, channel no etc.

4) Hostname or IP address of your camera. In order to access your camera over the internet (e.g. a 3G network), you must use internet IP address, but not internal address like 192.168.1.x. This kind of address only work at home when you are connected to home WiFi.

5) The port no where your camera is hosted on. If your camera is behind a WiFi router, you will probably need to configure port forwarding on your router.

6) Type in username and password of your camera (not the router) and choose the quality and image resolution.

7) Tap the "save" button at the bottom of this screen.

Add the 2nd camera

a) Tap the "settings" button again

b) Tap the "new" button and do the same as you set up the first camera, and don't forget to tap the "save" button to save it

Edit a camera

a) Press and hold on the camera you want to edit, then choose "edit" (this is new menu item from v2.5.3, older version please go to step c) from the pop up menu.

b) Update the camera info, then tap the "save" button 

c) Alternatively, you can tap the "Setup" icon in main screen and then choose the camera from "My Cameras" list; then go ahead, but don't forget to tap the "save" button at the end. 

Delete a camera

Press and hold a camera in the main screen, then choose "delete" from pop up menu.

Add a multi-view grouping

 a) Tap the "settings" button in main screen (Multi View section)

b) Tap the ellipsis (...) from bottom, then choose your cameras from the list

c) Tap the "save" icon (only for paid version, free trial could not save the view) 

d) Input a name for the grouping

e) The view will then be saved for further usage

Audio was the top demanded feature for most users, after more than 1 year's investigation and months coding, I finally find a way to work this around. I'm very pleased to announce that IP CAM Controller 3.0 for WP8 with audio for selected cameras is finally launch!! For a completed and latest list that which camera supported audio, please click here

I received a few early feedback (mostly about audio and payment), some suggestions are awesome and I will make them happen in the near future (I promise:). Since the WP market doesn't allow me to reply (unlike Google) to review and comment, so I decided post my reply here and hopefully some of the users could read it.

Q1: I already paid for the app in your previous version, how come it's showing demo in the new version?

The app on your phone is still paid status, it still has all the paid features (ad is gone and no limitation on grouping) you used to have. From 3.0 version, I introduced the so-called camera specific Advanced Features in app products which is a series premium functions require a little extra money. It's like unlocking an episode in a game. Please kindly understand that this is the way to support my development and so keep this app continue.

Q2: How does the demo mode work? What the difference between paid and un-paid?

Audio is the most featured premium function for now (2 way audio might be the next one), you can enjoy 90 seconds of free trial every time you enter the single view, when time is up, audio will be disconnected (although you can go back and tap the camera again to have another 90 seconds). After you purchase the specific camera, you are entitled to unlimited audio (and so other advanced functions).

Q3: How do I purchase

In the single viewer screen, tap the 4th button (with name "featured") at right-down corner,

After successful payment, the icon will change to:

After that, a series of featured functions (depending what camera you have, I have different support for different camera) will then be showing up.

Then select the first menu item from the bottom (in the current version the wording is Unlock xxxx). It will display your camera product name here. If your camera is Foscam, it will say Buy Foscam (please note current market version will say Unlock Foscam). After tap this menu, it will lead you to the Windows Store purchase system for payment.

Q4: I have several Foscam cameras, do I need to pay each of them in order to use audio?

No. You just need to pay once, even with different foscam types. The idea is to categorize products by camera brands (not specific model/submodel), once foscam type is purchased you are entitled to all foscam cameras' advanced feature, same to other brands.

Q5: If I have a Foscam and a Panasonic, do I need to pay twice if I want audio for both of them?

Unfortunately yes. This is because I have been putting efforts for different types of camera, most of cameras work completely different in terms of audio. As a result, I have to customize the implementation for different brands and therefore comes the charge.

Q6: If in the future you release 2 way audio support, do I need to pay again?

For 2 way audio support, it will be binding into existing advanced features, in other word, no extra payment is required if this feature is added. Actually I will be focusing on those camera with audio supported, to add more Advanced Features (like switching light or infrared, etc), and those features will be binding to existing paid products as well.

Q7: Do I need to buy the app first before purchasing Advanced Features of my camera?

No. Buying the app will enable you to unlock the limitation of multiview grouping and the number of camera you can save, as well as removing ad. If you are fine with these restriction, you don't need to buy the app itself.

UPDATE: The beta now is completed successfully and you should be able to download IP CAM Controller 3.0 from Windows Phone 8 Store now!

The next version number of IP CAM Controller for WP is going to be 3.0 which indicates it's a major upgrade. I still remember the last major upgrade was from 1.x to 2.x that drop the support for Nodo and went for Mango. Live tile feature was introduced by last upgrade if memory serves me right

So again, I guess we are going to have a kiss good bye to WP 7.x and jump into WP8 finally. It's a kind of sad, even myself is still using Lumia 800 (I don't have a WP8 yet, and that's why I need you as a beta tester). Nevertheless, it's worth it!

What's new?

Audio!!! Right now I'm working on 1 way audio while I believe 2 way will be coming at some point as it's just a reversed transfer of 1 way audio. Here is a list of cameras will be supported for audio:

Panasonic (naturally always the first, as I own one)

Foscam: including all old series such as FI8908W, FI8918W, even some brandless (or small brand) OEM version could be supported, AND the new H264 series: FI8602W, FI8608W, FI8620, FI9820W

Toshiba IK-WP41A, this is the one I have tested, but I guess other similar models will be supported as well

D-LINK, I tested on 5222L, so if your model is compatible with 5222L, shouldn't be a problem.

EasyN F2 series.

TRENDNet 672

LogiLink WC0008A

More features will be supplement (with snapshot) in this post later (whenever I finished the development).

Ok, let's see what's new in the single view:

Please note these snapshot are just for preview, the final version might be different:)

Basically I decided to put some frequently used functions onto the panel as buttons: Pan-scan, tile-scan, zooming in/out. As for preset positions, only first 4 could be accessed directly, the rest is hiding in "Goto".

Update 1 on June 6:

1) In app live tile

2) Share camera setting with a link by email or SMS

For those who are interested to get a beta for your WP8, please kindly contact me via this link:

http://www.jerryhuang.net/contact.aspx

And provide the following info in your message:

• Windows Live Id that using on your phone, in case you have no idea what is Live Id, it's the default email account on your phone, normally the first one
• What phone you are using
• Brand and Model No of your camera

In case your camera does support audio while not listed above, feel free to provide me access info and I would be more than happy to check if could be added.

If you are from US or your Live Id's country setting configured as US, you will notice that something is seriously wrong on the Windows Phone store (marketplace) about ranking: The display order of "Top" apps in all categories (except the "All" one) seem reversed on this morning. Please have a look at the photos I just took: 

This problem apply to the web market as well:

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/top-paid-apps/music-video/musicandvideo 

As you could see, most of the "top" apps do not have or have very few review and rating. I hope Microsoft could resolve this as soon as possible. Yesterday my IP CAM Controller was ranking at the top 11 position in the "Music + Video" category.

As promised, we are aggressively working on audio support for more cameras. In the Android release of v1.4.1, audio is available for Toshiba IK-WP series (such as IK-WP41A) and some new Foscam H264 series (FI8602W, FI8608W, FI8620, FI9820W). 

Together with audio, we also released some customized advance functions for these camera, such as saving/editing preset positions, extra patrol (for Toshiba). Download the app now from Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zexu.ipcamera&hl=en

BTW, German is supported from this version