ipcam-mcp

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Pan or tilt the camera

ptz_move

Pan or tilt an IP camera left, right, up, or down by a chosen amount, then wait for movement to stop and return its position so you can verify the new view.

Instructions

Pan or tilt a camera. Directions are as seen in the camera image ("left" turns the view left). amount: "small" is a slight nudge, "medium" a noticeable turn, "large" a big sweep. Waits until the camera has stopped, then returns its pan/tilt position if the camera reports one. Take a snapshot afterwards to see the new view.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "camera": "<camera>",
      "direction": "<direction>"
    },
    "name": "ptz_move"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Default
`amount`	No	small
`camera`	Yes
`direction`	Yes

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.4.1Nov 6, 2026

TDQS

A3.9/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Beyond the annotations, the description discloses that the call blocks until movement stops and that it returns a position only "if the camera reports one" — genuinely useful for reasoning about latency and conditional returns on a non-idempotent, non-readonly tool. It does not say what happens on cameras lacking PTZ support or on failure, which would be the remaining gap.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three short sentences, each front-loaded with its point: what it does, how to read the enums, then wait/return behavior, then the follow-up action. Nothing is redundant and the frame-of-reference caveat is placed exactly where it is needed.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a three-parameter tool the description covers direction, magnitude, blocking behavior, and conditional return values, and an output schema exists so return shape needn't be restated. The unresolved camera identifier and the absence of any failure/unsupported-camera note keep it short of complete.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 0%, so the description must carry the burden, and it does for both enums: "small" is a slight nudge, "large" a big sweep, and directions are explicitly relative to the camera image ("left" turns the view left). The third parameter, camera, gets no explanation of identifier format (name vs id), which is the one uncovered input.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

"Pan or tilt a camera" names a specific verb pair and resource, and the enum-level explanation of direction makes the manual-movement nature clear. It never mentions the preset siblings (ptz_goto_preset / ptz_save_preset), so the agent must infer that this is the manual alternative to preset positioning rather than being told.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage is implied rather than stated: "Take a snapshot afterwards to see the new view" gives a useful follow-up workflow, but there is no explicit when-to-use versus ptz_goto_preset, nor any precondition such as requiring a PTZ-capable camera. The agent gets a hint about sequencing but no routing guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.