Axis Communications 230 MPEG-2 User Manual
AXIS 230 MPEG-2 Network Camera
User’s Manual
2
AXIS 230 User’s Manual
About This Document
This manual is intended for administrators and operators
of the AXIS 230 MPEG-2 Network Camera, and is
applicable for firmware release 3.10. Later versions of the
document will be posted to the Axis Web site, as required.
Previous experience of networking will be of use when
installing and using this product.
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 bey ond any of the a bove not ices unt il you
have fully understood the implications.
Legal Considerations
Camera surveillance may be prohibited by laws that vary
from country to country. Check the laws in your local
region before using the AXIS 230 for surveillance.
The AXIS 230 uses MPEG-2 compression, which is
technology licensed by the MPEG Consortium. The AXIS
230 includes 3 viewer licenses. The installation of more
than 3 instances of the viewer requires you to purchase
further licenses. Please contact your Axis reseller.
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.
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)
AXIS COMMUNICATIONS
network cables must be used with this unit to ensure
<Product Name> Quick User’s Guide
compliance with EMC standards.
USA - This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15
of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation.
Europe - The AXIS 230 fulfills the requirements for
radiated emission according to limit B of EN55022:1998. This
applies when using the internal microphone or an external
line input, but not when using an external microphone.
Liability
Every care has been taken in the preparation of this manual.
Please inform your local Axis office of any inaccuracies or
omissions. Axis Communica tions 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, th e 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
Acrobat, Adobe, Boa, Ethernet, IBM, Internet Explorer, LAN
Manager, Linux, Macintosh, Microsoft, Netscape Navigator,
OS/2, 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.
Axis Support Services
Visit the Axis Support Web at www.axis.com/techsup/
AXIS 230 MPEG-2 Network Camera User’s
Manual.
Revision 1.0
Part Number: 20443
Dated: November 2003
Copyright © Axis Communications AB, 2 003
AXIS 230 User’s Manual
Table Of Contents
Safety Notice - Battery Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Features and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Product Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
AXIS 230 - Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
AXIS 230 - Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Hardware Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Installing the AXIS 230 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Installation using AXIS IP Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Manual Installation with ARP and Ping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Client System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The AXIS Media Control (Viewing Client) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Accessing the AXIS 230 from Internet Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Configuring audio equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Operating the AXIS 230 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Accessing and logging on to the AXIS 230 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Access from a browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
The Live View Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
The Setup Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Video Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Audio Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Live View Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Events and Event Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Upload Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Notification Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Port Status & Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
The System Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Firewall Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Date & Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
TCP/IP Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SMTP (email) Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
RTP (Multicast) Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Ports & Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
3
4
AXIS 230 User’s Manual
Support - Logs & Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The Factory Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Appendix A - Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Pinging Your IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Appendix B - Updating the Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Update via FTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Emergency Recovery Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Appendix C - Customizing The AXIS 230 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Modifying the File System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Configuration via FTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Custom Web Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Appendix D - Unit Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
The D-Sub Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
The Terminal Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Connecting Pan/Tilt Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Controlling and Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Appendix E - Audio Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Appendix F - Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Appendix G - Bandwidth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
The Video Quality Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Video Quality vs. Bit Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
AXIS 230 Safety Notice - Battery Replacement
Safety Notice - Battery Replacement
The AXIS 230 MPEG-2 Network 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.
The battery should not be replaced unless required!
If the battery does need replacing, please 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.
5
6
Introduction AXIS 230
Introduction
The AXIS 230 MPEG-2 Network Camera combines the features of a high quality network
camera containing a built-in zoom with the functionality of a powerful video server, thus
providing video and audio streams over IP networks. With its day/night functionality, the
AXIS 230 provides quality video 24 hours a day.
The AXIS 230 provides real-time compression and transmission of a DVD-quality MPEG-2
video and audio stream over TCP/IP networks. A video stream from the AXIS 230 using no
audio requires approximately a third of the bandwidth required by a Motion-JPEG stream
of equivalent quality.
When viewing multimedia content (video and audio) in a browser on a network, various
technologies and protocols are employed to supply the content. The video and audio
streams are transmitted either as unicast, where communication is between a single sender
and a single recipient, or as multicast, which is communication between a single sender
and multiple recipients. Multicasting is an excellent way to save on bandwidth.
The AXIS 230 is a complete hardware and
software solution that includes all the
required networking connectivity for
distributing multimedia content over the
network. The built-in web server provides
its own application page for direct viewing
of the video stream, as well as full
web-based control of the management and
configuration functions. All of this can be
accessed from a browser over the network.
