iOS: Connect directly to a camera device using wifi?

Please read this post and then post back if you have follow-up questions.

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Quinn "The Eskimo!"
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware

let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"

Thanks Eskimo,

I have read that post many times, and keep coming to the same conclusion: Apple will not allow iOS devices to do peer-to-peer (Direct wifi) connections to non-Apple devices. As such, this really only leaves us 2 options:

1. Using the system settings, connect the iOS device as a wifi client to the custom camera device (acting as a wifi access point). This means the iOS device can only connect to the Internet via the Cellular connection.

2. Using the system settings, configure the iOS device to be a "Personal Hotspot", and have the custom camera device connect as a client to the iOS device. Again, the iOS device can only connect to the Internet via the Cellular connection.

This is a real difficulty for us, as no other connection can provide the bandwidth necessary to stream HD video from the device, and still allow network connectivity through wifi.

If there is a chance this might change in the future, please let me know.

john...

Interesting. I need to do the same thing, and, my Panasonic G6 camera can send and receive commands and photos on its own wi-fi network. It works no matter the location. No router needed. It is a direct connection from the iPhone or iPad to the camera. The app is in the iTunes store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/panasonic-image-app/id590212732?mt=8

So clearly this is possible but, how????

Have you guys figured out how to do it?

I(novice at iOS programming) myself am also trying to find a way to use an iPad to view the live feeds from several non-apple camera devices that are connected to a wifi WAP network.

Are there any resources(API's) on this matter?

I have only looked at AVFoundation, but it doesn't seem to support external camera support (cable nor wirless).

Looking at StackOverflow I found this post( http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14649397/how-to-browse-network-camera-in-osx) that neither: QTkit or ImageKit( specifically IKDeviceBrowserView) dont seem to provide the support to connect from an iPAD to a wireless camera that is connected to a WAP network.

What is a “WAP network”? In the networking space WAP usually means Wireless Application Protocol but I don’t think that’s what you’re referring to.

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!”
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware

let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"

WAP as in a Wireless Access Point. Sorry for the confusion.

I … am also trying to find a way to use an iPad to view the live feeds from several non-apple camera devices that are connected to a wifi WAP network.

Explain the topology here. Is there a single Wi-Fi network (SSID) to which all the cameras are connected? If so, is the iPad also connected to that network?

Or does each camera provide its own Wi-Fi network?

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!”
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware

let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"

All the cameras are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (SSID).

The iPad is connected to that same network.

The cameras do not provide their own Wi-Fi network.

Vasko

The cameras do not provide their own Wi-Fi network.

OK. I was confused by the fact that you posted to a thread that’s discussing cameras that do provide their own access point.

So, what are you having problems with here? Discovering the cameras? Making requests to the cameras? Displaying the results on screen?

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!”
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware

let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"

At the moment I am aiming at: Discovering the cameras and displaying the results on the screen. Later on I will look at specifying requests (e.g. resolution, quality, fps, etc.).

I am not trying to do any vision based computations so I was looking at using AVCaptureVideoPreviewLayer and read over the sample code for the AVCam-iOS project ( https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/samplecode/AVCam/Introduction/Intro.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/DTS40010112-Intro-DontLinkElementID_2).

But they only provide an example of using the onboard/embedded front and back cameras not at connecting to the live feed of an external camera (These cameras will be connected to a router).

Any resource or an API that can help me out?

And are there any external cameras that work well with iOS libraries/API's?

Thank you.

Vasko

AFAIK AVFoundation does not provide any built-in support for network cameras. Keep in mind, however, that I’m not a camera expert, and thus you’d be better off asking questions about that in the Media > AVFoundation (Video and Camera) topic area.

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!”
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware

let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"