XX112-36-00 Vicon Industries Inc. does not warrant that the functions contained in this equipment will meet your requirements or that the operation will be entirely error free or perform precisely as described in the documentation. This system has not been designed to be used in life-critical situations and must not be used for this purpose. Copyright © 2009 Vicon Industries Inc. All rights reserved. Product specifications subject to change without notice.
Important Notice This Software Manual is delivered subject to the following conditions and restrictions: Φ This Manual contains proprietary information belonging to Vicon. Such information is supplied solely for the purpose of assisting explicitly and properly authorized users of the ViconNet system. Φ No part of its contents may be used for any other purpose, disclosed to any person or firm or reproduced by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the express prior written permission of Vicon.
About This Manual The Kollector Software Manual is comprised of the following chapters: Φ Chapter 1, Introducing ViconNet, introduces the main concepts and system architecture of the ViconNet system. Φ Chapter 2, Getting to Know ViconNet, describes the main ViconNet application windows and their functionality. Φ Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System, describes all available configuration functions in the ViconNet system, including system setup and creating macros and schedules.
Table of Contents CHAPTER 1, INTRODUCING VICONNET ...........................................................................1 What Is ViconNet? ..........................................................................................................................................2 What Is the Kollector?....................................................................................................................................2 How Does ViconNet Work? ...............................................
Using the Central Failure Notification (CFN) Mechanism ........................................................................80 Configuring the Central Failure Notification (CFN) Display.....................................................................82 Configuring System Authorizations ...........................................................................................................84 Defining Groups ............................................................................................
Using the Language Translation Utility (LTU) .........................................................................................190 Creating a Library File ..............................................................................................................................190 Implementing the Translation in the ViconNet Application .......................................................................192 Viewing the Settings Summary............................................................
Creating Macros and Schedules...............................................................................................................252 Working with Macros .................................................................................................................................252 CHAPTER 8, GENERATING REPORTS..........................................................................255 Overview...................................................................................................
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Chapter 1 Introducing ViconNet This chapter introduces the ViconNet system and includes the following sections: • What Is ViconNet?, page 1, provides a brief overview of the ViconNet system. • What Is the Kollector?, page 2, describes the Kollector recorders. • How Does ViconNet Work?, page 2, describes overall functionality of the ViconNet system. • ViconNet Products, page 6, provides a brief description of the main ViconNet components and the software options available.
What Is the Kollector? The Kollector is a family of 16-channel hybrid network digital video recorders powered by a software platform called ViconNet. This manual includes the Kollector Strike, Kollector Force, and Kollector Elite, Pro and Lite that have been upgraded to version 5.6. The introduction of ViconNet version 5.
Frequently Asked Questions The following set of questions and answers have been created to help customers get the most out of the potential of ViconNet. Each question is a real-life situation answered by Vicon’s outstanding technical support group. • What parameters should be considered when calculating storage and bandwidth? The ViconNet devices, much like other IP-based video systems, send the video over the network to a NVR or store it on DVR drives.
No, ViconNet can handle an unlimited number of cameras through an unlimited number of DVRs, NVRs, encoders and IP cameras. The system needs to be designed in a way that will allow it to function properly. • Is there a license per camera connected? ViconNet devices do not require per-camera license; in cases where 3rd party cameras are utilized, a license fee will be charged to allow connecting this camera to the system.
• How do we save the recorded images to a transportable file type (such as *.AVI) for video clips? The Vicon line of products can burn CDs in the ViconNet proprietary format that will enable a viewer to be exported and allow playback of the secure (unalterable) format (the playback PC must meet the minimum requirements of the viewer). It can also create *.AVI, XVID or MPEG-4 files, playable in Windows Media player (video and audio). These files are not secure, and can be altered. Still images (in *.
ViconNet Products ViconNet’s environment is comprised of one or more sites (systems) connected by a network. The various ViconNet site types available are described below: • Digital Video Recorder (DVR): The hybrid Kollector series each has up to 16 camera and microphone inputs (the Kollector Strike supports 4 audio inputs). With version 5.6, all Kollector models support audio.
The software options that are available depend on the component on which the ViconNet application is installed. The applicable component type appears at the top of the application window. Type Hybrid DVR Product KollectorSeries Application Options Available The Kollector recorders can record video and audio from local analog inputs as well as video and audio streamed over the network from other Recorders and IP cameras in the system. It can configure and utilize any of their devices.
Type Workstation Product VN-VIEWER-16 Application Options Available The Viewer is a limited-functionality version of the ViconNet application that operates on your PC prior to registration and is supplies free of cost. The Viewer is also installed automatically on any CD or DVD that is created using the Archive feature. In this way, an archive can be loaded and played on any PC. (No software installation is required. The CD or DVD will already include the necessary software.
UPS System Requirements Vicon requires the use of Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems in the electrical power service. Failure to comply with this will void the unit warranty.
System Architecture The diagram shown below illustrates a ViconNet system structure that incorporates a variety of ViconNet devices.
Front Panel Indicators The following picture shows the Kollector Force front panel LED indicators, as described in the table below. No. 1 Indicator Steady green light Meaning Camera detection Description During application startup, the ViconNet system tests the LEDs (flashes once) and scans for cameras connected to its rear panel. This green light confirms the detection of cameras attached to these channels.
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Chapter 2 Getting to Know ViconNet This chapter describes the ViconNet application and familiarizes you with its components and functionality. This chapter contains the following sections: • Logging In, page 14, describes how to log in to the ViconNet application. • Main Window, page 15, describes all the elements in the ViconNet Main window that provide access to the basic functions required to operate the system.
Logging In Logging in to the ViconNet application is performed using your assigned user name and password. The allowed system operations are dependent on your assigned authorization rights (refer to Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System, for additional details). The full functionality of the ViconNet system is available only after the system is registered. Before registration is performed, the system will function with limited Viewer functionality only.
2. In the User Name field, enter your assigned user name. If you are an administrator entering for the first time, enter admin. If you are a guest, enter guest. 3. In the Password field, enter your assigned password. NOTES: If you are a guest, you do not need to enter a password. If you are an administrator entering the application for the first time, you do not need a password.
The following example illustrates the elements and options in the ViconNet Main window: The window shown above provides access to all the basic functionality required to operate the system and contains the following elements: • Main Window Toolbar, page 17 • Video and Recording Elements, page 19, which include: • Current Details Area • System Status Area • Site List/Site Map/Groups Lists • Video Display Area • Display Mode Controls • Function Controls • Control Dialog Display Area • Playb
Main Window Toolbar The ViconNet Main window toolbar provides quick access to all the major functionality of the ViconNet application, as well as all configuration and report generation options. The ViconNet Main window toolbar appears at the top of the window and contains five buttons, as follows: The following is a brief description of each toolbar button and its function: Button Description This option enables you to manage and work with macros that have been configured in the system.
Button Description • Configuring site authorization. • Configuring software database utilities, including: • Configuring storage locations. • Clearing storage locations. • Configuring system authentication. • Configuring manual recording. • Configuring automatic recording. • Enable the picture quality manual override buttons. • Creating, editing and deleting macros. • Setting picture quality and FPS priority. • Configuring alarm events, including: • Defining alarm setup links.
Video and Recording Elements The ViconNet system enables you to view and record live video and audio and play back recorded video and audio by selecting devices and displaying their contents, as required.
Scheduler State The current operational state of the Macro Scheduler is displayed: For details about the Macro Scheduler, refer to Chapter 7, Managing Macros and Schedules. Site List The ViconNet Site List is a hierarchical list that displays the current transmitters and devices in the system. This list can be navigated using standard tree expand and collapse functionality.
NOTES: The cameras that appear in the Site List are automatically detected by the system during startup. If a camera is not physically connected to the system, it will not appear in the list. If the camera is disconnected after startup, a red X icon ( ) is displayed next to the relevant camera in the Site List and a blank screen appears in the Video Display area. For the Kollector, microphones appear automatically in the Site List, regardless how many microphones are actually connected.
For the Kollectors, the maximum number of cameras that can be selected simultaneously is sixteen, depending on the current display mode. If you select more than the maximum number, it will overwrite a previously selected camera. A total of 16 microphones and/or cameras can be selected simultaneously on the Kollector (only 4 microphones are available on the Kollector Strike with version 5.6).
The map can be dragged to the middle of the editing space and then expanded or navigated and so on, as described below. The following options are available for working with the selected map in the Map Set: Button Description Enables you to navigate to the parent map. Enables you to navigate to other maps in the Map Set. Enables you to remove text labels from the map. Enables you to expand the picture. Enables you to return the map to its previous state (expansion).
To activate or deactivate a camera, click the camera icon on the map. If the camera icon is flashing, it is deactivated. If it is steady, it is active. NOTE: If there are two monitors connected to the Kollector, clicking Site Map in the Main window opens the map set (the Working Set) on the second monitor. For more details about Site Maps, see Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System.
Individual devices can be dragged from a group to the Video Display Area. In the Groups list, you can select to list the devices by name, secondary ID (as configured in the Groups Sets Management window) or both. To select whether to display device name, secondary ID or both: • In the Groups list select the required option from the dropdown list and click Go. The devices in the selected Group Set will be displayed according to your selection.
Devices (cameras, encoders and so on) can be added to a group by dragging them directly to the list of devices in the Groups Editor window. For more details about groups, see Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System. Video Display Area The ViconNet Video Display area is for viewing and recording live video and audio and playing back recorded video and audio.
The selected location (indicated by the pink border) then becomes the active location, and its video and audio transmission is affected by the display mode controls (page 31), playback controls (page 35) and other controls (page 36). NOTE: The camera currently displayed in the active video display location is also indicated by a pink border around its icon in the Site List/Site Map/ Groups list.
• Primary Info: Displays the Primary Information For window, which shows details regarding the Kollector that currently has Primary status relative to this camera. • Request to be Primary: Enables you to send a request to the current primary user to take control and become the primary user. If you request to be the primary user, a message is displayed on the current primary user's display. • The current primary user will select Yes or No.
• Force to be Primary: Enables you to force yourself to be the primary user, providing that you have the same or higher user priority than the current primary user (as defined in the User & Group Management window). If you force yourself to be the primary user, the P in the corner of the display on the current primary users display changes to S, and the S in the corner of your display changes to P. If the user is already the Primary user, the Force to be Primary option is disabled.
• Start Playback From Time: Enables you to play video back from a live camera (in an adjacent camera display location). When Start Playback From Time is selected, calendar and time boxes are displayed. Site List Displays Selected Camera Name Select Date Select Database Select Time Select Database To select the database to be played back, click Select Database. A site list with Audio Video Databases (AVDB) is displayed in the lower-left panel. If there is no data in the database, a message is displayed.
Display Mode Controls The ViconNet Display Mode Controls enable you to select and modify the number of video display locations that are displayed simultaneously in the Video Display area by clicking the required icon. In the display modes with more than one video display location, you can use all or only some of the locations to view, listen, record and play back video and audio, as required.
About Picture Quality and Refresh Mode The notation at the bottom-left of each camera view indicates the picture quality and the refresh mode of the image in the view. Picture Quality and Refresh Mode indicates the quality 5 at the Normal refresh mode. These concepts are described in the For example, following sections. Picture Quality Picture quality (also known as resolution) refers to the compression level of the video images.
In order to improve transmission speed, the maximum quality of live images is set automatically according to the selected display mode, as follows: Display Mode Max Display Quality Single 1 Two-by-two matrix 5 Hexa (Six) 5 Three-by-three matrix (Nine) 6 Four-by-four matrix (Sixteen) 7 The Single mode is assigned the highest available resolution, while other modes are assigned lesser resolutions, in proportion to their number of views.
Function Controls The ViconNet Function Controls enable you to record or stop the live video and audio currently displayed in the Video Display area, as well as stop the macros currently running in the system, if required. Option Description Records all video currently displayed in all the video display locations in the Video Display area and stores the recorded data into the predefined local storage location. To stop recording, click the Stop Record button.
Option Description Low bandwidth can also be configured by checking the Low bandwidth checkbox in the Macro Editor window (in the quality area). You can define whether or not Museum Search information is sent over low bandwidth. For more details, see the Configuring Low Bandwidth section in Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System.