Features and Benefits
Powerful Camera Features - The AXIS 230 is
based on a color camera block that
includes a built-in 18x optical zoom lens,
and day/night functionality for low light
conditions, including locations lit by
IR-illumination. For Pan/Tilt control, the
camera is equipped with built-in support for RS232/485 and comes complete with the
main Axis PT drivers. For direct local monitoring, the camera is also equipped with an
analog composite video output.
The AXIS 230 MPEG-2 Network Camera
AXIS 230 Introduction
Superior Imaging - The MPEG-2 video stream can be viewed on a LAN by up to 3 standard
(unicast) clients, or by unlimited numbers of multicast clients. Full frame rate (25/30
frames per second) is assured, provided the required bandwidth is available. Four different
image resolutions up to 720x576 (PAL) / 520x480 (NTSC) are available, and the video
quality is configurable to 7 different levels. Each client (unicast or multicast) viewing the
media stream requires its own license. Further licenses may be purchased from your
reseller.
Audio functionality - The AXIS 230 supports uni-directional audio, from the camera to the
viewer and is supplied with an integrated mono microphone. Also provided is an audio
input, for connecting an external microphone or other source producing an amplified
signal. The Audio Level alarm will alert remote operators in the event that sound is
detected above a user-defined level.
Event functionality - Events can be triggered via either of the two alarm inputs, or via the
Audio Level Alarm. The actions preformed by events are configured via the settings in the
web interface, and can include the remote storage of MPEG-2 video recordings to FTP
servers, and/or the activation of external devices through the available relay output. It is
also possible to enable a pre-alarm video buffer, allowing up to 1 minute of video to be
buffered in the server and transmitted when the event occurs. Users can also be notified of
events by email.
7
Security - Multi-user and multi-level password protection. Administrators can create and
modify accounts for authorized users, as well as allow anonymous viewing. The built-in
firewall provides IP address filtering, thus preventing unauthorized access.
8
Introduction AXIS 230
Applications
The AXIS 230 MPEG-2 Network Camera can be used in a wide range of surveillance and
monitoring applications, and is the perfect choice where an application requires a
high-quality video and audio stream to be distributed at a fixed frame rate over a local
area network (LAN). The AXIS 230 can also upload video sequences to FTP servers.
With direct access from your browser, you can view live video, and manage and control
the camera at any time, from anywhere on the network.
The AXIS 230 is designed to meet user requirements for applications such as:
• Traffic monitoring
• Airport security
•Casino monitoring
• LAN-based remote learning
AXIS 230 Product Description
Product Description
Read the following information to familiarize yourself with the AXIS 230, making
particular note of where the connectors and indicators are located.
AXIS 230 - Front
Screw-in ceiling mount
9
Built-in zoom lens
AXIS 230 - Rear Panel
Reset Button - Press to restore
the factory default settings, as
described on page 38.
RS-232 Serial Connector - For
connecting Pan/Tilt devices, etc.
RJ45 Network Connector 10BaseT or 100BaseTX Ethernet.
Video Out - Standard BNC connector
allowing direct monitoring of the camera’s image.
Swivel head
The Status LED shows steady green for normal
operation, or red for errors
The internal microphone
Terminal Block
Provides the physical interfaces to one transistor
output, two digital inputs, RS-485 and GND. Used
for connecting external devices typically associated
with CCTV equipment. See also page 49.
Indicator LEDs - The Power LED shows steady
green for normal operation, or flashes green or
is unlit for a malfunction in the power supply.
It also flashes amber during a firmware
upgrade. The Network LED flashes
amber/green for 10/100Mbps network, or solid
red for no network connection. An unlit indicator denotes no activity. The Audio indicator
flashes green when audio is transmitted.
Audio in - Connects an external
microphone or other audio device.
Power - connect the PS-K
power adapter here.
10
Product Description AXIS 230
Hardware Inventory
Check the items supplied with your AXIS 230 against the following list:
Item Title/Variant Quantity Notes
Network Camera AXIS 230 MPEG-2 Network Camera 1
Power Supply (PS-K) Europe
UK
USA
Japan
Australia
Camera stand 1
Mounting bracket 1 Note that this is packed under the moul-
Terminal Connectors 1
License letter 1
Warranty Document 1
This Document AXIS 230 Network Camera User’s
Manual
Disk Media AXIS Product CD 1.2 (or later) 1
Note: The power supply for the AXIS 230 is country-specific. Please check the type you are using is
correct.
1
ded insert containing the camera
1
AXIS 230 Installing the AXIS 230
Installing the AXIS 230
This section is intended for use by the product administrator. Operators and viewers should
read Operating the AXIS 230, on page 15.
