Axis 233D User Manual
AXIS 233D
Network Dome Camera
User’s Manual
About This Document
This manual is intended for administrators and users of the
AXIS 233D, with firmware release 4.48. The manual includes
instructions for using and managing the Network Dome Camera
on your network. Previous experience of networking will be of
use when installing and using this product. Some knowledge of
UNIX or Linux-based systems would be beneficial for
developing shell scripts and applications. Later versions of this
document will be posted to the Axis web site. See also the
product’s online help, available via the Web-based interface.
Safety Notices Used In This Manual
Caution! - Indicates a potential hazard that can damage the
product.
Important! - Indicates a hazard that can seriously impair
operation.
Do not proceed beyond any of the above notices until you have
fully understood the implications.
Intellectual Property Rights
Axis AB has intellectual property rights relating to technology
embodied in the product described in this document. In
particular, and without limitation, these intellectual property
rights may include one or more of the patents listed at
http://www.axis.com/patent.htm and one or more additional
patents or pending patent applications in the US and other
countries.
This product contains licensed third-party software. See the
menu item “About” in the product’s user interface for more
information.
Legal Considerations
Camera and audio surveillance can be prohibited by laws that
vary from country to country. Check the laws in your local
region before using this product for surveillance purposes. This
product includes one (1) MPEG-4 decoder license. To purchase
further licenses, contact your reseller.
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the
separation between the equipment and receiver. Connect the
equipment to an outlet on a different circuit to the receiver.
Consult your dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for
help. Shielded (STP) network cables must be used with this unit
to ensure compliance with EMC standards.
USA - This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B computing device pursuant to
Subpart B of Part 15 of FCC rules, which are designed to
provide reasonable protection against such interference when
operated in a commercial environment. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause interference, in
which case the user at his/her own expense will be required to
take whatever measures may be required to correct the
interference.
Europe - This digital equipment fulfills the
requirements for radiated emission according to limit B of
EN55022/1998, and the requirements for immunity according
to EN55024/1998 residential, commercial, and light industry.
Australia - This electronic device meets the requirements of
the Radio communications (Electromagnetic Compatibility)
Standard AS/NZS CISPR22:2006.
Canada - This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian
ICES-003.
Japan - This is a class B product based on the standard of the
Voluntary Control Council for Interference from Information
Technology Equipment (VCCI). If this is used near a radio or
television receiver in a domestic environment, it may cause radio
interference. Install and use the equipment according to the
instruction manual.
Liability
Every care has been taken in the preparation of this manual. Please
inform your local Axis office of any inaccuracies or omissions. Axis
Communications AB cannot be held responsible for any technical or
typographical errors and reserves the right to make changes to the
product and manuals without prior notice. Axis Communications
AB makes no warranty of any kind with regard to the material
contained within this document, including, but not limited to, the
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular
purpose. Axis Communications AB shall not be liable or responsible
for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the
furnishing, performance or use of this material.
Trademark Acknowledgments
Ethernet, Internet Explorer, Linux, Microsoft, OS/2, UNIX, Windows,
WWW are registered trademarks of the respective holders.
QuickTime™ is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in
the U.S. and other countries. Java and all Java-based trademarks
and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun
Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Axis
Communications AB is independent of Sun Microsystems Inc.
UPnP™ is a certification mark of the UPnP™ Implementers
Corporation.
Support Services
Should you require technical assistance, please contact your Axis
reseller. If your questions cannot be answered immediately, your
reseller will forward your queries through the appropriate channels
to ensure a rapid response. If you are connected to the Internet, you
can:
• download user documentation and firmware updates
• find answers to resolved problems in the FAQ database.
