Axis Communications 241Q User Manual
AXIS 241Q/241S Video Server
User’s Manual
About This Document
This manual is intended for administrators and users of the
AXIS 241Q/241S, with firmware release 4.47. The manual
includes instructions for using and managing the Video Server
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.
h by product, category, or phrases
Searc
• report problems to Axis support staff by logging in to your
private support area
• visit the Axis Support Web at www.axis.com/techsup/
Safety Notice - Battery Replacement
The Video Server 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 241Q/241S Video Server User’s Manual
Revision 2.2 Dated: January 2009
Part No: 32079
Copyright© Axis Communications AB, 2008-2009
AXIS 241Q/241S
4
Product description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
LED indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Switches & connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Rear panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Using AXIS 241Q/241S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Accessing the video server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Live View page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Video streams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Video stream types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MPEG-4 protocols and communication methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
AXIS Media Control (AMC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
How to stream MPEG-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Other methods of accessing the video stream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Configuring the video server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Accessing the Setup tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Video & image settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Image settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Video source settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Advanced. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Quad Stream settings (AXIS 241Q only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Overlay/Mask settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Live View Config . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
HTML Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
External Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Sequence Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Event configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Event Servers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Event Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Camera tampering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Motion detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Port status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Pan Tilt Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Installing PTZ devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
PTZ configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
PTZ controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
AXIS 241Q/241S
System options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Date & time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Network - Basic TCP/IP settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Network - Advanced TCP/IP settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
SOCKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
QoS (Quality of service) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
SMTP (email). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
SNMP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
UPnP™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
RTP (Multicast)/MPEG-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Bonjour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Ports & devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Advanced. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Resetting to the factory default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Unit connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
The D-Sub connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
The I/O terminal connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Schematic diagram - I/O terminal connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
COM ports RS-232 and RS-485 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Y/C to BNC cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
5
Checking the firmware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Upgrading the firmware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Technical specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
General performance considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Optimizing your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Frame rates - Motion JPEG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Frame rates - MPEG-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Bandwidth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
AXIS 241Q/241S - Product description
6
Product description
This manual covers the following Axis video servers:
• AXIS 241Q: 4-port video server (and blade version)
• AXIS 241S: 1-port video server (and blade version)
The Axis video server is fully
needs. It is based on the AXIS ARTPEC-2 compression chip, and can digitize up to four
analog video sources and make these available on the network as real-time, full frame rate
Motion JPEG and/or MPEG-4 video streams.
The Axis video server is equipped with RS-2
party PTZ systems. The four alarm inputs and four alarm outputs can be used to connect
various third party devices, such as, door sensors and alarm bells.
Up to 20 viewers can access the Axis video server simultaneously when
JPEG and MPEG-4 unicast. This number can be increased by using multicast MPEG-4.
When using AXIS Media Control (AMC) to view MPEG-4 video streams, each MPEG-4
viewer requires a separate MPEG-4 decoder license. One license is included, and further
licenses can be purchased separately from your Axis dealer. If using other clients to view
the MPEG-4 video stream, no further MPEG-4 decoder licenses are required.
Video can be viewed in 5 resolutions (up to 4CIF), and image com
The Axis video server contains support for video motion detection, which allows the unit
to trigger on activity in the video image, and advanced scheduling tools which can also be
used to trigger an event. As the Axis video server is designed for use in security systems, it
is equipped with several security features, such as IP address filtering, several user levels
with passwords, and HTTPS.
The Axis video server has a built-in web
through the use of a standard web browser. The built-in scripting tool allows basic
applications to be created, providing basic surveillance solutions. For advanced
functionality, the video server can be integrated via the use of the AXIS VAPIX API (see
www.axis.com/developer for further information).
featured for security surveillance and remote monitoring
32 and RS-485 ports for connecting third
using Motion
pression is configurable.
server, providing full access to all features
AXIS 241Q/241S - Product description
DIP switches
Video input (x4)
Control button
Front panel - AXIS 241Q
LED indicators for Network, Status & Power
Video input
Control button
Video output
DIP switch
Front panel - AXIS 241S
LED indicators for
Network, Status &
Power
AXIS 241Q
The AXIS 241Q provides four BNC inputs for connecting analog video devices.
