Axis Communications 211W User Manual
AXIS 211W
Network Camera
User’s Manual
About this Document
This manual is intended for administrators and users of the
AXIS 211W Network Camera, and is applicable for firmware
release 4.40 and later. It includes instructions for using and
managing the camera on your network. Previous experience
of networking will be of use when using this product. Some
knowledge of UNIX or Linux-based systems may also be
beneficial, for developing shell scripts and applications. Later
versions of this document will be posted to the Axis Website,
as required. 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.
This product contains source code copyright Apple Computer,
Inc., under the terms of Apple Public Source License 2.0 (see
http://www.opensource.apple.com/apsl/).
The source code is available from:
http://developer.apple.com/darwin/projects/bonjour/
Legal Considerations
Video 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.
Radio Transmission Regulatory Information & EMC
This equipment generates and radiates radio frequency
energy, and must be installed and operated while maintaining
a minimum body-to-camera distance of 3 feet (1 meter).
If this equipment causes 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.
Tested to comply with FCC Standards FOR HOME OR OFFICE
USE. This product must be installed and used in strict
accordance with the instructions given in the user
documentation. This Axis product complies with the
following radio frequency and safety standards:
USA - Federal Communications Commission FCC
This device complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation of
the device is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference
(2) This device must accept any interference that may cause
undesired operation.
Europe - EU Declaration of Conformity. This device
complies with the requirements of the R&TTE Directive
AXIS COMMUNICATIONS
<Product Name> Quick User’s Guide
1999/5/EC with essential test suites as per standards:
EN 301 489 General EMC requirements for radio equipment,
ETS 300 328 Technical requirements for radio equipment.
Canada - This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference, including
interference that may cause undesired operation of the
device.
This device has been designed to operate with the antennas
listed below, and having a maximum gain of 6 dB. Antennas
not included in this list or having a gain greater than 6 dB
are strictly prohibited for use with this device. The required
antenna impedance is 50 ohms.
• 25075 ANTENNA SMA 2.4~2.5GHz NOPB packed with the
unit
• 28245 ANTENNA OUTDOOR 2.4~2.5 GHz 6dBi (not
available in Japan) that is included in the accessory
0270-032 AXIS 211W SURVEILLANCE KIT <EUR> and
5500-311 ACC OUTDOOR ANTENNA KIT 211W (Accessory)
Conformity Certification of Specified Radio equipment. AXIS
211W TELEC certification number 006NYC0103.
Australia - This electronic device meets the requirements of the
Radio communications (Electromagnetic Compatibility) Standard
AS/NZS 4771.
Safety
Complies to EN 60950, Safety of Information Technology
equipment.
Equipment Modifications
This equipment must be installed and used in strict accordance
with the instructions given in the user documentation. This
equipment contains no user-serviceable components.
Unauthorized equipment changes or modifications will invalidate
all applicable regulatory certifications and approvals.
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 nor responsible for incidental or consequential
damages in connection with the furnishing, performance or use of
this material.
Trademark Acknowledgments
ActiveX, Apple, Boa, Ethernet, Internet Explorer, Linux,
Microsoft, Mozilla, Netscape Navigator, OS/2, Real, QuickTime,
UNIX, Windows, WWW are registered trademarks of the
respective holders. 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.
UPnPTM is a certification mark of the UPnPTM Implementers
Corporation. Bonjour is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc.
Safety Notice - Battery Replacement
The AXIS 211W uses a 3.0V CR2032 Lithium battery as the power
supply for its internal real-time clock (RTC). Under normal
conditions this battery will 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 the battery
needs replacing.
The battery should not be replaced unless required!
If the battery does need replacing, please observe the following:
• 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.
RoHS
This product complies with both the European RoHS directive,
2002/95/EC, and the Chinese RoHS regulations, ACPEIP.
WEEE Directive
The European Union has enacted a Directive 2002/96/EC
on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE
Directive).
Union member states.
The WEEE marking on this product (see right) or its
documentation indicates that the product must not be
disposed of together with household waste. To prevent possible
harm to human health and/or the environment, the product must
be disposed of in an approved and environmentally safe recycling
process. For further information on how to dispose of this product
correctly, contact the product supplier, or the local authority
responsible for waste disposal in your area.
Business users should contact the product supplier for
information on how to dispose of this product correctly. This
product should not be mixed with other commercial waste.
