Client Operation Manual C1554M-A (4/05) C1553M (5/04)
Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Configuring Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 User Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Viewing Live Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Working with Archived Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Controlling an ASCII Switcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archive View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 Browsing Archived Alarms and Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Filtering Archived Alarms and Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
List of Illustrations 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 6 Login Dialog Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Configure Servers Dialog Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 C1554M-A (4/05) ASCII Switcher Gadget. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Device Control Dialog Box - Date\Time Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 Session Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Session Manager Tool Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Session Manager . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction Welcome to the VMX300(-E) video management system, designed to provide video and surveillance applications in a highly customizable and user-friendly environment. VMX300(-E) supports client-to-server, multiple clients-to-server, client-to-multiple servers, and server-to-server control and monitoring of CCTV equipment via both analog and IP connections.
Configuring Servers NOTE: Typically, the system administrator or other system support professional configures the servers when the VMX300(-E) client is first installed on a workstation. Do not attempt to configure servers without instruction from the system administrator. The first time the VMX300(-E) client is run on a workstation, you must specify which VMX300(-E) server(s) to connect to from that client.
2. Add: The Add option adds servers to the Configured Servers list without clearing the existing list. Use the Add option instead of Discover All if you want to add a server without clearing the Configured Servers list, or if you know the server’s IP address and the server does not appear using Discover All. To add a server to the Configured Servers list, click Add. The Add Server dialog box appears. Figure 3.
User Groups When the system administrator sets up a user account for you, you are assigned to one or more user groups. Each user group embodies a set of privileges the members of the group have. These privileges delineate which parts of the VMX300(-E) system members have access to and what events members are notified of. Your system administrator should instruct you in which user groups you belong to and what privileges you have. You can only exercise the privileges of one group at a time.
Logging In and Out Before you log in to the VMX300(-E) client, you need to know the following information: • Your user name • Your password • Which user groups you belong to The VMX300(-E) system administrator has this information. If you belong to more than one group, you should be instructed in what privileges each group grants. For more information on user groups, refer to User Groups.
5. If you belong to only one user group, click OK. If you belong to more than one user group, VMX300(-E) needs to know which user group you want to log in under. You can either log in under your default user group, if you have one set, or you can select the user group to log in under. a. Log in under default: To log in under your default user group, click OK. b. Override default: To override your default user group, select Clear Remembered Group(s) and click OK.
LOGGING IN WHEN THE CLIENT IS ALREADY RUNNING If the client is already running on the workstation you want to log in from, you can log in without having to shut down and re-start the client. The File menu’s Log In As New User option allows you to connect to the same server(s) as the previous user. The previous user is logged out when you log in. NOTE: The Log In As New User option logs you in to the same server(s) as the previous user.
5. If no startup workspace is defined, you are asked whether you want the system to build a workspace for you automatically. Click Yes to build a workspace, or No to work without a workspace. Figure 10. Workspace Not Found Message The VMX300(-E) Main window will open after several seconds and you will be connected to all the configured servers that are available. NOTES: • The default group only applies when you connect to the same server from the same client as when you set the default.
Workspaces Workspaces control the appearance of the VMX300(-E) client. In particular, they control which windows are displayed and their size, position, and content. You can set a default workspace to open when you log in, or you can explicitly open a workspace of your choice once you are logged in. Refer to Workspace Preferences and Setting Your Preferences for information on setting a default workspace. Refer to Opening a Workspace for instructions on opening a workspace after you are logged in.
AUTOGENERATING A WORKSPACE Access privileges: To autogenerate a workspace, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that allows you to open and edit workspaces. You must also be logged in to your home server. If the Open Workspace and/or Edit Workspaces option of the File menu is unavailable, then either you do not have permission to open or edit workspaces, or you are not logged in to your home server. Refer to User Groups for information on access privileges.
2. Click File > Edit Workspace, or click the Main window and press Ctrl-E. The Edit Workspace dialog box opens. The Edit Workspace dialog box has five tabs, three of which control appearance: Appearance, Size, and Position. The Content tab controls window content. The Details tab provides troubleshooting information. Figure 11. Edit Workspace Dialog Box 3. Windows: The Windows list at the left of the Edit Workspace dialog box lists all the windows whose appearance is affected by a workspace.
1. Window: With the desired window(s) selected in the Windows list: a. Visible: Select Visible to open the window. Clear Visible to close the window. A window that has Visible selected automatically opens when the workspace opens. The Main window is always visible. To adjust the appearance of a window through the Edit Workspace dialog box, the window must be selected in the Windows list and Visible must be selected. When Visible is not selected, the settings on the tabs are not available. b.
c. Custom caption and border: Select Custom Caption and Border to display the window with a caption and border of your choosing. Figure 15. Custom Window - Custom and Border Setting 3. Click Settings to design the border. The Edit Window Title dialog box opens. Figure 16. Edit Window Title Dialog Box C1554M-A (4/05) a. Text: Type up to three lines of text for the window caption. The caption appears in the window’s title bar.