Search by product, category, or phrases
• report problems to Axis support staff by logging in to your
private support area
• visit the Axis Support Web at http://www.axis.com/techsup/
Safety Notice - Battery Replacement
The Network Dome Camera uses a 3.0V CR2032 Lithium battery as
the power supply for its internal real-time clock (RTC). This battery
will, under normal conditions, last for a minimum of 5 years. Low
battery power affects the operation of the RTC, causing it to reset at
every power-up. A log message will appear when battery
replacement is required.
The battery should not be replaced unless required!
If the battery does need replacing, observe the following points:
Caution!
• Danger of Explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced
• Replace only with the same or equivalent battery, as
recommended by the manufacturer.
• Dispose of used batteries according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
AXIS 233D Network Dome Camera User’s Manual
Revision 2.1 Dated: July 2011
Part No: 43684
Copyright© Axis Communications AB, 2008-2011
AXIS 233D
4
Table of contents
Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
AXIS 233D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Status LED Indicator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Using the Network Dome Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Accessing the AXIS 233D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Video Streams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Stream Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MPEG-4 protocols and communication methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
How to stream MPEG-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The AXIS Media Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Other methods of accessing the video stream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Other MPEG-4 clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Configuring the Network Dome Camera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Accessing the Setup Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Overview of the Setup Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Video & Image Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Image Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Overlay Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Privacy Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Advanced Camera Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Basic Audio Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Advanced Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Live View Config . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Live View Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
HTML Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
External Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Sequence Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Dome Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Preset Positions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Auto Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Guard Tour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
OSDI Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Advanced. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Control Queue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
AXIS 233D
Event Config . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Event Servers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Event Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Motion Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Port Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
System Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Date & Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Network - Basic TCP/IP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Network - Advanced TCP/IP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Ports & devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Advanced. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
About. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
I/O terminal Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Power connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
I/O terminal connector blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
5
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Checking the Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Updating the Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Emergency Recovery Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
LED Indicator flash routine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Symptoms, Possible Causes and Remedial Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Technical Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
General performance considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Optimizing your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Frame rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Bandwidth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
AXIS 233D - Product Overview
6
Product Overview
The AXIS 233D Network Dome Camera is a high-performance, progressive-scan camera
with security features such as HTTPS and IP address filtering for use in professional and
demanding surveillance situations. It is the perfect choice for large-area surveillance
environments where the ability to follow moving objects from a long distance and with
superior image quality is important.
Key Features
• 35x Zoom with EIS - EIS (Electronic Image Stabilizer) reduces the effects of
vibrations on the image. This feature is especially useful when the network
camera is installed in environments that are subject to vibrations, such as near a
highway.
• Wide Dynamic Range - provides better images in extreme lighting conditions.
• Area zoom - draw a square in the live view with your mouse and the AXIS 233D
zooms into that area.
• Full frame rate for all resolutions in MPEG-4 or Motion JPEG.
• E-flip - Electronic Flip inverts the image when a tracked target moves under the
camera.
• Pan and Tilt speed: 0.05 - 450
• Two-way audio.
• Pre-/post-alarm buffer.
o
/Sec.
AXIS 233D
Network
Restart button
Control button
Indicator
Status LED
Power/Audio
I/O terminal
Connector
Serial number label
AXIS 233D - Product Overview
7
Network connector - The AXIS 233D connects to the network via an RJ-45 Ethernet
connector. To comply with Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standards, shielded
network cables should be used.
Power/Audio connector - For connecting power supply and audio. See Power connections,
on page 57.
I/O terminal connectors - The AXIS 233D has 3 (8 pin) I/O terminal connectors that
provide the physical interface to four solid state relay outputs, 4 alarm inputs, auxiliary
power and ground. See
I/O terminal connector blocks, on page 58.
AXIS 233D - Product Overview
8
Serial number - This number is located on the product label at the base of the camera and
is used during installation, and during restoration of factory default settings. Included in
the package is an extra product label; keep this safe for future reference.
Restart button - This button power cycles the camera and is to be used during firmware
upgrade or factory reset.
Control button - Press this button to install the camera using the AXIS Internet Dynamic
DNS Service, or to restore the factory default settings, as described in
Resetting to Factory
Default Settings, on page 55.