Installation using AXIS IP Utility
Important!
• Although it may be possible to use the AXIS 230’s default IP address 192.168.0.90, please consult
your network administrator to obtain a suitable IP address for your network/subnet.
• Although no special privileges are required for Windows XP Home, you will need Administrator privileges for Windows 2000 and XP Professional. UNIX systems require Root privileges.
AXIS IP Utility is a software application that quickly and simply installs an Axis device
onto your local network. Download the latest version, free of charge, from www.axis.com
1. Connect an Ethernet cable to the AXIS 230 and attach it to the network.
2. Connect power to the camera.
3. Start AXIS IP Utility. The following window appears:
4. In the first field, enter the serial number found on the
label on the underside of the unit (see the illustration
below.)
11
5. Enter the IP address for the AXIS 230 and click Set
IP. The utility now prompts you to restart the camera
and then displays a message confirming that the IP
address has been set. To view the camera’s home
page, click the button provided. Configure the remaining network parameters from the
setup tools.
Manual Installation with ARP and Ping
As an alternative to the AXIS IP Utility, the AXIS 230 MPEG-2 Network Camera can be
installed using the ARP and Ping commands, as described below.
1. Locate the label (see right) containing the
product’s serial number. You must know this to set
the IP address.
2. Connect a network cable to the AXIS 230 and
attach it to the network.
3. From a Windows computer on your network, open a Command Prompt and enter the
commands shown below.
Serial number equals
MAC/Ethernet address
12
Installing the AXIS 230 AXIS 230
Example:
c:\WINNT>arp -s 192.168.0.125 00-40-8c-18-10-00
c:\WINNT>ping ping -l 408 -t 192.168.0.125
For Unix/Linux, enter the following: (note that you must be the root user.)
Example (for Linux):
>arp -s 192.168.0.125 00:40:8c:18:10:00 temp
>ping -s 408 192.168.0.125
Note: In some Unix/Linux systems, the arp command can be located in a directory that is not
on the command path; e.g: /usr/sbin/arp
4. Now connect power to the camera. No more than 2 minutes should have elapsed since
the ARP command was run. Text similar to the following is then displayed in the
window:
c:\WINNT>arp -s 192.168.0.125 00-40-8c-18-10-00
c:\WINNT>ping -l 408 -t 192.168.0.125
Pinging 192.168.0.125 with 408 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.0.125: bytes=408 time<10ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.0.125: bytes=408 time<10ms TTL=64
5. Press Ctrl+C to stop Ping. Ensure that the Power Indicator is permanently lit and that
the Network Indicator flashes intermittently . The IP address has been set. You can now
access the camera and set other parameters from the setup tools. Please see page 14.
Client System Requirements
Client computers that will be viewing the video stream from the AXIS 230 should meet the
following recommended hardware and software requirements:
• Pentium III (1.0 GHz processor or better) or AMD Athlon. 256 MB RAM.
• AGP graphics card with 32/64 MB video memory and support for DirectDraw®. Ensure that
the latest available driver is used.
• Sound Card (PCI based.)
• Windows® 2000 or Windows XP (with latest Service Pack.)
• Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher (with latest Service Pack.)
•DirectX® (latest version.)
• A media player (only required for viewing saved MPEG-2 files.)
AXIS 230 Installing the AXIS 230
The AXIS Media Control (Viewing Client)
To view the video stream from the AXIS 230 in a browser, the AXIS Media Control must be
installed. This is performed automatically the first time the camera is accessed from a
browser. Simply accept the license agreement displayed in the setup window and the client
will install. After the installation has completed, restart your computer, if required.
The AXIS Media Control employs MPEG-2 technology, the use of which is licensed by the
MPEG Consortium.
Important!
• The AXIS 230 employs MPEG-2 compression, which is technology licensed by the MPEG Consortium.
3 viewer licenses are included with the product. The installation of more than 3 instances of the
viewer requires you to purchase further licenses. Please contact your Axis reseller.
• To allow the installation of the AXIS Media Control on your workstation, you must have administrator privileges. Your browser must also be set to allow the installation of signed ActiveX controls. This
is the default setting in Internet Explorer.
• A viewing license may be used for multicast or unicast clients, but each individual client requires a
separate license.
• No more than 3 unicast clients can view the video stream at any one time, no matter how many
viewing licences are installed.
13
After the client is installed, there will be a new icon in the Windows Control Panel.
Clicking on this icon opens the Control Applet for the AXIS Media Control, from where
various settings can be changed. Please see the readme file included in the tool for more
information.
