Remote control, view and config a Foscam/Tenvis IP camera.

All included methods are based on Foscam's (fragmented) API documentation. Some features may not be supported by non-pan/tilt, older cameras or old firmware. So make sure you keep a backup of your camera settings, just in case.

var cam = require ('foscam');

cam.setup ({
  host: 'mycamera.lan',
  port: 81,
  user: 'admin',
  pass: ''
});

// start rotating left
cam.control.decoder ('left', function () {

  // stop rotation
  cam.control.decoder ('stop left', function () {

    // take a picture and store it on your computer
    cam.snapshot ('/path/to/save.jpg', console.log);

  });
});

Stable: npm install foscam

Develop: npm install fvdm/nodejs-foscam#develop

Every method takes a callback function as last parameter. The callbacks are the only way to procedural scripting.

NOTE: Some methods require a certain access-level, i.e. admins can do everything, but a visitor can only view.

In order to connect to the camera you first need to provide its access details. You can either do this by setting the properties below directly in cam.settings, but better is to use cam.setup(). When the callback function is provided, setup() will attempt to connect to the camera and retrieve its status, returned as object to the callback. When it fails the callback gets false.

cam.setup (
  {
    host: 'mycamera.lan',
    port: 81,
    user: 'admin'
    pass: ''
  },
  function (status) {
    if (!status) {
      console.error ('ERROR: can\'t connect');    } else {
      console.log (status);
    }
  }
);

Permission: everyone

Get basic details from the camera.

cam.status (console.log);

{ id: '001A11A00A0B',
  sys_ver: '0.37.2.36',
  app_ver: '3.2.2.18',
  alias: 'Cam1',
  now: '1343304558',
  tz: '-3600',
  alarm_status: '0',
  ddns_status: '0',
  ddns_host: '',
  oray_type: '0',
  upnp_status: '0',
  p2p_status: '0',
  p2p_local_port: '23505',
  msn_status: '0',
  alarm_status_str: 'no alarm',
  ddns_status_str: 'No Action',
  upnp_status_str: 'No Action' }

Permission: visitor

Get camera sensor settings.

cam.camera_params (console.log);

{ resolution: 32,
  brightness: 96,
  contrast: 4,
  mode: 1,
  flip: 0,
  fps: 0 }

Take a snapshot. Either receive the binary JPEG in the callback or specify a filename to store it on your computer.

When a filename is provided the callback will return either the filename on success or false on faillure.

// custom processing
cam.snapshot (function (jpeg) {
  // add binary processing here
});

// store locally
cam.snapshot ('./my_view.jpg', console.log);

Save current camera position in preset #id. You can set presets 1 to 16.

cam.preset.set (3, console.log);

Move camera to the position as stored in preset #id. You can use presets 1 to 16.

cam.preset.go (3, console.log);

Control camera movement, like pan and tilt.

The command to execute can be a string or number.

cam.control.decoder ('horizontal patrol', function () {
  console.log ('Camera moving left-right');
});

Change a camera (sensor) setting.

cam.control.camera ('resolution', 640, function () {
  console.log ('Resolution changed to 640x480');
});

Reboot the device

cam.reboot (function () {
  console.log ('Rebooting camera');
});

Reset all settings back to their factory values.

cam.restore_factory (function () {
  console.log ('Resetting camera settings to factory defaults');
});

Directly communicate with the device.

cam.talk (
  {
    path: 'set_datetime.cgi',
    fields: {
      ntp_enable: 1,
      ntp_svr: 'ntp.xs4all.nl',
      tz: -3600
    }
  },
  function (response) {
    console.log (response);
  }
);

This is free and unencumbered software released into the public domain.

Anyone is free to copy, modify, publish, use, compile, sell, or distribute this software, either in source code form or as a compiled binary, for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, and by any means.

In jurisdictions that recognize copyright laws, the author or authors of this software dedicate any and all copyright interest in the software to the public domain. We make this dedication for the benefit of the public at large and to the detriment of our heirs and successors. We intend this dedication to be an overt act of relinquishment in perpetuity of all present and future rights to this software under copyright law.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

For more information, please refer to https://unlicense.org/

Franklin van de Meent | Website | Github