This directive is applicable in the European
Support
Should you require any 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 by logging in to your private support
area
visit Axis Support at www.axis.com/techsup/
AXIS 211W User’s Manual Revision 1.0
Part No: 28909 June 2007
Copyright© Axis Communications AB, 2007
Japan - This product complies with Technical Regulations
AXIS 211W - Table of contents
Product Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Unit connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Using the Network Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Set the password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Accessing the AXIS 211W from the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Video Stream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
How to stream MPEG-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
MPEG-4 clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Motion JPEG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Accessing the Setup tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
AXIS Media Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Video and Image settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Image Appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Overlay/Mask Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Advanced - Camera Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Advanced - MPEG-4 Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Audio Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Enable Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Audio Channels - Audio mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Audio Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Audio Output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Live View Config . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
HTML Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
External Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Sequence Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Event Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Event Servers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Configuring Event Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Motion Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Port Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
System Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Date & Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Network - Basic TCP/IP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Network - Advanced TCP/IP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
SOCKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
QoS (Quality of Service). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SMTP (email) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SNMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
UPnP™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Check your operating system’s documentation for enabling UPnP™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
RTP / MPEG-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Bonjour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Ports & Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
LED Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Advanced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Resetting to the Factory Default Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
3
AXIS 211W - Table of contents
I/O Terminal Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Connection diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
General performance considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Optimizing your system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
4
AXIS 211W - Product Features
Product Features
AXIS 211W is a professional wireless network camera capable of simultaneous Motion JPEG and MPEG-4
streams in full VGA resolution at up to 30 frames per second. It uses a progressive scan sensor, which drastically
reduces motion blur compared to traditional NTSC/PAL cameras providing interlaced video. When connected to
a fixed network it can be powered using Power over Ethernet (PoE).
AXIS 211W has advanced security and network management facilities both in fixed and wireless network mode.
In wireless mode it has full support for both Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and Wi-FI Protected Access
(WPA/WPA2) making it one of the most secure wireless network cameras on the market.
The removable antenna gives a more flexible solutin that enables the use of a directional antenna indoors or
allows for installation of the AXIS 211W in an outdoor housing with an external antenna.
Key features
• Professional wireless network capabilities
• Superior image quality with progressive scan
• Simultaneous Motion JPEG and MPEG-4
• Flexible installation solution
• Two-way audio support
• Powerful event management
5
Overview
AXIS 211W - Product Features
Antenna
Status indicator LED and
Internal microphone
Tele/wide puller
DC-Iris
control cable
Underside
Focus puller
Antenna
connector
Network
connector
Rear panel
Power
connector
Audio outAudio in
I/O terminal
connector
Serial number
Control button
Power indicator LED
Network indicator LED
Wireless indicator LED
6
Dimensions
HxWxD = 38 x 88 x180 mm (1.5" x 3.5" x 7")
Weight =260g (0.57 lb) (without antenna)
AXIS 211W - Unit connectors
Unit connectors
Antenna connector - Reverse SMA connector for antenna.
Network connector - auto-MDIX, RJ-45 Ethernet connector. Using shielded cables is recommended.
Power connector - Mini DC connector. 7 - 20V DC, max 5W. See product label for ± connection.
Audio in - 3.5mm input for a mono microphone, or a line-in mono signal (left channel is used from a stereo
signal).
Audio out - Audio output (line level) that can be connected to a public address (PA) system or an active speaker
with a built-in amplifier. A pair of headphones can also be attached. A stereo connector must be used for the
audio out.
I/O terminal connector - Used in applications for, e.g. motion detection, event triggering, time lapse recording
and alarm notifications
LED Indicators
After completion of the startup and self test routines, the multi-colored Wireless, Network, Status, and Power
LED indicators show as follows:
LED Color Indication
Wireless Green Steady for connection to a wireless network. Flashes for network activity.
Red Steady for no wireless network connection. Flashes when scanning for wireless net-
works.
Unlit Wired mode.
Network Green Steady for connection to a 100 Mbit/s network. Flashes for network activity.
Amber Steady for connection to 10 Mbit/s network. Flashes for network activity.
Unlit No network connection.
Status Green Steady green for normal operation.
Amber Steady during startup, during reset to factory default or when restoring settings.
Red Slow flash for failed upgrade.
Power Green Normal operation.
Amber Flashes green/amber during firmware upgrade.
Note: The Status LED can be configured to be unlit during normal operation, or to
flash only when the camera is accessed. To configure, go to Setup > System
Options > LED settings. See the online help files for more information.