Note: AXIS Internet Dynamic DNS Service is a free service from Axis that allows you to quickly install your cam-
era. This requires an Internet connection with no HTTP proxy. See www.axiscam.net for more information.
For instructions on how to install the AXIS 233D refer to the Installation Guide supplied
with the product in printed format, or in PDF format from the Axis web site at
http://www.axis.com
Status LED Indicator
After the startup and self test routines the indicator flashes as follows.
Color Description
Unlit Steady during connection/normal opera-
tion.
Amber Steady during system initialization. Flashes
during firmware upgrade or reset to factory
default.
Amber/red Flashes amber/red if network connection is
unavailable or lost.
Red Flashes red for firmware upgrade failure.
Green Shows steady green for 10 sec. for normal
operation after restart.
For more indicator flash routines see LED Indicator flash routine, on page 62.
AXIS 233D - Using the Network Dome Camera
Using the Network Dome Camera
This document includes instructions for using and managing the AXIS 233D. For
instructions on how to install the AXIS 233D on your network refer to the Installation
Guide supplied with the product in printed format, or in PDF format from the Axis web site
at http://www.axis.com
The AXIS 233D can be used with most standard operating systems and supports Internet
Explorer 6.x or later, Netscape 7.x or later, and Firefox 1.4 or later.
Accessing the AXIS 233D
1. Start a web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape Navigator).
2. Enter the IP address or host name
for the AXIS 233D in the
Location/Address field of your
web browser.
3. Enter the user name and password set by the administrator.
4. A video image is displayed in your web browser.
9
Note:
• To be able to view streaming video in Windows Internet Explorer, you must set your web browser to allow
ActiveX controls. If your working environment restricts the use of additional software components, you can
configure the AXIS 233D to use a Java applet for updating images. Please refer to the online help files for
more information.
• User functions in the AXIS 233D may have been customized to meet the specific requirements of the
application. Consequently, many of the examples and functions in this section may differ from those
displayed in your Live View page.
AXIS 233D - Using the Network Dome Camera
10
If the AXIS 233D has been suitably customized, the buttons and other items described
below can be seen on the Live View page.
The Video Format drop-down list allows the video format on the Live
View page to be temporarily changed.
The Output buttons control an output directly from the Live View page. These
buttons are configured under Setup > Live View Config > Layout.
Pulse - click this button to activate the port for a defined period of time, such
as to switch on a light for 20 seconds.
Active/Inactive - click these buttons to manually start and stop a connected
device, such as switching a light on/off.
These buttons start/stop the Sequence Mode. This mode is created in Setup >
Live View Config > Sequence mode and automatically displays the view from
preset positions at set intervals.
The Action buttons trigger an action directly from the Live View page. These
buttons are configured under Setup > Live View Config > Layout. Click these
buttons to manually start and stop events.
Use the Snapshot button to capture a snapshot of the current image in the
window. Right-click on the image to save it in JPEG format on your computer.
Use the Snapshot button to capture a snapshot of the current image in the
window. Right-click on the image to save it in JPEG format on your
computer.
• Auto focus: automatically adjusts the image focus.
• Auto iris: automatically adjusts the amount of light reaching
the image sensor for best image results.
• Backlight comp: enabling backlight compensation makes the
subject clearer if the image background is too bright, or if the
subject is too dark.
• IR cut filter: when set to off, the camera will be able to “see”
infrared light, for example at night; it increases light sensitiv
ity. The image is shown in black & white when the IR cut filter is off. Set to Auto to automatically turn the filter off when
the available visible light falls below the minimum require
-
ment.
Note: There are different buttons in the Control Panel depending on the web browser being used but the
descriptions and functionality are the same.
AXIS 233D - Using the Network Dome Camera
Click the Home button to steer the camera to the Home position. The Home
position is defined under Setup > Dome Configuration > Preset Positions.