AXIS 241S
The AXIS 241S provides one BNC input for connecting an
analog video device.
7
LED indicators
After completion of the startup and self-test routines, the multi-colored LED indicators
signal the following conditions:
Power
Network
Status
Green Normal operation.
Amber Flashes green/amber during firmware upgrade.
Amber Steady for connection to a
Green Steady for connection to a
Unlit No connection.
Green Steady for normal operation.
Amber Steady during startup, reset to factory default
Red Slow flash for failed firmware upgrade.
10 Mbit/s network. Flashes for network activity.
100 Mbit/s network. Flashes for network activity.
or when restoring settings.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Product description
Power adapter
connector
12-pin I/O terminal
connector
RS-232
connector
Network
connector
Serial number on underside label
8
Switches & connectors
DIP switch (AXIS 241Q) - A corresponding line termination switch is supplied for each
video input. All units are shipped with line termination enabled for each video input, that
is, with the DIP switch set in the down position.
DIP switch (AXIS 241S) - Upon delivery the dip
for composite video input, as follows:
Switch 1 2 3 4
Description
Composite video input on off on n/a
Y/C video input on on off n/a
If the video source is to be connected in parallel with other equipment, disable the input termination by
Note:
turning the corresponding DIP switch to the up position (OFF). Failure to do so may cause reduced image
quality.
75 ohm video
termination
in
75 ohm video out
termination
Control Button - Press this button to restore the factory default settings, as described in
Resetting to the factory default settings, on page 4
AXIS Internet Dynamic DNS Service
Video Input -
The video input is connected using a coax/BNC connector. Physical
(See the Axis Video Server Installation Guide).
connections made using 75 ohm coaxial video cable have a recommended maximum
length of 800 feet (250 meters).
Video Output (AXIS 241S only) - Loopthrough connection to the video signal
Video In connector. Terminated with a coaxial/BNC connector. Allows direct connection of
an external monitor for example. Set DIP switch to ON when in use.
switch on the AXIS 241S is configured
Connects video in and
video out
Not used
8, or to install the video server using
from the
Rear panel
Power adapter connector - Connect the power adapter.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Product description
I/O terminal connector - The I/O terminal connector provides the physical interface to four
digital transistor outputs, four digital inputs and an RS-485 interface. See Unit connectors,
on page 49 for more information.
The I/O terminal connector also provides an auxiliary connection point for DC power.
Note:
Network connector - The AXIS 241Q/241S connects to the network via a standard
network cable, and automatically detects the speed of the local network segment
(10BaseT/100BaseTX Ethernet).
RS-232 connector - A 9-pin D-SUB connector
Typically used for connecting pan/tilt/zoom devices. See Unit connectors, on pag
providing an RS-232 serial connection.
e 49 for
more information.
9
AXIS 241Q/241S - Using AXIS 241Q/241S
10
Using AXIS 241Q/241S
The AXIS 241Q/241S can be used with most standard operating systems and web browsers.
The recommended browser is Internet Explorer with Microsoft Windows, and Firefox with
other operating systems. See also the Technical specifications,
Note: For information on installing the video server, please
Accessing the video server
1. Start your web browser.
2. Enter the IP address or host name of AXIS 241Q/241S in the Location/Address
field of your browser.
3. Enter the user name and password set by the administrator.
4. A video image is displayed in your browser.
on page 58.
refer to the Installation Guide.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Using AXIS 241Q/241S
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 to switch a light on/off.
Notes: • To view streaming video in Microsoft Internet Explorer, set your web browser to allow
the installation of AXIS Media Control (AMC) on your computer. AMC also provides an
MPEG-4 decoder for viewing MPEG-4 video streams. This decoder is installed the first time
an MPEG-4 video stream is accessed. Please note that the product administrator may have
disabled the installation of the decoder, as a license is required for each instance. See page
25 for more information.
• If your workstation restricts the use of additional software components, the AXIS
241Q/241S can be configured to use a Java applet for updating JPEG images. Please see the
online help for more information.
• When using a browser other than Microsoft Internet Explorer with AMC, instead of a
stop, a snapshot and a full screen button, there is a stop and play button in the bottom left
corner of the live view page. For a description of these buttons see The Live View page,
below.