Option Description Backward: Rewinds the recorded video and audio segment. Fast Rewind: Fast rewinds the recorded segment at the following speeds (related to the normal speed): 1/4, 1/2, x2, x5, x10, x50, and x100. NOTE: Place the mouse cursor over a button to view its related fast rewind speed. Stop/Pause: Stops/pauses the current playback of the recorded segment. Prev: Displays the previous frame in the recorded segment. Next: Displays the next frame in the recorded segment.
Function Description This button enables you to display video from a PTZ camera in the Video Display area. This option also automatically displays a driver-specific interface for PTZ-enabled cameras in the Control Dialog Display area and on the screen. Refer to the Operating a PTZ Camera section in Chapter 4, Viewing and Listening to Live Video/Audio, for additional details.
The following example illustrates the elements and options in the Navigator window, which provide access to all playback functionality: • Navigator Window Toolbar, page 39 • Navigator Area, page 39, which includes the following elements: • • Navigator List • Navigator List Controls Recorded Device Contents, page 42, which includes: • Recorded Device Contents Area • Time Interval Tabs • "From" and "To" Date/Time Controls • Time Interval Map Area • Playback Start Time Selector • Playback
• Main Window Display Location Area, page 46 • Functions and Settings, page 48, which includes the following elements: • Museum Search • Synchronized Playback • Archive Controls • Export Video • Analytics Search • Play Button • Clear and Cancel Buttons Navigator Window Toolbar The Navigator window toolbar is an extension of the ViconNet Main window toolbar, featuring identical options and functionality, as described in Main Window Toolbar, page 17.
Each storage location (represented by a site name plus its IP address) contains the contents of all recorded devices available for viewing and playing back recorded video and audio segments. For the Kollector, each transmitter and camera list is correlated to a specific storage location, within a storage type – AVDB (Audio and Video Database) or Archive. The AVDB contains all saved (recorded) video and audio data, while the Archive contains the previously archived video and audio data.
To reverse a selection: • Select the camera or microphone in the list again. The following occurs: • The icon is not highlighted in the list. • The camera or microphone information is removed from both the Main Window Display Location area and the Recorded Device Contents area. To remove the camera or microphone from the Main Window Display Location area but still view its recorded contents: • Deselect the camera or microphone in the Recorded Device Contents area.
Recorded Device Contents The recorded devices selected for playback and other purposes are managed within the Recorded Device Contents area, and are managed using the elements described below: • Recorded Device Contents Area, page 42 • Time Interval Tabs, page 43 • "From" and "To" Date/Time Controls, page 44 • Time Interval Map Area, page 44 • Playback Start Time Selector, page 45 • Playback Start Date/Time Control, page 45 • Selected Recorded Interval, page 45 • Zoom Controls, page 46 Recor
The Recorded Device Contents area displays a list of the cameras and microphones that have been selected for viewing and playing back their recorded contents, as described in Navigator List, page 39. The list in this area displays the name of each selected camera or microphone, as well as a graphical representation of the recorded contents, which appears as a horizontal bar with the following indications: • Blue indicates a recorded segment.
Date/Time Controls The From and To Date/Time controls in the top-left and top-right of the window enable you to specify an exact start (From) and end (To) date and time for the recorded segment(s) that you want to view and play back in the Recorded Device Contents area. This alternate time interval selection method (used instead of the time interval tabs) lets you fine-tune the time interval period.
Playback Start Time Selector The playback start time selector is a scrollable pink arrow with a vertical line running the length of the Recorded Devices Content area. You can move the arrow to indicate the location in the recorded segment where the playback will begin when it is played back in the Main window. When you click on the pink arrow, a tooltip appears, displaying the date and time of its current location in the recorded segment.
Zoom Controls The Zoom Controls enable you to zoom in and out of a selected segment in the Recorded Device Contents area to make it easier to view. This provides you with the option to fine-tune your view of a selected segment and view only the required portion, which makes it easier to select a specific playback start time, as described in both Time Interval Tabs, page 43 and Date/Time Controls, page 44.
The relevant device name is displayed in the next default location when you perform any one of the following actions: • Select a device in the Navigator list. -ORDrag and drop a camera from the Navigator list: • To the Recorded Device Contents area. -OR- • To the Main Window Display Location area. -OR- Select a deselected device in the Recorded Device Contents area. NOTES: The current default video display location is indicated by the pink border and can be changed by clicking on a different location.
Functions and Settings The functions and settings provided by the Navigator window are described in the following sections: • Museum Search, below • Synchronized Playback, page 48 • Export Video, page 49 • Analytics Search, page 49 • Archive Controls, page 49 • Play Button, page 50 • Clear Button, page 50 • Cancel Button, page 50 Museum Search The button enables you to search for a specific camera's data within a defined region of the database, saving you having to review the whole database.
The Synchronized Playback checkbox is selected automatically whenever a microphone is selected. (The Synchronized Playback selection is mandatory for audio playback.) This option is used in the Displaying Video/Audio Content procedure in Chapter 6, Playing Back Recorded Video/Audio. NOTE: The Synchronized Playback checkbox must be selected before clicking the Play button. The synchronization of devices only applies to Playback mode.
If the System Authentication feature is configured, an authentication status is added to the archive, which enables verification that live or played-back ViconNet-produced videos were not tampered with. Refer to the Configuring System Authentication section in Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System for more details. Play Button After a camera and recorded time interval is selected, clicking the button displays the ViconNet Main window, in which the playback can be viewed in the Video Display area.
Alarm Window Whenever an alarm event occurs in the system, regardless of the window in which you are currently working, the Alarm window is displayed as a popup window on top of your current window in the bottom-left corner. You can drag the Alarm window to anywhere on your screen and it remembers its last location the next time it is opened. The Alarm window displays the current alarm (indicated by a red icon), as well as all recently alarmed devices (indicated by a green icon).
Column Remote Time Description The time at the remote location where the alarm event occurred. NOTES: • If the alarm occurred locally or at a site in the same time zone, the local time and remote time will be identical. • If the alarm occurred at a remote site in a different time zone, the local time will display the local time zone translation of the remote time.
NOTES: When an alarm event occurs in the system, you will notice that the relevant red LED on the Kollector Force front panel blinks. Refer to the Front Panel Indications section in Chapter 1, Introducing ViconNet. When a macro is running as a result of an alarm event, the following is applicable: • If the macro is performing display operations, all functions in the ViconNet Main window, except for the Stop Macro, Schedule/Macro and Shutdown buttons, are disabled.
Logging Out, Exiting or Shutting Down Logging Out Logging out is performed when you want to exit from the ViconNet application but need the application to remain open, for example, to log in as a different user. To log out of the ViconNet application: 1. Click in the Main window toolbar. The following message is displayed: 2. Click Yes. The ViconNet Login window is redisplayed, as described in Logging In, page 14.
Exiting ViconNet Exiting is performed when you want to exit the ViconNet application and close the application. To close ViconNet and exit to the operating system: 1. Click the to display the Setup Site Selection window. (For details about this window, refer to the Activating the Configuration Functions section in Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System.) 2. Click the Exit to O.S. button. Shutting Down or Restarting To shut down or restart the ViconNet unit: • Click in the Main window toolbar.
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Chapter 3 Configuring the ViconNet System This chapter describes all the configuration functions available in the ViconNet system and contains the following sections: • Accessing the Configuration Functions, page 59, describes how to access the System Settings window, which enables you to start to perform configuration functions for a selected site. • Modifying the System Configuration, page 61, describes how to modify all ViconNet default system configurations, including network setup.
• Defining Texting and Email, page 133, describes how to configure the ViconNet system so that a Text Message or Email can be triggered by a macro. • Setting Video and Audio Priority, page 135, describes how to define the video settings to be used when different viewing/recording functions are requested concurrently. • Configuring Alarm Events, page 139, describes how to define alarm setup links and how to set pre alarms and post alarms.
Accessing the Configuration Functions The configuration functions are performed via the System Settings window applicable to a selected site. To access the System Settings window: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations: The local site always appears at the top of the list. The Nucleus site is listed second, displayed as (Nucleus), unless the local site is the Nucleus, as shown above.
2. Select the Kollector for which you want to configure the network setup and click System Settings window is displayed. . The When the function is not supported, the associated button is disabled (grayed out). NOTE: The Site Name and Site IP information are displayed automatically on this and subsequent windows.
Modifying the System Configuration The ViconNet system default configuration can be modified, depending on your requirements, as described in the following sections: • Configuring the Network Setup, below, describes how to configure the network setup for each device in the system, including which device is running the master Nucleus and which device is running the backup Nucleus.
Configuring the Nucleus The Nucleus takes an active role in the ViconNet system, acting as a central station that connects all devices running the ViconNet application. This is why the ViconNet system is designed in a way that will allow it full operation even if the Nucleus is down. The information on the Nucleus is always sent to all devices (after any update), so in a case where the Nucleus goes down, they can use that data to operate until the Nucleus is restored.
Step 1: Setting the Sites' IP Addresses In this step, you will configure the IP addresses of the sites in the network. 1. Go to the site whose IP address you want to set. Then, from the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations, as shown on page 59. 2. Select the site name for which you want to configure the network setup and click . The System Settings window is displayed, as shown on page 60. 3.
5. (Optional) To manually synchronize the local device time with all sites connected to the Nucleus, select the Synchronize Time on the Network option (default=checked). NOTE: The system also automatically synchronizes the time every one minute. 6. (Optional) To synchronize the time with your local time settings, Deselect the Synchronize Time on the Network option (if it is selected). Click and update the time in the displayed Date/Time Properties window.
Step 3: Configuring a Site to Connect to Nucleus Follow the procedure below to connect a site to the Nucleus. 1. Go to the site you want to setup and follow steps 1 through 3 in Step 1: Setting the Sites' IP Addresses, page 63. 2. In the Nucleus Settings area, deselect the This Site is the Master Nucleus checkbox. 3. In the Nucleus Settings area, select the Nucleus IP radio button and enter the IP address. 4. Click .
Step 5: Testing the Network In this final step, you will carry out a number of operational tests to ensure that the network has been setup properly. 1. In the Main window, ensure that all sites appear in the Site List when they come online and that you can select a camera from each site by clicking on it. 2. From the Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations: 3.
7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 on the site handling the backup Nucleus (optional). 8. Ensure that the backup Nucleus is working properly by exiting to the operating system on the site acting as the master Nucleus. The backup Nucleus name should now appear in the top-left corner of all sites instead of the master Nucleus name (for example, in place of Workstation-1, the name should now read Workstation-2). 9. Log back into the master Nucleus.
Configuring/Modifying Cameras, Microphones, Sensors and Relays The ViconNet system enables you to configure or modify the various devices that you want to be operational in the system, depending on your requirements, including: • Configuring/Modifying Local cameras, page 68 • Configuring/Modifying Switchers and Multiplexers NOTE: This feature will be functional in future versions.
To configure/modify a local camera: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations, as shown on page 59. 2. Select your local Kollector and click . The System Settings window is displayed, as shown on page 60. 3. Click . The Device Settings window is displayed: NOTE: You can click Undo to restore the last saved settings, if required.
6. Select the required audio sample rate (8000 (default), 16000, or 24000) and click OK. The sample rate is for all microphones defined in the site list/system. Use the slider to adjust the setting for the playback rate and recording storage. 7. In the Recording storage vs. Playback performance area move the slider to select the balance you want between how fast video will be played back and the amount of storage space required for your system.
The window shows the live view of the selected camera, with blue, red or yellow colored grid blocks over selected regions of interest. If no settings were yet defined for this camera, the colored grid blocks cover the entire picture, indicating that the change detection that would trigger recording currently applies to the entire camera view area.
The following options are provided: Option Description This button clears all the current colored grid blocks in the view. You can then use the Pencil tool to define grid blocks for specific ROIs within the view surface. NOTE: Change detection does not function unless ROIs are identified by colored (blue, red or yellow) grid blocks. This button marks colored grid blocks over the entire window surface, meaning that change detection will apply to the entire camera view.
