Digital Watchdog DW-SPECTRUMLSC020 User Manual

DIGITAL WATCHDOG
User Manual
www.dwcc.tv
Table of Contents
ContentsDW Spectrum User Manual
Working with DW Spectrum
................................................................................................................................... 3Connecting to DW Spectrum via Web-Client
................................................................................................................................... 7Launching DW Spectrum in Compatibility Mode
................................................................................................................................... 8Introducing User Roles
................................................................................................................................... 9DW Spectrum User Interface Overview
Main Menu Showing and Hiding Side Panels Tabs and Layouts Context Menu Items on Layouts and Scene Working with Resource Tree and Renaming Resources Search Playback Panel Full Screen and Window Mode Getting Context Help
................................................................................................................................... 21Customizing Look and Feel of DW Spectrum
................................................................................................................................... 22Run DW Spectrum when computer boots up
................................................................................................................................... 22DW Spectrum Quick Start
................................................................................................................................... 23Obtaining and Activating DW Spectrum Licenses
................................................................................................................................... 27System-Wide Configurations
................................................................................................................................... 28Obtaining and Configuring Server’s Additional Settings (Admin Only)
Configuring Server Storages (Admin Only)
Analyzing and Anticipating Storage Usage
Deleting Server (Admin Only) Monitoring Servers (Admin Only) Using Server's Web Interface
................................................................................................................................... 37Configuring Multi-Server Environment (Admin Only)
Understanding Multi-Server Architecture and Basics Joining and Splitting Servers
Join Server from Different System to Current-One Split Server to Different System Merge all Servers to Another System
Configuring Failover Configuring Routing within Multi-Server Environment Configuring Time Synchronization within Multi-Server Environment
................................................................................................................................... 42Cameras, Encoders and I/O Modules Management
View ing Full Device List Adding Devices (Cam eras, Encoders and I/O Modules)
Automatic Device Discovery Disabling Automatic Discovery (Admin Only) Adding Devices Manually (Admin Only) Adding RTSP or HTTP Streams as Cameras (Admin Only)
.......................................................................................................................................................... 10
.......................................................................................................................................................... 11
.......................................................................................................................................................... 11
.......................................................................................................................................................... 12
.......................................................................................................................................................... 13
.......................................................................................................................................................... 16
.......................................................................................................................................................... 18
.......................................................................................................................................................... 19
.......................................................................................................................................................... 20
.......................................................................................................................................................... 20
.......................................................................................................................................................... 29
......................................................................................................................................................... 31
.......................................................................................................................................................... 32
.......................................................................................................................................................... 34
.......................................................................................................................................................... 36
.......................................................................................................................................................... 37
.......................................................................................................................................................... 38
......................................................................................................................................................... 38
......................................................................................................................................................... 38
......................................................................................................................................................... 39
.......................................................................................................................................................... 40
.......................................................................................................................................................... 41
.......................................................................................................................................................... 41
.......................................................................................................................................................... 43
.......................................................................................................................................................... 45
......................................................................................................................................................... 45
......................................................................................................................................................... 46
......................................................................................................................................................... 47
......................................................................................................................................................... 50
1
Digital Watchdog
ContentsDW Spectrum User Manual
Setting Up Devices
Setting up Analog Cameras Setting Up I/O Modules Renaming Devices (Admin Only) Obtaining Device’s IP, MAC, Firmware and Model Configuring Audio on Device Configuring Device Authentication Forcing Aspect Ratio for Cameras Setting up Camera Orientation Setting Up Fish-Eye Cameras Setting up PTZ on PTZ and Fish-Eye Cameras
Setting up Recording Schedule
Setting up Motion Mask and Motion Sensitivity Configuring Proprietary Device Parameters
Adjusting Secondary Stream Quality Disabling Recording of Primary/Secondary Stream Setting Up Camera Transport Protocol Preventing DW Spectrum from Changing Camera Streaming Settings
(Admin Only)
Setting Same Parameters for Multiple Devices Swapping Devices between Servers (Admin Only) Deleting Devices (Admin Only)
.......................................................................................................................................................... 51
......................................................................................................................................................... 53
......................................................................................................................................................... 54
......................................................................................................................................................... 56
......................................................................................................................................................... 58
......................................................................................................................................................... 59
......................................................................................................................................................... 60
......................................................................................................................................................... 61
......................................................................................................................................................... 62
......................................................................................................................................................... 63
......................................................................................................................................................... 66
Saving and Restoring PTZ Positions Setting Up PTZ Tours Home Positions and Tours for PTZ and Fish-Eye Cameras
......................................................................................................................................................... 77
Dual Stream Recording Specifics (RADASS) Modifying Recording Schedule Copying Recording Schedule between Cameras Configuring Maximum and Minimum Recording Time for Camera
......................................................................................................................................................... 84
......................................................................................................................................................... 87
Resetting Camera Upgrading Camera's Firmw are
......................................................................................................................................................... 91
......................................................................................................................................................... 92
......................................................................................................................................................... 92
......................................................................................................................................................... 93
.......................................................................................................................................................... 94
.......................................................................................................................................................... 96
.......................................................................................................................................................... 97
......................................................................................................................................... 68
......................................................................................................................................... 72
......................................................................................................................................... 76
......................................................................................................................................... 78
......................................................................................................................................... 78
......................................................................................................................................... 82
......................................................................................................................................... 83
......................................................................................................................................... 89
......................................................................................................................................... 90
................................................................................................................................... 98Configuring Events and Actions (Admin Only)
Tracked Events
Actions that DW Spectrum Can Do
.......................................................................................................................................................... 101
Setting up Schedule for Tracking Events Motion on Camera Device Disconnection/Malfunction Storage Failure Netw ork Issue Device IP Conflict Input Signal on Device Server Failure Servers Conflict EC Connection Lost Licenses are not Configured License Issue E-mail is not Set for Users E-Mail Server is not Configured Error w hile Sending E-Mail Storages are not Configured Server Started
Notifications Visual Event Indication Mail Notifications
......................................................................................................................................................... 102
......................................................................................................................................................... 103
......................................................................................................................................................... 105
......................................................................................................................................................... 108
......................................................................................................................................................... 109
......................................................................................................................................................... 109
......................................................................................................................................................... 110
......................................................................................................................................................... 111
......................................................................................................................................................... 112
......................................................................................................................................................... 112
......................................................................................................................................................... 112
......................................................................................................................................................... 113
......................................................................................................................................................... 114
......................................................................................................................................................... 114
......................................................................................................................................................... 114
......................................................................................................................................................... 115
......................................................................................................................................................... 115
.......................................................................................................................................................... 116
......................................................................................................................................................... 117
......................................................................................................................................................... 121
......................................................................................................................................................... 122
Digital Watchdog
ContentsDW Spectrum User Manual
Configuring Mail Server for E-Mail Notifications
Start Recording on Camera Start Panic Recording Trigger Output on Device Play Sound Repeat Sound Say Text Write to Log
Default Rules View ing Events Log