SIZE TAB Figure 17. Edit Workspace Dialog Box - Size Tab With the desired window(s) selected in the Windows list and with Visible selected on the Appearance tab: 1. Fixed size: Select Fixed Size if you want the window’s size fixed at a particular size. The smallest allowable size is 160 x 120 pixels. Specify a custom size in pixels by entering the dimensions in the Width and Height boxes. Alternatively, select a predefined size that is a fraction of the monitor size from the drop-down menu.
POSITION TAB Figure 18. Edit Workspace Dialog Box - Position Tab With the desired window(s) selected in the Windows list and with Visible selected on the Appearance tab: 1. Fixed position: Select Fixed Position to lock the selected window in a particular position. Top, left: Specify a custom position by entering the position in the Top and Left boxes. Position [0,0] is the top left corner of the monitor screen that the top left corner of the window is displayed on.
CONTENT TAB Figure 19. Edit Workspace Dialog Box - Content Tab With the desired window(s) selected in the Windows list and with Visible selected on the Appearance tab: 1. Permitted content: The Permitted Content settings are available for custom windows only. Select the types of content that you want to be able to display in the selected window(s). For example, if you allow Live Video in a particular window, but disallow all other types of content, then that window can only be used to view live video.
• Edit the workspace. • Clear “Save the window content with the workspace.” • Close the Edit Workspace dialog box. Clearing the default content setting ensures that you do not inadvertently overwrite the content you have saved. Whenever the workspace is opened, live video from the same camera will load in the window. DETAILS TAB Figure 20. Edit Workspace Dialog Box - Details Tab The Details tab provides data on your monitor(s). It is used for troubleshooting.
WORKSPACE PREFERENCES Workspace preferences determine which workspace, if any, opens automatically when you log in. VMX300(-E) decides which workspace to open when a user logs in according to the scheme in Figure 21. Note that user preferences override the default workspace provided by your home server. By default, your preferences are set to use the workspace provided by your home server. This applies the very first time you log in, and holds until you change your preferences.
SETTING YOUR PREFERENCES To set preferences, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that allows you to open workspaces. You must also be logged in to your home server. If the Preferences option of the File menu is unavailable, then either you do not have permission to set preferences, or you are not logged in to your home server. Refer to User Groups for information on access privileges. Refer to Configuring Servers for instructions on setting a home server. 1. Click File > Preferences.
Maps Maps provide VMX300(-E) operators with a visual representation of your site, complete with the devices and alarms that are installed. The system administrator customizes maps through the use of following methods: • Device icons: Icons that represent the devices installed at your site appear on the maps. You can access a device’s controls by clicking its icon. Refer to Devices for more information.
ADJUSTING THE MAP DISPLAY The VMX300(-E) client provides the following methods for changing the view of a map: • Zoom buttons • Previous View button • Predefined views ZOOM BUTTONS Zoom In The Zoom In button works two ways: • Zoom in incrementally • Zoom in on a selected part of the map Incremental: To zoom in incrementally: 1. Click the Zoom In button and position the pointer over the map. The pointer appears as a magnifying glass with a plus sign in it. 2.
To load a predefined view: 1. Click the arrow to the right of the predefined views drop-down list. A list of all the predefined views for the current map drops down. 2. Click the name of the predefined view you want to display. The predefined view loads in the viewport. Figure 24. Loading a Predefined View NOTE: Only the predefined views for the currently loaded map appear in the predefined views drop-down list.
LABELS A label is text that your system administrator places on a map. Figure 26. Viewing a Label A label can have a script associated with it, so when you click the label, the script runs. In this case, the label provides a quick means of automatically executing a common action or sequence of actions. It is also possible for the system administrator to define a label that does not run a script. In this case, the label is for information only.
Devices The equipment installed at your site is represented in VMX300(-E) through the Device List and device icons placed on maps, both of which provide tools to switch devices, access a device’s controls, view device gadgets, run scripts, and stop scripts. DEVICE ICONS Device icons represent the equipment installed at your site.
DEVICE LIST The Device List lists the devices available on the servers the client is connected to, provided you have access privileges for the devices. The Device List allows you to switch devices and access device controls, without having a map with device icons loaded. Figure 29. Device List Organization: The Device List is organized into sublists. At the top of the Device List is a sublist headed All Devices, which lists all devices available on connected servers in alphabetical order.
Table B. Methods of Switching Devices DRAG SOURCE TO DESTINATION Device in Device List Device in Device List Device in Device List Device icon on map Device in Device List Custom window Device icon on map Device in Device List Device icon on map Device icon on map Device icon on map Custom window CONTROLLING VMX300(-E) DEVICES Instructions are provided in the following sections for controlling various VMX300(-E) devices.
PELCO PTZ GADGET Figure 30. PTZ Gadget The Pelco PTZ gadget has four parts: • Device control button: The Device Control button opens the Device Control dialog box. • Presets drop-down list: The Presets drop-down list lists the user-defined presets for that camera. Select a preset from the list to make the camera go to the preset. If the camera’s current view is not the result of going to a preset, appears in the drop-down list. Refer to Presets for more information.
Figure 31. Device Control Dialog Box - Control Tab Table C.
Keyboard Controls Keyboard controls work only in custom windows. They do not work in the Device Control dialog box. To use keyboard controls in a custom window, click the window’s display area to make it active, then use keyboard controls as desired. Table D.