The AXIS Media Control can be uninstalled from the Windows Control Panel.
14
Installing the AXIS 230 AXIS 230
Accessing the AXIS 230 from Internet Explorer
Start your browser and enter the IP address of the AXIS
230 in the location/address field. The first time the
camera is accessed, there will be no need to log in.
The Live View page opens, allowing you to
proceed with the product’s configuration, by
clicking on the Setup link.
Important!
Upon delivery, the AXIS 230 is supplied with one pre-configured Administrator user name and password,
set to root and pass, respectively. The Administrator password should be changed as soon as possible, to
prevent unauthorized access to the setup tools and/or the video stream.
Configuring audio equipment
The internal microphone or other audio equipment should now be configured:
1. From the setup tools, open the Audio settings page and check the Enable box.
2. Select the input you connected your external equipment to (external line or external
mic), or select Internal Microphone. Note that this is the logical connector. All of these
options connect via the Audio In connector on the rear panel.
3. Some microphone types require their own (external) voltage supply to operate
correctly. These types are condenser microphones and Electret microphones. If using
one of these types of microphone, and it is not battery powered, check the box
External Mic Power. This option should not
battery powered microphone, as this will result in decreased sound quality.
4. Set the desired audio quality, and set the Mic Input Sensitivity according to your
microphone. Click Save and then return to the Live View page to check that audio is
available. See also the audio settings section on page 20.
be enabled when using a dynamic or
AXIS 230 Operating the AXIS 230
Operating the AXIS 230
This section is intended mainly for system Operators, that is, personnel responsible for
using the AXIS 230 as part of e.g. an integrated surveillance system or similar. Product
Administrators will also find this section useful reading. The following topics are covered:
• accessing the AXIS 230 MPEG-2 Network Camera
• editing audio and video settings
• changing the layout of the Live View page
• adding and modifying event types and upload servers
• checking port and device status.
For more information on configuring the AXIS 230 at the Administrator level, please refer
to The System Options, on page 29.
Accessing and logging on to the AXIS 230
The AXIS 230 allows several levels of access and generally requires the user to log on. The
various access levels allow different degrees of control and some options/controls are not
available at all levels.
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An operator will have access to the camera’s Live view page, as well as certain other
functions and controls - in short, everything not
only available to administrators.
The only exception to the logon requirement is if the camera has been configured to allow
anonymous viewing access and an anonymous user connects.
Important!
Your system administrator has installed the AXIS 230 on your network and tailored the functions of the
system to meet your specific needs. Consequently, the examples provided here may differ from those
displayed in your system. Any problems with your application should be referred to your system administrator.
included in the System Options, which are
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Operating the AXIS 230 AXIS 230
Access from a browser
The video stream and the setup tools in the AXIS 230 can be accessed using Microsoft
Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher on Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
Follow the instructions below to access your images:
1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. Enter the name or IP address of the AXIS 230 into the Address field:
Example!
http://192.168.0.125/
The Live View page, similar to the example shown below, is now displayed.
Note: To view the MPEG-2 video stream in Microsoft Internet Explorer, the AXIS Media Control must
be installed onto your computer. This will be performed automatically the first time the camera is
accessed. Internet Explorer should be set to allow signed ActiveX controls.
The Live View Page
The page available to all user levels when accessing the AXIS 230 is known as the Live
View page. This page displays a live MPEG-2 video stream, which can be viewed
simultaneously by up to 3 unicast clients, or by many more multicast clients.
Setup tools
Manual
trigger
buttons
Preset
positions
Stop/Play
Focus bar
Snapshot
Mute
Full screen (Esc to cancel)
Autofocus button
Zoom bar
Volume slider
Please see the
following page
for information
on Pan, Tilt and
Zoom controls.
AXIS 230 Operating the AXIS 230
Positional Control of the Video Source
Pan/Tilt devices connected to the AXIS 230’s ports can be controlled directly from the web
interface, or by third-party applications. When using such a device, Pan and Tilt bars are
automatically displayed, as shown in the example below. Note that the selected Pan/Tilt
driver determines the actual layout of the controls. Other functions, not shown here, may
also be available.
Focus bar
Click-in-picture
Point and click to move the
view to a new location.
Allows smooth focusing.
Auto button
Turns on automatic focusing.
Zoom bar
Allows smooth camera zoom between
telescopic and wide viewing.
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Select Preset Position
To enable quick and accurate camera positioning, up
to 20 preset camera positions can be set and
selected at any time from
the drop-down dialog.
Pan bar
Allows smooth or stepped horizontal panning of the camera.
Tilt bar
Allows smooth or
stepped vertical panning of the camera.