......................................................................................................................................................... 126
......................................................................................................................................................... 128
......................................................................................................................................................... 129
......................................................................................................................................................... 131
......................................................................................................................................................... 133
......................................................................................................................................................... 135
......................................................................................................................................................... 135
.......................................................................................................................................................... 136
.......................................................................................................................................................... 137
......................................................................................................................................... 124
................................................................................................................................... 140User Management
User Management Form Creating New User (Adm in Only) Changing User Settings Disabling/Enabling Users (Admin Only) Deleting User (Admin Only) Adding Users from LDAP Server (Adm in Only)
View ing Users' Actions Log (Audit Trail)
.......................................................................................................................................................... 140
.......................................................................................................................................................... 142
.......................................................................................................................................................... 142
.......................................................................................................................................................... 143
.......................................................................................................................................................... 143
.......................................................................................................................................................... 144
Setting Up LDAP Integration Importing Users from LDAP Server
......................................................................................................................................................... 144
......................................................................................................................................................... 145
.......................................................................................................................................................... 145
................................................................................................................................... 147Layout Management
Creating New Layout Setting up Layouts
Assigning Layouts to Users (Admin Only) Deleting Layouts (Admin Only) Opening and Closing Saved Layouts
.......................................................................................................................................................... 148
.......................................................................................................................................................... 150
Adding Items to Layouts Removing Item(s) from Layouts Using Backrounds (Maps or Plans) on Layout (E-Mapping) Adjusting Layout’s Appearance
Zoom Window s Locking Layouts Working w ith Several DW Spectrum Window s Saving Layouts
......................................................................................................................................................... 151
......................................................................................................................................................... 153
......................................................................................................................................................... 154
......................................................................................................................................................... 157
Selecting Items Zooming while Working with Layouts Moving and Sw apping Items w ithin Scene Resizing Items w ithin Scene Using Fit In View Changing Distance between Items Changing Cell Aspect Ratio
......................................................................................................................................................... 164
......................................................................................................................................................... 165
......................................................................................................................................................... 166
......................................................................................................................................................... 167
.......................................................................................................................................................... 168
.......................................................................................................................................................... 168
.......................................................................................................................................................... 169
......................................................................................................................................... 158
......................................................................................................................................... 159
......................................................................................................................................... 159
......................................................................................................................................... 161
......................................................................................................................................... 162
......................................................................................................................................... 163
......................................................................................................................................... 163
................................................................................................................................... 170Backing up and Restoring DW Spectrum Database
................................................................................................................................... 171Video Wall Management (Windows Only)
Video Wall Architecture Configuring Video Walls
Controlling Video Wall
.......................................................................................................................................................... 172
.......................................................................................................................................................... 173
Creating new Video Wall Configuring Layout of Video Wall Displays Switching to and Exiting from Video Wall Mode Configuring Video Wall on Several Computers Deleting Video Wall and its Elements
Controlling Video Wall Displays Pushing Operator's Screen on Video Wall
......................................................................................................................................................... 173
......................................................................................................................................................... 174
......................................................................................................................................................... 180
......................................................................................................................................................... 180
......................................................................................................................................................... 181
.......................................................................................................................................................... 182
......................................................................................................................................................... 182
......................................................................................................................................................... 183
Digital Watchdog
................................................................................................................................... 184Playback in DW Spectrum
Watching Cameras in DW Spectrum
Playing Back Local Files in DW Spectrum
Forensic Analysis
Exporting
Adjusting Volume Tours
.......................................................................................................................................................... 184
CPU and Bandwidth Saving during Playback (RADASS) Navigating through Archive and Live
Searching through Archive
Local files structure in Resource Tree Configuring Media Folders Opening Local Files Outside of Media Folders Navigating Through Local Files
Expanding Items to Fullscreen Zoom Rotate De-w arping Fish-Eye Cameras
Image Enhancement
Single Camera Export
Multi-Video Export
Checking the Validity of Exported Videos Taking Screenshots
......................................................................................................................................................... 185
......................................................................................................................................................... 187
Pan-Temporal Time Line Navigating through Several Cameras Synchronously
......................................................................................................................................................... 192
Using Calendar Performing Smart Motion Search Using Thumbnails for Better Navigation Preview Search
.......................................................................................................................................................... 199
......................................................................................................................................................... 199
......................................................................................................................................................... 200
......................................................................................................................................................... 202
......................................................................................................................................................... 202
.......................................................................................................................................................... 202
......................................................................................................................................................... 203
......................................................................................................................................................... 203
......................................................................................................................................................... 204
......................................................................................................................................................... 205
De-w arping Screenshots Taken from Fish-Eye Cameras
......................................................................................................................................................... 211
.......................................................................................................................................................... 213
......................................................................................................................................................... 214
Exporting Recorded Region from Single Camera View ing Videos Exported from Single Camera
......................................................................................................................................................... 217
Exporting Layout in Multi-Video Format View ing Multi-Videos Changing Multi-Videos after Export
......................................................................................................................................................... 222
......................................................................................................................................................... 224
.......................................................................................................................................................... 225
.......................................................................................................................................................... 225
......................................................................................................................................... 189
......................................................................................................................................... 191
......................................................................................................................................... 192
......................................................................................................................................... 194
......................................................................................................................................... 196
......................................................................................................................................... 197
......................................................................................................................................... 208
......................................................................................................................................... 214
......................................................................................................................................... 216
......................................................................................................................................... 217
......................................................................................................................................... 220
......................................................................................................................................... 221
................................................................................................................................... 226Screen Recording (Windows Only)
Setting up Screen Recording Performing Screen Recording
.......................................................................................................................................................... 226
.......................................................................................................................................................... 227
................................................................................................................................... 229Upgrading DW Spectrum
ContentsDW Spectrum User Manual
Troubleshooting and Contacting Support
Digital Watchdog
230
................................................................................................................................... 231Diagnosing Offline Devices
................................................................................................................................... 231Double Buffering
................................................................................................................................... 232Restoring Broken Archive
................................................................................................................................... 233Providing Remote Access
................................................................................................................................... 233Recording Issue
................................................................................................................................... 234Collecting Logs
................................................................................................................................... 235Collecting Additional Information
................................................................................................................................... 236Sending Anonymous Usage and Crash Statistics
ContentsDW Spectrum User Manual
Glossary
237
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual

Working with DW Spectrum

Opening and Closing DW Spectrum Client

A few different ways are available to launch the application:
Windows
From desktop: DW Spectrum shortcut icon. From Start Menu: Start –> Programs –> Digital Watchdog –> DW Spectrum. Directly from the installed folder:
For x86 default is C:\Program Files(x86)\Digital Watchdog\DW Spectrum\Client\1.5
\2.4\DW Spectrum Launcher.exe
For x64 default is C:\Program Files\Digital Watchdog\DW Spectrum\Client\DW
Spectrum Launcher.exe
Linux
Using DW Spectrum shortcut icon.
1
Directly from the installed folder: /opt/digitalwatchdog/dwspectrum/Client/2.4/DW
Spectrum
MAC
Using DW Spectrum shortcut icon located in Applications. Directly from the installed folder: /Applications/DW Spectrum/Contents/MacOS/DW Spectrum
To close DW Spectrum Client:
Click on the "X" button located in the top right corner Go to Main Menu –> Exit (or press ALT+F4).
Digital Watchdog
2
DW Spectrum User Manual
It is possible to set up DW Spectrum Client to launch at start (WIndows/Linux only). To proceed:
1. Open Main Menu and go to Local Settings.
2. Select Run Application when PC boots up (see Misc section).
3. Click OK when done or Cancel to discard changes.
IMPORTANT. In order to display video and graphics properly, it is important to have most current video
drivers installed. If video drivers are not installed, the warning will be displayed.
Finally, DW Spectrum Client can detect PC configuration automatically. If CPU and/or graphic adapter are insufficient to render all graphics, the configuration mode will be activated.
This mode restricts the following functionality:
Only one video can be viewed in the same time No notifications in Client (see Notifications) All animations are turned off.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual

Connecting to DW Spectrum via Web-Client

Web Client allows users to do the following:
view Live streams from Cameras search through archive change resolution to save bandwidth
To open Web Client:
1. Open Server's Web Interface and log in using user name and password.
2. Open Web Client.

Connecting to Server and Working Offline

In order to gain access to Cameras, User must be connected to Server.
3
The connection to Server can be established by pressing the Connect button ( or ) or via Main Menu –> Connect to (Another) Server.
The current connection status is indicated by the color of the Connect button:
– connected – disconnected
The connection dialog is displayed as follows:
Digital Watchdog
4
DW Spectrum User Manual
DW Spectrum provides a powerful mechanism that can auto-discover Servers in local network. The easiest way to is to use one of the auto-discovered Servers.
To use predefined connections, click on the drop-down list. By default ,*Last Used Connection* is recommended:
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Note: the computer Server is installed on may have several network interfaces. In this case, any
5
available one is displayed on the Auto-Discovered Servers list.
Note that Servers with different versions are discovered automatically as well. However, they will be displayed in red. It is possible to connect to them in a compatibility mode (see "Launching DW Spectrum
in Compatibility Mode").
System name is displayed in parenthesis after the Server's IP address. In case of multi-server environment several servers with the same System Name can be discovered. In this case it is possible to connect to any Server. See "Understanding Multi-Server Architecture and Basics" for details.
Connection details can also be entered manually. The following values are required:
Host – IP Address or name of the computer Server is installed on (localhost or 127.0.0.1 for All-in- One installation).
Port – IP Port for access to Server (7001 by default). Login and Password to connect to Server. If connecting for the first time, "admin" should be used as a
login name. Use the same password that was set up during the initial installation.
Digital Watchdog
6
DW Spectrum User Manual
To check connectivity to Server, press Test. If ok, access is granted. The following may cause connection errors:
Server is not available:
specified IP Address is incorrect or inaccessible specified port is incorrect
Server is stopped login and/or password are incorrect Server and Client are incompatible with each other (different versions). In this case the compatibility
mode will be suggested (see "Launching DW Spectrum in Compatibility Mode"). Server and Client are incompatible with each other (different customizations).
To save login details, select the Auto-Login option on the bottom. When Client is launched again, it will connect to the Server automatically through the pre-established login and password combination.
To save and restore connection details:
If current connection details are used, press Save and create a connection name to store, which will appear in the drop-down list next time a user logs in.
To delete details of a stored connection, select it from the drop-down list and press Delete. If the last connection was not properly saved, the software will use its connection data from the next
launch (* Last Used Connection *).
Note: passwords are not stored in saved connection details.
To log out, go to Main Menu and choose Logout.
If Client is not connected to Server, a user can only access Local Files (see “Playing Back Local Files in DW
Spectrum”).
IMPORTANT. Compatible hardware supports Safe Mode Booting. The hardware boots up in Safe
Mode if something has happened during a previous boot. In this case it is possible to connect to Server, but it is not allowed to perform any configurations.
To connect to a different Server under a different user, open the login window and enter new Server coordinates or login credentials. If canceled, the current user will still be connected to Server.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
7

Launching DW Spectrum in Compatibility Mode

It is necessary sometimes to connect to Server with different versions. A good example would be when DW Spectrum is installed at multiple sites (home, work, etc.) and only one installation is upgraded. In this particular case, Servers will have different versions and one Client should connect to another Server (Client at home connects to Server at work). Servers of different versions are highlighted in red in login dialog.
In this case, the following message will appear:
You are about to connect to Server which has a different version. Would you like to restart client in compatibility mode?
By clicking OK, the application will restart in compatibility mode.
In some instances, it may be necessary to download additional files for compatibility pack. In this particular instance, the following message will be displayed:
You are about to connect to Server which has a different version. Client version X is required to connect ti this Server Download version 2.2?
Once download is completed, restart is suggested.
Note: DW Spectrum recalls the Server it was last connected to and automatically suggests
compatibility mode for the next launch.
IMPORTANT. If some of the components of the Multi-Server System such as Server or Client have
different versions installed, it may cause potential issues. When Client is connected to Server, all component versions are checked. The warning will appear if the component versions differ from one another.
It is recommended to have the same version installed on all system components. See Upgrading DW
Spectrum.
Digital Watchdog
8
PERMANENT
VIDEO WALL
CAM SETTINGS
PTZ
ARCHIVE
EXPORT
LIVE
Adminvvvvvv
v
Administrator
vvvvvvAdv. Viewer
vvvvv
Viewer
vvv
Live Viewer
v
DW Spectrum User Manual