When you have finished defining grids and recording triggering sensitivity for the selected camera, click or button. (Both buttons save the current settings. The Save button leaves the the window open for additional changes, while OK redisplays the Device Settings window.) 9. If the local camera is a PTZ, configure the PTZ driver and communication information, as described in Configuring/Modifying PTZ Controls, page 77. 10. To configure or modify additional local cameras, repeat steps 4 to 9, as required.
Modifying Microphones The ViconNet system enables you to modify up to 16 microphones on the Kollector Force and 4 microphones on the Kollector Strike. To modify a microphone: 1. Perform steps 1 to 3 in Configuring/Modifying Local Cameras, page 68. 2. Select a microphone button from the Audio section of the Devices List area. The Audio Settings area at the bottom of the window displays all the configurable settings for the selected device.
Configuring/Modifying Sensors (Detectors) The ViconNet system enables you to configure or modify up to 16 sensors (4 for Kollector Strike), if required. Each sensor that you configure in the system must be associated to a specific alarm type. To configure/modify a sensor (detector): 1. Perform steps 1 to 3 in Configuring/Modifying Local Cameras, page 68. 2. Select a sensor button from the Detector section of the Devices List area.
Configuring/Modifying Relays The ViconNet system enables you to configure or modify up to 16 relays, if required. NOTE: The relays are only enabled in this window when using the Kollector Force with the matrix rear panel. In this case, the system automatically recognizes the relays. To configure/modify a relay: 1. Perform steps 1 to 3 in Configuring/Modifying Local Cameras, page 68. 2. Select a relay button from the Relay section of the Devices List area.
Configuring/Modifying PTZ Controls When you use PTZ cameras in the ViconNet system, you must configure/modify each device according to its specific camera specifications, such as the driver, version number and so on. To configure/modify PTZ controls: 1. In the Device Settings window, shown on page 74, select the appropriate PTZ camera button from the Video section of the Devices List area. NOTE: When working in the Device Settings window, you can click Undo to restore the last saved settings, if required.
Using Reset Nucleus The purpose of the Reset Nucleus feature is to clean up all site lists and sub-lists (such as: macros, controls, site selection setup, reports site selection and so on) by removing all associated disconnected sites. This feature is only available in the Nucleus (or by remote from another site with the correct authorizations). To Reset the Nucleus: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click .
3. Click . All sites that appeared in the Setup Site Selection window, the Site List in the Main window and other sub-lists as disconnected (offline) have now been removed from the lists.
Using the Central Failure Notification (CFN) Mechanism The CFN mechanism enables Workstations and transmitter sites connected to the same Nucleus to receive notifications indicating that certain applications have failed, for example, macro, recording and database failures. CFN increases the user's awareness of problems that could occur at unmanned remote sites. It sends error/warning notifications, via the network, to other sites that share the same Nucleus.
4. In the Site List section, select which site(s) to notify about a failure occurring in any other site that shares the same Nucleus from the Available area and then click displayed in the Selected area. . The selected site(s) is 5. When you have finished, click OK.
Configuring the Central Failure Notification (CFN) Display The CFN mechanism enables Workstations and transmitter sites connected to the same Nucleus to receive notifications indicating that certain applications have failed, for example, macro, recording and database failures.
4. Select one of the display options, as described below: • Always Display CFN Dialog: Specifies that the Central Failure Notifications window be displayed continuously until it is closed manually by clicking OK. • Display Local Failure Notification For: Specifies the duration that the Central Failure Notifications window be displayed each time a CFN is sent.
Configuring System Authorizations The ViconNet system enables you to configure system authorizations, depending on your organizational requirements. The authorizations that you configure determine both user access and the authorized system operations for users according to the group to which you assign them.
To add a new group: 1. From the ViconNet Main window (in the Nucleus), click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations, as shown on page 59. 2. Select your local Kollector and click . The System Settings window is displayed, as shown on page 60. 3. Click . The User & Group Management window is displayed with the option selected by default. Select the Groups option to add a new group.
The system provides two default groups (Administrator and Guest), each with their respective site authorizations. Refer to Configuring Site Authorization, page 90, for a description of these groups. 4. Click . The fields in the bottom portion of the window are enabled, as follows: 5. In the Group Name field, enter a logical group name. 6. (Optional) In the Group Description field, enter a description for the group. For example, this can be a reference to the type of users you plan to add to the group. 7.
Defining Users The ViconNet system enables you to categorize the specific users in your system into groups. Users must be defined in the Nucleus and can be seen in all the sites. You can then configure the site authorization for each group of users, per site, depending on the system operations that you want them to be able to access. To define a new user: 1. Perform steps 1 to 4 in Defining Groups, page 84 and ensure that the option in the User & Group Management window is selected.
2. Click . The options in the bottom portion of the window are enabled, as follows: 3. Enter the user details, as follows: Option Description User name Type in a logical user name. User description (Optional) Type in a description for the user, if required. Password (Optional) Type in an alphanumeric password of up to any 32 characters. Verify Password (Optional) Type in the same password that you entered in the Password field. Priority Select the user's priority in the system.
5. To add the same user to another group, repeat step 4. NOTE: You can remove a group from the Selected area by selecting it and then clicking Remove. The group is redisplayed in the Available area. 6. Click . The new user is added to the user list at the top of the window. NOTES: To edit a user, select the user from the list in the User & Group Management window and click Edit User. Then modify the displayed settings, as described in the procedure above and click Save.
Configuring Site Authorization The ViconNet system enables you to define the site authorization for each group of users that you have defined in the system. This consists of specifically defining which system operations can be accessed by each group. The system also provides the following two default groups: • ViconNet Administrator: Users assigned to this group have authority to perform all system operations.
3. Click . The Site Authorization window is displayed, as shown below. NOTE: When working in the Site Authorization window, you can click Undo to restore the last saved settings, if required. The Site Authorization window contains the two default groups (Administrator and Guest) as well as all other groups currently defined in your system. The operations in the Administrator group cannot be modified, but you can modify the operations in the Guest group, if required.
4. Expand the branches in the Action list to view the categories, as required (see the examples below). NOTE: The Live View action enables the users of an authorized group (see next step) unlimited access to the specified device. (The actual feasibility of the device use depends on the device's authorization for the relevant group.) 5.
9. In the Site Authorization window, either: Click to save and exit, or Click to exit without saving. NOTES: If you click Cancel in the Site Authorization window before you click Save, a message is displayed, prompting you to save your changes. To edit the existing site authorization for a group, repeat the procedure above, select or deselect the options as required and then save your changes.
Configuring Auto Login Any user with appropriate access authorization can configure the system to automatically log in selected users. Afterwards, each time the application starts, the ViconNet Main window will display without the need to enter a user name and password. (The regular Login procedure is described in the Logging In section in Chapter 2, Getting to Know ViconNet.) The user's Auto Login configuration can also be removed, as required. To configure a user for Auto Login: 1.
5. Enter the required user's user name and password in the applicable fields. (If you want to remove a user's Auto Login configuration, delete the displayed entries or unclick the checkbox.) 6. Click OK. The System Settings window is redisplayed. NOTE: If the entered user name and password combination is not defined in the system, an error message will be displayed. You should try the entries again. The specified users will now be able to access the system without a login procedure.
Configuring Storage Database Utilities The ViconNet system enables you to configure the storage locations of the Video and Audio database in your system, depending on your requirements. Each storage location can be made up of a combination of multiple disks (sections), depending on the number of available disks in the system. IMPORTANT: When you add a disk to an existing storage location or enlarge the disk size, all recorded data is retained.
3. Click . The Storage Database Utilities window is displayed with the tab selected by default. NOTES: When working in the Storage Database Utilities window, you can click Undo to restore the last saved settings, if required. In addition, the options in the Storage Database Utilities window are disabled during remote setup. 4. Click .
5. Click the arrow next to the Select Disk dropdown list and then select the required location. The system automatically detects the Maximum Size of the selected directory, depending on the available disk space. The default directory size is 2000 MB (which is also the minimum size). 6. In the Directory Size field, type in the required size (between the minimum and maximum). 7. Click in the bottom of the window.
10. To add an additional disk, repeat steps 4 to 9, as required. NOTE: To edit a storage location, select the storage location from the list in the Storage Database Utilities window and click Edit Disk. Then modify the displayed settings, as described in the procedure above and click Save. 11. 12. Click . When saving a change to the size of the database, data may be deleted (if database size is reduced).
Clearing Video and Audio Storage Locations The entire video and audio storage database can be cleared. It is recommended that authorization to this function be assigned only to Administrator users. To clear databases: 1. Repeat steps 1 to 3 of the Configuring Storage Locations procedure, page 96. 2. In the Storage Database Utilities window, click the button. (No selections are required beyond the indicated defaults). The following confirmation window is displayed. 3. Click Yes to confirm the action.
Once the hard disk is connected, it is recognized and displayed in the Navigator as an archive. NOTE: Since this disk contains an external database, you cannot add it to the local database configuration using the Storage Database Utilities window in the setup.
Configuring System Authentication When the Check Picture Authentication feature is active, the ViconNet system automatically verifies that live or played back ViconNet-produced videos were not tampered with. According to the results of the verification, one of the following system authentication statuses is displayed on the video: • Auth 9: Indicates the video segment has been confirmed as authentic.
Defining Device Groups and Group Sets The Device Group feature enables you to group devices (cameras and microphones) according to your requirements, instead of the standard collection by transmitter, as displayed in the Site List. A group can be formed according to any criteria, such as: location, camera type and so on.
4. Click Add. The next blank line in the Devices Group Sets area becomes editable and the text New Devices Group Sets appears automatically as the name of the new group set. 5. Enter a name for the new Group Set and press Enter.
6. To configure which groups to put into a group set, double-click the Group Set name. The Groups Editor window appears with the name of the new (selected) Group Set at the top of the list in the upper-left panel. 7. Select the new group in the list in the top left to add to this Group Set and click Add new group. A group called New Group appears in the Group Set (in the list).
8. Navigate to and select the device you want to add to the group in the Devices list in the bottom-left corner of the window. Once the Group is highlighted and the name appears at the top of the window above the Group Set navigation list, drag the device to the list of devices on the right. 9. (Optional) For each device selected, enter a unique secondary ID (2nd ID). This ID can be any number up to 3 digits. This number must be entered if you are going to use a VMC keypad.
To edit a Group Set: • In the Devices Group Sets Management window, click Edit. The Groups Editor window appears. The Group Set can be edited as described above. • To rename the Group Set, from the Devices Group Sets Management window, click Rename. • To select which Group Set is to be displayed in the Main window, click . The name of the Group Set in the list is then automatically changed to add the suffix "– Working Set". ⇒ To see the Working Set in the Main Window, click the Groups tab.
Configuring Manual Recording and Video Quality The ViconNet system enables you to control the display quality that applies to manually initiated recording by configuring the picture quality and refresh rate. The buttons in the Main window Function Controls area can also be enabled, which allow you to manually override the display mode-determined Live picture quality for the currently selected camera. The qualities 1, 5, 6 and 7 are available for this purpose.
4. Make the required Quality (picture quality) and Mode (refresh mode) selections, as follows: Option Quality Description The picture quality that you select determines the resolution at which the video images will be recorded. Select the required picture quality from the range of one to eight, where: • 1 = best picture quality, but slowest data transmission. • 8 = least clear picture quality, but fastest data transmission.
Configuring Automatic Recording The ViconNet system enables you to configure automatic recording, which instructs the system to begin recording a selection of connected cameras and/or microphones as soon as the ViconNet application is started. Configuring automatic recording consists of selecting the cameras and/or microphones that will perform automatic recording and selecting the recording settings (video quality, FPS and refresh mode).
10. Select the required cameras and/or microphones to be configured for auto recording by selecting their checkboxes. You can select or deselect all the cameras and/or microphones at once by clicking the respective option, as follows: Option Description All local cameras will begin recording automatically as soon as the ViconNet application starts, according to the selected recording settings.