7
AXIS 211W - Using the Network Camera
Using the Network Camera
This document includes instructions for using and managing the AXIS 211W. For instructions on how to install
the AXIS 211W on your network refer to the Installation Guide which is supplied with the product in the printed
format or in PDF format from the Axis Web site at http://www.axis.com
The AXIS 211W can be used with most standard operating systems and browsers. The recommended browser is
Microsoft Internet Explorer with Windows, Safari with Macintosh, and Firefox with other operating systems.
Accessing the AXIS 211W
1. Start a Web browser.
2. Enter the IP address or host name of the camera in the browser’s
Location/Address field. Enter the user name and password set by the administrator.
3. A video image is displayed in your Web browser.
Notes: • To be able to view streaming video in Microsoft 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 211M to use a Java applet for updating images. Please
refer to the online help files for more information.
• The layout of the Live View page may have been customized to specific requirements. Consequently, some of the examples and functions featured here
may differ from those displayed on your own Live View page.
Set the password
When accessing the AXIS 211W for the first time, the ‘Configure Root Password’ dialog
will be displayed.
1. Enter a password and then re-enter it, to confirm the spelling.
Click OK.
2. Enter the user name root in the dialog as requested.
Note: The default administrator user name root cannot be deleted.
3. Enter the password as set above, and click OK. If the password is lost, the AXIS 211W must be reset to
the factory default settings. See page 35.
4. If required, click Yes to install AMC (AXIS Media Control), which allows viewing of the video stream in
Internet Explorer. You will need administrator rights on the computer to do this.
8
AXIS 211W - Using the Network Camera
Accessing the AXIS 211W from the Internet
Once configured, your AXIS 211W is accessible on your local network (LAN). To access the camera from the
Internet, network routers must be configured to allow incoming traffic, which is usually done on a specific port.
To do this, enable the NAT-traversal feature, which will attempt to automatically configure the router to allow
access to the camera. This is enabled from Setup > System Options > Network > TCP/IP Advanced.
For more information, see NAT traversal (port mapping) for IPv4, on page 30. See also the AXIS Internet
Dynamic DNS Service at www.axiscam.net or, for Technical notes on this and other topics, visit the Axis
Support Web at www.axis.com/techsup
9
AXIS 211W - Using the Network Camera
The Live View Page
Depending on whether or not the Live View page has been customized, the buttons described below may or may
not be visible.
w
The Video Format drop-down list allows the video format on the Live View page to be
temporarily changed.
The Output buttons control the
output directly from the Live
View page. These buttons are
configured under Setup > Live
View Config > Layout.
These buttons start and stop the Sequence Mode. This mode is created in Setup > Live View
Config > Sequence mode, and automatically displays the view from 2 or more video sources at set
intervals.
From the Source list, select the desired external video source. Note that Sequence Mode
must be stopped before selecting a source from this list.
The Trigger buttons can trigger an event directly from the Live View page. These are configured
under Setup > Live View Config > Layout.
The Snapshot button saves a snapshot of the image currently being displayed. Right-click on the
video image to save it in JPEG format on your computer. This button is intended for use when the
AMC viewer toolbar is not available.
Pulse - click this button to activate the output for a defined
period of time, e.g. to switch on a light for 20 seconds.
Active/Inactive - click these buttons to manually start and stop a
connected device, e.g. switch a light on/off.
The AMC (AXIS Media Control) viewer toolbar is available in Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows only.
It displays the following buttons:
Play/Stop button - starts and stops the live video stream.
Snapshot button - saves a snapshot of the video image currently being displayed. The Snapshot function
and the target directory for saving snapshots can be configured from the AMC Control Applet in the
Windows Control Panel (Internet Explorer only).
View Full Screen button - makes the image fill the entire screen area. No other windows will be visible.
Press Esc (Escape) on the keyboard to exit full screen.
Click the Record button to start an MPEG-4 recording (only available when viewing MPEG-4).
AMC audio controls
There are audio controls for controlling the client computer’s speaker output. These controls are only available
when audio is enabled, see
AXIS Media Control (AMC), on page 13 and Audio Settings, on page 18.
Click the Speaker and Microphone buttons to switch the sound off and on for the speaker and
microphone, respectively.
10
AXIS 211W - Using the Network Camera
Use the sliders to control the volume on the speaker and microphone. The volume can be set
between 0 and 100.
When using Half-duplex mode, this button toggles between allowing you to speak and listen. The
first icon indicates that you can talk and the speaker attached to the camera will play your voice.
