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

Update: 1 way audio support for selected cameras is now on both Android and WP8, for detailed tested list, please click here

I'm very glad to announce that Android IP CAM Controller now has the ability for audio support, although I have to emphasize that this is just a start point, as at the moment just Panasonic camera is supported (because I own one Panasonic).

In the single view screen, if audio support is available for your camera, you will notice that a new speaker button and a few new menu items. Tap on the speaker icon, 1 way audio should start working. Others functions inside the menu are straightforward and camera specific, in other word, some cameras have more options while some have lesser. These are so-called "Advanced Features" in the app. As they (especially audio) took a lot of time and efforts from me and other joint developers, we have decided charge a small sum of extra money in order to fully use them. However, free trial is available before purchase so that you can see if they are really working for your camera. In case it doesn't work I would suggest contact me before actually buying it (of course!)

Next step we are intended to get more cameras supported and maybe 2 way audio as well. Sorry for Windows Phone users (that include me too), due to the fact that so many restrictions on the phone (and on developers), audio is yet to come...

Thanks to our lovely Japanese translator - Xu Zewei - a handsome Chinese student (BTW he's single at the moment) who is studying in Japan, the latest Android IP CAM Controller has support for Japanese!

Check out on the Japan GP page:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zexu.ipcamera&hl=ja

In addition to Japanese support, this version align with WP version (as promised:)) - Changing PTZ behavior from "double tapping" to "auto stop moving" for those "keep moving" style cameras, such as: Foscam, EasyN, Tenvis, Sony, Bosch, X10.

Thank you for all the participants! The beta has completed and new version v2.5.5 has been released to Windows Phone market.

I'm planning a major PTZ behavior change in the next release (WP first, Android might probably follow afterward), for those "keep moving" camera types like:

Foscam,
EasyN,
Tenvis,
Sony,
Bosch,
X10

These cameras have a common feature that camera won't stop moving until reach the dead end or send an extra stop command for it. In the app (both Android and WP), you will have to tap twice on the screen in order to stop your camera. This doesn't bring too much trouble when you just use tap to move or trigger Left, Right, Up and Down directions. But it becomes very annoying when using zooming, because you just couldn't be quick enough to activate the 2nd zoom command - either by using pinch to zoom gesture or selecting zoom in/out command from the menu. Moreover, for a new user, normally she/he don't know about this feature and consider it's a problem of my app - I have received tons of emails about this, and I have to explain again and again.

There are several work-around for this type of camera actually, and believe me, I have evaluated all them and I have made my decision to: send the stop command in background automatically after 1 second.

if you are using my Windows Phone IP CAM Controller and happen to own one of the those camera above, and would like to experience the big change, please kindly click the link below and leave me your Windows Live ID using on the phone. I will send you the beta afterward.

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

You will receive a link from me, and what you need to do is just to tap on that link with your phone then install. You will have 2 "IP CAM Controller" in your app list after installed, and they won't fight each other. So don't worry about affecting the production version.

The latest IP CAM Controller Windows Phone and Android version now support an interesting camera - not really a camera or more than a camera. See this link for more about Rovio: http://www.wowwee.com/en/products/tech/telepresence/rovio/rovio

Rovio is a mobile robotic camera - the "camera" can not only PTZ, but actually MOVING! So my app is working a little bit different from other cameras. IP CAM Controller is using tap-to-move to support Rovio. But instead of pan and tilt, the 8 directions have different meaning:

Above snapshot is from Windows Phone, but it works the same in Android. As you can see, the 8 spots have been re-defined as following:

Center: stop Rovio, let's say you previously tap the Home position and then during Rovio is finding its way back to dock, you can tap center to stop it if you change your mind

Left, Right, Up and Down: these 4 spots are for moving to corresponding directions.

Upper left and Upper right: changing the head positions: middle or up. Rovio actually support 3 head positions but here only support 2, "head down" is missing because you can use "home position" in order to restore head to original position.

Lower left and Lower right: these 2 are using to rotate camera.

Interesting, isn't it?

Thanks Anton from Russia for providing testing Rovio:)

IP CAM Controller Android v1.3.4 is on Google Play today

Tap to center is a great selling point of this app honestly However TTC is not always supported for some cameras (because hardware or firmware restriction), so this version introduce a work around for TTC - tap to move. How it works? Fairly simple:

There are 8 directions above: as the yellow and green arrows show. Most PTZ cameras support at least 4 directions and some of them support 8. So for PTZ cameras, this version provides tap to move on 4 or 8 directions depending what camera you are using. If you want the camera moves left, tap on any area near spot A; if you want up, go for B, and so on.

In such way, you no longer need to swipe around on the screen but a single tap is good enough to drive your camera moving. Furthermore, this will work on multi-view screen as well - each camera image become your virtual joystick!