Device - Network (IP) Cameras or Video Servers

For network cameras or video servers, you can:

• Add a network camera

• Configure advanced features, for example, recording schedule

• Configure analytics engines

To add a new network camera or video server:

1. From the Server menu, select Configuration. The Configuration dialog box appears with Devices displayed in the right pane.

2. In the right pane, click New. The Network tab appears.


Field/button	Description
Discover Device	Opens the Discover Device dialog box displaying a device tree. Expand the brand name to see a list of devices.
View on Web Browser	Opens a Web browser to the camera URL (IP address).
Supported Features	Opens the Web browser to the Aimetis Xnet list of supported devices.
Server	The name of the server managing cameras.
Name	Enter an appropriate and easily identifiable name for the camera.
Description	Enter an easily identifiable description. For example, “Camera near front door.”
ID/Code	Enter the code or identification you are using to classify and easily identify your cameras.
URL	IP address of the device
Manufacturer	Identify a camera in your system by selecting it by brand name.
Username	Enter a username to access the camera. This may be pre-established based on your company protocol.
Password	Enter a password to access the camera. This may be pre-established based on your company protocol.
Connect to Camera	The Symphony server connects with the camera and automatically detects the Resolution, FPS, and Video Format.
Camera Type	Select one of the options: Fixed, PTZ, or Video Server
Fixed	Fixed camera type.
PTZ	A Pan-Tilt-Zoom type camera.
Video Server	For a device that uses COAX input (from an analog camera), has a compressor, and network port as output.
Resolution	Various resolutions, for example, 160x120, 176x144, 240x180, 320x240, 480x360, 640x480
FPS	Frames Per Second Example Scenario: • On-camera FPS = 5 • User selects a video analytic with a default FPS (or chooses an FPS) that is different from the on-camera setting, for example FPS = 8 Results: • If camera synchronizes with Symphony settings, then FPS=8 will be used for streaming from cameras, decompression, video analysis, writing to disk, live video, historical recording, and searches. • If Video Format = MJPG • FPS=8 will be used for streaming from camera, decompression, and video analytics. • FPS=5 will be used for writing to disk, live video, historical recording, and searches. • If camera does NOT synchronize with Symphony settings, then the on-camera FPS dictates, regardless of the setting in Symphony. As such, in our example, FPS=5 will be used for streaming from cameras, decompression, video analysis, writing to disk, live video, historical recording, and searches.
Video Format	Various formats based on camera type: MJPG, H264, H264 Unicast, H264 Multicast, H264 Over TCP, H264 Over HTTP, H264 over HTTPS
Failover Movability	If set to Movable, then this device can move to another server in the farm during failover. If set to Unmovable, then the device cannot be moved. Any device that requires access to resources available only on a single server (for example, COM port, special SDK or drivers) is unmovable. All others are typically movable.
Enable audio streaming	Depending on camera, allows live audio.
Support Direct Connect	Depending on camera, allows direct connection to camera versus via server when View>Settings>Video tab, Direct connect to camera check box also selected.
Enable Audio Input	Depending on camera design, allows user to speak through the camera.
Enable Audio Output	Depending on camera design, streams live audio from the camera.
Auxiliary Command	Depending on camera design, allows user to define and manage additional supported device commands. See Enabling Control Buttons. See http://www.aimetis.com/Support/kbarticle.aspx?ID=10293

Network Tab - Identify a New Network Camera

Task 1: Name a new network camera:

1. In the Name field, enter an appropriate and easily identifiable name for the camera.

2. In the Description field, enter an easily identifiable description. For example, “Camera near front door.”

3. (Optional) In the ID/Code field, enter the code or identification you are using to classify and easily identify your cameras.

Task 2: Locate the camera on the network

1. Enter an IP address in the URL field or click Discover Devices to locate devices (the IP address) on the network. The Discover Devices dialog box opens displaying a device tree.

2. Expand the brand name to see a list of devices.

3. Right-click on a device and select Connect to Symphony. The IP address of the device is now displayed in the URL field.

4. Enter a Username and Password for the device. (This may be automatically displayed.)

Task 3: Automatically or Manually determine the device specifications:

Automatically:

1. Click Connect to Camera. The Camera Type and values for Resolution, FPS and Video Format are automatically detected and displayed.

Manually:

1. From the Manufacturer list, select the brand or manufacturer of the camera.

2. Select the Camera Type, and set the Resolution, FPS and Video Format appropriately.

Task 4: Specify Failover Movability

1. From the Failover Movability drop-down list, specify whether the device will automatically move to a redundant server under a failover condition.

• If set to Movable, then this device can move to another server in the farm during failover.

• If set to Unmovable, then the device cannot be moved. Any device that requires access to resources available only on a single server (for example, COM port, special SDK or drivers) is unmovable. All others are typically movable.