Introducing User Roles

There are three types of user roles in DW Spectrum:
Owner (user with "admin" login). Unlimited control. This user cannot be deleted. Administrator. Full control, except:
Change Super Administrator (admin) settings
Delete or change own role Viewers (Live Viewer, Viewer, Advanced Viewer). Limited control. A viewer cannot:
Manage users (except for changing their own password).
See servers and all connected devices. Only the devices assigned by the administrator are visible.
Change predefined layouts (layouts can be changed, but cannot be saved); however, it is possible
to configure and save own layouts based on available resources (assigned devices and local files).
Additional permissions can be assigned to users to be able to operate with available devices (assigned by Administrator):
View archive, perform search and forensic analysis Perform export from archives Set up devices Set up PTZ on cameras Create, modify and delete Video Walls.
If none of these permissions are assigned, a user can only view live videos on available cameras.
IMPORTANT. If any action or graphical element described in this document is not available to a specific
user level, the following will apply (Admin only). If the action described in this document is unavailable to certain roles, it will be indicated in the corresponding topic.
The following represents a standard flow:
1. Super Administrator creates and configures all layouts for own use.
2. Super Administrator creates several users with a Viewer role.
3. Super Administrator creates and configures layouts for each Viewer.
4. Viewer logs into DW Spectrum and is only able to work with assigned layouts and devices.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual

DW Spectrum User Interface Overview

DW Spectrum User Interface (UI) includes the following main controls:
Scene (main view). Displays video items from cameras or local files.
Tab Navigator (top Panel). It contains Main Menu, Tabs and the following buttons:
Connect/Disconnect button. This button indicates the current connection status and allows to
connect or disconnect from Server.
Window Buttons (go/exit fullscreen, minimize, close window)
Screen Recording button. Starts/stops screen recording Playback Panel (located on the bottom Panel). Used for playing back local videos and live streams. Resource Tree (left Panel). Contains all servers, devices, local files, users and layouts available to the
current user.
Notifications (right Panel). Contains notifications about system events.
Scene represents space for video Items can be placed on. DW Spectrum allows viewing streams from Cameras as well as Local Video Files.
9
Items are placed on Scene and can be saved as Layouts.
If several Tabs are opened, then each Tab contains its own Layout with Items.
Digital Watchdog
10
DW Spectrum User Manual

Main Menu

Main Menu allows users to gain access to various DW Spectrum features quickly and intuitively. Main Menu can be opened by clicking on the logo at the upper left corner and contains the following items:
Connect to (Another) Server – allows connecting/disconnecting to/from Server (see "Connecting to
Server and Working Offline")
Logout – drop connection to a current Server and go offline New:
Tab – creates an empty tab in Tab Navigator (see "Tabs")
Window – opens a new window of DW Spectrum (see "Working with Multiple DW Spectrum
Windows")
User – creates a new user (see "User Management")
Video Wall – create new Video Wall (see "Video Wall Management"). Open – opens and plays back Local Files (see "Playing Back Local Files in DW Spectrum"):
File – opens Local Video File
Folder – opens all Local Video Files in the selected folder and plays them back simultaneously (max
24 files for x86 and max 64 files for x64).
Start/Stop Screen recording (see "Screen Recording (Windows Only)"). System Administration – opens up system-related settings (see "System-Wide Configurations"). Local Settings – opens up client-related settings (see "Customizing Look and Feel of DW Spectrum"). Merge Systems – allows merging mult-server systems (see "Full Screen and Window Mode"). About – opens information about the system (see "Collecting Additional Information"). Exit.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
11

Showing and Hiding Side Panels

Side Panels are extremely useful, though may be hidden by a user if needed. The ">" buttons show/hide Panels as well as Hide Panel Context Menu item.
If an item is expanded to fullscreen (see "Expanding Items to Fullscreen"), all Panels slide off the screen and disappear.
To bring Panel back, click on ">".
Additionally, both left and right sliding menu panels can be pinned ( ):
If Pinned: side Panels are always visible. If a panel is hidden manually, it will not reappear automatically.
If Unpinned: Panel is only visible when the cursor is on. As soon as a user clicks off the Panel, the panel will disappear. Panel can reappear if a user points or clicks on ">".
F11 hides all Panels. To undo, press F11 again or use Esc (toggle Fullscreen will also apply if hit Esc).

Tabs and Layouts

Tabs are used to make layout navigation easier. Each Tab hosts a separate Layout. Tabs function very similar to any Internet browser.
The following actions can be performed with Tabs:
Open a new tab:
Tab Navigator’s Context Menu –> New Tab (Ctrl+T)
Main Menu –> New –> Tab
"+" icon on the right of layout tabs Close a specific Tab: Tab’s Context Menu –> Close (Ctrl+W) Keep one Tab open – Tab’s Context Menu –> Close All but This Change the tab order – switch position by dragging and dropping a tab in the desired order.
IMPORTANT: A warning message will appear every time Tab is modified, suggesting to the user to save
changes. See “Saving Layouts”.
Digital Watchdog
12
DW Spectrum User Manual
If too many Tabs are opened at the same time, scrolling arrows will appear:
These arrows can be used to scroll Tabs left and right.
To navigate to a specific Tab or open a saved layout, use the following button located on the right (next to "+"):
Initially, no Layouts are configured in the system. An empty default Tab is shown (“New Layout”). If User tries to configure Layout in this Tab, asterisk will automatically be added to the caption (indicating a Layout change). The Layout will remain local.
The layout information is automatically passed to Server once Layout is saved (See “Saving Layouts”). If Layout is saved successfully, it will be displayed in Resource Tree under the current User.
When closing all Layouts, the default blank Tab will still appear. If the current Layout is saved as “New
Layout”, the blank Tab located next to it will be renamed “New Layout 1” automatically.
Any saved Layouts that were previously opened, will appear automatically once User logs in.
See "Layout Management" and specifically "Setting up Layout" sections for more details.