Home (H)
Returns the camera
to the ‘Home’ position.
Notes: •Pan/Tilt controls can be disabled in the Live View layout settings and might not be available in the
user interface.
•Clicking anywhere on a bar’s gradient allows for a “smooth” adjustment; whereas clicking on the
left or right arrows causes a stepped incremental change.
The Setup Tools
Clicking on the Setup link at the top left of the Live View page opens the Basic
Configuration page, which provides links to the basic settings required by most systems.
The settings found in the Basic Configuration section are described under the relevant
section in the following pages.
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Operating the AXIS 230 AXIS 230
Video Settings
The AXIS 230’s video settings, as described below, may or may not need adjustment.
• Resolution - the available video resolutions for the AXIS 230 are listed in the table below. The
exact resolution will depend on the modulation type - PAL or NTSC. See also the Technical
Specifications, on page 55.
Resolution NTSC PAL
QCIF 160x112 160x144
CIF 352x240 352x288
2CIF 720x240 720x288
4CIF 720x480 720x576
Note: When using the resolution 2CIF, the image in Live View is rescaled to 4CIF. The image appears the
same, but uses less bandwidth than 4CIF. When saving snapshots in 2CIF, these are saved at the
original resolution of 720x240 (NTSC) / 720x288 (PAL).
• Color - Select either Color or Black & White. Black & White will provide sharper images at a
lower bandwidth than Color.
• Quality level - This setting determines the quality of the video stream, which in turn affects
the amount of bandwidth used. 1 is the lowest level and 7 the highest. See also Bandwidth, on
page 57.
• White Balance - This can be described as the reference color against which all other colors in
an image are compared. The white balancing system in the camera automatically detects
white colors in any image and uses these intelligently as a reference for other colors. Note
that the white balancing system will not operate effectively in certain situations. Problems
generally occur if the image contains no white at all, or if the dominant color is something
other than white. In these circumstances, using a fixed white balance mode is recommended.
Please see the camera’s online help for more information.
• Shutter speed - This parameter defines the exposure period for each image. Use a high shutter
speed only if the image subject is expected to be moving quickly; otherwise, Auto or a slow
speed will normally suffice.
•Brightness - Determine the brightness for your images in the range 0-15; where a low level
setting produces darker images, and a high level produces brighter images. Select Auto to set
automatic control, or set a value from 0 to 15, where 15 is the maximum brightness.
• Backlight compensation - To get good quality video of a subject in the foreground and when
the background is strongly lit, the back-lighting must be compensated for. Set this to On.
• Sharpness - Defines a level of differentiation between light and dark areas within the image.
Corresponding higher levels of sharpness provide for sharper images, but also cause the image
compression to be more complex. Consequently, the file size of a sharp image can be significantly greater than an image that is less sharp. The setting may be made in the range 0-15.
AXIS 230 Operating the AXIS 230
• Max Digital Zoom - To prevent distortion of the video stream when zooming, set a maximum
value for the digital zoom. This ensures that you always get video of a certain minimum
defined quality.
• Focus Near Limit - This setting is useful when the camera is mounted e.g. behind glass in an
outdoor enclosure. In certain circumstances, e.g. when rain or snow falls on the glass, the
auto-focus function may attempt to refocus on this new element in the image. To prevent this
phenomenon, set the focus near limit to a value greater than the distance at which disturbances are likely to occur.
• Mirror - To flip the image horizontally 180 degrees, set this to On.
• IR Illumination - If the camera is placed in a very dark location without lighting or is used at
night, the autofocus function will not find anything to focus on and will repeatedly attempt to
focus the camera, thus causing unnecessary wear on the focusing motor. Under normal circumstances, this is prevented by the built-in autofocus protection, but if using infrared (IR)
illumination in a dark location, then the camera should behave as if the scene was lit normally,
and the autofocus protection will not be necessary. Set the parameter to the correct setting
for your application. Note that the AXIS 230 is intended for use in day and night situations,
and will thus function well in very dark conditions, even when not using IR illumination.
Advanced Settings
The advanced settings allow the structure of the MPEG-2 video stream to be modified. The
GOP (Group of Pictures) can take 3 forms - IBBP, IBP and IP. These forms describe the type
of pictures included in the stream and also their internal order. An I-picture is a complete
image, a P-image is the predicted difference between this image and a preceding I or
P-picture, and a B-picture is a comparison with both earlier and later pictures.
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Please note that changing this setting is likely to affect the amount of bandwidth required
by the video stream, as well as the perceived latency. These settings should only be
changed by experienced users.
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