You can assign a preset in two ways: • Save: By saving the preset. Saving a preset saves the camera position, focus setting, name, and script tag. Refer to Creating a Preset for instructions on saving a preset to an unassigned preset number. Refer to Editing a Preset for instructions on saving a preset to a preset number that is already assigned. • Rename: By renaming the preset. Renaming a preset saves the name and script tag, but does not affect the camera position stored for the preset.
Figure 33. Add New Preset Dialog Box 5. Type a unique name for the preset. Preset names are at most 50 characters long. They can include any letter, digit or special character, with the exception of single and double quotation marks. Preset names are not case sensitive. A tag resembling the preset name appears in the Script Tag box. If the preset name contains special characters, they are omitted from the tag. Spaces are replaced with an underscore. 6.
To rename a preset: 1. Open the Device Control dialog box for the desired camera and go to the Presets tab. 2. Click the preset you want to rename, and then click Rename. The Edit Preset Properties dialog box opens. 3. Edit the name and script tag as desired. 4. Click OK. The Edit Preset Properties dialog box closes and your changes are saved. NOTE: Changing the script tag for a preset that is referred to in a script introduces an error into the script.
Clearing the Camera’s Home preset To clear a camera’s home preset, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that allows you to edit the presets for that camera. To clear the home preset: 1. Open the Device Control dialog box for the desired camera and go to the Presets tab. 2. Select the home preset from the list of presets, and then click Clear Home. The selected preset no longer appears in bold print in the list. The camera has no home preset. PATTERNS Figure 36.
Running a Pattern To make a camera run a pattern, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that allows you to control that camera. When you run a pattern, the pattern runs repeatedly until the camera receives a new movement command. See Stopping a Pattern for more information. VMX300(-E) provides two methods of running a pattern: • Custom window: Select the pattern you want the camera to run from the patterns drop-down list in the camera’s gadget.
5. Optional: Type a script tag. 6. Click Start Recording. The Start Recording button changes to a Stop Recording button. Figure 38. Record New Pattern - Stop Recording 7. Pan, tilt, zoom, focus, and adjust the camera’s iris as desired. 8. Click Stop Recording. The Record New Pattern dialog box closes and the name of the new pattern appears in the list of patterns. If you selected Unassigned_i in step 2, the new pattern appears in the position you selected.
Renaming a Pattern Renaming a pattern refers to changing the pattern’s name and/or script tag using the Rename option. For instructions on changing the camera movement, refer to Editing a Pattern. To rename a pattern for a Pelco PTZ camera, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that allows you to edit the patterns for that camera. When you rename a pattern, the changes you make affect other users with permission to access the pattern. To rename a pattern: 1.
3. Enter the number of hours, minutes, and seconds that you want the camera to be idle before it runs the default pattern. The Edit Default Pattern dialog box closes. The selected pattern becomes the default pattern, replacing the previous default pattern or home preset if there was one. The new default pattern appears in bold print in the list.
Controlling an Auxiliary To control a camera’s auxiliaries, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that allows you to control the auxiliaries for that camera. VMX300(-E) allows you to set an auxiliary to run continuously, or to run for just a moment. To run an auxiliary for a moment, select the desired auxiliary on the Auxiliaries tab and click Momentary. The auxiliary feature operates for a moment, then stops.
LOCKING A CAMERA You can prevent other users or scripts from controlling a Pelco PTZ camera by locking the camera. When a camera is locked, only the user or script that placed the lock can control the camera. If you attempt to control a locked camera, VMX300(-E) will display a message specifying that the camera is locked and who placed the lock. To lock and control a particular camera, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that allows you to lock and control that camera.
Understanding the Lock Button The Lock button is used to lock and unlock the camera, and also provides information on whether the camera is currently locked, whether you can take the lock, and whether you can control the camera. Color: The color of the padlock in the Lock button indicates whether you can control the camera. When the padlock is green, you can control the camera. When the padlock is yellow or red, you cannot control the camera.
Table F. Different States of the Lock Button LOCK BUTTON COLOR/POSITION Green/In INDICATES You have locked the camera from the window where the green/in Lock button is located. You can control the camera from this window. A user with higher priority can take the lock from you and subsequently control the camera. A script with equal or higher priority can take the lock from you and subsequently control the camera. Green/Out The camera is not locked. You can control the camera. You can lock the camera.
PELCONET DEVICE CONTROLS PelcoNet device controls are available through the PelcoNet embedded web server, which can be accessed using any of the following methods: • Double-click the device icon on a map. • Double-click the device in the Device List. • Right-click the device in the Device List and then click Show Control Dialog from the pop-up menu.
Live Video Mode: Audio Controls and Image Capture Figure 47. \PelcoNet Canvas Gadget for Live Video When the custom window is in Live Video mode, the PelcoNet canvas gadget provides the following tools and information: Registered IP: This section of the gadget displays the IP address of the PelcoNet device. Microphone button: The Microphone button opens an audio channel from your VMX300(-E) workstation to the PelcoNet device.