The Live View page
If your AXIS 241Q/241S has been customized to meet specific requirements, the buttons
and other items described below may or may not be displayed on the Live View page. The
following provides an overview of each available button:
The Video Format drop-down li
video format on the Live View page.
st allows you to temporarily change the
11
The Output buttons control an output directly from the Live View page. These buttons are
configured under Setup > Live View Config > Layout.
These buttons start/stop the Sequence Mode. This mode is created in Setup >
Live View Config > Sequence mode and automatically displays the view
from two or more video sources at set intervals.
The trigger buttons trigger an event 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 image currently
displayed in the window. Right-click on the image to save it in on your
computer.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Using AXIS 241Q/241S
12
The AMC viewer toolbar (AXIS Media Control) is available only with Microsoft Internet
Explorer and displays the following buttons:
The Play/Stop buttons start and
stop the media stream.
The Snapsh
and the target directory for saving snapshots can be
Control Applet, which can be opened from the Windows Control Panel or by
right-clicking the image in Internet Explorer.
Click the View Full Screen button an
other window is visible. Press Esc
view.
Click the Record
appear on the Live View Settings page.
ot button saves a snapshot of the video image. The Snapshot function
configured from the AMC
d the video image will fill the entire screen. No
(Escape) on your keyboard to cancel full screen
button to start a recording. The button must be configured to
AXIS 241Q/241S - Video streams
Video streams
The AXIS 241Q/241S provides several video stream formats. The type you want to use
depends on your requirements and the properties of your network.
The Live View page in AXIS 241Q/241S provides access
video streams, and to single JPEG images. Other applications and clients can also access
these video streams/images directly, without going via the Live View page.
Video stream types
Motion JPEG
This format uses standard JPEG still images in the vi
displayed and updated at a rate sufficient to create a stream that shows constantly updated
motion.
The Motion JPEG stream provides excellent image
image contained in the stream.
Note that multiple clients accessing Motion JPEG
MPEG-4
This is a video compression standard that makes good
provide high-quality video streams at less than 1 Mbit/s.
The MPEG-4 standard provides scope for a large
various applications in different situations, and AXIS 241Q/241S 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
• Ad
vanced Simple - in Axis products, this sets the coding type to MPEG-4 Part 2
AMC (AXIS Media Control) supports both object types, while
requires the Simple object type.
When using MPEG-4 it is also possible to control th
of 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.
coding type to H.263
streams can use different image settings.
range of different coding tools for use by
to Motion JPEG and MPEG-4
deo stream. These images are then
quality and access to every individual
use of bandwidth, and which can
QuickTime™, for example,
e bit rate, which in turn allows control
13
Notes:
• MPEG-4 is licensed technology. AXIS 241Q/241S includes one license for the decoder
required for viewing in AMC. Installing additional unlicensed copies of this decoder is
prohibited. To purchase more decoder licenses, contact your Axis reseller.
• All clients viewing the MPEG-4 stream must use the same image settings.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Video streams
14
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 (Real-Time Transport Protocol) is a protocol that
the real-time transmission of multimedia data, via unicast or multicast.
• RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol)
which 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 communicati
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 it is not required to deliver all data and may drop network packets
when there is network congestion, for example. 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 se
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 bandwidth-conserving technology
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
routers.
serves as a control protocol, to negotiate
allows programs to manage
ons protocol that offers limited
nder and a single receiver over a
that reduces bandwidth usage by
AXIS Media Control (AMC)
The recommended method of accessing live video (MPEG-4 and/or Motion JPEG) from the
Axis video server is to use the AXIS Media Control (AMC) in Microsoft Internet Explorer in
Windows. 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.
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. Setting the preferred method(s) is
done in the control applet for AMC, which is found in the Windows Control Panel. When
this has been set, AMC will test all the selected methods in the specified order, until the
first functioning one is found.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Video streams
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 get dropped. This can be configured as multicast or unicast.
Multicasting provides the most effic
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.
Unicasting should be used for video-on-demand b
traffic on the network until a client connects and requests the stream. However, if more
and more unicast clients connect, the server will at some point become overloaded. There is
also the maximum of 20 simultaneous viewers to be considered.