Click the Start/Stop Auto Track buttons to start and stop auto tracking.
The AMC viewer toolbar (AXIS Media Control), available from Windows Internet
Explorer, displays the following buttons:
The Play/Stop buttons start and stop the live video stream.
The Snapshot button takes a snapshot of the current image. The Snapshot function
and the target directory for saving snapshots can be configured from AMC (AXIS
Media Control), which is available from Windows Control Panel.
Click the View Full Screen button and the video image fills the entire screen area.
Press Esc (Escape) on the computer keyboard to cancel full screen view.
Click-in-image movement
Click the Emulated joystick mode button and click in the image to move the
camera in the desired direction.
Click the Center mode button and click on a position in the image to center the
camera view on that position.
11
Audio controls (visible if audio is enabled)
Click the Speaker and Microphone buttons to switch the sound on and off.
In Half-duplex mode, use the Push-to-talk button to toggle between the
speaking and listening modes. In Simplex - Network Camera speaker only
mode, press this button to send audio.
Use the slider to control the volume of the speaker and microphone.
Area Zoom
This allows you to draw a box over a desired area to zoom into. To activate, click the
Center mode button described in the AMC viewer toolbar or in other web browsers choose
PTZ > Center. Using your mouse, click in the image, hold down the left mouse button and
draw a square over the area you would like to zoom into.
AXIS 233D - Using the Network Dome Camera
12
Pan/Tilt/Zoom Controls
The Live View page also displays the Pan/Tilt/Zoom (PTZ) controls. The
administrator can enable/disable the control for specified users under System
Options > Security > Users > User List.
Pan/Tilt/Zoom Control Queue
With the Pan/Tilt/Zoom Control Queue enabled the time each user is in control of the PTZ
settings is limited. Click the buttons to request or release control of the PTZ controls. The
Pan/Tilt/Zoom Control Queue is set up under Dome Configuration > Control Queue.
AXIS 295 Video Surveillance Joystick
The AXIS 295 is a USB device that gives responsive and accurate control of the
Pan/Tilt/Zoom functionality. On installation, the joystick is automatically detected by
AXIS Media Control where the 12 buttons can be programmed for a customized video
surveillance system. For more information, please visit the Axis web site at
http://www.axis.com
AXIS 233D - Video Streams
Video Streams
The AXIS 233D provides several different video stream formats. The type you choose to
use depends on your requirements and on the properties of your network.
The Live View page in the AXIS 233D provides access to Motion JPEG and MPEG-4 video
streams, as well as to single JPEG images. Other applications and clients can also access
these video streams/images directly, without going via the Live View page.
Stream Types
Motion JPEG
This format uses standard JPEG still images in the video stream. These images are then
displayed and updated at a rate sufficient to create a stream that shows continuous motion.
The Motion JPEG stream uses more bandwidth, but also provides excellent image quality
and access to every individual image contained in the stream.
Note also that multiple clients accessing Motion JPEG streams can use different image
settings.
MPEG-4
This is a video compression standard that makes good use of bandwidth, can provide high
quality video streams at less than 1Mbit/s.
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Notes: • MPEG-4 is a licensed technology. The AXIS 233D includes one viewing client license. Installing addi-
tional unlicensed copies of the viewing client is prohibited. To purchase additional licenses, contact
your Axis reseller.
• All clients viewing the MPEG-4 stream must use the same image settings.
The MPEG-4 standard provides scope for a large range of different coding tools for use by
various applications in different situations, and the AXIS 233D provides certain subsets of
these tools. These are represented as Video object types, which are selected for use with
different viewing clients. The supported video object types are:
• Simple - sets the coding type to H.263, as used by QuickTime™, for example.
• Advanced Simple - sets the coding type to MPEG-4 Part 2, as used by AMC
(AXIS Media Control).