Context Menu

Context Menu displays all available actions as they relate to the selected element. Context Menu will appear by right-clicking on the desired element (or on empty space).
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
13

Items on Layouts and Scene

Video Item represents video recorded by a camera that can be played back within DW Spectrum.
Items displayed on Scene offer total video manipulation, a variety of features, streaming data and other
related information.
Local videos are displayed as follows:
The file name is displayed in the upper left corner of Local Video Item.
The following buttons are displayed in the upper right corner of Local Video Item:
Image Enhancement – create Zoom Window (see Zoom Windows) – take screenshot fron the item (see Taking Screenshots) – Rotation (see "Rotate") – Information: displays additional information about the current stream (see below) – Close (removes the item from the current layout)
Digital Watchdog
14
DW Spectrum User Manual
Streams from cameras are displayed as follows:
The following information is displayed in the upper left corner of the camera item:
Device Name Current Recording Mode (Device may be recording differently depending on its schedule):
Recording Always (green circle)
Motion Recording (red circle)
Low Resolution - always, High Resolution - only while in motion (red circle crossed green)
Not Recording (grey circle)
For more information on recording settings, see "Setting up Recording Schedule".
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
15
The following buttons are displayed in the upper right corner of Device in addition to those displayed for local video:
– applies de-warping (is displayed if this is a fish-eye lens camera) – see "De-warping Fish-Eye
Cameras"
– PTZ (if camera supports) – see "Setting up PTZ on PTZ and Fish-Eye Cameras" – Smart Search – see "Performing Smart Motion Search".
The following information can be useful during camera setup to help adjust to the desired FPS and bitrate. It may also be useful for monitoring local files.
To view item information, click on located in the top right corner of the item. To view information on multiple items at a time, select Items (see "Selecting Items"), open Context Menu and choose Show Info (Alt+i).
The following data will appear on the bottom:
Current Resolution of the stream Current FPS of the stream Current Bitrate Current stream Codec (H264 or MJPEG) Current Resolution (if Dual-Streaming is enabled for the camera): Hi-Res or Lo-Res Current Time of video playback or LIVE if viewing live from a camera
Additionally, the following messages may appear for camera items:
NO SIGNAL – camera is offline. It is possible to diagnose Device in this case (see "Diagnosing Offline
Devices").
NO DATA – no recording was performed. No data available. Loading... – awaiting data from Server Unauthorized – incorrect/missing login or password
Digital Watchdog
16
DW Spectrum User Manual

Working with Resource Tree and Renaming Resources

Resource Tree is a convenient tool to display, search and manage available resources within the application. The format of Resource Tree depends on the current user's permission level.
Resource Tree is displayed on the left Panel. It can be resized by dragging the right edge to the left or right.
Depending on a user level (see "Introducing User Roles") it may contain different elements. For
Administrators, Resource Tree is displayed as follows:
Servers (admin only) – a list of servers registered in the system. Server IP addresses are also
displayed (if the corresponding setting is enabled).
Note: Server can have several network interfaces, so different IP addresses may be displayed.
Servers can have additional statuses:
– indicates Server the client is connected to. – Server is offline for various reasons. – Server is incompatible. This means the system is not fully updated and update is
recommended. See "Upgrading DW Spectrum".
– unauthorized Server. This means the password for user "admin" is not coincide with other
servers so this server is not able connect to this system.
or Cameras and I/O Modules (Devices). Displayed under Servers (admin only) and Layouts. If
Device appears on more than one layout, the device will be listed multiple times in Resource Tree.
Devices can have additional statuses:
or – Device is offline for various reasons (see "Diagnosing Offline Devices").
or – unauthorized Device (see "Configuring Device's Authentication").
The following indicators are displayed on the left:
– Device is in recording mode – recording is set up for Device, but not recording at the moment.
Additionally Devices' IP addresses are displayed (if the setting is enabled, see below). If Device is experiencing network issues over the past minute, "!" is displayed on the right. See
"Device Disconnection/Malfunction" for details. When hovering over Camera with a mouse cursor, a thumbnail of a frame taken from the Camera will
appear.
Recorders (admin only). Displayed under Servers and contain several channels (represented as
Cameras).
Video Walls (admin only). See "Video Wall Management" for details.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Users (Administrator can view several users in Resource Tree). Layouts. Contains resources (devices and local files). Owned by users and displayed under each
user. Locked layouts are dilspayed like this: (see "Locking Layouts").
Local Files (). Contains the following: Local Video files Exported Video Files (see “Exporting”) Exported Multi-Video Files and their contents: Cameras, or Local Files (see “Exporting the Layout in
Multi-Video Format"
Screen Recordings (see “Screen Recording”) Images Screenshots (see “Taking a Screenshot”).
Other Systems – Servers in local network that belong to different systems. See "Configuring Multi-
Server Environment (Admin Only)".
17
Items that are currently placed on Scene are highlighted in bold in Resource Tree. A selected (focused)
Item it has the“>” mark in both Server and Layout sections.
To enable/disable displaying IP addresses in Resource Tree:
1. Open Main Menu and go to Local Settings
2. Select/clear the flag in Show IP in Tree option (Look and Feel section).
Viewer's Resource Tree contains only Layouts, Devices and Local Files.
If Client is not connected to Server, only Local Files are visible.
The following actions can be performed in Resource Tree:
Expanding/collapsing a tree node (+/- on keypad) Scrolling (if the tree contains multiple elements) Multi-Selection. Shift to select multiple items and hold Ctrl to select/deselect items individually. Drag and drop. An efficient way to organize and configure resources in the tree. The following
chapters will further explain the drag and drop capabilities.
Search.
Almost any resource (except Local Files) can be renamed by Administrator in Resource Tree. To rename a resource, simply select it and:
Left-Click on it again (like Windows Explorer). Right-Click for Context Menu and choose Rename (or press F2).
Digital Watchdog
18
DW Spectrum User Manual

Search

DW Spectrum provides fast, powerful and flexible search engine that enables users to quickly locate the desired items on demand. To perform search, click on the Search tab in Resource Tree next to Resources.
IMPORTANT: Search results will appear on Scene immediately. If the search comes back with a high
number of found items, only the first 24 will be displayed for x86 architecture and 64 results - for x64 architecture. Search results are automatically added to the current scene.
Type any three consecutive characters from a resource name, MAC or IP into the box to activate search. Search results are displayed as follows:
To refine search, use the following tips:
Specify the resource type: Any Type, Video Files, Image Files or Live Cameras. Use special symbols to combine several search criteria:
“+” – to add a new criteria to the search. Example, “out” + “100” will pull in all files containing “out” or “100” in file description.
“\” – to avoid files containing certain characters. Example, “out \hdtv” will pull in all files containing “out”, but no “hdtv”.
For instance, search string "00 + 254" shows the following results:
Cameras, recorders and local files that contain "00" or "254", Cameras and recorders that contain "00" in their MAC Addresses, Cameras and recorders that contain "254" in their IP Addresses.
All results will disappear from the scene once all characters are removed from the search box.
Note: It is not possible to rename resources in the Search tab.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
19

Playback Panel

DW Spectrum provides powerful and intuitive playback system. It includes seamless transition from live to archived footage, smooth archive playback, extensive search capabilities, local files playback, etc. All playback operations can be performed within the Playback Panel:
The following elements are displayed:
Playback Buttons – used for playing back selected Item(s) Speed Slider – controls the playback speed of selected Item(s)
Pan-Temporal Time Line – represents the archived data for selected Item(s) Volume Control – used to adjust volume for the selected Item
Additional Buttons:
LIVE – switches selected camera(s) to a live playback mode or indicates that they are playing live. See "Navigating through Archive and Live"
SYNC – performs time synchronization of all cameras displayed on Scene. See "Navigating through
Several Cameras Synchronously"
CLND – opens calendar to help navigate through archive (see "Using Calendar") THMB – expands Time Line and shows small previews called Thumbnails. See "Using Thumbnails for
Better Navigation".
Digital Watchdog
20
DW Spectrum User Manual

Full Screen and Window Mode

DW Spectrum is recommended to be operated in full screen. To toggle full screen or bring the application to a window mode:
and buttons
Alt + Enter F11 (all side panels will be hidden).
Esc can be used to exit Fullscreen mode.
Moreover it is possible to expand a single item on fullscreen. See "Expanding Items to Fullscreen".