RTP/RTSP
This unicast method is RTP tunneled over RTSP. This can be us
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 firewall
configured to allow the HTTP protocol, thus allowing RTP to be tunneled.
ient usage of bandwidth, especially when there are
roadcasting, so that there is no video
ed to exploit the fact that it
s. Firewalls are commonly
15
Other methods of accessing the video stream
Video/images from the Axis video server can also be accessed in the following ways:
• If supported by the client, the Axis video server can use Motion JPEG server push
display video. This option maintains an open HTTP connection to the web
to
browser and sends data as and when required, for as long as required.
• As single JPEG images in a browser
http://<ip>/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?resolution=CIF
• Windows Media Player. This requires AMC and the MPEG-4 decoder
installed. The paths that can be used are listed below, in the order of preference.
• Unicast via RTP: axrtpu://<ip>/mpeg4/medi
• 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
Notes:
<ip> = IP address.
. Enter the path, for example:
to be
a.amp
AXIS 241Q/241S - Video streams
16
Other MPEG-4 clients
Although it may be possible to use other clients to view the MPEG-4 stream, it is not
guaranteed that it will work in all cases.
For some other clients, for example,
Simple. It may also be necessary to adjust the advanced MPEG-4 settings.
To access the video stream, for example, from QuickTime™ the foll
rtsp://<ip>/mpeg4/#/media.amp
This path is for all supported methods,
server to determine which transport protocol to use.
QuickTime™ the Video Object Type must be set to
owing path can be used:
and the client will negotiate with the Axis video
Notes:
• <ip> = IP address.
• # = video source number (1, 2, 3, or 4) or the quad stream. This is set to 1 if omitted.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Configuring the video server
Configuring the video server
This section describes how to configure the Axis video server and is intended for
administrators, who have unrestricted access to all the Setup tools
17
The Axis video server is configured from the Se
more information on supported browsers, see the Technical specifications, on page 58.
tup link, in a standard web browser. For
Accessing the Setup tools
Follow the instructions below to access the Setup Tools from a web browser.
1. Start the browser and enter the IP address or host name of the Axis video server
in the location/address field.
2. The Live View page is now displayed. Click Setup to display the Setup tools.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Video & image settings
18
Video & image settings
You can configure the video and image settings from the following page. For details of
each setting, please refer to the online help available from each page.
Image settings
Image Appearance
Modify the Im
requirements. You can also rotate and mirror images.
All configuration of images and overlays will affect the performance of
depending on usage and the available bandwidth.
• High resolution generates larger files
• Lower compression improves image quality
• Black & White uses less bandwidth than Color
• Rotating the image 90 or 270 degrees
See also the specifications for frame rates
Text Overlay Settings
Include date, time, and/or text of your choice to be viewed on th
be used to display various information, for example bit and frame rates. To display the bit
rate (in Mbit/s), type “#B Mbit/s” in the text field. For more information, please refer to the
age Appearance to optimize the video images according to your
the video server,
, but generates larger files
will lower the maximum frame rate
and bandwidth on page 62.
e image. The text field can
AXIS 241Q/241S - Video & image settings
online help . The color of the text may be set to white or black, while background color
may be set to white, black, transparent or semitransparent. The
either to the top or the bottom of the image.
Video Stream
The Maximum video stream time can be set
per session in seconds, minutes or hours. When the set time has expired, a new stream on
the Live View page 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 problems on the network, the
also be limited. Select either Unlimited or define a maximum frame rate per viewer.
Test
For a preview of the image and overlay
satisfied with the settings, click Save.
as Unlimited, or set a maximum stream time
frame rate allowed to each viewer can
settings before saving, click Test. When you are
position of the text is set
Video source settings
These settings allow you to:
• enter a descriptive name for the video
• eliminate black borders surrounding the image, by making
See the online help for more information.
source (AXIS 241Q only)
Offset adjustments.
19
For AXIS 241S
Select the physical connector the video sour
• BNC (composite video) connects a standard video camera
ment
• Y/C (S-video) connects a Y/C (S-Video) camera
The video type can be converted from composite
BNC cable. See page 52 for more information. See also Switches & connectors, on page
ce is connected to - BNC or Y/C.
or other video equip-
or other video equipment
video to Y/C (S-Video) by using a Y/C to
8.
