Toshiba Camera Issues

[Jim_Z]

Hi- Thanks for the great Apps!
I have 10 private Toshiba Cameras. One Ik-WB21A, two IK-WB15As and seven IK-WB11As. I have an IPhone 3G (v4.1) and an IPad (v1.1 HD). There are two issues:
1.) There is no PTZ control on the IK-WB15As
2.) One of the IK-WB15As will not display a thumbnail. The name of camera appears but the thumbnail is blank. However, it displays properly on the full screen This is identical on the IPhone and IPad. The other IK-WB15A works fine. I have deleted and added the camera many times with the same results.
Thanks for listening,
Jim_Z

[BarryE]

Jim,

1) Check to make sure that the newest firmware is installed on each of the cameras. Slight differences can cause problems like you describe.
2) Make sure that you connect with a user account that has admin privileges. Toshibas only allow admin users to query the camera capabilities so my app fails to determine if PTZ is supported unless connecting with an admin account.

Barry

[Jim_Z]

Barry,
Thanks for the reply!
I do have the latest firmware in both cameras. From your response Livecams is logging in as a "user" not as an "administrator". I enabled "User" on both cameras with a password and enalbed PTZ for Users for both Cameras. I edited Livecams with the username and password. Now both Cameras have thumbnails and are able to go to full screen. However, I still don't have a button for PTZ. I can log in as User via my PC and I have PTZ abilities.
Jim

[BarryE]

Actually, the opposite is true. It's logging in as a user, but the firmware only allows administrators to ask for camera properties. When Live Cams connects it uses your username and password and can fetch video without problems. When it asks the firmware to see if the device has PTZ functions, the request fails if the user account does not have admin privileges. This is because the API is something like this:

http://ip:port/api/wbgetadminuserfunctions.cgi

The call to "wbgetadminuserfunctions.cgi" returns a list of camera properties, including one that says whether or not PTZ exists. Unfortunately this call can only be made by an admin, otherwise it silently fails and you never see the control button appear.

[Jim_Z]

I log in with the -15 and -21 for admin rights with:
http://IP Address:Port#/admin/cgi-bin/view_S_a.thtml
I'm not sure how that releates to your log-in script.
I have enabled PTZ for both "users" and admin".
What else could I do?
Thanks,
Jim

[BarryE]

Yes, but are you connecting with a user that is an admin? The user must have administrator privileges. In order for the app to call that API I listed the user that is connected must have admin rights.

Toshibas -15's are the only camera models that behave this way, it's poorly designed firmware.

Without calling that API I have to assume that the device in question has PTZ. Most other apps make this assumption and show the controls at all times, whereas my app tries to be more precise and only shows the controls if they should be there. The messed up security settings for this particular API are the cause of the headache.

Barry

[Jim_Z]

Barry,
I have enabled both users and admin to allow use of the PTZ as I stated before. I agree with you- Toshiba firmware has issues- not much I can do about it. They are all very reliable with excellent video capability.
This evening I went back to the password for "users" and now I can view the cameras albeit without PTZ control.
Jim

[capted]

Hi Jim,
I have the same camera and the same ptz problem. What is your firmware? Mine is: 1.05.10.200.115

Thanks,
Ed

[Jim_Z]

Hi Jim,
I have the same camera and the same ptz problem. What is your firmware? Mine is: 1.05.10.200.115

Thanks,
Ed

Ed,
Yes that is the version I have on my IKWB15A.
Jim

[BarryE]

I've modified version 4.40 so that it will always give you access to the PTZ controls for the "Toshiba" camera profile. This will hopefully give you guys the controls that you have wanted for a while now. Sorry for the delay.

Version 4.40 will be submitted to Apple for review in a few days, and it will take about a week for them to approve it.