Option Mode Description The Mode (refresh mode) determines the rate at which the frames are refreshed during the recording. Select the required refresh mode, as follows: • Normal: Records only changes within the frames, resulting in an economic storage location process. This option enables you to view the recorded video at a high frame-per-second rate, depending on the magnitude and number of changes. • Full: Records full video image frames.
Configuring Auto/Manual FPS (Frames Per Second) The purpose of the Auto/Manual FPS feature is to enable the user to determine the FPS for each camera. Here, the user can select whether the FPS distribution to the DSPs (Digital Signal Processors) is automatic or manual. The default setting for FPS is automatic. NOTE: Digital Signal Processing is a method of digitally processing signals that are converted from analog form.
Column Description Camera Name The camera for which the FPS is being defined. DSP The DSP to which the camera is assigned. The number of DSPs depends on the type of Kollector, 120-480 FPS. Each DSP has a maximum of 30 fps, depending on resources; if, for example, the site is a Kollector with 120 FPS, it offers DSPs 1-4. Select the required DSP. The system will prevent adding too many cameras to a DSP (in this case 4 as 4x30 =120). FPS The number of FPS of the camera.
Manual FPS If you do not want to distribute the FPS equally between the DSPs and the cameras (using the default algorithm), you can manually set the FPS configuration. In manual FPS configuration, the cameras are assigned FPS per compression DSP, meaning that you set each camera to a specific DSP, with the required FPS (up to the maximum available for each DSP).
Using the Recording Verification System (RVS) Automatic recording and scheduled macros are two of the Kollector's most important features. The RVS mechanism ensures continuous recording by notifying users of any recording errors. It monitors automatic recording activity (audio and video) at all times, both locally and over the network. NOTE: The RVS mechanism operates only on sites using version 2.18 or higher.
Error Type Record Message Displayed Explanation Recording failure – data not found No frame was found at the location where the RVS was looking in the database. No devices are assigned in the site for recording No automatic recording or scheduled macros are configured in the verified site. NOTE: This message does not appear locally. It is only displayed on a remote site. Recording failure - Data may be corrupted The frames are corrupted. The video cannot be played back and is permanently damaged.
To activate the RVS mechanism (default=activated): 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations, as shown on page 59. 2. Select the site name for which you want to enable RVS and click . The System Settings window is displayed, as shown on page 60. . The Recording Verification System window is displayed, enabling you to 3.
6. In the Verified Sites list area, select which transmitter(s) to verify from the Available list and then click . The selected transmitter(s) is displayed in the Selected list. 7. In the Notification Sites list area, select which site(s) to notify from the Available list and then click . The selected site(s) is displayed in the Selected list.
When a recording error, sampling failure, or malfunction occurs, all sites selected for notification receive a Recording Verification Error Notification, containing information about the time the failure occurred, the site name, the site IP address and a short description of the failure. This window is accompanied by a sound (similar to the Alarm window). Selecting the Mute checkbox silences the alarm for this message; however, the next time the window appears, the alarm will sound.
Creating Macros The ViconNet system enables you to create macros, which are sets of instructions that are made up of user-defined commands that the system executes either automatically or manually in the specific defined order. The commands in each macro give instructions to the system about which devices will perform specific tasks, for how long and in what order. In addition, you can configure macros for each Kollector independent of the other sites in the system, according to your requirements.
After you create a macro, you can configure the system to activate the macro in the defined order by: • The alarm setup links, as described in Defining Alarm Setup Links, page 140 (automatic). • A user-defined time schedule, as described in Creating Schedules, page 166 (automatic). • Manual selection, as described in Chapter 7, Managing Macros and Schedules (manual). You can also modify or delete an existing macro, if required.
4. Click . The Macro Editor window changes and displays the Macro area in the middle of the window. This section of the window is where you define the sequence of commands for each macro. 5. In the Macro Name field, enter a logical name for the macro, for example, Front Entrance External Cameras or Emergency – All Cameras Recording. NOTE: The User Name is displayed automatically according to your log in information. 6. (Optional) In the Description field, enter a brief textual description of the macro. 7.
NOTES: If you select the Record & Display option, then the selected device records and displays live video/audio simultaneously. If you select the other command types, then the macro runs in the sequence of commands that you define. Record operations are available both locally and remotely, but display operations are always local.
9. In the Duration field, use the up/down arrows to select the duration of the command (in HH:MM:SS format), -ORSelect the required time segment and type in the required value using the keyboard. NOTE: The duration is set for the entire operation and not per device. 10.
11. • Configure the PTZ, Preset, Expanded Display Mode and Destination settings for the selected device, as follows: Preset: The Preset dropdown list enables operation of a preset for the currently selected PTZ camera. The presets, representing fixed location-and-zoom points in the video display, must first be defined as described in Operating a PTZ Camera in Chapter 4, Viewing and Listening to Live Video/Audio.
14. (Optional) To add a new command to the macro script area, select the required command type and configure the command settings, as described in steps 7 to 12. The following example shows a single command (Record & Display operations) that has been defined for the macro, with five cameras selected. NOTES: The location of each new command is above the highlighted command.
16. Click redisplayed. to close the Macro Editor window. The System Settings window is All macros that you define(d) are available during alarm setup, as described in the following sections: • Defining Alarm Setup Links, page 140. • Creating Schedules, page 166 (via the Scheduler Settings window). • Manual macro selection, as described in Chapter 7, Managing Macros and Schedules.
Command Setting PTZ Description Select presets and auxiliary for a PTZ camera. (For more details, see the PTZ description above.) Destination Storage Select the transmitter (storage location) to which to record the live video/audio when the macro is activated. Display Select devices The devices to record and display. For more details, see step 8 above. For more details about the Display command settings, see the preceding procedure.
Creating Matrix Macros The Kollector Force rear panel has four outputs that enable four digital streams to be converted back to analog. Analog monitors or TVs can view these four outputs. The purpose of the matrix macro is to enable configuration of a specific camera to a specific output (of these four outputs), so that the camera output displayed can be changed every few minutes.
7. Enter the macro commands. The commands available for matrix macros are Pause and Matrix. • Pause: In the case where several matrix commands are configured, Pause enables you to set the amount of time the first command will run before the second matrix command takes over. Example In one matrix command, only four cameras can be configured. If you want more than four cameras to be displayed on the analog outputs, you can configure the matrix macro so that every X minutes another four cameras are displayed.
Activating Relays in Macros The Kollector Force rear panel has sixteen relay outputs that can be toggled between the states Open (Off) and Closed (On), or Momentarily enabled for a set duration. On system start up, the relay state is Normally Opened (NO). These relays can be used to drive indicators and alarm enunciators and to enable or disable devices. Within a macro, any number of relays can be activated between as many states as desired.
Defining Email and Texting The Email And Texting Settings window enables you to configure your ViconNet system to enable you to select to trigger the sending of emails and text messages via a macro. The email and text message recipients and content are defined in the Macro Editor window. For more details about setting up macros, see the Creating Macros section on page 121. To configure email and texting settings: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click .
5. Set the Sender Information (your system administrator can provide you with this information): • Select/deselect My SMTP server requires authentication, as required. • Set your User Credentials: • • User Name: Enter your email account user name. • Password: Enter your email account password. Sender Email: Enter your email address. 6. Set the Texting Settings: • Use Texting: Select/deselect to activate/deactivate the texting option in the Macro Editor window.
Setting Video and Audio Priority This section describes how to define the video settings that are used when different recording functions are requested concurrently for the same camera. The procedure for changing the rate of audio sampling from the higher quality 16 kHz (default) to 8 kHz is also described. NOTE: This feature is only available if you select a Kollector from the Setup Site Selection window. If you select the local Workstation, Setting Video and Audio Priority is disabled.
To define picture quality and FPS priorities: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations, as shown on page 59. 2. Select the Kollector for which you want to define priorities and click . The System Settings window is displayed, as shown on page 60. 3. Click . The Quality and FPS Priority window is displayed. 4.
• Enter priorities for each function, as required: • Select the "1" cell of the function that should have highest priority. (Its Picture Quality setting should always be used if any other recording function is executed concurrently.) Note that as you select a cell, the other cells' priorities are automatically renumbered, since only one function at a time can have the same priority. Æ • Select the "2" cell of the function which should have second priority.
NOTES: This feature does not relate to whether the user priority is higher or lower than the macro’s priority. The last macro to start takes over the PTZ presets, regardless of its priority. If the User always becomes Primary over a running macro option is unselected and the user priority is lower than the priority of the macro, then the user cannot take over as primary under any circumstances. User vs. Macro A macro can get primary status from the user only if the user has the lower priority.
Configuring Alarm Events An alarm event is an action or condition that is configured to trigger a physical alarm in the system when the action or condition occurs. The ViconNet system enables you to configure alarm events by: • Defining Alarm Setup Links, page 140, which consists of linking a macro to a specific device and a specific alarm event.
Defining Alarm Setup Links The ViconNet system enables you to define the alarm setup for each device in the system. The alarm setup instructs the system how to react in the case of an alarm event on a specific device, which can include: • Displaying the Alarm window. This happens automatically on the local station for every type of alarm event. (Refer to Chapter 2, Getting to Know ViconNet, for additional details about the Alarm window.) • Initiating any defined pre/post alarms.
To define alarm setup links: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations, as shown on page 59. 2. Select the site name for which you want to define alarm setup links and click . The System Settings window is displayed, as shown on page 60. . The Active Detectors & Associated Macros window is displayed, showing 3.
4. Select the alarm Display Settings, as follows: • Always display alarm dialog: The Alarm window is displayed indefinitely, until you close it. The default position is in the bottom left-corner. • Display alarm message for …… seconds: The Alarm window is displayed for the amount of time selected in the dropdown list box. • Don’t display alarms: The Alarm window is not displayed. • Play Alarm Siren: Upon the occurrence of an alarm, a siren is sounded. 5. Click .
7. Click to proceed to the next step of the Alarm Setup Wizard. NOTE: The window shown above appears differently when a sensor or video analytics alarm is selected as a detector. 8. Select the Camera Alarm Type, as follows: • VMD - Video Motion Detection: Activates an alarm due to activity beyond specified sensitivities in preconfigured regions of interest (ROIs) in the camera view area. (Refer to When Not to Use VMD, page 152, for an important warning about using this option.
9. Click • . If you selected Video Loss, or a sensor as the detector, continue to step 12, where you will define the time schedule for the macro. • If you selected VMD - Video Motion Detection, continue to step 10, where you will define the regions of interest (ROIs) on which the VMD mechanism will focus. • If you selected Video Analytics, continue to step 12, where you will define the time schedule for the macro. 10.
The window shows the Live view of the selected camera, with colored grid blocks over selected regions of interest. If no settings were yet defined for this camera, colored grid blocks cover the entire picture, indicating that the change detection that would trigger alarms applies to the entire camera view area. You can focus the VMD on security-sensitive objects in the camera space by using the window functions to vary the coverage of the colored grid blocks.
Option Description The Block Size Control selector enables you to define how many blocks of the colored grid arrays must be simultaneously involved in the change before an alarm is triggered. For example: • 1 (the most sensitive setting) – indicates that an alarm should be triggered if a change is detected in even one block amongst all the defined ROIs (that is, the alarm triggering is unlimited).
12. 13. The Alarm Setup Wizard window is displayed, where you define the time schedule for the macro.
The following example shows an alarm activity time scheduled: • From 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, on Monday to Friday, and • From 12:00 AM to the following 12:00 AM (full 24 hours), on Saturday and Sunday. 14. Click related devices.
15. (Optional) Select the required devices in the Available area and click to add them to the Selected area. NOTES: You can remove a device from the Selected area by selecting it and then clicking Remove. The device is redisplayed in the Available area. The related devices that you select here will be included automatically when you use the Push to Insert Related Devices option during macro creation. Refer to Creating Macros, page 121, for additional details. 16.
NOTE: You cannot select a macro with an unlimited duration for an alarm setup. Upon selecting a macro with an unlimited duration and clicking Finish, the following message is displayed: 17. (Optional) From the list, select the macro to be activated by the system when the selected alarm conditions are met on the specific device.