Getting Context Help

DW Spectrum provides intuitive context help system on each interface element.
To invoke help:
1. Press button.
2. Left-Click on the desired interface elements.
Context Help contains links to other topics that can be useful as well.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
21

Customizing Look and Feel of DW Spectrum

DW Spectrum provides a number of ways to customize user interface. To start, open Main Menu, choose Local Settings, then switch to Look and Feel...
The following settings can be changed:
Language – interface localization. Skin – desired interface color scheme (Dark or Light) Timeline mode – display time when viewing recorded footage (Server Time or Local Time) Show IP in tree – display IP device and recorder addresses in Resource Tree Tour sequence cycle time – time between cycling items in Tour Mode (see "Tours")
Also DW Spectrum allows changing a variety of background settings as well:
Background Animation. It is possible to set the color and intensity or completely disable it.
Note: To disable animation once press CTRL + ALT + T. This may be useful on slow video adapters or
in remote sessions.
Background Image. Click Browse... to select a graphic file and set Mode (Stretch, Fit or Crop) and Intensity (transparency).
Click OK when done or Cancel to discard changes. If the changes require restart, the corresponding warning will be displayed.
Digital Watchdog
22
DW Spectrum User Manual

Run DW Spectrum when computer boots up

It is possible to automatically launch DW Spectrum if a computer boots up. To do so open Main Menu, choose Local Settings (General tab), and set the "Run Application when PC Boots".

DW Spectrum Quick Start

This section provides recommendations on system settings for DW Spectrum to be configured properly.
If the system contains multiple Servers, it may be necessary to ensure they are merged in one system properly. See "Configuring Multi-Server Environment".
First, a sufficient number of Licenses should be obtained and activated (see “Obtaining and Activating DW
Spectrum Licenses (Admin Only)”).
Then, Storages on each Server should be configured (see “Configuring Server Storages (Admin Only)”).
All Devices should be properly set up (see “Cameras, Encoders and I/O Modules Management”). Same with Recording Settings (see “Setting up Recording Schedule (Admin Only)”).
Once completed, it becomes possible to create multiple Users, configure Layouts for them and more.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
23

Obtaining and Activating DW Spectrum Licenses

DW Spectrum’s license policy is quite simple. Each Device requires License. The application has no device count restrictions.
The License allows viewing and recording of a single Device. Cameras can be viewed live without Licenses allowing for an unlimited number of Cameras to be connected and viewed live at no charge. I/O Module requires the specific License.
Note: If recording is enabled for Device License is considered used even if recording is not performed
( icon in Tree). Recording is required to capture Motion Detection and Input Detection events on Device.
For instance, the following screenshot illustrates the situation that all Cameras are offline and not recording. However recording is enabled on four Cameras (marked by ):
In this case 4 Licenses are being used.
See also "Setting up Recording Schedule".
Additionally there are Video Wall Licenses. Each one allows controlling video wall from a single computer (one session) or extend Video Wall on 2 displays. For instance 4 licenses allow user to display Video Wall on 8 monitors and control it from 4 clients concurrently.
DW Spectrum comes with four Trial Licenses automatically (do not allow Video Wall feature). Trial Licenses are active 30 days only.
IMPORTANT: In Multi Server System Licenses are activated on a certain Server (the one Client is
currently connected to - icon). If this server is offline, those licenses will be invalidated until the server is back online. If licenses are activated on different servers, they will be combined if those servers are merged into a single system.
To activate Trial Licenses:
1. Open Main Menu –> System Administration (CTRL+ALT+A).
2. Go to Licenses tab.
3. Click Activate Trial License.
Digital Watchdog
24
If Trial License is about to expire, the corresponding warning will appear.
DW Spectrum User Manual
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
To get additional Licenses, contact Digital Watchdog at licenses@dwcc.tv.
To activate License Key over the Internet:
1. Note Server the client is connected to (License Key will be bound to it). See the icon in Resource
Tree. If it is necessary to activate License Key on a different Server, disconnect and connect to a
desired one.
2. Select the Licenses tab in System Administration.
3. Automatic activation via Internet must be selected.
4. Enter License Key and click Activate License.
25
Digital Watchdog
26
DW Spectrum User Manual
If DW Spectrum is not connected to the Internet, then licenses can be activated offline.
To activate License (trial or commercial) offline:
1. Go to Licenses tab in System Administration.
2. Click Manual Activation.
3. Copy Hardware ID and email to completeipsolution.com
License Key: paste License key received from reseller. Hardware ID: paste Hardware ID here.
An activation key will be provided upon request.
4. As soon as the activation key is received, proceed with one of the following:
Paste it into the Activation Key field and click Activate License. Save it as a text file (i.e. key.txt), move to the target computer, browse the file and click OK.
It is also possible to delete an expired or invalid License Key. To do so:
1. Go to Licenses tab in System Administration.
2. Select the desired licenses (should be marked in red) and click Remove (or press DEL).
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
27

System-Wide Configurations

All system related settings are combined in the single dialog. That makes system administration much more simple. This dialog can be opened by clicking on Main Menu –> System Administration (CTRL+ALT+A) .
The dialog contains the following sections (tabs):
General:
Alarm/Event Rules – invokes the dialog when Event/Actions can be configured Event Log – opens up the list of events that occurred (Viewing Events Log) Device List – opens up the list of devices in the system Audit Trail – opens up the list of users' actions Health Monitoring – opens Layout and shows health information for all servers.
Other system settings – ability to Disable Automatic Discovery and Preventing DW Spectrum from
Changing Camera Streaming Settings etc. Backing up and Restoring DW Spectrum Database
Licenses – see "Obtaining and Activating DW Spectrum Licenses" E-Mail – ability to Configure Mail Server for E-Mail Notifications Updates – see "Upgrading DW Spectrum"
User Management Form
Routing Management Time Synchronization.
Digital Watchdog
28
DW Spectrum User Manual