CONTROLLING A DX8000 SERIES DVR The VMX300(-E) controls Pelco DX8000 Series digital video recorders (DVRs). In this document, the term “DX8000 DVR” is used to refer to any DVR in the DX8000 series that is supported by the DX8000 driver. Note that the VMX300(-E) supports DX8000 software version level 1.1.00.1121 only. To control a DX8000 DVR, you must belong to, and be logged in under, a user group that grants you the necessary privileges.
If there is archived video for the currently switched camera, the archived video from that camera appears. VMX300(-E) cues the video to the date/time selected in the window’s Event Picker if one is selected; otherwise, VMX300(-E) cues the video at or near the current time. For instructions on locating archived video, refer Working with Archived Video in the Controlling a DX9000 Series DVR section, which can be found in subsequent pages.
CONTROLLING A DX9000 SERIES DVR You can view live video from a camera that is connected, either directly or through one or more other devices, to a DX9000 Series DVR. To view live video in a custom window, the window must be in Live Video mode. There are no DVR controls available in a custom window when it is being used to view live video. You can view archived video from a DX9000 DVR in a custom window that is in Archived Video mode.
View the DX9000 DVR Gadget for Live Video When viewing live video, the DX9000 gadget displays the current date and time. The gadget does not provide any tools for controlling the DVR in Live Video mode. Click the gadget selector button at the left end of the custom window control bar and select the DX9000 DVR from the drop-down list. The gadget for the DVR will display in the control bar, to the right of the gadget selector button.
Locating Archived Video There are two common approaches to locating archived video: • Using the date/time and an archived alarm or event: The video you want to view coincided with an alarm or event, and you know the approximate date/time of the alarm or event. For example, you might want to view the video recorded when a door alarm was triggered.
Figure 55. Viewing Archived Video TIPS: • If you know which camera the desired video originated from, you can switch the camera to the custom window before selecting a date/time in the Event Picker. If the camera is already switched to the window, you do not need to switch it again. If you do not know which camera the video originated from, first select the date/time, then switch different cameras to the window successively until you find the one you want.
Locating Archived Video via an Archived Alarm or Event Follow this approach when the video you want to view coincided with an alarm or event, and you know the approximate date/time of the alarm or event. In this scenario, you use an estimate of the date/time to locate the alarm or event in the Session Manager, then drag the alarm or event from the Session Manager to the custom window to copy the selection to the window. You can only use this approach if the alarm or event is archived. 1.
camera that points at the door. When you drag the archived alarm from the Session Manager to the custom window, the video from the camera that points at the door loads and plays, cued to the time of the alarm. If the system administrator has not associated a camera with the alarm or event and a camera is switched to the window, VMX300(-E) loads and plays the archived video for the currently switched camera, cued to the date/time of the dragged alarm or event. 7.
NOTES: • If you select a date/time and camera for which no archived video exists, “No Video Found” appears in the custom window control bar. • DX9000 DVRs overwrite old archives when they run out of recording space. If you try to view old video that has been overwritten, “No Video Found” appears in the custom window’s control bar. Note that VMX300(-E) does not delete archived alarms and events when the DX9000 DVR overwrites the video.
To set the cursor mode, right-click the custom window Event Picker and select the desired mode from the pop-up menu. Figure 59. Selecting Cursor Mode TIP: Use Synchronized cursor mode to track a moving object, such as a person or vehicle, in a single custom window. Suppose the object moves across the range of Camera 1 to within the range of Camera 2. First, set the cursor mode to Synchronized. Now, drag Camera 1 to the window and start the video playing at the desired time.
CONTROLLING AN ASCII SWITCHER The Pelco ASCII device driver is intended to control cameras routed through a Pelco matrix switcher using the Pelco ASCII protocol. To control a particular switcher, you must belong to, and be logged in under, a user group that grants you the necessary privileges. Your system administrator should instruct you in what privileges you have. NOTE: To access ASCII switcher controls, the Pelco ASCII device driver must be running.
2. Time: Click the hour and either type the new hour or click the up and down arrows at the right of the box to advance the time or set it back. Repeat for the minutes and seconds, as required. You do not need to type leading zeros in single-digit hours, minutes or seconds. 3. Set: To have the date and time you entered come into effect, click Set.
CONTROLLING AN ASCII CAMERA NOTE: Fixed cameras are not controllable. This section applies to controllable cameras only. To control a particular camera, you must belong to, and be logged in under, a user group that grants you the necessary privileges. Your system administrator should instruct you in what privileges you have. Before you can control a camera, you must switch the camera to a destination device, such as a custom window or external monitor.
Mouse Controls You can control a camera from a custom window or from the Device Control dialog box: • Custom window: To pan and tilt, click the custom window’s display area in the direction you want to move the camera. For example, to pan and tilt up and to the left, click above and to the left of the center of the display area. Use the mouse wheel as described in Table G to zoom, focus, and adjust the iris. • Device control dialog box: The square on the Control tab functions as a control pad.
Table H.
For information on presets defined in the camera, refer to the camera documentation. NOTE: Since presets are associated with a camera, rather than a user, any changes you make to a camera’s presets affect all users with permission to access the presets. TIP: The order of the list on the Presets tab is retained in the presets drop-down list in the gadget. This allows you to define presets in the order you want them to appear in the drop-down list.