18. Click . The device's new alarm setup link is displayed in the list in the Active Detectors & Associated Macros window. Click Show Details to view detector details 19. (Optional) Select the device name and click to view its alarm setup link information in the bottom of the window, as shown in the above example. NOTES: To edit a linked macro, select it from the list and click Edit Detector. The second Alarm Setup Wizard window is displayed.
When Not to Use VMD To conserve valuable hard drive space, it is recommended that the VMD mechanism be used to trigger recording only when motion occurs. On a very active camera, however, this can result in a constant stream of alarms and endless recording. This unending alarm state creates an enormous log of thousands of entries displayed on top of the application.
To set pre/post alarms: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations, as shown on page 59. 2. Select the site for which you want to set pre/post alarms and click . The System Settings window is displayed, as shown on page 60. NOTE: You can set pre/post alarms only for a transmitter. Remote setup is only possible to a transmitter. 3. Click . The Pre/Post Alarm Settings window is displayed.
4. In the Select devices for pre/post alarm area, select the devices from the Available area that you want to be affected by the pre alarm and post alarm settings and click to add them to the Selected area. NOTE: You can remove a device from the Selected area by selecting it and then clicking Remove. The device is redisplayed in the Available area. 5.
6. If you have configured pre alarm settings in step 5, select one of the following Recording Duration settings: • Save all Pre/Post alarm cameras selected: When an alarm is activated on any device in the system, this option causes the system to immediately save the pre and post alarm data of all the selected devices to the storage location. The data is saved according to the settings that you define in the other options in the Pre/Post Alarm Settings window.
Video Analytics Engine ViconNet provides integrated video intelligence (VI) used for detection of unusual events or behavior. Before beginning the configuration of video analytics, it is required that the VI software be installed in the system (refer to ViconNet VI documentation). Additionally, to use the video analytics, the user must be connected to the Nucleus as well as the VI server. 10. From the ViconNet Main window, click .
Events Management ViconNet provides a powerful event management system that allows integration with another control system, such as access control or license plate recognition. The event management system is designed to allow any external source to send events to it over the network. Events Management provides a wide array of options to manage, control and present information about the events generated from that control system.
5. Select where to save the events, either on the local database or elsewhere, as a central database. (One shared database on the Nucleus is the preferred option.) Click provided. 6. From the Events Settings screen, select 158 • Configuring the ViconNet System . A Cancel button is . The following screen displays.
7. Select what type of message to display when an event occurs [display message for a selectable duration of 5-30 seconds, display accumulated event list, pop-up message or no display indication at all (events will only be added to the database for future use)].
10. Select whether the event will trigger an Alarm, a Macro or an Alarm & Macro. If macro is selected, choose it from the drop down list; name the trigger. If it is required that all events trigger an alarm/macro, check that box. To choose events to be triggers, select which fields will trigger the alarm/macro and input the condition which will be used to identify the trigger; any number of database fields can be chosen from the top list.
14. Select cameras and microphones and the related field(s) you want to cause the camera to be stored in the database. See below. 15. Define the content of the database fields that cause the camera to store the event. The selected field can Equal, Not Equal or contain specific information. Click Save when completed. In this way, several related devices can be linked to a specific condition in the event and used as a group for display and recording purposes to one event without creating multiple macros.
18. Depending on the system integrated with, the database field might already be populated or, in some cases, those need to be defined. Even if the integration driver is already defined, the users need to choose which of the fields available to include in the database and those not to include. The Events Database Configuration screen allows the creation of database fields and how these fields are defined and used. Click Add to add a database field. The following screen displays. 19.
21. Each field on the screen can be dragged to a location for a custom design. Click OK to save the design or Cancel the changes. This allows the user to design the look of a pop-up message; this should be done after all fields have been defined in the database. 22. The Events List can be designed to reflect customer preferences. Select screen will display. 23. After selecting a field column, use arrows at top to move the column to a different location on the list.
25. To clear all or some of the older events in the database by date, select . The following screen displays. 26. From the dropdown, select the date up to which all events will be deleted. Click on Delete to remove these events from the database. 27. To backup the database, select 28. Select an empty folder in a location on the PC to save the backup Events database. Click OK. 29. To restore the database, select 164 • Configuring the ViconNet System . The following screen displays. .
30. Select the folder that contains the backup Events database. Click OK. The backup database will be saved back into the database. 31. From the Events Settings screen, select 32. Check the box to attach a snapshot to an event when it occurs. For a recorded event, a pre-event snapshot can be taken up to 59 seconds before the event occurs. The snapshot will be from the cameras related to the event as defined in step 12 and requires those cameras to be recorded if a prealarm snapshot is needed. 33.
34. Queries allow for easy and fast retrieval of data using the Events History Reports; refer to Chapter 8. This screen allows the setup of specific inquiries on events and defines which fields will be used in these queries. Any query created here is saved and can be easily run at any time, saving the need to compose the query on-the fly. To add a query, select Add. The bottom of the Events Queries Setup screen becomes active. 35. Enter a name in the Query Name field.
To create a schedule: 1. Ensure that you have created the required macros, as described in Creating Macros, page 121. 2. From the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations, as shown on page 59. 3. Select the Kollector or which you want to create a schedule and click . The System Settings window is displayed, as shown on page 60. .
5. Click . The Scheduler Settings window is enabled. NOTE: When working in the Scheduler Settings window, you can click Undo to restore the last saved settings, if required. 6. From the Macro or Matrix dropdown list, select the macro for which you want to create a schedule. The defined macro description is displayed automatically in the Macro Description field. 7. Select the days of the week that you want the macro to run from the Sunday - Saturday checkboxes.
9. To select a specific date for the macro to run, click in the Specific dates area. A calendar is displayed. Select the date/s required by clicking in the calendar. NOTES: Specific dates selected can be deleted by highlighting the date in the list and clicking Remove date. If the date you select is in the past, a message requesting a future date is displayed.
If you open the Scheduler Settings window again (as described at the beginning of this procedure), you will see the new schedule in the list. NOTES: To edit a schedule, select the schedule from the list in the Scheduler Settings window and click Edit. Then modify the displayed settings, as described in the procedure above and click Save. To delete a schedule, select the schedule from the list in the Scheduler Settings window and click Delete.
Configuring Low Bandwidth You can use this option to configure whether or not museum search information is to be sent over low bandwidth when the Low Bandwidth option is selected (in the Main window or in the macro settings defined in the Macro Editor window). To configure low bandwidth: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations, as shown on page 59. 2.
Restoring and Backing Up System Settings The ViconNet system automatically backs up all the system settings every time you close the ViconNet application. In addition, you can manually back up the system settings at any time, to any network location, or restore the settings to ones that were saved previously. To manually back up or restore system settings: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click .
Configuring an External Control After the appropriate driver has been installed, the controls can be configured through the Controls & Events Drivers option in the System Settings window. To configure the control: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected transmitters and Workstations, as shown on page 59. 2. Select the site name and click page 60. 3. Click the .
NOTE: If the relevant drivers are not installed, the following message is displayed: • Click Close and install the relevant drivers. 4. When the drivers are correctly installed, click the Add Driver button to display a list of the pre-installed drivers. The types include: PTZ joystick, relays, control panel, keypad, event and host protocol (PLC). 5. From the Driver Name list, select the required driver. 6.
NOTES: The Driver Name and Driver Version parameters are set automatically. To edit the configuration for a control driver, select the control in the list and click Edit Driver. The relevant fields in the Control Information area are enabled. To delete a control driver, select the control in the list and click Delete Driver. When working in the Control Settings window, you can click Undo to restore the last saved settings, if required.
Control How to Activate • Select Activate and the Activation time (duration of activation of relay in milliseconds). • Select which relay to activate. Activated relays appear in the controls list with a yellow icon and bold text. NOTES: The Number of controls actually connected is the number of actual physical connections. If this number is 0, a relay cannot be activated. The Current state displays the name of the last relay activated. Speaker This will be available in future versions.
Defining Site Maps and Map Sets The Site Map feature allows you to define the location of ViconNet equipment (Kollectors, cameras, microphones and so on) on a map of their physical environment. A map can be a construction plan, building plan, plan of a room and so on. Instead of going to the Site List and trying to find a particular camera by name, a Site Map can be examined and the equipment's physical location and status (activated/ deactivated) can immediately be seen.
To create a map set: 1. From the System Settings window, select appears. . The Map Sets Management window 2. Click Add. The next blank line in the Map Sets area becomes editable and the text New Map Set appears automatically as the name of the new map set.
3. Enter the correct name for the new map set and press Enter. 4. To configure which maps to put into a map set, double-click the map set name. The Maps Editor window appears with the name of the new (selected) map set at the top of the list in the upper-left panel. 5. To add maps to the map set, click Add new map. The Maps Editor Browser window appears. Maps added to the map set retain their original size and resolution.
6. Browse to and select the map you want to add to the map set. Once the map is highlighted and the name appears in the File name box, drag the map to the map set where you want it. NOTES: 1. Double-clicking the map name in the browser does not add it to the map set (as it does not know where to add it). 2. If the map is larger than the screen, it fills the entire screen in the editing space. To navigate to another part of the map, use the navigation map in the bottom right-hand corner of the editing space.
Adding Sub-maps, Text Boxes and Devices After creating a map, you can add: • Sub-maps: A sub-map is a map inside a higher-level map, for example a detailed map of one room might be a sub-map of a map of a whole floor. • Text boxes: A text box allows you to write a textual comment wherever you want on the map. An example is shown on the following page. • Devices: Devices that can be added to a map are cameras, microphones, sensors and servers.
9. To add a text box (a comment displayed on a map) to the displayed map, click Add text box. Edit the text in the text box as required and drag the text box to the required location on the map in the editing space.
10. To add a device (camera, server, microphone, sensor) to the displayed map, drag the device from the Devices list in the left-hand panel into its required location onto the displayed map. An icon and a label are displayed on the map. NOTE: After you drag the device onto the map, the device and its label become two separate objects. If you move the device to another location on the map, the device icon and the label must be dragged separately. To activate a device, click the icon on the map.
CAUTION cont’d: Any editing that has been done since last saving will not be retained. Additionally, when clicking on the Site Map tab in the Main Window, the map set that has been selected as the Working Set (see next section) will not appear. If this occurs, terminate ViconNet by clicking on Exit to OS in the Setup menu and then start ViconNet again.
Make a network global set: A map set that can be viewed by other ViconNet devices on a network is called the Network Global Set. This map set is created by the following steps: • On the Nucleus device, create a map set using Maps Editor. • In the Map Sets Management window, select this map set and click . This map set is the Network Global Set and is available to any ViconNet devices on the network. It can be viewed on this Nucleus by clicking in the Set Map tab on the Main Window.
I-Onyx 9XX and Third Party Cameras ViconNet allows Vicon I-Onyx 9xx cameras, as well as cameras from other manufacturers (third party), to be used with ViconNet. I-Onyx 9xx cameras do not require a third party license to be used in the system. However, the I-Onyx 9xx cameras will not automatically show up on the site list; they must be added to the ViconNet system. For a non-ViconNet camera, a third party camera license must be obtained before it can be used in the system.
If the third party camera license has not been registered, or if the number of licenses has been exceeded, the following message will display. To add a camera 1. Click the button for third party cameras or for I-Onyx 9xx cameras on the I-Onyx 9xx and Third party Camera settings screen. 2. For third party cameras, the Camera Details area will become enabled.
6. Enter a User Name and Password for this camera. This will be the camera’s identity in its browser. It is recommended that the user be administrator level to be able to access all camera features. 7. Click Save to save the settings. An Undo button is provided. 8. Click on the camera to be set up from the camera list. Click the button. button. This is a direct link to the browser for that 9. Click the camera.
Third Party Format This section pertains to certain third party cameras only. I-Onyx 9xx cameras are formatted from their configuration screens. After the third party cameras are defined in the I-Onyx 9xx and Third Party Camera settings screen, their format can be defined in the I-Onyx 9xx and Third Party Format screen. Note: Third Party format is set up in each workstation individually; it is not a global setting for the camera(s).