When using MPEG-4 it is also possible to control the bit rate, which in turn helps control
bandwidth usage. CBR (Constant Bit Rate) is used to achieve a specific bit rate by varying
the quality of the MPEG-4 stream. When using VBR (Variable Bit Rate), the quality of the
video stream is kept as constant as possible, at the cost of a varying bit rate.
AXIS 233D - Video Streams
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MPEG-4 protocols and communication methods
To deliver live streaming video over IP networks, various combinations of transport
protocols and broadcast methods are employed.
• RTP (Realtime Transport Protocol) is a protocol that allows programs to manage
the real-time transmission of multimedia data, via unicast or multicast.
• RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) serves as a control protocol, to negotiate the
transport protocol to use for the stream. RTSP is thus used by a viewing client to
start a unicast session. See below.
• UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a communications protocol that offers limited
service for exchanging data in a network that uses the Internet Protocol (IP). UDP
is an alternative to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). The advantage of
UDP is that when there is network congestion packets can be dropped without
slowdown of the live stream since the protocol does not require delivery of all
data. This is suitable for live video, as there is no point in re-transmitting old
information that will not be displayed anyway.
• Unicasting is communication between a single sender and a single receiver over a
network. This means that the video stream goes independently to each user, and
each user gets their own stream. A benefit of unicasting is that if one stream fails,
it only affects one user.
• Multicast is a bandwidth-conserving technology that reduces bandwidth usage by
simultaneously delivering a single stream of information to multiple network
recipients. This technology is used primarily on delimited networks (intranets), as
each user needs an uninterrupted data flow and should not rely on network rout
ers.
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How to stream MPEG-4
Deciding on the combination of protocols and methods to use depends on your viewing
requirements, and on the properties of your network.
RTP+RTSP
This method (actually RTP over UDP and RTSP over TCP) should be your first
consideration for live video, especially when it is important to always have an up-to-date
video stream, even if some images do get dropped. This can be configured as multicast or
unicast.
Multicasting provides the most efficient usage of bandwidth, especially when there are
large numbers of clients viewing simultaneously. Note however, that a multicast broadcast
cannot pass a network router unless the router is configured to allow this. It is thus not
possible to multicast over the Internet, for example.
AXIS 233D - Video Streams
Unicasting should be used for video-on-demand broadcasting. However, if more and more
unicast clients connect simultaneously, the server at some point becomes overloaded.
There is also a maximum of 20 simultaneous viewers to be considered.
RTP/RTSP
This unicast method is RTP tunneled over RTSP. This can be used to exploit the fact that it
is relatively simple to configure firewalls to allow RTSP traffic.
RTP/RTSP/HTTP or RTP/RTSP/HTTPS
These two methods can also be used to traverse firewalls. Firewalls are commonly
configured to allow the HTTP protocol, thus allowing RTP to be tunneled.
The AXIS Media Control
The recommended method of accessing live video (MPEG-4 and/or Motion JPEG) from the
AXIS 233D is to use the AXIS Media Control (AMC) in Internet Explorer. This ActiveX
component is automatically installed on first use, after which it can be configured by
opening the AMC Control Panel applet from the Windows Control Panel. Alternatively,
right-click the video image in Internet Explorer.
Other methods of accessing the video stream
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Video/images from the AXIS 233D can also be accessed in the following ways:
• If supported by the client, the AXIS 233D can use Motion JPEG server push to
display video. This option maintains an open HTTP connection to the browser and
sends data as and when required, for as long as required.
• As single JPEG images in a browser. Enter the path:
http://<ip>/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?resolution=CIF
• Windows Media Player. This requires AMC and the MPEG-4 decoder. The paths
that can be used are listed below, in the order of preference.