6. Script tag: If you do not want to use the script tag provided by the system, type a unique tag of your choice. Script tags are at most 50 characters long. They can include any letter, digit or the underscore character, but cannot begin with a digit. They cannot contain spaces or special characters. Tags are not case sensitive. The script tag is used by administrators to refer to the preset in scripts. 7. Click OK.
Unassigning a Preset Unassigning a camera’s preset deletes the preset’s name and script tag, leaving the camera position stored in the camera intact. When you unassign a preset, the following changes take effect: • The preset name no longer appears in the presets drop-down list in the camera’s gadget. • Scripts defined by the system administrator can no longer refer to the preset.
PATTERNS A pattern is a user-defined set of camera movements and iris/focus adjustments that is stored in the camera. Each camera can have a limited number of patterns defined for it. The maximum number of patterns depends on the camera model. The Patterns tab of the Device Control dialog box lists the patterns for the camera. Patterns can appear in the list as Unassigned_i, where i is the pattern’s number. “Unassigned” indicates that the pattern has not been assigned a name and script tag in VMX300(-E).
Stopping a Pattern To stop a pattern that a camera is running, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that allows you to control that camera. When a pattern is run, the pattern runs repeatedly until it receives a new movement command.
7. Pan, tilt, zoom, focus, and adjust the camera’s iris as desired. 8. Click Stop Recording. The Record New Pattern dialog box closes and the name of the new pattern appears in the list of patterns. If you selected Unassigned_i in step 2, the new pattern appears in the position you selected. If you did not select a position, the new pattern appears in the next available unassigned position in the list.
3. Edit the name and script tag as desired. 4. Click OK. The Edit Pattern Properties dialog box closes and your changes are saved. NOTE: Changing the tag for a pattern that is referred to in a script introduces an error into the script. To correct the error, the system administrator must update the script so it uses the pattern’s new script tag. Unassigning a Pattern Unassigning a camera’s pattern deletes the pattern’s name and script tag, leaving the camera movement stored in the camera intact.
Clearing the Camera’s Default Pattern To clear a camera’s default pattern, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that allows you to edit the patterns for that camera. To clear the default pattern: 1. Open the Device Control dialog box for the desired camera and go to the Patterns tab. 2. Click the default pattern from the list of patterns, and then click Clear Default. The selected pattern no longer appears in bold print in the list. There is no default pattern for that camera.
ON-SCREEN DISPLAY The On-Screen Display tab of the Device Control dialog box allows you to display the camera’s on-screen menu on the destination device or custom window the camera is switched to. The options presented in the on-screen display depend on the camera model. Refer to the Pelco camera documentation for information on specific options. Figure 77.
Understanding the Lock Button The Lock button is used to lock and unlock the camera, and also provides information on whether the camera is currently locked, whether you can take the lock, and whether you can control the camera. The Lock button is located in the ASCII camera gadget and on the Control tab of the camera’s Device Control dialog box. Figure 78. Lock Button Locations The color of the padlock in the Lock button indicates whether you can control the camera.
Table I. Different States of the Lock Button LOCK BUTTON COLOR/POSITION INDICATES Green/In You have locked the camera from the window where the green/in Lock button is located. You can control the camera from this window. A user with higher priority can take the lock from you and subsequently control the camera. A script with equal or higher priority can take the lock from you and subsequently control the camera. Green/Out The camera is not locked. You can control the camera. You can lock the camera.
Table J. KBD300A Button Functions REFERENCE NUMBER DESCRIPTION 1 LED display 2 Shift key 3 Shift key LED 4A-C Sequence keys: Previous, Next, Hold 5 Function keys F1/Latch, F2/Off, F3/Mom control auxiliaries. With Shift on they control multiplexer display. 6 The AUX ON and AUX OFF keys control receiver auxiliaries. With Shift on they control multiplexer display.
CONTROLLING A CM9760-REL RELAY OUTPUT UNIT The following control options are available for CM9760-REL relay units: • Set a point to True. • Set a point to False. • Set a point’s value momentarily to True. • Disable a point. • Enable a point. All relay unit controls are available through the Device Control dialog box. In addition, your system administrator can write scripts that set the state of a relay point.
HOW TO CONTROL A RELAY UNIT To control a relay unit, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that grants you the necessary privileges. Your system administrator should instruct you in what privileges you have. Set a Point to True Click the desired point, and then click True. The point will be set to True. The point will appear in bold print in the Device Control dialog box. Set a Point to False Click the desired point, and then click False. The point will be set to False.
CONTROLLING A SERIAL OUTPUT DEVICE The serial output driver allows you to send ASCII commands to an external serial device, such as a camera. For example, you could send ASCII commands to report alarms to an access control system, start a VCR in play mode, or control a camera. You can control a serial output device by sending ASCII commands to the device using one of the following methods: • Custom button: Click a custom button in the device’s Device Control dialog box. • Script: Run a script.
