[SOLVED] How to connect a camera to multiple PCs?

[mikarimov]

Dear Community,

I need to set up a system where multiple PCs would be able to use the same camera to take pictures, of course not at the same time. The camera can be a webcam or a phone.

Kind Regards, Mirlan

 

[Ralston18]

Just install the camera software on each PC.

Should not be a problem if the camera has a static IP address and multiple PCs should be able to access the camera even at the same time.

If you are using multiple cameras then each camera needs to have a static IP address so the end user can identify the webcam or phone to select.

Get one PC working and capable of taking pictures. First with a webcam and then add phone cameras.

(Not sure about how the phone cameras may integrate with the overall requirements...)

Then apply what you learn from that setup and configuration to get a second PC capable of taking pictures via the camera.

Then PC #3, #4, etc..

Caveat being some limit on the number of allowed camera software installations.

Again not knowing how the phone cameras may integrate with the your plans it may prove more straight forward to simply add more webcams where needed.

However, that said:

https://www.wired.com/story/use-your-phone-as-webcam/

https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/ho...d-as-a-webcam-its-actually-incredibly-simple/

There are similar links to be found. Details matter.

Start with a network sketch of PCc and cameras (webcams, phones) as a planning tool for connectivity and IP addressing.

 

[USAFRet]

Alternate solution:

Have the camera connected to and run by a single system.
Use a tool like TeamViewer or TinyVNC from the other systems to connect to the main camera PC.

Not sure if the target system can accept multiple simultaneous connections like that, though.