• Unicast via RTP: axrtpu://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
• Unicast via RTSP: axrtsp://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
• Unicast via RTSP, tunneled via HTTP: axrtsphttp://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
• Unicast via RTSP, tunneled via HTTPS: axrtsphttps://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
• Multicast: axrtpm://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
AXIS 233D - Video Streams
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Other MPEG-4 clients
Although it may be possible to use other clients to view the MPEG-4 stream, this is not
guaranteed by Axis. For some other clients, such as QuickTime™ the Video Object Type
must be set to Simple, under Video & Image > Advanced > MPEG-4. It may also be
necessary to adjust the advanced MPEG-4 settings. To access the video stream from
QuickTime™ the following path can be used:
rtsp://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
This path is for all supported methods, and the client negotiates with the network camera
to determine which transport protocol to use.
Note: <ip> = IP address of the AXIS 233D.
AXIS 233D - Configuring the Network Dome Camera
Setup Tools
Configuring the Network Dome Camera
This section describes how to configure the AXIS 233D and is intended for the product
Administrator who has unrestricted access to all Setup tools and the Operator who has
access to Video & Image, Audio, Live View Config, Dome Configuration and Event Config.
See the section on
The AXIS 233D is configured by clicking on the Setup link from a web browser.
Accessing the Setup Tools
Follow the instructions below to access the Setup Tools from a web browser.
1. Start the web browser and enter
the IP address or domain name
of the AXIS 233D in the
location/address field.
2. The Live View page is now displayed. Click the Setup link on the top right of the
page to display the Setup Tools.
Overview of the Setup Tools
Security, on page 42 for more information on user access control.
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AXIS 233D - Video & Image Settings
18
Video & Image Settings
Given below are examples of features available in the AXIS 233D. For details of each
setting, please refer to the online help files which are available from each page. Click
to access the help files.
Image Settings
To optimize the video images, modify the following settings under Image Appearance.
Each setting is described in the online help files
Any configuration of images and overlays affects the performance of the network camera,
depending on the usage and the available bandwidth.
• High resolution generates larger files.
• Lower compression improves image quality, but generates larger files.
• Black & White uses less bandwidth than Color.
See also the specifications for frame rates and bandwidth in General performance
considerations, on page 69.
.
AXIS 233D - Video & Image Settings
Date &
Time
Overlay
image
To set up
PTZ coordinates in
text overlay.
To show the Preset and OSDI Zone name as text overlay use #P #L
Overlay Settings
Use these settings to include an image
as an overlay, and/or the date and
time, along with your own text.
Text overlays are included on one line
at the top or bottom of the video
image. Use text overlays to display
useful information such as PTZ
coordinates, OSDI Zone names, frame and bit rates. Please refer to File Naming &
Date/Time Formats in the online help
for more information.
Example:
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Video Stream
The Maximum video stream time can be set as Unlimited, or a maximum stream time per
session in seconds, minutes or hours can be defined. When the set time has expired, a new
stream can be started by refreshing the page in the web browser. Note that the maximum
video stream time does not apply to clients connecting via multicast.
To avoid bandwidth congestion on the network, the frame rate per each viewer can also be
limited. Select either Unlimited or define a maximum frame rate per viewer. For a preview
of the image and overlay settings before saving, click Test. When you are satisfied with the
settings, click Save. Please use the online help files
for more information.
Overlay Image
An overlay image is an image included in the video image. This might, for example, be
your company logo. Follow these instructions to upload and use an overlay image:
1. Go to Setup > Video & Image > Overlay Image.
2. To upload the image file to the AXIS 233D, click the Browse button and locate it on
your computer or server.
3. Click the Upload button and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. The image is now available in the Use overlay image drop-down list.
5. Click Save.
6. Go to Setup > Video & Image and modify the parameters under Overlay Settings.
AXIS 233D - Video & Image Settings
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Overlay image requirements Overlay image limitations
Image Formats Image Size • If the image overlay and text overlay are larger
• Windows 24-bit BMP (full color)
• Windows 4-bit BMP (16 colors)
• OS/2 4-bit BMP (16 colors)
The height and width of the overlay
image in pixels must be exactly
divisible by 4.
than the video image, no overlay is displayed.