ASCII Command Special Characters If a command contains unprintable characters, replace each unprintable character with its three-digit ASCII code between angle brackets. For example, the command BLACK-HOT is represented in VMX300(-E) as BLACK-HOT<013>. Note that ASCII codes must be three digits in length. Add leading zeroes if an ASCII code contains less than three digits.
Figure 86. Using a Script to Control a Serial Output Device 2. Click Run Script, and then click the desired script from the submenu. The selected script runs. For more information on working with scripts, refer to the Scripts section. CONTROLLING AN IP DEVICE STATUS MONITOR An IP device status monitor allows you to monitor the status of a networked device.
MONITORING AN ACCESS CONTROL DEVICE The Access Control driver allows you to monitor an access control device through the Device Control dialog box. To access an access control device’s Device Control dialog box, you must belong to, and log in under, a user group that allows you to access the Device Control dialog box. NOTE: To access the Device Control dialog box, the Serial Access Control must be running. Device icons appear as a hollow outline when the device driver is not running.
PORT BUFFER TAB The Port Buffer tab shows the data coming in the COM port. The Port Buffer tab is used for diagnostic purposes. Figure 90 shows an incoming string that matches the Pelco ASCII Protocol Alarm Pattern. Specifically, the substring ‘3Ea’ matches the Pelco ASCII Protocol Alarm Pattern. Once a string has been matched, it remains on the Point Buffer tab until a new string starts to come in, at which point the new string displays on the tab. Figure 90.
Gadgets A gadget is a tool bar that provides tools for controlling a particular type of device. For example, the gadget for a particular model of camera might have tools to move the camera to a preset, make the camera run a pattern, and lock the camera. Figure 91. Sample Camera Gadget NOTE: Only devices that are controllable have a gadget. Devices that cannot be controlled in any way, like fixed cameras and external monitors, do not have a gadget.
VIDEO FOR WINDOWS GADGET Figure 93. Video for Windows Gadget The gadget for the Video for Windows canvas has the following tools: 1. Gadgets: The Gadgets button allows you to open the gadgets for the other devices in the switch path. 2. VFW devices: This button is used by administrators for troubleshooting the server configuration. If the workstation has more than one Video for Windows card in it, click this button to see a list of installed cards, including the card number for each card.
QUAD VIDEO DISPLAY GADGET Figure 94. Quad Video Display Gadget The Quad Video Display gadget provides the following tools: Gadgets button: The Gadgets button allows you to open the gadgets for the other devices in the switch path. Properties button: The Properties button opens the Quad Video Display Properties dialog box. Refer to Configure Quad Video Display Properties for instructions on using these tools.
Color Key Tab Figure 96. Quad Video Display Properties Dialog Box: Color Key Tab The properties on the Color Key tab are reserved for future use. Advanced Tab Figure 97. Quad Video Display Properties Dialog Box: Advanced Tab Use the Advanced tab to adjust the horizontal and vertical sync of the video in the window.
Custom Windows Custom windows are windows created by your system administrator that can be used for the following purposes: • View live and archived video • Display an Internet browser • Connect to a remote workstation • Display maps NOTE: Custom windows that are used for viewing video are defined by the system administrator to display specific types of analog or digital video. Depending on your system’s specific settings, you may be able to display more than one digital video window at a time.
Display Area The display area is the part of the custom window used to display content. The type of content depends on the window mode. For example, in Live Video or Archived Video mode, the video displays in the display area, whereas in Map mode, the map displays in the display area.
Table K. Custom Window Pop-up Menu Options COMMAND KEYSTROKE USE OPTION AVAILABLE WHEN Show Controls Alt-S Display the window’s control bar. The window’s control bar is hidden. Hide Controls Alt-H Hide the window’s control bar. The window’s control bar is showing. Live Video Alt-L Prepare the window to display live video. You have permission to view live video, and the workspace has Live Video selected as permitted content. Archived Video Alt-A Prepare the window to display archived video.
Figure 100. Viewing Video in a Custom Window CAPTURING LIVE VIDEO Some canvas gadgets have a Capture and Save Image button that allows you to take a snapshot of the video displayed in the window. Images are saved in JPEG file format. To capture a live video image: 1. Click the Gadgets button and select the canvas gadget from the drop-down list. The canvas gadget appears in the window’s control bar. 2. Click the Capture and Save Image button. The Save JPEG As dialog box opens. 3.
Table L. Mouse Controls CAMERA CONTROL MOUSE ACTION Pan left Click to the left of center Pan right Click to the right of center Tilt up Click above the center Tilt down Click below the center Zoom in Turn the mouse wheel away from you Zoom out Turn the mouse wheel toward you Focus near Zoom in Focus far Zoom out Iris open Zoom in Iris closed Zoom out To pan and tilt the camera incrementally, click once.
VIEWING ARCHIVED VIDEO To view archived video in a custom window: • You must belong to, and be logged in under, a user group that permits you to view archived video in custom windows. Refer to User Groups for more information. • The workspace must have Archived Video selected as permitted content. If you have permission to work with workspaces, you can edit the workspace and set the types of permitted content. Refer to Workspaces for more information.
Figure 102. Viewing Archived Video 4. If desired, switch a (different) camera to the custom window. Refer to Devices - Switching a Device for instructions. The gadget for the archiving device the camera is connected to appears in the window’s control bar. If there is archived video for that camera, it loads and plays in the window’s display area, cued to the date/time selected in the Event Picker.
