To enable Motion Detection and set its properties, click Motion Detection from the Settings menu.
Click to select the Motion Detection Enabled check box to have Acive WebCam to detect motion.
Customize Motion Detection
Motion Sensitivity
Motion Sensitivity defines a value in percent of the changes. It compares the last image and the current image and counts changes.
A large value means more sensitivity. You can check your settings with the colored bar below the sensitivity track bar: green - no motion event, red - there is a motion.
Check Motion each
Select the frequency of motion detection from the drop-down list.
Motion Area
You can specify an area of movement detection. The parts of image, which are outside the defined Motion Area, are removed from the active motion detection.
For example, you can use this option if you want to remove cars moving outside the window.
To define Motion Area:
- Click to select the Define Motion Area check box.
- Click the Motion Area button.
- Drag and resize the rectangle, which defines the area where monitored motion appears. Less observed area you specified, the motion will be detected more accurately. You can use Arrow keys to move rectangle or Shift + Arrows to resize.
Defines a delay in seconds before the program starts to detect motion. Increase this value if your camera needs time to adjust focus and stabilize picture.
Motion Actions
When a motion is detected, Active WebCam can perform the following actions:
Start FTP Uploading when motion detected
If a motion is detected, Active WebCam starts FTP uploading.
If the Stop FTP Uploading After check box is checked, the uploading will be stopped in specified number of seconds.
Send Email
Click to select the Send Email check box if you want to receive a email when motion is detected.
Click the Email Settings button to customize the email parameters.
Outgoing Mail Server
This is the mail server that your e-mail is sent through. If you are unsure of this setting, have a look at the settings of your E-Mail client and see what you have set for your SMTP server.
Sender
Enter your e-mail address.
Recipient
Enter the e-mail address of who will receive e-mail message. If there is few recipients, type the e-mail address of each recipient, separating addresses with a comma or semicolon ( ; ).
Subject
Enter the subject of e-mail message.
Message
Enter contents of the message.
If you want to insert date and time in the email body or in the subject, it must be enclosed in the braces {}. Like: {dd/mm/yyyy}.
For example the text:
Motion on {dd/mm/yyyy} at {hh:nn:ss}
will be displayed as:
Motion on 10/08/2001 at 22:13:30
Please refer to the Time formatting macros topic for more information.
Do not send more than one email during
Enter number of seconds, which specifies highest frequency of message sending.
Attach Images to Email
Click to select the Attach Images to Email check box if you want e-mail message to contain images, which released the event.
Message Priority
Select the priority of e-mail message.
Play Sound
Click to select the Play Sound check box to make an alert sound when motion is detected.
Launch a Program
Click to select the Launch a Program check box to start a program when motion is detected.
Record Video Clip
Click to select the Record to Archive File check box to have Active WebCam record video file when motion is detected.
Specify the video clip length in the Record Duration box. If there was a motion during the recording time, the program continues recording. The recording stops if there was no motion during the Record Duration period.
Recorded video clip can be uploaded on FTP server right after its creation. Click to select the FTP Upload box if you want the recorded file will be uploaded to web server.
Click the FTP Settings button to set up FTP parameters. More info about FTP parameters.
Pop-Up the Program Window
Click to select the Pop-Up Program's Window check box if you want the program to be on the top of other programs when a motion has been detected. This feature can be useful in conjunction with a sound playing that you have a video reminder, which makes sound and pops up on the computer screen when somebody walks in front of your camera.
Create Motion Snapshots
Click to select the Create Snapshots check box to have Active WebCam to record video file when motion is detected.
Specify time period when snapshots produced in the Stop After box. If there was a motion during the generation time, the program continues the snapshots creation. The creation stops if there was no motion during this period of time.
Click the Additional Settings button to change the following parameters:
File Name - the program saves incrementally named JPEG images under the file name specified in this box. Use the {COUNTER} tag in the file name as a place-holder for the counter value.
If you specify full path in the File Name box, snapshots are saved under this file name, otherwise they are saved in the Gallery folder.
Frame Rate - use this box to set the how many snapshots created per second, per minute, or per hour.
Click to select the Reset counter to the Start Index when the snapshots creation starts box if you want the counter to be set to the start value every time when new snapshots sequence begins.
The Upload Snapshots check box causes the program to upload snapshots to the FTP server. Click the FTP Settings button to set up FTP parameters. More info about FTP parameters.
Click to select the When the snapshots creation starts, make new sub-folder box if you want the program to create new sub-folder on the FTP server every time when new snapshots sequence begins. The folder name may include parameters like time: {hh:nn}, camera number: {CAMERA}, or current motion value: {MOTION} enclosed in the braces {}. See more info about parameters in the time formatting macros topic.
Archived images can change size of snapshots in order to use them as thumbnails. Click to select the Resize Snapshots check box and enter the thumbnail width and height in appropriate boxes.
Change Settings
This feature helps to save disk space by recording good quality video when there is motion and have poor quality and, as result, less disk space when there is no motion. Set the appropriate settings for video and sound quality when motion detected. These settings take place when motion detected. When the time period, defined in the Set Settings back after box, passes the program goes back to the settings defined in the Compression and in the Recording tabs.
Send SMS Message
Click to select the Send SMS Message check box if you want to receive SMS messages when motion detected.
To use this service you have to be subscribed on one of PY Software web services. Please use the PY Software web services (Dynamic IP Service) command from the Tools menu to subscribe for this service.
Click the SMS Settings button to customize the SMS parameters.
Phone Number
Enter a phone that SMS message will be sent to. It must be digits only with country code and area code (example: 14168315678). Up to 16 digits.
If there is few recipients, type the phone number of each recipient, separating addresses with semicolon ( ; ).
Sender
Enter your name or phone number. Up to 16 characters or digits.
Do not send more than one message during XXX sec.
Specify the interval of two sent-out messages. Any alert condition will be ignored during the interval.
Message
Enter contents of the message.
If you want to insert date and time in the SMS body or in the subject, it must be enclosed in the braces {}. Like: {dd/mm/yyyy}.
For example the text:
Motion on {dd/mm/yyyy} at {hh:nn:ss}
will be displayed as:
Motion on 10/08/2001 at 22:13:30