When also using a text overlay, this occupies
16 pixels in height and as many in width as
the video image.
• If the overlay is initially positioned so that
part of it is outside the video image, it is relocated so that it appears over the video image,
i.e. the entire image is always displayed.
• The maximum overlay image size supported by
the AXIS 233D is the same as the maximum
image resolution. See Technical Specifications,
on page 66.
Privacy Mask
Privacy masks prohibit users from viewing parts of the monitored area. A 3D mask covers
an area regardless of the camera’s angle or zoom position.
To set up a privacy mask:
1. Go to Setup > Video & Image > Privacy Mask and click the Add button.
2. Move the camera’s view so that the area to be masked is at the center of the image.
3. Use zoom or change the Width and Height values to adjust the size of the masked
area.
4. Enter a descriptive name for the privacy mask and click OK.
Advanced Camera Settings
AXIS 233D - Video & Image Settings
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To optimize the lighting settings according to your requirements, modify the following
settings under Lighting Conditions:
• Color level, Brightness and Sharpness - Find the level that best suits your image
needs by testing.
• Exposure area - This setting determines which part of the image is used to
calculate the exposure.
• IR cut filter - To improve image quality in low-light conditions for example at
night, set the IR cut filter to Off to allow IR light. In daylight, the IR cut filter
should be set to On to block IR light. Using the default Auto setting, the camera
automatically switches between On and Off according to the current lightning
conditions. The image is shown in black & white when the IR cut filter is off.
Note:
The Auto setting is only possible when the iris is set to Auto Iris, and the exposure control is set to Automatic.
• Wide dynamic range - Corrects the exposure when the contrast between light
and dark in an image is extreme. Test the different levels to find the one that
works best for your light conditions.
• Backlight compensation - This setting is used to make the subject appear clearer,
such as against a bright background.
AXIS 233D - Video & Image Settings
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Low Light Behavior
The settings for Low Light Behavior determine how the camera behaves at low light levels.
These settings affect video image quality and frame rate.
• Exposure control - This setting is used to adapt to the amount or type of light
used. Automatic is the default setting and can be used in most situations. The
shutter speed is automatically set to produce optimum image quality. Use Manual
if you have special requirements for the exposure setting. Allow slow shutter can
be enabled/disabled when the exposure control is set to Automatic.
• Max exposure time - Increasing the exposure time will improve image quality,
but at the expense of the frame rate. There may also be an increase in motion
blur.
• Max gain - Measured in decibels (dB). A high level of amplification may provide
a better image in very low light situations.
Please use the online help files for more information.
Image Settings
• Autofocus enabled (default setting).
• Stabilizer - When monitoring an environment that is subject to vibrations (such
as traffic control) images can appear unsteady. To improve image quality, choose
High frequency if the vibrations in your environment have high frequency, or
choose Low frequency if the vibrations have low frequency.
• Image freeze on PTZ - Choose All movements from the drop-down list to freeze
the image during camera movement. Once the camera reaches its new position
the current image is shown. Presets freezes the image only when the camera
moves between preset positions.
MPEG-4 Settings
Tools for adjusting the MPEG-4 settings and for controlling the video bit rate.
The MPEG-4 standard provides several coding tools for different applications and different
situations. As most MPEG-4 clients do not support all of these tools, one usually defines
and uses subsets for different clients or group of clients. Under Client Compatibility, select
the settings appropriate for your viewing client.
The bandwidth used by the MPEG-4 stream can be controlled by adjusting the maximum
bit rate and setting the bit rate type to variable or constant.
For more information on these advanced settings, please see the online help files .