Figure 103. Selecting a Date and Time in the Session Manager 4. Click the date/time in the bottom row of the Session Manager’s Event Picker. A list of the retrieved events appears in the Session Manager window above the Event Picker. As well, each archived alarm or event is represented as a small vertical bar in the Event Picker’s Event Row. Each entry in the list is colored the same as the corresponding bar in the Event row. Only the events for the selected time period are retrieved.
Figure 104. Viewing Video from an Archived Alarm or Event If the system administrator has not associated a camera with the alarm or event and a camera is switched to the window, VMX300(-E) loads and plays the archived video for the currently switched camera, cued to the date/time of the dragged alarm or event.
CONTROLLING AN ARCHIVE DEVICE The particular tools available for controlling an archive device depend on the model of archive device. Typically, there are these tools: • Play: Play the video. • Pause: Pause playing video. Click the Pause button again to resume playing. • Stop: Stop playing video and unload it from the custom window. • Rewind: Rewind the video. • Fast forward: Advance the video. • Date and time: Indicates the playback date and time of the currently playing video.
TIP: Use Synchronized cursor mode to track a moving object, such as a person or vehicle, in a single custom window. Suppose the object moves across the range of Camera 1 to within the range of Camera 2. Track the object as follows: 1. Set the cursor mode to Synchronized. 2. Switch Camera 1 to the window. 3. Start the video playing at the desired time. 4. When the object leaves the range of Camera 1, switch Camera 2 to the window.
To view an Internet browser in a custom window: 1. Change the window mode to Internet Browser. Refer to Custom Window Pop-up Menu for instructions. The Internet browser tool bar appears in the window’s control bar and the most recently loaded Web page appears in the display area. At the left end of the tool bar is the Controls button. At the right end of the tool bar is the Go button.
To view a remote workstation (PC) in a custom window complete the following steps: 1. Change the window mode to Remote PC. Refer to Custom Window Pop-up Menu for instructions. The Remote PC tool bar appears in the window’s control bar. 2. Select a remote desktop from the Remote Desktop Name drop-down list. Alternatively, type the workstation’s IP address, or, for a workstation on the same local area network, the workstation name. The selected desktop name appears in the Remote Desktop Name box. 3.
Scripts Scripts are programs written by the system administrator to automate common actions. Some scripts are associated with an object, such as a hotlink, label, alarm, or schedule. Other scripts are free-standing entities that you can run from a menu. Camera sequences are generally written as free-standing scripts. This section discusses free-standing scripts. For information on hotlinks and labels, refer to Maps - Hotlinks and Maps - Labels. For information on alarms, refer to Alarms and Events.
STOPPING A SINGLE SCRIPT Stopping a script is permanent. To stop a script temporarily so you can later resume running it, pause the script as described in Pausing a Script. To stop a single script that you started running: 1. Select the Session Manager entry for the script you want to stop. 2. Click the Stop button on the Session Manager tool bar. The script stops and the status of the Session Manager entry becomes Complete.
Event Picker The Event Picker is used to locate and retrieve archived video and archived events. Figure 112. Event Picker The Event Picker is accessed through custom windows in Archived Video mode or through Archive View of the Session Manager. You can have more than one Event Picker open at a time: one in the Session Manager and one in each custom window in Archived Video mode. Figure 113.
Video: If you are using the Event Picker in a custom window and a camera is switched to the window, VMX300(-E) automatically loads and plays the archived video for that camera, cued to the date/time selected in the Event Picker. Rewind or advance the video using the tools in the gadget to locate the video you want. Refer to Custom Windows - Viewing Archived Video for more information.
Figure 117. Clearing the Event Picker 2. Click anywhere on the bottom row of the Event Picker. The Year row appears above the bottom row. Figure 118. Selecting the Year 3. Click anywhere on the Year row. A year appears in the Year row as well as in the bottom row. The bottom row has - Year at the left end and + Year at the right end. The Month row appears above the Year row. Figure 119. Selecting the Month 4. Continue clicking across the Year row until you locate the year you want.
NOTES: • You can back out of a date you are building by clicking Clear at the right end of any row in the Event Picker. For example, if you have narrowed down a date to the minute, clicking Clear at the end of the Day row will clear the minute, hour, and day, leaving just the month and year. • You cannot select a date/time in the future. If you click a future date/time, the Event Picker will select the current date/time.
Session Manager Figure 122. Session Manager The Session Manager records activities as they occur in the VMX300(-E) system. Depending on how your system administrator has set up the system, this can include both activities initiated by you and activities initiated by another operator or by the system.
Table O. Session Manager Buttons BUTTON AVAILABLE USE Session View Session View Display the activities for your current session. Archive View Session View Display events from previous sessions and the current session that are archived. Resume Session View Resume a script that you paused using the Pause button. Pause Session View Pause a script that is running. Stop Session View Stop a script that is running.
