Wanscam

Model specific wikis

Wanscam FR4020A2 Pan/Tilt Camera

Wanscam FR4020A2 Outdoor Camera

General Wanscam directions

The Wanscam FR4020A2 Pan/Tilt camera is a Foscam clone very similar to this camera Foscam FI8918W Pan/Tilt Camera. As a clone it should work with the generic control script found here Foscam Clones, but it doesn't. It is similar but it is not compatible. Left and right pan is mixed up. IR light on and off is mixed up.

Setup a new control script

ZoneMinder v1.25.0

The new control script needs to be in the same folder as other control scripts. In Ubuntu 12.04 it is /usr/share/perl5/ZoneMinder/Control/. Search for one of the already existing control scripts to find the right folder. For exampel search for file AxisV2.pm.

Name the new control script file so that it matches the package name inside the file. Example: File name: Wanscam.pm Package name: package ZoneMinder::Control::Wanscam;

Make sure the new script file has the same permissions as the already existing script files.

Now ZoneMinder needs to know about the new control script. First make sure that OPT_CONTROL is ticked in Options System tab, otherwise the Control tab will not show in the next step.

Open the monitor editor. Go to Control tab. On the second row named Control Type, click the link named Edit. Now the Control Capabilities window should open.

Click Add New Control button.

Complete the settings exactly as described for each control script. These setting are as important as the script itself to get things working.

Click the Save button.

Stop ZoneMinder.

Reboot. (Yes I know it is brutal, but it is effective.)

Debug a control script

ZoneMinder v1.25.0

To see the Debug output from the control script you need to configure ZoneMinder.

Go to Options Logging Tab.

LOG_LEVEL_DATABASE set to Debug (to allow reception of debug output).

LOG_DEBUG tick

LOG_DEBUG_TARGET set to _zmcontrol (it is zmcontrol.pl that runs the control scripts)

LOG_DEBUG_LEVEL set to 1 (to allow sending of debug output)

Click the Save button.

Restart ZoneMinder.

Open Logg window.

Set Filter log - Component to zmcontrol.

Now you will see the debug output from the control script.

Troubleshooting

I installed a Wanscam PNP IP Camera(no model number). It was dropping out on ZoneMinder(go from green to red status). I fixed it by creating a cron entry that just pinged the camera every 15 minutes. This replaced a Foscam unit that lost the IR leds. Same network cable and power setup.