AXIS 233D - Video & Image Settings
MJPEG settings
Sometimes the image size is large due to low light or complex scenery. Adjusting the
maximum frame size helps to control the bandwidth and storage used by the MJPEG video
stream in these situations. Defining the frame size as Unlimited provides consistently good
image quality at the expense of increased bandwidth and storage usage during low light
conditions. Limiting the frame size reduces bandwidth and storage usage, but gives poor
image quality. The maximum frame size should be set to an optimal value in order to
prevent excessive bandwidth and storage usage, please refer to the online help files
more information.
for
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AXIS 233D - Audio
24
Audio
The AXIS 233D can transmit audio to other clients by connecting an external microphone
and can play audio received from other clients via a connected speaker.
Basic Audio Settings
This section describes how to configure the basic audio settings for the AXIS 233D, for
example, setting the audio mode and adjusting the sound levels in the microphone and
speaker connected to the camera.
Enable Audio
Check this box to enable audio.
Audio Channels
The AXIS 233D has four types of audio transmission. Choose the type that best suits your
needs.
Audio mode
• Full Duplex mode transmits and receives audio streams simultaneously in both
directions. This means that you, for example, can talk and listen, or play and
record audio, at the same time.
• Half Duplex mode transmits and receives audio in both directions, but only in
one direction at a time. This means that you must select when to receive or trans
mit audio with the push-to-talk button. To speak, press and hold the button
(check that the microphone is not muted). When you have finished speaking,
release the button and you will receive audio from the other end of the connec
tion.
Note: The push-to-talk button is configured from AMC. It is also possible to configure the push-to-talk button so
-
-
AXIS 233D - Audio
that it toggles between the speaking and listening modes.
• When selecting Simplex - Network Camera speaker only mode, the speaker connected to the camera plays audio, but no audio is transmitted from the camera to
other web clients. This could be used for providing spoken instructions to a per
son seen in the camera. This mode requires you to use the push-to-talk button.
• Simplex - Network Camera microphone only mode transmits audio from the
AXIS 233D to web clients. It will not receive audio from any other web client.
This can be used in remote monitoring, and web attractions, to provide live audio,
as well as video of a monitored situation.
When using Half-Duplex, the option Send the sound from the active client to all other
clients, transmits the audio signal from the client that is talking to all the other clients.
Audio Input
Audio from an external microphone or a line source can be connected to the Audio in
Power/Audio connector of the AXIS 233D, see
I/O terminal connector blocks, on page 58.
The audio source must be set to Microphone or Line depending on the connected device.
When Microphone is selected as a Source, set the Input sensitivity to High for a passive
(unamplified) microphone, for example a computer mic or clip-on mic. Set to Low for a
microphone with a built-in line amplifier.
The Enable microphone power option provides DC power for an external microphone. If
using a small electret condenser microphone such as a clip-on or PC microphone, this
option needs to be enabled.
25
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Note: To use a high impedance dynamic microphone, DC power should be disabled. DC power will not harm the
microphone, but if you are uncertain, try switching it off and on. The default value is DC power enabled. To
use a professional microphone requiring 48V phantom power, you need an external power supply and you
must use a balanced-unbalanced converter (audio transformer) in-between.
If there are problems with the sound input being too low or high, adjust the input gain for
the microphone attached to the AXIS 233D.
Select the desired audio Encoding format; G711 or G726.
Depending on the selected encoding, set the desired audio quality (Bit rate). The settings
depend on the available bandwidth and the required audio quality.
The AXIS 233D can be set to trigger an event if the incoming sound level rises above, falls
below or passes the set value. The Alarm level is set between 0-100%.
Audio Output
If the sound from the speaker is too low or high, adjust the output gain for the active
speaker attached to the AXIS 233D.
When satisfied with the settings, click Save. Click Reset to revert to the old settings.
Note: To receive synchronized video and audio, it is recommended that the time settings in the camera and client
PC are synchronized with an NTP Server. This is enabled in the camera under System Options > Date &
Time. Please refer to the online help pages for more information.
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