Advanced
MPEG-4 settings
You can adjust the MPEG-4 settings and control the video bit rate on
The MPEG-4 standard provides many different coding
different situations. As most MPEG-4 clients do not support all these tools, it is usual to
instead define and use subsets for different clients or groups of clients. These settings allow
you to define the type of viewing client to use.
Adjusting the maximum bit rate and setting it to
controlling the bandwidth used by the MPEG-4 video stream.
For more information on these advanced settings
tools for various applications in
a variable or constant is a good way of
, please see the online help .
this page.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Video & image settings
20
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.
Limiting the frame size optimizes bandwidth and storage usage, but gives poor image
quality. To prevent increased bandwidth and storage usage, the maximum frame size
should be set to an optimal value.
Quad Stream settings (AXIS 241Q only)
A Quad stream enables you to monitor all channels at the same time. Instead of having
four Internet Explorer windows open, you can have just one window open with the Quad
view. You can edit this view with the desired stream time, frame rate, and text overlay.
Image Appearance
Modify the Image Appearance to optimize the video images according to your
requirements. You can
Overlay Settings
Include date, time, and/or text of your choice
text may be set to white or black, while background color may be set to white, black,
transparent or semitransparent. The position of the text is set either to the top or the
bottom of the images.
also rotate and mirror images.
to be viewed on the images. The color of the
Video Stream
The Maximum video stream time can be set as Un
per session in seconds, minutes or hours. When the set time has expired, a new stream on
the Live View page 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 problems on the network, the
also be limited. Select either Unlimited or define a maximum frame rate per viewer.
Test
For a preview of the image and overlay settings b
satisfied with the settings, click Save.
limited, or set a maximum stream time
frame rate allowed to each viewer can
efore saving, click Test. When you are
AXIS 241Q/241S - Video & image settings
overlay
Text
Image
overlay
Overlay/Mask settings
Overlay/Mask type allows you to
place an overlay, or up to three
privacy masks over the video image:
• Upload and place an image as an
overlay (as
the video image).
• Place up to three configurable privacy masks to conceal different
areas
Selecting the overlay/mask type from
the men
u will display further settings
available for the selected type. See
the online help for further information.
A privacy mask cannot be bypassed, but an overlay image can be bypassed with the help of the VAPIX API.
Note:
extra information in
of the video image.
21
Upload and use an overlay image
1. Select Uploaded image as overlay in
New options appear.
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:
the drop-down list for Overlay/Mask Type.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Video & image settings
22
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.
Note:
The x and y coordinates, and the width and height of the overlay/mask are relative to the maximum available resolution of the product.
Overlay image requirements:
Image Formats Image Size
• Windows 24-bit BMP (full color)
• Windows 4-bit BMP (16 colors)
The height and width of the overlay image in
pixels must be exactly divisible by 4.
Overlay image limitations:
• The maximum overlay image size supported
the maximum image resolution. See Technical Specifications, on page 58.
• When a text overlay is also used, this reduces the amount
the overlay image. To keep the text readable at lower resolutions, the text overlay
occupies proportionally more of the image at lower resolutions.
• If the overlay is initially positioned so that
is relocated so that it appears over the video image, that is, it is always the entire
image that is displayed.
Please see the online help for more information.
by AXIS 241Q/241S is the same as
of space available to
part of it is outside the video image, it
Use a Privacy Mask
To use privacy masks to hide differ
1. Select Co
nfigurable areas as privacy mask in the drop-down list for
ent areas of the video image:
Overlay/Mask Type. New options appear.
2. Enter the (x,y) coordinates of the top left hand corner of the mask, and the height
and width to define the placement and size for the mask.
3. Select the color for the privacy mask - black, grey, white, or red.
4. Click in the box beside Enable to enable one or more of the masks you have
defined and click on Save.
AXIS 241Q/241S - Live View Config
Live View Config
Layout
The Live View Layout page enables you to define the layout of the Live View page.
23
The layout can be set in three ways:
• Use Axis look - the layout is unchanged.
• Use custom settings - to modify the default page with your
click the Configure button.
• Own Home Page - Upload and use your own custom
Click the Configure button to see this option.
The other settings on this page define other features to include i
as buttons and links. See page 25 for more information.
made page as the default web page.
own colors, and images,
n the Live View page, such
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