Subscriber Discussion

Controlling Camera I/O From Joystick

UE
Undisclosed End User #1
Dec 08, 2014

We have a client requesting the ability to open and close their gates via a joystick connected up to their VMS and controlling the camera output. The output of the camera controls the gate perfectly from the camera interface, as well as the I/O control panel in their VMS (Nuuo Mainconsole). The joystick (USB CH Products joystick) also works perfect with the VMS for PTZ control/Changing cameras/Changing views. The problem I am running into is that (according to Nuuo) there is no option to map a joystick button to control a camera output (seems silly, as the I/O panel controls it fine already so it should be really easy to add the option to control via a joystick). So here I am stuck trying to find a solution. Is there a way I can map a joystick button via external software to control the output of the camera? Either that, or does someone know someone high up at Nuuo that could maybe push this to be added as I am getting no where with their support lately.

JW
Josh Windsor
Dec 09, 2014

I'm not terribly familiar with Nuuo, so forgive the questions. Does the joystick have driver loaded that allows you to configure the buttons? If so, you may be able to assign a hot key to the IO function in the VMS and map the hot key to the button. If not, you are probably stuck righting a small application that intercepts the joystick output and sends it to the cgi gateway on the camera.

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Brian Rhodes
Dec 09, 2014
IPVMU Certified

This is a good question, but I think it is typically platform dependent. I looked around a bit, but didn't find a 'magic box splitter' that maps serial inputs between joysticks and cameras.

By chance, does your PTZ include a serial port? It's a low probability.

UE
Undisclosed End User #1
Dec 09, 2014

Josh, the joystick is detected as a regular joystick in Windows (like a gaming joystick), Nuuo can detect this (you can use any old gaming joystick if you really wanted to my understanding) and you can map buttons to do different things in the Nuuo software (change cameras, change views, zoom in/out, etc.). Unfortunately, mapping to output controls is not one of those options which is unfortaunte as it seems that the underlying code is there (since output control can be done from one of the menus in Nuuo), they just never implented the ability to map it to a joystick button. My second thought was what you are thinking as well, write a small app to control the camera output directly but this may take a little more leg work than Im willing.

Brian, I do not believe the PTZs have a serial port. Running cables to the camera as well would also not be an option as this is a larger industrial site with the cameras at remote points.

JW
Josh Windsor
Dec 09, 2014

What is the camera you are using?

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