The second indicates that you will hear audio from the camera, but no audio will be sent to any web
clients.
When in Simplex talk mode, the icon toggles between allowing you to speak and is dimmed when
you do not want other clients to receive any audio.
11
AXIS 211W - Video Stream
Video Stream
The AXIS 211W provides several different image and video stream formats. The type to use depends on your
requirements and on the properties of your network.
The Live View page in the AXIS 211W provides access to MPEG-4 and Motion JPEG video streams, as well as
single JPEG images. Other applications and clients can also access these video streams/images directly, without
going via the Live View page.
How to stream MPEG-4
This video compression standard makes good use of bandwidth, and can provide DVD-quality video streams at
less than 1 Mbit/s. Note that the image settings of the MPEG-4 stream are the same for all clients.
Deciding on the combination of protocols and methods to use depends on your viewing requirements, and on
the properties of your network. The available options in AMC are:
Unicast RTP This unicast method (RTP over UDP) should be your
RTP over RTSP This unicast method (RTP tunneled over RTSP) is use-
RTP over RTSP over HTTP This unicast method can be used to traverse firewalls.
Multicast RTP This multicast method (RTP over UDP) should be your
first consideration for live video when using Unicast,
especially when it is important to always have an
up-to-date video stream, even if some images are
dropped.
ful as it is relatively simple to configure firewalls to
allow RTSP traffic.
Firewalls are commonly configured to allow the HTTP
protocol, thus allowing RTP to be tunneled.
first consideration for live video when using Multicast,
especially when it is important to always have an
up-to-date video stream, even if some images are
dropped.
Unicasting is used for video-on-demand
broadcasting, so that there is no video traf
fic on the network until a client connects
and requests the stream.
Note: There is a maximum of 20 simultaneous viewers.
Multicasting provides the most efficient
usage of bandwidth, especially when there
are large numbers of clients viewing simul
taneously. 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, e.g.
the Internet.
-
-
AMC will negotiate with the camera to determine exactly which transport protocol to use in the order listed
above. This order can be changed and the options disabled, to suit any specific requirements.
Important!
MPEG-4 is licensed technology. The AXIS 211W includes one viewing client license. Installing additional
unlicensed copies of the viewing client is prohibited. To purchase additional licenses, contact your Axis
reseller.
12
AXIS 211W - Video Stream
MPEG-4 clients
AXIS Media Control (AMC)
The recommended method of accessing live video (MPEG-4 and Motion
JPEG) from the AXIS 211W is to use the AXIS Media Control (AMC) in
Microsoft Internet Explorer in Windows.
The AMC control panel can be used to configure various video and audio
settings. Please see the readme file included in the tool for more
information.
The AMC control panel is automatically installed on first use, after which
it can be configured. Open the AMC Control Panel from:
• Windows Control Panel (from the Start menu)
• Alternatively, right-click the video image in Internet Explorer and
click Settings in the menu.
For more information on the AMC settings, please refer to the AXIS
Media Control User’s Manual available from the Axis Web site at
http://www.axis.com
QuickTime™ & Real Player™
To access the video stream from, e.g. QuickTime™ or Real Player™ the following paths can be used:
• rtsp://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
• rtsp://<ip>/mpeg4/media.3gp
Notes: • The AXIS 211W supports QuickTime 6.5.1 (or later) and Real Player 10.5 (or later)
• QuickTime adds latency to the video and audio stream (up to 3 seconds)
• It may be possible to use other players to view the MPEG-4 stream using the paths above, although this is not guaranteed by
Axis Communications AB
Motion JPEG
This format uses standard JPEG still images for the video stream. These images are then displayed and updated
at a rate sufficient to create a stream that shows constantly updated motion.
The Motion JPEG stream uses considerable amounts of bandwidth, but provides excellent image quality and
access to each and every individual image contained in the stream. The recommended method of accessing
Motion JPEG live video from the AXIS 211W is to use the AXIS Media Control (AMC) in Microsoft Internet
Explorer in Windows. Note also that multiple clients accessing Motion JPEG streams can use different image
settings.
Alternative methods of accessing the video stream
Video/images from the AXIS 211W can also be accessed in the following ways:
• Motion JPEG server push (if supported by the client, e.g. Firefox). This option maintains an open HTTP connection to the browser and sends data as and when required, for as long as required.