CURRENT SESSION TREE Figure 125. Current Session Tree The Current Session tree categorizes your current session’s activities. Active activities are those that are in the process of being performed. Complete activities have been completed. You can select the activities you want listed in the right pane of the Session Manager by selecting each category you want to view. To see activities that are in the process of being performed, select Active.
ARCHIVE VIEW Use Archive View to view events that are archived. To go into Archive View, click the Archive View button on the tool bar. Figure 127. Session Manager - Archive View In Archive View, the bottom part of the Session Manager Window is taken up by the Event Picker. Use the Event Picker to locate and retrieve archived events. Refer to Event Picker for instructions. NOTE: To view archived events, the archive server must be running.
The Alarm Properties dialog box opens. The Alarm Properties dialog box displays the same information as the list of retrieved events. Only the format of displaying the information is different. Figure 128. Sample Archived Event - Details BROWSING ARCHIVED ALARMS AND EVENTS Once you have retrieved archives, you can browse through them, as follows: 1. Select event: Select an event by clicking the event in the list of retrieved events.
• User who acknowledged the event • Source device associated with the event • Event description • Comments entered by the operator who acknowledged the event • Event priority By default, when you first retrieve events from the archive server, no events are filtered out. In other words, a complete list of archived events for the selected date/time is displayed in the Session Manager. When a filter has been applied, an asterisk appears beside Filter in the Event Picker. Figure 130.
To display the events belonging to all alarm/event categories, select Any Category. Figure 132. Filter Dialog Box - Categories Tab 5. Acknowledged tab: If you want to filter on events acknowledged by particular users, click the Acknowledged tab and select each user whose events you want displayed. For example, to display events acknowledged by the users ’user’ and ’operator’, select User and Operator. You can also filter on events that were automatically acknowledged by a server.
Clear any users and servers you do not want displayed. To display all events, regardless of whether they are associated with a camera, select All Records. Figure 134. Filter Dialog Box - Source Device Tab 7. Advanced tab: To filter on the event description, the comments entered by the operator who acknowledged the event, and/or on the event’s priority, click the Advanced tab. Figure 135. Filter Dialog Box - Advanced Tab a.
c. Priority: If you want to filter on the event priority, enter the lowest and highest priorities you want displayed. 8. Filter the list using one of the following methods: a. Click Apply to display the filtered list without closing the Filter dialog box. Use this method if you want to apply another filter. Click OK or Cancel when done. b. Click OK to display the filtered list and close the Filter dialog box. 9.
Schedules Your system administrator has the ability to define scripts that run at scheduled times. For example, the system administrator might define a script that automatically sets a camera to night mode every day at dusk. Depending on the specific role you play as an operator of the VMX300(-E) system, you might be notified of schedules as they occur. Notification is done through the Session Manager. NOTE: Schedules are highly customizable.
Alarms and Events Your system administrator has the ability to specify conditions within the system that require some kind of response. Within VMX300(-E), these conditions and the response they require are called ’alarms and events’, referred to as ’alarms’ or ’events’ for short. For example, the system administrator might define an alarm that is triggered when communications with a camera are lost.
REPLAYING AN ALARM OR EVENT You can “replay” the system’s response to an alarm by clicking the alarm entry in the Session Manager activities list. This causes one of the scripts defined by the system administrator to run. You can replay an alarm as many times as you want, no matter what the alarm’s status. Each time you replay the alarm, an entry recording the replay appears in the Session Manager. The entry displays in the alarm color.
Server Status The Server Status window lists the name, IP address, port number, and status of the servers you are connected to. Open the Server Status window to check the status of your connections to servers. To open the Server Status window, click View > Server Status. To close the Server Status window, click the Close button in the right corner of the window’s title bar, or clear Server Status in the View menu. Figure 136.
Remote Desktop Servers Remote desktop servers enable you to control a workstation remotely through a custom window. Refer to Custom Windows - Viewing a Remote PC for instructions on connecting to a PC (workstation) that has a remote desktop server running on it. To control a workstation remotely, a remote desktop server must be running on the workstation that being accessed remotely.
SETTING REMOTE DESKTOP SERVER OPTIONS To set the settings of a remote desktop server: 1. Right-click the remote desktop server icon in the Windows system tray and select Show from the pop-up menu. The Remote Desktop Server dialog box will open. Figure 138. Remote Desktop Server Dialog Box 2. Poll window under cursor: If you want to be able to see fine changes in the remote window positioned under the cursor, such as a blinking cursor, select Poll Window under Cursor.
Appendix: Adjusting the Display ADJUSTING DOCKABLE WINDOWS The Device List window and the Session Manager window are the only two dockable windows in the VMX300(-E) client. When docked, they are locked in place at an edge of the Main window. When undocked, they can be moved about freely on the screen. NOTE: To undock a window, you must belong to, and be logged in under, a user group that allows you to edit workspaces. Refer to Editing a Workspace for information on undocking windows.
PRODUCT WARRANTY AND RETURN INFORMATION WARRANTY Pelco will repair or replace, without charge, any merchandise proved defective in material or workmanship for a period of one year after the date of shipment. Exceptions to this warranty are as noted below: • Five years on FT/FR8000 Series fiber optic products. • Three years on Genex ® Series products (multiplexers, server, and keyboard).
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