LPR License Plate Logging
We recently submitted a response to an RFP for upgrading an old video security system. One of the requirements is for license plate logging. That got me wondering what it’d take to make Streamie handle that. I did end up having to make one small code change, but then I was able to quickly craft a little Function within Streamie that handles all of the work. I wrote more about that here.
Shared Camera Schedules
We’ve been working at establishing a network of authorized resellers, primarily focussing on installers who want more opportunities to upsell and who are looking for recurring revenue. While speaking with one, I learned of a customer with an interesting need. It is a daycare facility that wants to be able to share cameras, but it wants the cameras to only be accessible during certain hours.
Streamie has a Modes features. Each mode can have a set of schedules. Modes are primarily used with Camera Actions to control when certain Actions will apply (you don’t want non-stop motion events during business hours, for instance). Shares can now be associated with one or more Modes. For a Shared camera to be available, at least one of its Modes must be active at that moment. I wrote more about this here.
I need to make this same change to File Servers so that recording can be limited to a schedule, or easily toggled off / on. I guess I just need a user or three to tell me this is important.
Updates
- Updates the "Key" section of the Home-Members screen to include the "Stop offscreen cameras" icon.
- Updates the Release Notes link for Streamie.
Changes
- Changes the Help (help.streamieapp.com) service to include an Updated date everywhere. I previously replaced Updated with Created, but I think it is best to have both, and sort by Created when listing articles.
- Changes the behavior of Streamie with regard to duplicate camera Shares. You can now create multiple shares for the same camera. Each Share can have its own independent Mode / Schedule association. In other words, you can share the same camera with different groups, each with varying availabilities.
Adds
- Adds Modes support to Shares, so that you can enable / disable Shares via a Modes. Modes support schedules, so this lets you schedule access to Shares. Learn more about that here.
- Adds support in the Settings-Share screen for copying the share camera link.
- Adds support for Mode Schedule inversions. If you want something to be active at all times that are NOT business hours, you set up a schedule defining business hours and then toggle the Schedule Type to "Inverted".
- Adds support for automatically disabling Shared Camera streams when a Mode is disabled or becomes inactive due to a set schedule.
- Adds a section to the Settings-Modes-Mode screen that lists the Shares that make use of that Mode (much like we already list cameras that have actions tied to a mode).
Improves
- Improves the Settings-Modes-Mode-Schedule screen with better controls, better schedule descriptions and various minor improvements.
- Improves Function integration with Camera Actions. All of the properties from a Message (like a motion detection alert, license plate event, etc) are now all passed to the LambdaService as parameters that the Function can access. With this change, a Function can now use the contextual details to do something like call an external API with each detected license plate.
- Improves the contextual menus when streaming cameras, removing options that aren't valid depending on the current state of streaming.
Fixes
- Fixes the Help button in the Settings-Modes-Mode screen to point to the correct help article.
- Fixes the Settings-Modes screen where it would say "Enabled" under each enabled Mode, even though the Modes are in an Enabled section. It now indicates its Active / Inactive state.
- Fixes an issue where, if a remote stream continued to be received even after we had stopped wanting it, we would send a System.Stop request for each received packet. Ehh. Yeah. Not good. We now track which sessions we've told to stop so that we won't repeatedly send a stop message.
- Fixes the Settings-Shares screen so that the cameras display the Share Name (if it has been set to something different than the camera name).
- Fixes an issue caused by using both Looper mode and Focus mode in the same streaming group. Without proper locking, the two mechanisms for moving cameras were clobbering each other, resulting in blank (black) cells. [DV]
- Fixes a sorting issue in the Settings-Shares screen.
Removes
- Removes a bunch of old, deprecated code. Specifically, the v1 style streamPlay() stuff that was replaced back in v3.15.x around Aug, 2023. I should have deleted this ages ago. I really want to fully deprecate up to v3.19.0, but there's exactly three of you standing in the way of doing that. SERIOUSLY, you need to update. I imagine the possibility that each of these Apple TVs was long ago disconnected from the actual TV, and it is sitting on the back of a shelf somewhere, dusty and forgotten, forever streaming some cameras, and doomed to never be updated.
Created: 2 months ago
Updated: 1 month ago
Author: Curtis Jones
Topics: Functions Modes Release Notes Shares
Streamie provides a best-in-class user experience on your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Apple Silicon Mac, with an intuitive user interface that makes it simple to discover, stream, record, monitor and share your HomeKit, Google Nest, Ubiquiti UniFi Protect and ONVIF-compatible IP and RTSP cameras. Streamie keeps you informed with motion event notifications and it works with most cameras using its advanced audio and video codec support. You can watch your cameras from anywhere, record 24/7 to your private NAS, remotely manage multiple locations, device permissions and seamlessly synchronize settings across your devices; configure Hubitat smart home automations, live stream to YouTube and rely on the in-app technical support system when you need help -- and you can also reach us by phone. Download Streamie today for all of your CCTV needs.