Using the Language Translation Utility (LTU) The LTU enables the translation of the ViconNet user interface (for example, buttons, labels, messages, dialogue boxes and so on) to any language. The utility imports all buttons, labels, messages and dialog boxes from the ViconNet application, enabling the translation of all terminology used in the user interface into the local or any other language as required.
2. Click or select Open from the File menu. The Open resources ViconNet window is displayed with the default path and current version (read-only) showing. 3. (Optional) To change the location where the translated file will be saved, open the browser by clicking on the arrow next to the path text box and browse to the required location. (For example, if you want to open a file from another version of the ViconNet application.) 4.
8. Repeat steps 8 to 10 above until all the terms required have been translated. The translations are saved automatically the selected path. NOTE: As long as the LTU remains open, the individual translated terms are saved while you translate/navigate to other terms. 9. To save the library, click or select Save from the File menu. Enter filename of your choice and click OK. It is saved in default location.
3. Click the button. The LTU Settings window is displayed. 4. If an LTU library has already been created, highlight it and click OK. The translation is immediately implemented and all the translated terms appear in the site's user interface. Example: Original Text: Translated Text: If an LTU library has not been created, follow the procedure To create a translation library file procedure, page 190. NOTES: Terms that were not translated remain in the default language.
Viewing the Settings Summary The Settings Summary window displays all the system settings for a specified site. This enables the user to view all the settings for a remote site without having to navigate through all the available windows for that site one-by-one (for example, macros, authorizations, schedules and so on). To view the settings summary: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click .
Display Settings The Display Settings window enables you to change the screen resolution of the application. To change the display settings: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click . The Setup Site Selection window is displayed, showing a list of all currently connected sites, as shown on page 59. 2. Select the required site and click . The System Settings window is displayed, as shown on page 60. 3. Click the button. The Display Settings window is displayed. • Select the screen resolution required.
NOTE: The ViconNet application always opens with the resolution defined in the Display Settings window, regardless of the resolution settings defined for the PC on which the application is running. 4. Click OK. Note: This setup in not available for remote setup! Registering Your System The various sites (Kollectors, Workstations and so on) in the ViconNet system may arrive unregistered.
2. Fill in your company details. 3. Fill in your user name. 4. Make note of the two user codes that are on the ViconNet Registration screen. You will need these to complete registration. NOTE: Licensing is done through Vicon’s website. On www.vicon-cctv.com, go to the link for ViconNet software registration and follow those instructions. Be sure to have the License ID and password that is on the label of the software CD jewel case. You will need these to register. Follow the prompts. 5.
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Chapter 4 Viewing and Listening to Live Video/Audio This chapter includes the following sections: • Overview, page 200, provides an overview of the viewing and listening process, which also includes some optional tasks that can be performed, as required. • Viewing and Listening Workflow, page 201, illustrates the main steps for viewing and listening to live video and audio. • Step 1: Selecting the Display Mode, page 202, describes how to select the required number of video display locations.
Overview The ViconNet system enables you to monitor live video and audio using the cameras and microphones configured in the ViconNet system. The devices send the live video pictures and audio segments to the Kollector via the network. The cameras and microphones available for viewing live video and audio on each Kollector are configured during system setup, as described in Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System.
Viewing and Listening Workflow The following workflow illustrates how to view and listen to live video and audio using the ViconNet system. Each step is described in the sections that follow. NOTE: The workflow shown above is performed after you have already logged in to the ViconNet application, as described in Chapter 2, Getting to Know ViconNet.
Step 1: Selecting the Display Mode Selecting the display mode enables you to determine the maximum number of video display locations for viewing and listening to live video and audio at one time in the Video Display area of the Main window. Various display modes are provided to accommodate your viewing and listening requirements, as described in the selection procedure, below. You can modify the display mode after beginning to view and listen to the live video and audio, if required.
To select the display mode from the Navigator window: • In the Navigator window, select the required Display Mode icon (located below the Main window Display Location area). Thereafter, when the Play button is selected, the devices in the Main window Display Location area are displayed in their respective locations in the Main window, ready for viewing and playing back. The following example shows the Video Display area after the Nine selected.
Step 2: Selecting Cameras and Microphones When you launch the ViconNet application, the Video Display area of the Main window is initially empty, as there is no automatic display of live video and audio. In order to view live video and audio in the Video Display area, you must first select the device (camera or microphone) that transmits the required data.
NOTES: The cameras that appear in the Site List are automatically detected by the system during startup. If a camera is not physically connected to the system, it will not appear in the list. If the camera is disconnected after startup, it is removed from the list. If a camera is disconnected while it is active (meaning being displayed or recorded), a red X icon ( ) is displayed next to the relevant camera in the Site List and a blank screen appears in the Video Display area.
The following example shows four live video transmissions displayed in the Video Display area. The name of each camera is located in the top of each video display location. NOTES: You can manually stop the transmission at any time by clicking STOP. The name of the currently logged in user and the master nucleus are displayed in the Current Details area (upper left corner).
5. Proceed to the relevant steps in this chapter to modify the live video and audio display that you have selected, such as the picture quality and refresh mode. Note About Picture Quality and Refresh Mode: The view image quality is set automatically according to the selected display mode. The Single mode is assigned the highest quality. Other modes are assigned lesser qualities, in proportion to their number of views.
Step 3: Controlling the Picture The ViconNet system enables you to control and change the settings of the current live pictures displayed in the Main window, such as the brightness and contrast. Any changes that you make to the picture settings affect the data that is currently being viewed or recorded on all connected Workstations and recorders displays. As well, you can manually override the display mode-determined live picture quality for the currently selected camera using the Quality buttons.
To control the live picture quality: • In order to improve transmission speed, the maximum quality of live images is set automatically according to the selected display mode, as follows: Display Mode Max Display Quality Single 1 Two-by-two matrix 5 Hexa (Six) 5 Three-by-three matrix (Nine) 6 Four-by-four matrix (Sixteen) 7 The Single mode is assigned the highest available resolution, while other modes are assigned lesser resolutions, in proportion to their number of views.
Step 5: Operating a PTZ Camera The ViconNet system enables you to easily operate and control any PTZ camera configured in your system. See Configuring/Modifying PTZ Controls in Chapter 3. All PTZ functions are performed in the Main window and are available only for one selected PTZ camera at a time. The video from the selected PTZ camera is displayed in the Video Display area. The driver-specific interface for PTZ-enabled cameras is also displayed in the Control Dialog Display area and on the screen.
4. Use the PTZ controls in the video display location, as follows: Option Description Yellow Direction Arrows These arrows serve only as direction markers. Clicking anywhere in the video display will cause the camera to move in that direction. If you move the mouse (while still holding down the mouse button), the camera will follow the mouse. When using the mouse, the speed of the camera movement is directly related to the distance of the mouse from the center of the picture.
Option Description Sets the PTZ camera to automatically rotate around 360° while displaying the video. Stops uncontrolled directional movement of the video display in the case of a malfunction. Moves the PTZ camera lens to focus in and out (near and far). Auxiliary buttons for configuring internal PTZ settings, used in accordance with the PTZ camera operating manual instructions. (This applies only to Vicon PTZ cameras.) Determines the speed of the autopan.
Chapter 5 Recording Live Video/Audio This chapter includes the following sections: • Overview, page 214, provides a general overview of the manual and automatic recording processes. • Recording Live Video/Audio (On-Demand), page 215, describes how to manually record live video and audio without the use of configured macros and schedules. • Automatic Recording, page 218, describes how to automatically record live video and audio when you log in to the ViconNet application.
Overview The ViconNet system enables you to perform recording operations using several types of recording modes to accommodate individual and organizational requirements, including: • On-demand recording, which records inputs from selected cameras and microphones, and saves the data to a selected storage location. • Automatic recording, which uses preconfigured recording settings to record all currently connected cameras and/or microphones when the ViconNet application starts.
Recording Live Video/Audio (On-Demand) The ViconNet system enables you to perform on-demand recording, which is a manual method for recording live video and audio, either locally or remotely, from one or multiple cameras and the microphone in the system. The on-demand recording method requires that the devices be configured in the system, as described in Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System.
To record live video/audio (on-demand): 1. From the Site List in the Main window, select the required transmitter. 2. Expand the branch of the required transmitter to display a list of currently connected cameras and microphones, as shown below: Transmitter Devices 3. Select the required camera or microphone that you want to record in one of the following ways: • In the Video Display area, select a video display location (indicated by the pink border), and then select a camera from the list.
The following example shows four live cameras displayed and ready for recording in the Video Display area, with the name of each camera located at the top of each video display location. 4. To display live video and audio from additional cameras, repeat step 3, as required. TIP: To reverse a selection, click the required camera or microphone in the list again. The live video and audio transmission for the deselected camera or microphone is stopped.
Automatic Recording The ViconNet system enables you to configure the system to automatically record all currently connected cameras and microphones as soon as you log into the ViconNet application. This consists of configuring the automatic recording settings, including the video quality and refresh mode and FPS, and then selecting whether all cameras and/or all microphones will begin recording automatically when you log in.
Automatic Scheduled Recording The ViconNet automatic scheduled recording capability enables you to configure the system to automatically record and display camera and microphone inputs according to specific time schedules without user intervention. This consists of first configuring macros in the system for the devices you want to record with automatically. Each macro is made up of user-defined commands that instruct the system about which devices to record, how long to record, recording quality, and so on.
Alarm Recording The ViconNet alarm recording capability enables you to configure the system to automatically record and/or display camera and microphone inputs when an alarm event occurs in the system by: • Defining alarm setup links. • Setting pre/post-alarms. Defining alarm setup links consists of first configuring macros in the system for the devices you want to activate when an alarm event occurs and then linking the macro to a specific alarm type.
Chapter 6 Playing Back Recorded Video/Audio This chapter includes the following sections: • Overview, page 222, provides a general overview of the playback process. • Playback Workflow, page 223, illustrates the main steps for playing back recorded video and audio segments. • Step 1: Selecting Recorded Video/Audio, page 224, describes how to select the initial parameters in the Navigator window for the recorded video and audio that you want to play back.
Overview The ViconNet system enables you to select and play back recorded video and audio segments that have been stored in defined storage locations. You can play back data that has been recorded either on your local Kollector or on other remote Workstations in your ViconNet system. In addition, you can play back data that was recorded manually or that was recorded automatically as a result of an alarm event or a preconfigured schedule.
Playback Workflow The following workflow illustrates how to play back recorded video and audio segments using ViconNet. Each step is described in the sections that follow. NOTE: The workflow shown above is performed after you have already logged in to the ViconNet application, as described in Chapter 2, Getting to Know ViconNet.
Step 1: Selecting Recorded Video/Audio The first step for playing back recorded video and audio consists of selecting a: • Storage source, which is a predefined storage location (located on a local or remote Kollector) that contains the contents of all recorded devices available for viewing and playing back recorded video and audio segments. The storage locations, transmitters and devices in the system can be viewed in a hierarchical list in the Navigator window.
To select recorded video/audio: 1. From the Main window, click The Navigator window is displayed, as follows: NOTE: Refer to Chapter 2, Getting to Know ViconNet, for a description of the each area in the Navigator window. The first time you access the Navigator window, the Main window display location Quad is displayed. You can change this depending on how many cameras you want to select, as described in Step 1: Selecting the Display Mode in Chapter 4, Viewing and Listening to Live Video/Audio.
4. (Optional) Select the required viewing option from the Navigator List Controls (Regular, Archives, or Both). The Navigator list is updated depending on your selection. 5. Expand the required transmitter to display a list of currently recorded cameras and microphones and/or expand the required archive to display its contents, as shown below: Storage Location AVDB (Storage Type) Contents Transmitter Recorded Devices Archive (Storage Type) Contents Devices with Archived Segments 6.
The default display location for the pink border is the top left or the first empty location. As you select additional cameras, the pink border automatically moves to the next display location, indicating the new default position for the next recorded camera that you select. NOTE: You can change the position of the pink border by clicking in an empty display location or dragging and dropping it from one location to another.