Obtaining and Configuring Server’s Additional Settings (Admin Only)

In addition to the basic Server configuration that are setup during installation and configuration, administrator can also performs the following:
Server Status Check (Ping). If Server is not responding for some reason this can help to check availability of the computer Server is hosted on
Rename Failover Setup (see "Configuring Failover") Storages Configuration
To configure Server parameters open the desired Server in Resource Tree open Context Menu and choose Server Settings.
The following Server parameters can be checked and configured:
Name – can be changed here or in Resource Tree IP Address – cannot be changed. Displayed in Resource Tree as well if the corresponding setting is
enabled (see "Working with Resource Tree and Renaming Resources")
Port – cannot be changed from the client Ping – check availability of the computer Server is hosted on Failover (see "Configuring Failover") Storages – see "Configuring Server Storages (Admin Only)" Rebuild Archive Index – restore recorded footage if moved. See "Restoring Broken Archive".
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
29

Configuring Server Storages (Admin Only)

DW Spectrum provides an easy and flexible storage management policy. Each Server can use an unlimited number of local and network storage paths. If more than one storage location is used the Media Server will automatically balance the space consumption. The more free space the storage has, the higher the usage intensity will be.
Storage is considered to be a separate hard disk partition. If a partition has more than 100 Gb of free space, DW Spectrum uses it automatically.
Additionally it is possible to add network storage locations (NAS).
To configure Server Storage:
1. Open the Server Settings.
2. Go to Storage section on General tab:
As displayed above, the computer has 2 partitions and only disk D is used for storage because disk C has less than 100 Gb of free space.
3. To select Storage to be used check In Use flag
Digital Watchdog
30
DW Spectrum User Manual
4. To add NAS/External Storage, click Add and enter the storage path (URL), Login and Password, for instance:
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
\\STORAGE-PC\test\Storage
31
5. Click OK. At this point, all Storage will be checked for validity and confirm ability to write to that storage location. If the drive has insufficient space, a warning will appear.
Due to different bitrate streams from Cameras may occupy different amount of space in Storage. DW Spectrum uses special algorithm to keep the same amount of time stored for different Cameras. However a user can set minimum or maximum amount of data that can be stored for specific camera(s). See "Configuring Maximum and Minimum Recording Time for Camera".
To view detailed storage statistics see "Analyzing and Predicting Storage Usage".
The Storage structure on the partition is as follows: <drive>/DW Spectrum
Media/$Resolution/$MAC/$YYYY/$MM/$DD/$HH:
$Resolution:
hi_quality – full resolution streams
lo_quality – low resolution streams $MAC – MAC address of the recorded device $YYYY – Recorded Year $MM – Recorded Month $DD – Day $HH – Hour
IMPORTANT. 5 GB of free space is always preserved on Storage.
Analyzing and Anticipating Storage Usage
DW Spectrum provides a way to estimate and predict storage usage. This feature allows users to plan their systems and store recorded data more accurately.
This data is displayed per Server and broken down by individual camera.
Some common ways this information can be used:
Identify camera(s) that stream at extremely high bitrates Estimate amount of time that Server can store recording (Days and Hours) Understand the storage space that each camera consumes Predict the amount of time that Server can store recording if add X terabytes.
To access Storage Statistics for a Server:
1. Open the Server Settings.
2. Click on Storage Analytics:
Digital Watchdog
32
Camera – Camera Name Space – the amount of storage consumed by recordings from this Camera
DW Spectrum User Manual
Calendar Days – the amount of recorded data that is available for this Camera. DW Spectrum uses special algorithm to keep the same amount of time stored for different Cameras. However a user can set minimum or maximum storage duration in days for individual cameras. See "Configuring Maximum
and Minimum Recording Time for Camera".
Bitrate for the Last Recorded – the average bitrate of the camera. It is possible to specify the amount of time the average bitrate is calculated for, by specifying it in the upper-right dropdown list (i.e last 5 minutes or last day).
To anticipate the storage capacity it is necessary to check the Forecast for full storage(s) usage box and select the amount of storage to be added (in the screenshot above 37.9 Gb is considered to be added). The software will display the amount of time Camera(s) will be recorded with the added capacity (notice Calendar Days and Space).
The data might have been changed since the form is opened. To update it click Refresh.

Deleting Server (Admin Only)

In some instances, it may be necessary to delete Server from the system.
Note: Server can only be deleted when offline.
To delete Server , locate it in Resource Tree, Right-Click for Context Menu and select Delete.
IMPORTANT. All devices that are hosted on this specific server will be deleted as well. Recorded data
will be kept in server’s storages.
Server will automatically discover all Devices and start operating once it is back online. The deleted
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
33
camera's archive will remain available. It will be required to perform all storage settings and configure all discovered Devices again.
Digital Watchdog
34
DW Spectrum User Manual

Monitoring Servers (Admin Only)

DW Spectrum enables users to perform monitoring the health of Server s in the real-time mode. To proceed, perform one of the following:
Drag Server from Resource Tree to Scene Open Server 's Context Menu and choose Monitor (Monitor in a New Tab or Window).
The information is displayed as follows:
Uptime (the time since the server is started) CPU Load Memory Usage (RAM) Hard disk partitions usage (C: and D: in this case) Network Interfaces Usage
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
To enable/disable graphs check/uncheck them. If hover with a mouse cursoe on a check, the corresponding graph will be clearly visible, the rest-ones will be faded:
35
User can perform standard manipulations with Monitoring Item: move, resize, swap, duplicate etc (see "Items on Layouts").
To stop monitoring, remove the corresponding item from Scene.
Multiple Server s can be monitored simultaneously.
Additionally it is possible to monitor all Servers on a single Layout. To do so open Main Menu, choose System Administration (CTRL+ALT+A), then click Health Monitoring.
Digital Watchdog
36
DW Spectrum User Manual

