How to Run Blue Iris on Linux: Complete Guide and Tips

Hey folks, listen here, I know some of ya have been wonderin’ about Blue Iris on Linux. This Blue Iris, it’s good software, no doubt, but you know, it’s a bit of a hassle if you’re on Linux. All this talk about cameras and motion detection – I tell ya, it sounds nice, but not everyone wants to stick with Windows just to make it work, right?

So now, you’re probably thinkin’, “Can I just get Blue Iris to run on Linux?” Well, it’s like this – technically, you can run it, but it ain’t straightforward. A lotta folks end up using WINE or some kinda virtual machine. What’s that, you ask? Well, it’s like makin’ Linux pretend to be Windows so it can handle things that usually don’t work on it. Some folks go for this, like a trick, to make Blue Iris work without switchin’ over to a full Windows setup. But ya know, it still takes a bit of fiddlin’ around.

Now, let me tell ya somethin’ else. Blue Iris got all these fancy features – like motion detection, right? It’s got this setup where it can pass on what it sees to a program called DeepStack. DeepStack’s like an extra brain that helps Blue Iris decide if it’s lookin’ at a person, car, or somethin’ else. Good stuff, right? But again, doin’ all that on Linux takes more work, and it don’t run as smoothly as you might like.

Alternatives to Blue Iris on Linux

If you’re like me, you might just be askin’ if there are other choices out there. Why go through all that trouble if we can find somethin’ that just works straight on Linux, right? Lucky for us, there’s a few options folks in the Linux world talk about:

• ZoneMinder: Now this one here, it’s been around a while and runs on Linux natively. Not as fancy as Blue Iris, but if you need it for basic security, it’ll do the job.
• MotionEye: Another simple option. It’s lightweight and works with Raspberry Pi, too, if you got one of those sittin’ around. Good for folks who don’t need all the bells and whistles.
• Shinobi: Newer on the scene, but folks say it’s powerful and customizable. It’s like the Linux answer to Blue Iris in some ways, though it can still be tricky to set up for those not used to Linux.

How to Run Blue Iris on Linux with WINE or Virtual Machine

Alright, if you’re still thinkin’ of makin’ Blue Iris work on Linux, let’s go over a few ways folks have managed to get it goin’:

• WINE: This lets Linux run some Windows programs. Some folks say they’ve got Blue Iris to work this way, but it can be tricky. Not all features work, and sometimes ya gotta do a lot of tweakin’.
• Virtual Machines: Another way is to install Windows in a virtual machine (VM). This is like runnin’ a little Windows computer inside your Linux setup. It’s a bit heavy on the computer’s resources, though, so don’t expect it to be as smooth as runnin’ it directly on Windows.

So there ya have it. Blue Iris, it’s got its place, but if you’re tryin’ to use Linux, you might find yourself jumpin’ through hoops. Whether you try WINE or VM, or look into other options like ZoneMinder, just remember, it takes some patience. And who knows, maybe one day they’ll bring out a version of Blue Iris that runs natively on Linux. Until then, keep tinkerin’, and maybe one of these other programs will do the trick for ya.

Tags：Blue Iris, Linux, security camera software, ZoneMinder, MotionEye, Shinobi