Step 2: Changing the Main Window Display Location The ViconNet system provides you with the option to change the Main window display location for each camera that you select in the Navigator window, if required. As described in the previous step, when you select a camera, it is automatically assigned to the next available display location. You can change the display location by: • Selecting an unused display location. • Overriding a used display location.
Step 3: Selecting the Playback Time Interval The playback time interval is the range of time for the recorded video and audio segment you want to view and play back. This means that you can select a specific time period, defined by its start and end time, for the recorded segment(s) by: • Using one of the time interval tabs, which enable you to select a range of time, as described below. -OR- • Using the time interval controls, which enable you to specify an exact date and time, as described on page 230.
To select the playback time interval using the time interval controls: 1. In the Navigator window, ensure that the required camera(s) and/or microphone(s) are selected ( ) in the Recorded Device Contents area, as described in Step 1: Selecting Recorded Video/Audio, page 224. 2.
4. Click . The Recorded Device Contents area is updated with the recording date/time interval that you selected. NOTES: The Recorded Device Contents area is refreshed when you switch to the Main window and then switch back to the Navigator window. In addition, changing the playback time interval can take a couple of seconds if the video storage location is considerably large.
To select the playback start time: 1. (Optional) Zoom in on a specific recorded segment, as follows: • In the Recorded Device Contents area, position the mouse pointer to the left or right of the recorded segment that you want to zoom in on. • Mark the recorded segment by holding down the left mouse button and dragging the mouse pointer over the recorded segment until the blue shading covers the entire recorded segment, as follows: • • Click to zoom in on the marked recorded segment.
The following example shows recorded segments zoomed in further to show the minutes between 1:30 PM and 1:37 PM. NOTE: If you have selected more than one device in the Recorded Device Contents area, all recorded segments for all devices in the marked (shaded) area will be zoomed in on simultaneously. 2.
Step 5: Displaying Recorded Video/Audio Content The next step after selecting all the parameters for the recorded video and audio segments of the required cameras and microphones is to view the actual recorded segments in the Main window. Each recorded video segment is displayed in a video display location according to the display mode and the playback start time that you selected in the previous steps.
3. Click . The Navigator window closes and the first frame of the recorded segment(s) for each selected camera and microphone is displayed in the Main window in its selected display location, as shown below: Each recorded segment appears in its selected display location with its camera source information (date, time and camera name).
Step 6: Playing Back from a Selected Camera/Microphone The ViconNet system enables you to play back recorded video and audio segments in the Main window from either: • A single currently displayed recorded camera or microphone at a time. -OR- • All the currently displayed cameras and all microphones at the same time.
3. (Optional) Use the following buttons to navigate through the recorded segment(s) during playback, as required: Button Description Fast Forward: Fast-forwards the recorded segment at the following speeds (related to the normal speed): 1/4, 1/2, x2, x5, x10, x50 and x100. Backward: Rewinds the recorded video and audio segment. Fast Rewind: Fast rewinds the recorded segment at the following speeds (related to the normal speed): 1/4, 1/2, x2, x5, x10, x50 and x100.
Move Playback To Time While playback is being performed, right-clicking the video or icon of the camera playing provides the additional option Move Playback To Time. This option enables you to stop the current playback and select a new date and time to playback the video. NOTE: After being moved to another time, the playback is in the same display rectangle, not the adjacent one.
If no recording is associated with the selected time (for example, the current recording started more recently than one minute ago, or the most updated video is 30 minutes old), the following warning is displayed. (Optional) To playback currently playing video at another time, select Move Playback To Time and a calendar is displayed to select the date to playback the video. 3.
Museum Search The Museum Search option enables you to search for a specific camera's data within a defined region of the database, saving you from having to review the entire database. You can locate all the video segments that include a specific difference, for example, a main door opening or a car being moved. The Museum Search option enables you to locate the following types change entities: • Detections: Specific frames where significant changes occurred.
3. Click the button. The Museum Search window is displayed. Grid Definition Tools Video Display Area Duration Selector for Episode Detection Playback Controls Detector List Episode Detector Control Control Functions Functions 4. The Video Display area shows the first frame of the time interval that was selected in step 2. (The Time Range area shows the selected time interval start and end times.) If required, navigate to a relevant frame in the segment using the playback controls.
6. If you want to find specific frames where changes occurred in already defined ROIs, use the Detector Control functions, as follows: Option Description This button starts a search, from the current frame forward, for any frames in which significant differences in ROIs (based on the Minimum Number of Blocks selection) are detected. The start time of each detected frame is listed in the Start Time column in window's Detector List.
Defining ROIs When the Museum Search window is opened, blue-colored grid blocks cover the entire frame in the Video Display area, indicating that the change detection mechanism currently applies to the entire frame area. You can focus the change detection mechanism on security-sensitive objects in the frame space by using the window functions to vary the coverage of the colored grid blocks. (Only the segments covered by colored grid blocks are considered for change detection purposes.
Option Description The Minimum Number of Blocks selector enables you to define how many blocks of the colored grid arrays must be simultaneously involved in the change, compared to the reference frame, before a detection is recognized. For example: • 1 (the most sensitive setting) – indicates that a detection should be recognized if a change is detected in even one block amongst all the defined ROIs (that is, the triggering is unlimited).
Video Analytics The Analytics Search option enables you to view a specific camera’s detected suspicious activity collected from a specific time period (ViconNet VI must be part of the system). 1. In the Navigator window, ensure that the required camera is selected. (Only one camera can be selected at a time.) 2. In the Recorded Devices Content area, select the required time interval by clicking and dragging, as described in the Selected Time Interval section in Chapter 2, Getting to Know ViconNet.
6. Click the event you want to display. A slider visually represents at what point in the selected time span each behavior violation occurred. Click Next Event to view the next violation in the list or select another one from the list. Playback Controls are displayed and can be used as needed. 7. Click Exit to exit the screen. Note: Video Analytics Engine must be set for this utility to function.
Creating Archives The ViconNet system enables you to optionally create archives, which contain selected recorded data from a video database. This consists of selecting the specific devices, the specific recorded data and the destination location for where you want to save the data. You can then view it at a later time, for example, on another user's Kollector.
4. In the Archive area, navigate to the required archive destination (network path, CD-ROM or DVD device). Archive Destination Example The destination details are displayed automatically at the bottom of the Archive area.
5. In the Archive Name Ext field, enter a logical archive name. The archive name is automatically added to the archive date and time details. 6. Click 7. Click . The following confirmation message is displayed. . A progress bar in the Archive Controls area indicates that the archive creation is in process. 8. (Optional) To view additional details during the archive creation process, click .
9. When the Archive completed successfully message is displayed, click The new archive is displayed in the Navigator list with an Archive icon . (instead of a database icon ), as well as a list of its contents. You can now select the devices in the archive and perform all required playback functions, as described in the previous sections in this chapter. To remove an archive: 1. From the Navigator list, select the required archive. 2. Click . A confirmation prompt is displayed. 3.
Chapter 7 Managing Macros and Schedules This chapter describes how to manage and work with macros and schedules in the ViconNet system and contains the following sections: • Creating Macros and Schedules, page 252, provides a brief description of the process for creating macros and schedules. • Working with Macros, page 252, describes how to manually start and stop macros that have been created in the system, as well as view macro details and status information.
Creating Macros and Schedules Macros are sets of user-defined commands that give instructions to the system about what tasks to perform at a specified time and in a specified order. After creating a macro, you can then create a schedule for the macro, which is a group of user-defined settings that cause the system to activate the specific macro during a specific time period.
To work with macros: 1. From the ViconNet Main window toolbar, select . The Scheduler/Macro Status window appears, displaying a list of all macros currently configured in the system. NOTE: The above example shows how the macro script is displayed in the bottom of the Scheduler/Macro Status window when you select the Show Macro option. The Scheduler/Macro Status window contains the following information about each macro: Column Description Macro Name The defined macro name.
2. Select the appropriate macro in the list and then select the required option, as follows: Option Description Runs the selected macro immediately. Runs the selected macro immediately and closes the Macro Status window. Stops the selected macro immediately. Stops all macros currently running in the system that are running independently or as a result of the scheduler. Resumes all stopped macros that had been running as a result of the scheduler before they were stopped.
Chapter 8 Generating Reports This chapter describes the various types of reports that can be generated using the ViconNet system and contains the following sections: • Overview, page 256, provides a brief description of the ViconNet system report generation capabilities, how to access the Reports window and a brief description of the options for saving reports to files. • Opening the Reports Window, page 259, describes how to open the Reports Window.
Overview The ViconNet system enables you to generate various reports that each contain a specific type of information, including: • Device Status Reports: Reports the current status of devices • Alarm History Reports: Provides details of all alarms that have occurred in the system, according to the selected criteria • Recording Status Reports: Provides a summary of the devices that are currently recording • Audit Log Reports: Provides a list of all actions performed in the system, according to the se
There are three saving options: Option Save logs from the following site only Description Select to save the logs/reports from a site listed in the dropdown site list to a file. The sites listed in the dropdown list will be either the local site (site selected in the Reports Site Selection window), or if you are in the Nucleus, the local site and any IP products connected to the same Nucleus.
2. Click OK to continue to the Save Software Logs window or Cancel to return to the Reports window. 3. Select the location in which to save the report file as follows: • Type the path in the Destination Folder text box - OR – • Click Browse and browse to the required location. Then click OK to return to the Save Software Logs window. 4. Select the required save option and select the site whose report you want to save (if the Save logs from the following site only option is selected). 5. Click Save.
Opening the Reports Window For all the reports available, the relevant site must first be selected from the Reports Site Selection window. To open the Reports window: 1. From the ViconNet Main window, click currently connected Kollector: . The following dialog appears, displaying the 2. Select your Kollector and click . The Reports window is displayed with the option selected by default, as shown on page 260.
Generating Device Status Reports The Device Status report enables you to view system information about the Kollector, such as whether the device is connected and whether it is currently active or not. To generate Device Status reports: 1. Display the Reports window for a selected site name, as described on page 259. The Reports window opens with the option selected by default.
Generating Alarm History Reports The Alarm History report enables you to view all information related to each alarm that occurs in the system, including the alarm type and the date and time of occurrence. You can use filters to show a timed range of alarms, from/to either specified dates/times or the earliest/latest detected alarms in the database. In addition, you can start live video or select to playback video related to a specific alarm.
3. Specify the report content time frame: • In the Start time area, either: • Click the Specify time and date radio button and select a start date and start time from the dropdown lists. -OR- • Click the First alarm radio button to list the alarms starting from earliest detected alarm in the database. • In the End time area, either: • Click the Specify time and date radio button and select an ending date and ending time from the dropdown lists.
Column Description Remote time Time and date the alarm event occurred. Site Name The name of the Kollector. Number of Activations Indicates the number of times an alarm has been activated on the specific device within a specific time period. Each time the alarm is activated, another alarm event line is added to the alarm history for that device (except in the case of a re-activation, as described below).
The video is displayed in the Video Display area in the Main window. The displayed in the bottom-left corner of the Main window. • To return to the Alarm History Report window, click the 264 • Generating Reports button is button.
Generating Recording Status Reports The Recording Status report enables you to view a summary of devices that are currently recording. To generate a recording status report: 1. Display the Reports window for a selected site name, as described on page 259. 2. Click . The Recording Status window is displayed.
Generating Audit Log Reports The Audit Log report provides basic log of operations performed in the system, useful for history and debugging purposes. Information is accumulated continuously. 8,000 record lines can be accumulated, removed thereafter on a first-in-first-out basis. The table display can be updated using the Refresh button. To generate an audit log report: 1. Display the Reports window for a selected site name, as described on page 259. 2. Click . The Audit Log window is displayed.
3. Search for events of interest using the Find panel: • Enter a string to the input field. • Specify whether the search should Match Whole Word and/or Match Case. • Click Find. The Audit Log report contains the following information about each event that is found: Column Description Date/Time The date and time that the operation was performed. Command The name of the operation. 4.
Generating RVS Log Reports The RVS mechanism ensures continuous recording by notifying users of any recording errors. It monitors automatic recording activity (audio and video) at all times, both locally and over the network. The RVS Log report is kept at each monitoring site and provides a basic history of all RVS messages from all verified (monitored) sites.
