GlanceCam - IP camera viewer
macOS / Utilitaires
GlanceCam for Mac is a secure IP camera viewer with support for standard streaming protocols. GlanceCam is unobtrusive, loved by Users (> 580 App Store ratings averaging 4.2 stars!) and modern (41 updates since 2018, 100% compatible with Sequoia and Apple silicon).
It's perfect to keep an eye on one, or 50, IP cameras:
• Install cameras from different manufacturers and avoid cumbersome web interfaces or obsolete apps.
• Mount webcams in your living room, kitchen and garden to check on your pet when you're away.
• Point a camera at your front gate and let visitors in by activating a network relay.
GlanceCam is a bit nerdy, but very useful if you want to take advantage of inexpensive IP cameras and maybe combine them to the automation capabilities of the Internet of Things; it works on your LAN or via Internet (please see the requirements below) and, while it's not the most "works out-of-the-box" solution to configure (you'll need to retrieve some network parameters), it's flexible and brand-agnostic.
Here's how it works:
• With most IP cameras, you can receive the realtime video stream via RTSP, HTTP(s) or RTMP (RTSPs not supported); GlanceCam shows you those feeds in resizable windows.
• You can add as many cameras as you like.
• By default the app shows one camera at a time in a single window, and you can switch between cameras inside that window; if you want to view multiple cameras at the same time, you will be able to upgrade to GlanceCam Pro and open as many windows as you need (including GlanceGrids, flexible grids with presets) and have them remembered between sessions.
• GlanceCam windows can be configured to be Always on Top and visible in every Space; you can use Insta-zoom (right click and hold to temporarily maximise) and optionally auto-launch at login.
• 4K, zoom and audio are supported.
• The app has lots of keyboard shortcuts; it supports Apple Script and URL schemes.
• For every camera, you can configure up to 2 buttons to perform actions via HTTP GET calls.
GlanceCam Pro is available either as a lifetime in-app purchase or as a yearly subscription (both provide the same functionality, you can pick your favorite purchasing method) and includes multi-windows, GlanceGrids, Cycle mode, an optional Minimalistic interface, custom icons, manual aspect ratios and a preferential channel for email support.
The app is designed for realtime playback and doesn't support DVRs/NVRs, cloud services, recording (nor playing back recordings), pan & tilt (PTZ) and motion detection/notifications.
To take advantage of GlanceCam you'll need at least one IP camera and some knowledge about your network; please, check the requirements below (or get in touch at support@cdf1982.com):
• An Apple silicon or Intel Mac running Sequoia or a previous version of macOS (10.14+).
• One or more IP cameras broadcasting their stream via RTSP, HTTP(s) or RTMP; you'll need to know their IP addresses, video stream protocols, credentials and ports and to put those informations into strings.
You can check if your camera supports such protocols by searching the web, usually on the manufacturer website; since there is no standard for the stream URL format, you'll need to retrieve the proper string on the camera's manual/website. If you can't find it, get in touch: I always try to help, and often succeed in finding the right string!
• For triggering actions from the optional buttons, you'll need devices that can react to HTTP GET calls.
• To work over the Internet, you'll need a static public IP address or a dynamic DNS service, to configure port forwarding for each camera and, optionally, for the action buttons; I recommend to start testing in LAN to check compatibility.
The app and the GlanceCam Pro upgrade are macOS-exclusive: possible future versions for different platforms (iOS, etc.) will require separate purchases/subscriptions not included with this Mac version.
Privacy Policy: https://bit.ly/3nZjYM4
Terms of Service: https://bit.ly/3uB6etv
Quoi de neuf dans la dernière version ?
This update makes GlanceGrids more reliable when loading cameras and switching presents, especially when dealing with a large number of concurrent streams; I want to thank Rodney for really pushing the limits with 90 cameras playing at the same time, and for helping me test this solution.
There's also a new "Advanced tweak" option that allows to force Multicast for streams; it's extremely unlikely that you'll need to enable this option, since the video engine already evaluates if the camera is streaming in Unicast or Multicast mode, but this option proved useful to reduce latency for a Reolink doorbell camera (thank you Micheal, for your patience and all the help testing this!).
As mentioned in the release notes for GlanceCam 4.3.2 in September, GlanceCam has been ready on day one for Sequoia. I want to provide a quick note to those who are going to update to macOS 15 in the coming months: after updating, a very small number of Users experienced an issue (streams not loading) caused by the new Local Network security prompt introduced by the new operating system; it's important that, after macOS updates, you'll remember to allow local network connections for GlanceCam when prompted by macOS (obviously, GlanceCam needs to be able to communicate with your cameras to display their streams, and Sequoia will ask your permission the first time a connection attempt is established, but let's just say the macOS process isn't rock solid yet). I remain available (Support menu > Contact support via email) if you need some clarifications about this before installing macOS 15, or if you need assistance afterwards.
And speaking of Sequoia, a second tip: with the new operating system (and future versions), macOS will not not execute global keyboard shortcuts that only include Option or Option Shift as modifiers, so if in GlanceCam's Settings > Behavior you have configured global keyboard shortcuts to bring all your windows to front or to Insta-zoom a specific window, you might need to check and possibly include an additional key like Command or Control to your shortcuts of choice to keep them working.
I am constantly grateful for people choosing GlanceCam and using it every day, and I hope you'll appreciate my continued commitment to make it the best Mac app possible; if you do, please leave a 5-star review and consider upgrading to GlanceCam Pro or, if you already did (you're awesome!), to leave a tip!
Happy Halloween! Cesare