• Still JPEG images in a browser. Enter, e.g. the path: http://<ip>/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?resolution=320x240
• Windows Media Player. This requires AMC and the MPEG-4 viewing client to be installed. 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
• Multicast: axrtpm://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
Note:
<ip> = IP address
13
AXIS 211W - Configuration
Configuration
This section describes how to configure the camera, and is intended for product Administrators and Operators.
For a description of user access rights, see
The camera is configured from Setup, from a standard browser.
The descriptions below show examples of the features available in the AXIS 211W. For details of each setting,
please refer to the online help available from the Setup tools. Click
Accessing the Setup tools
Follow the instructions below to access the Setup tools from a browser.
1. Start your browser and enter the IP address or host name of the camera in the location/address field.
2. The Live View page is now displayed. Click Setup to display the Setup tools.
Security, on page 27.
to access the online help.
Setup tools
AXIS Media Control
The AXIS Media Control (AMC) is automatically installed the first time the camera is accessed from Microsoft
Internet Explorer. The AMC control panel can be opened by right-clicking on the video image on the Live View
page. The control panel can be used to configure various video and audio settings.
For more information, see the AMC User’s Manual, available on the CD supplied with this product, or from
www.axis.com/techsup
14
AXIS 211W - Video and Image settings
Video and Image settings
The following descriptions show examples of some of the features
available in the AXIS 211W. For details of each setting, please refer
to the online help available from the setup tools. Click
the online help
Image Appearance
Use these settings to change the image as required. The image can be
rotated, the image resolution and compression can be adjusted, and
the white balance can be changed.
The configuration of the video image will affect the camera’s overall
performance, depending on how it is used and on the available
bandwidth. Setting higher resolution and lower compression
improves video image quality, but increases the amount of
bandwidth used.
Refer to the online help for further information on these settings.
to access
Text Overlay Settings
Use these settings to include text and date
and time overlays.
These overlays are included on one line, at
the top or bottom of the video image.
Video Stream
Define the maximum video stream time
per session in seconds, minutes or hours.
When the set time has expired, a new
stream can be started by refreshing the
page in the browser. For unlimited video
stream time, select the Unlimited radio
button. Note that the maximum video
stream time does not apply to clients
connecting via multicast.
The frame rate allowed to each viewer can also be limited, to avoid bandwidth problems on the network. To
allow the highest available frame rate, select the Unlimited radio button.
For a preview of the image before saving, click Test. When satisfied with the settings, click Save. Please note
that the preview image will be in JPEG format, even though the settings are valid both for Motion JPEG and
MPEG-4.
Text, date and
time overlays
Overlay image
Please refer to the online help for more information.
15
AXIS 211W - Video and Image settings
Overlay/Mask Settings
Overlay/Mask Type
The following options are available for overlays and masks:
• Uploaded image as overlay
• Configurable areas as privacy mask
Uploaded image as overlay is a text and/or a static image superimposed over the video image, for extra
information.
To upload an overlay image to the camera:
1. Select the type of overlay to use in Overlay/Mask Type.
2. In the field Upload own image, click the Browse button and locate the image file on your computer or
server.
3. Click the Upload button and follow the on-screen instructions.
To use an already uploaded image:
1. Select an uploaded image from the Use image drop-down list.
2. Place the image at the required location by entering the x and y coordinates.
3. Click Save.
Overlay image requirements
Image Formats Image Size
• Windows 24-bit BMP (full color) The height and width of the overlay image in
pixels must be exactly divisible by 4.
• Windows 4-bit BMP (16 colors) The height and width of the overlay image in
pixels must be exactly divisible by 16.
There are a number of limitations when using overlay images, such as the size and positioning of images. Please
refer to the online help for more information.
Configurable areas as privacy mask are configurable areas of solid color that can be used to block out certain
parts of the video image.
Advanced - Camera Settings
This page contains settings for fine-tuning the video image. These include the color level, brightness, sharpness
and exposure control. DC-Iris should always be enabled, except when focusing, or when using a non-DC-Iris
lens.
Please see the online help for further information on these settings.
Low Light Behavior
Low light conditions can reduce image quality and increase bandwidth usage. The Low Light Behavior settings
define the balance between image quality and frame rate. During low light conditions, experiment with the
settings Exposure priority, Max exposure time and Max gain until you achieve an acceptable image quality at
the required frame rate.
Exposure priority defines the balance between image quality and the frame rate. Higher image quality may
reduce frame rate and increase motion blur. A prioritized frame rate may instead increase image noise.
By increasing the Max exposure time the quality of the image will increase, but the frame rate will decrease.
There may also be an increase of motion blur.
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