Generating CFN Log Reports The CFN (Central Failure Notification) mechanism enables Workstations and transmitter sites connected to the same Nucleus to receive notifications indicating that certain applications have failed, for example, macro, recording and database failures. The CFN Log report provides a report of ALL the failures for a specific site (or all sites). The CFN report can only be viewed from the Nucleus.
Generating Events History Reports The Events History report enables you to view all information related to each event that occurs in the system, including the device and site names (and other fields as set up in Events Management) and the date and time of occurrence. You can use view events in list format or in a thumbnail view. The date and time of the first and last events are displayed (read only), as is the current query. Event snapshots can be exported and event reports written.
Button Description Go to first page of events 7. Click the Refresh button to update the events history list. NOTE: You can combine similar events that occur within a specified period of time as a single record by entering a time period in the Combine events which occur within (mm:ss) field; these can be further sorted by any defined field in the database. To playback video for a specific event: 1.
• The video is displayed in the Video Display area in the Main window. The button is displayed in the bottom-left corner of the Main window. 2. To return to the Events History Report window, click the button. 3. If Show Event Information is selected, the following screen displays with details on that specific event. The information on this screen can be displayed in either of two formats, by selecting Event Dialog Mode or Full Event Details Mode at the top of the screen.
8. Click . The following will display. 1. • This screen provides a space to write in any pertinent information about the event. The tools at the top of the screen provide for selection of font, color and where the report will be saved. Double click the snapshots and event details on the right of the screen to include them in the report. The report is saved as an .rtf file. A previously written report can also be accessed through this screen. To save a snapshot of a specific event: 2. Click .
2. The screen displays a list of the current queries configured in the setup. Specify the report content time frame: • In the Specify Start Time area, either: • Click the Date And Time radio button and select a start date and start time from the dropdown lists. • • -OR- • Click the First Event radio button to list the events starting from earliest event in the database.
4. Right click an event in the list to Show Event Information, Show Edit History, Edit Event (if enabled), Start Live (video) or Start Quick Playback From. These all function in the same manner as in the Events History List; see instructions above. 5. Click to create a new query. This is used to create a query not in the current list without going back into setup. The following screen displays. 6. Enter information, either a word or phrase in the field provided or in the DB Fields below.
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Chapter 9 Printing/Exporting Frames and Creating Video Clips This chapter describes how to print out or export selected frames, and to create video files from selected playback segments. This chapter contains the following sections: • Printing Frames, page 278, describes how to print any frame being viewed in the Main window (live or playback).
Printing Frames You can print out the Main window Video Display area panel, showing the frames currently being displayed in Live or Playback mode. To print a selected frame: 1. Display live video (as described in Chapter 4, Viewing and Listening to Live Video/Audio) and/or play back the required cameras (as described in Chapter 6, Playing Back Recorded Video/Audio). 2.
Exporting Frames You can save selected single frames or groups of consecutive frames being viewed in playback to any network destination as JPEG images. To export a selected frame: 1. Play back the required camera, as described in Chapter 6, Playing Back Recorded Video/Audio. 2. In the ViconNet Main window, navigate to the required frame using the playback controls and freeze the view on that frame using the Stop/Pause button. 3. Click the button. The Export Pictures window is displayed. 4.
Creating Video Clips You can create short videos using various video formats from selected playback segments, which can then be viewed using Windows Media Player. The video screen converter utility allows conversion of any video/audio data into a standard/common format, enabling you to view/listen to the data with standard video/audio tools. To create a video clip: 1.
Appendix A Configuring the Personal Firewall Due to various security risks, Vicon has decided to keep only specific ViconNet application ports open, while fully closing and protecting all others. To do this, Microsoft's Personal Firewall feature, which exists in every Windows XP operating system, is used. The following table lists all ports per protocol used by the ViconNet application, version 4 and higher. All other ports should be kept closed in order to protect the system from future security breaches.
6. Click the Advanced tab and select the checkbox in the Internet Connection Firewall area. 7. Click the Settings button. The Advanced Settings window appears. 8. In the Services tab, click Add. The Service Settings window appears. 9. Enter the required information in the appropriate fields, as shown in the example below, and then click OK.
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 for each port, as follows: Description of Service IP Address External Port Protocol Internal Port IP Address 4354 127.0.0.1 4354 TCP 4354 127.0.0.1 4355 127.0.0.1 4355 TCP 4355 127.0.0.1 4356 127.0.0.1 4356 TCP 4356 127.0.0.1 4357 127.0.0.1 4357 TCP 4357 127.0.0.1 4358 127.0.0.1 4358 TCP 4358 127.0.0.1 4359 127.0.0.1 4359 TCP 4359 127.0.0.1 4354 127.0.0.1 4354 UDP 4354 127.0.0.1 4355 127.0.0.1 4355 UDP 4355 127.0.0.1 4356 127.0.
Disabling the Personal Firewall In general, Vicon does not recommend disabling the Personal Firewall feature, as this may leave the operating system vulnerable and exposed to various security risks that can attack through the network. Vicon supports only ViconNet application ports and recommends that customers not change any of the default settings. Vicon takes no responsibility if customers change any of the default settings or disable this feature completely.
Opening the RDP Option (Port) Within the Personal Firewall As mentioned previously, RDP can be opened separately without disabling the Personal Firewall completely. To open the RDP option without disabling the firewall: 1. Repeat steps 1 through 7 in the To configure the firewall procedure on page 281. 2. In the Services tab, double-click the Remote Desktop checkbox, as shown: 3. In the displayed Service Settings window, enter RDP in the Name or IP address field, as shown: 4.
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Appendix B Configuring the Network This appendix describes certain aspects of configuring the ViconNet network. It contains the following sections: • Configuring the Network Adapter, page 288, describes how to configure a network adapter when the Kollector has more than one. • Configuring a Network with DHCP, page 289, describes how ViconNet uses networking, in particular the use of the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
Configuring the Network Adapter When the Kollector has multiple network adapters (cards), meaning multiple IPs, the ViconNet application enables you to select which network adapter to load (the required IP address). To select a specific network adapter: 1. From the Network Settings window (click ; from System Settings window, select ), select the correct adapter (the required IP) from the IP Address Settings list. First Network Adapter Second Network Adapter 2. Click OK.
Configuring a Network with DHCP This section describes how ViconNet uses networking, in particular the use of the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), and assumes some knowledge of networking and assigning IP addresses in a Windows environment. Adherence to this setup will ensure stable ViconNet network connectivity. It is very important to remember that IP addresses must be assigned within the ViconNet application.
3. In the Password field, enter your assigned password. NOTE: If you are an administrator entering the application for the first time, you do not need a password. After logging in as admin, it is recommended to assign yourself a password, as described in the Defining Users section in Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System. 4. Click . The ViconNet Main window is displayed. 5.
Appendix C Setting Up a VPN Service This appendix presents an example of how to setup a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service (server and client) for the ViconNet application. Configuring the system to work this way is performed by changing the network settings in the ViconNet application setup, as described in the procedure below. The VPN server in this example is a Windows XP Professional Workstation with two network interface cards (NICs).
Step 1: Setting Up the VPN Server To communicate over the Internet with an internal Kollector using an internal IP address, you must first set up a Windows XP Professional Workstation on your local network to be a VPN server and then set up the IP address you want to assign upon connection. The Workstation should have two NIC cards, one for the external world (public IP address) and one for the internal network (internal IP address).
6. Select the Accept incoming connections radio button and then click . 7. In the screen that appears, make sure that no checkboxes have been selected and then click . 8. Select the Allow virtual private connections radio button and then click 9. Use any existing user name or create a new user name for the new connection and then click 10. Select the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) checkbox and then click 11. Click . . . to close the wizard. The VPN server is now installed.
To set up the IP address: 1. Repeat steps 1 through 3 in the previous procedure to open the Network Connections window. 2. Right-click Incoming Connection and select Properties from the shortcut menu. The Incoming Connection Properties window is displayed: 3. Select the Networking tab, select the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) checkbox and then click The Incoming TCP/IP Properties window is displayed: . 4.
Step 2: Setting Up the Dialup Connection After you have configured the computer as the VPN server, you must create a VPN dialup connection. 1. On the computer that is running the ViconNet application, create a VPN dialup connection following steps 1 through 4 in the To set up the VPN server procedure, page 292. 2. Select the Connect to the network at my workplace radio button and then click 3.
4. In the Company Name field, enter the name of the connection, as you want it to appear in the network and then click . 5. Enter the external IP address of the Workstation serving as the VPN server (as described in page 292 and then click .
6. Select the My use only radio button and then click 7. Click . to close the wizard. The VPN client is now installed. 8. Dialup from the Workstation to the VPN server to get an IP address from the IP address pool defined there. Both sides must be connected to the Internet. Internet VPN Tunnel or Private Network VPN Connection Using PPTP or L2TP Remote Access Server Using PPTP or L2TP LAN Using IP NOTE: Contact your system administrator if you need help with these steps. 9.
Step 3: Selecting the VPN Network Adapter 1. From the Network Settings window, select the correct adapter (the VPN adapter) from the IP Address Settings list [the VPN adapter will appear as a WAN (PPP/SLIP)]. First Network Adapter Second Network Adapter 2. Deselect the This Site is the Master Nucleus checkbox and enter the IP address of the site that handles the Nucleus on your network in the Nucleus IP field. 3. Click . The new settings are saved and the application reboots.
Step 4: Setting Up the VPN Network Follow the procedure here to setup the ViconNet application over a VPN network. To set up the VPN Network: 1. Set one of the Workstations/Kollectors in the internal network to be the master Nucleus, as shown in Chapter 3, Configuring the ViconNet System. 2. Make sure to select the VPN adapter in the current network configuration settings selected in Step 1. 3.
Troubleshooting If the application suddenly gets disconnected from the Nucleus, you should try the following: • Check that the VPN connection between the Workstation and the VPN server is still connected. • Check that the IP address you have received from the VPN server is compatible with the list of addresses defined on your local network.
Appendix D Using Video Analytics This appendix explains how to use the integrated ViconNet VI video analytics with the ViconNet system. Before this feature can be used, be sure that the video analytics server is installed on a designated PC and it’s configured properly to function in ViconNet environment. The figure below illustrates a typical installation. Refer to the documentation for the video analytic software for details, instruction manual XX180 series.
When video with analytic behavior is displayed, the video will display polygons that outline the behavior violation according to the parameters set up in the video analytics. Refer to the documentation for the video analytic software for details, instruction manual XX180 series. The screen below is an example of live video. The Object Data creates an area around the object that is being followed.
Appendix E Running ViconNet as a Service Starting at version 5, ViconNet can be run as a standard Windows service. A Windows service is a process controlled by the operating system and is independent of user login or a graphical user interface. This option is sometime required by IT managers who are used to running Windows service applications on their system.
System Default When installing ViconNet version 5, the service option is automatically added to the computer. By default, ViconNet is installed in non-service mode and will have to be configured to run in service mode if required. Note: Exit the ViconNet application before using the ViconNet Service Configurator. To access the ViconNet Service Configurator, click on the Start button and go to Programs -> Vicon -> ViconNet.
If you want to have ViconNet run as a service, click the button “Run The ViconNet As a Service”. The Configurator will change: Clicking the button again will switch back to non-service mode (always showing the latest state). Once running as a service, you will be able to connect to the system from other ViconNet devices in the same way you would when running the full application. You can close the ViconNet Service Configurator at any time by clicking the X on the top right corner.
Advanced Notes The actual service running the ViconNet application is called VNAgent and can be found in the Windows service manager, if needed.
Vicon Standard Equipment Warranty Vicon Industries Inc. (the “Company”) warrants your equipment to be free from defects in material and workmanship under Normal Use from the date of original retail purchase for a period of three years, with the following exceptions: 1. VCRs, all models: Labor and video heads warranted for 120 days from date of original retail purchase. All other parts warranted for one year from date of original retail purchase. 2.
Vicon Industries Inc.