Video Tab - Configure Advanced Features

To configure advanced features:

1. Click the Video tab. From the Record Video and Record Audio lists, select a condition or schedule when Symphony should record video and audio on a specific camera. The options are available only if Symphony has detected that a recording feature is supported by your camera.

2. By default, video is recorded 15 seconds before and after an event. You can adjust this amount by entering a value in seconds in the Pre Event and Post Event fields.

3. The Change Frame Rate On Alarm option is available only if Symphony has detected this feature is supported by your camera.


Option	Available for	Symphony records video...
Always	All video cameras	For this specific camera
Schedule	All video cameras	On the schedule you specify. 1. Click Set Schedule. The Schedule dialog box opens. 2. By default, the Do not record option is selected. Using your mouse, click on the date and time intervals you do NOT want video recorded (green) and click OK. 3. You can set recording schedules to per minute ranges. Click on at least two squares in one column. Hover your mouse over the first square or the last square in the column (earliest or latest hour interval). Arrow range buttons appear. Click the arrows to change times to per minute ranges.
Schedule and Motion Detected by PC	When motion detection video engine also selected	On motion but only during the time period you specify.
Tracked Motion Detected by PC	When motion detection video engine also selected	If objects are tracked through the scene (for example, a person or vehicle moving through the scene is tracked as motion, but moving tree branches should not be tracked and therefore video would not be recorded)
Schedule and Pixel Changes Detected by PC	When motion detection video engine also selected	Symphony records video whenever pixel changes are detected as objects are tracked through the scene, but only during the time period specified.
Pixel Changes Detected by PC	When motion detection video engine also selected	Whenever pixel changes are detected. Note: A tree moving in a heavy wind could cause pixel changes and therefore cause Symphony to record video
Motion Detected by Camera	Cameras which support Motion Detection	Using motion detection capabilities inside the network camera itself, and not using a video analytic engine from Symphony (quality of motion detection similar to Pixel Changes)
Schedule & Motion Detected by Camera	Cameras which support Motion Detection	Records if motion detected during a specific time interval as defined by user. Using motion detection capabilities inside the network camera itself, and not using a video analytic engine from Symphony
Never	All video cameras	Never records video unless specified to be recorded in a Rule


Option	Symphony records audio...
Never	Never records audio unless specified to be recorded in a Rule
Same as video	Records audio based on the video record settings
Rule Broken	Records audio only when an alarm is triggered

Misc group box:

4. To add another video stream for the current network device, click Add a new Stream.

• If the network device allows additional network video streams, the streams can be added from the same physical device. Useful when one video is defined for recording and another for live video.

The video recording options available are the same as defined by the default stream. Video resolution can also be defined independently for the additional stream(s).

5. To rotate the picture, select a value from the Rotate Degrees field.

6. If you are using a PTZ camera, select a value in the Maximum Locked Minutes field to specify how long a PTZ camera should remain in its current position before it returns to its preset (Home Position).

Panoramic Settings group box:

7. Only for 360-degree camera lenses. To de-warp 360-degree video, select the Enable panoramic technology check box. From the drop-down lists, select the camera brand and a Position (wall, ceiling, ground) for how the camera is mounted.

8. Click Apply to save your settings and move onto the Analytics Configuration tab, or click OK to save settings and close the dialog without configuring the selected video analytics engines (default configuration settings will be used).

Generic de-warping functionality is supported for Axis M3007 and Eneo 5MP Fisheye

Task 1: Enable panoramic technology for the Axis camera:

In the Server Configuration dialog box, click the Video tab.
Select the Enable panoramic technology check box.
From the drop-down lists, select the Axis or Eneo camera and a Position (wall, ceiling, ground).

Task 2: Select panoramic modes from the context menu of the panel for the camera:

Right-click on the panel displaying video (live or historical) from the camera.
Select Dewarp. All options are displayed.

Digital I/O Tab

For Axis cameras with digital I/O, the Digital I/O tab appears.

1. Click the Digital I/O tab.

2. (Optional) You can change the input and output names by clicking on each row and typing new text.

3. Select the In Use check boxes for each I/O as necessary.

4. Activate (or deactivate) each Output for the Axis camera as necessary in the Camera Tree dialog box.

Rules in Symphony for Cameras with Digital I/O

Rules in Symphony define what Event constitutes an alarm in the real world (for example, a perimeter breach or even suspicious behavior around a car) and what Action to take after an alarm is raised (for example, whether to send a security guard to the location in question).

Alarm inputs include Video Motion Detection from network cameras and external I/O devices. To set up rules for I/O devices, see Rules - Using the Rule Wizard.

Analytics Engines and Analytics Configuration Tabs - Add Video Engines

By selecting the Analytics Engines tab, individual video analytics engines can be added to each camera. See About Video Analytics.