Using Server's Web Interface

DW Spectrum provides simple and convenient way to control Servers remotely through Server's Web Interface.
To access it from a browser enter the following address: http://<ip>:<port>, then login and password.
<ip> – IP address of Server (the current computer should be able to connect to this Server) <port> – network port of Server (default 7001).
To access it from DW Spectrum Client:
1. Connect to a desired Server via Client.
2. Right-click on System, invoke Context Menu and choose Open Web Client.
Note: If System contains multiple Servers, Web Interface will control Server Client is connected to
(note the icon in Resource Tree).
Web Interface provides the following features:
Obtaining list of Servers in System and ability to connect to them (click corresponding links at the bottom of the Settings page) – Adimin only
Merging/Splitting Systems (see "Configuring Multi-Server Environment") – Adimin only Changing Server's Port – Adimin only Restarting Server (Restart button on Settings) – Adimin only Ability to control the compatible hardware: reboot and restore factory defaults – Adimin only Gathering Server Information (Information tab): version, storages, health monitoring
Web client
Developer Resources (Server API and Device Integration SDK) A variety of useful links (Support, Mobile Apps). See the Help tab.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
37

Configuring Multi-Server Environment (Admin Only)

DW Spectrum is a very scalable solution and it allows many Servers to work together in a single System.
This section describes how to manage multi-server environment to maintain maximum system reliability and performance:
Understanding Multi-Server Architecture and Basics Joining and Splitting Servers Configuring Failover Configuring Routing within Multi-Server Environment Configuring Time Synchronization within Multi-Server Environment.

Understanding Multi-Server Architecture and Basics

DW Spectrum implements the unique hive architecture that enables high redundancy , performance and provides almost unlimited scalability. Servers can be located in a local network, behind NAT or even in a different location – they will act as a single cluster allowing users to view cameras and control the whole system from a single workstation.
If several Servers are working together they should somehow connect to each other. To do so servers have the unique identifier - System Name, that allows server to group together. If Server discovers another Server with the identical System Name in a local network, they merges automatically. If System
names are different, Server will display other one in Resource Tree under Other Systems.
If Servers are in different subnets, it is necessary to specify other Server's IP to make them merge in separate networks (behind NAT or over the Internet).
When Servers are merged, they are constantly synchronizing all data between each other so it doesn't matter what server Client is connected to. If a video is requested from a remote Server, the one Client is connected to will be proxying the video traffic. Licenses are combined as well: if 4 licenses were activated on server 1 and 10 – on Server 2, System will have 14 Licenses total after the servers are merged.
Thus, the only thing Administrator should do to merge systems, is to assign the same system names to all Servers. Opposite, to split Systems Administrator needs to assign different system names.
Digital Watchdog
38
DW Spectrum User Manual

Joining and Splitting Servers

There is several ways to join and split servers:
Join Server from Different System to Current-One Split Server to Different System Merge all Servers to Another System.
Join Server from Different System to Current-One
This action can be useful if there is a single Server in a different System in local network. To join such server to the current system it is possible to use DW Spectrum Client or Server's Web Interface.
Client:
1. Expand Other Systems under Resource Tree and locate the desired system
2. Expand desired system and locate Server to connect to the current System.
3. Open Context Menu and choose Merge to Currently Connected System...
4. Enter the admin password of the other System.
Web Interface:
1. Log in to web-interface of Server that should be connected to the current System
2. Change System Name to the desired value and click Save.
After some time the desired Server will be joined.
If it is necessary to connect several Servers in a different System to the current-one, this method may not be an option. Also, this method won't work if the server that should be joined, is outside local network.
Merge all Servers to Another System should be used for these purposes.
Split Server to Different System
This action can be useful if it is necessary to isolate Server from current System. This is pretty rare operation.
To split Server to another System use Server's Web Interface:
1. Log in to web-interface of Server that should be split off the current System
2. Change System Name to the any other value and click Save.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
39
Merge all Servers to Another System
This operation can be useful if there is System A that contains several Servers and all of them should be joined to another System B. Also this method should be used to join remote server(s) to a current system.
Note: If Licenses have been previously activated on this server, they will be gone from the current
System.
To split Server from System use Web:
1. Launch DW Spectrum Client and connect to any Server in system A.
2. Right-click on System, invoke Context Menu and choose Merge Systems.
3. Enter Server URL (any server of System B or remote Server). To find Systems in local network use
drop-down menu. For Remote Server type http://<ip>:<port>:
<ip> – IP address of Server (the current computer should be able to connect to this Server)
<port> – network port of Server (default 7001).
4. Enter Password to System B (or to remote Server) and click Find System.
5. Select the new System Name (System A or System B). System A – System B will be merged to System A System B – System A will be merged to System B
6. Click Merge with <System Name>.
Digital Watchdog
40
DW Spectrum User Manual

Configuring Failover

DW Spectrum can automatically manage failover in multi-server environment. If Server goes down, all devices are transferred to other Servers and Client is being reconnected to other Servers as well. The archive playback will remain seamless, however this may be a 30 seconds gap in recording during the transfer.
Failover should be configured on backup servers. For instance if System contains Server A and Server B it should configure Server A to take over Devices from Server B and vice versa.
IMPORTANT. To be able to do failover, both server should be able to access devices.
To configure Failover:
1. Find Server B in Resource Tree, open Context Menu and choose Server Settings.
2. Click Enable Failover.
3. Enter the number of Devices the server can handle.
4. Click OK. Now If Server A goes down, all devices will be transferred to Server B.
5. To make Server A handle the devices from Server B, make the same on Server A.
IMPORTANT. To be able to do failover, Server should be able to handle double amount of devices.
It is possible to set up Failover Priorities. This means if some cameras are more important, it can be failed over first. There are the following priorities:
High – these cameras will be failed over at first. Medium and Low – these cameras will be failed over only if there is a server to host them. Never – these cameras won't be failed over.
1. To configure Failover Priorities find any Server in Resource Tree, open Context Menu and choose
Server Settings.
2. Click Failover Priority. The list of Servers and Cameras will be displayed.
3. Select Cameras and click a button on thebottom to set the desired Priority.
4. Repeat this for all cameras that should be prioritized.
5. Click OK to apply changes.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
41

Configuring Routing within Multi-Server Environment

DW Spectrum provides built-in automatic routing mechanism that enables users to seamlessly work with the large sites as a single cluster. However there may be custom network configurations that may require custom routing settings. For instance, Servers may have several IP addresses (Public and Private) and it may be necessary to allow or restrict traffic flow for some of them.
Initially DW Spectrum tries to discover all available IP addresses of servers (including Public ones). However it is not possible in some network environments.
To setup routing open Main Menu –> System Administration (CTRL+ALT+A) and go to Routing Management tab.
On the left all Servers are displayed. If click on Server all available interfaces are displayed in the right hand side.
To add an address manually click "+" and add URL like http://<ip>:<port>:
<ip> – the desired IP address of Server (i.e. Public IP) <port> – network port Server is listening on (default 7001).
To allow/deny traffic to go through the specific network interface click In Use to set/release checkbox.
For instance, Server can have Public IP address and is connected to the Internet via 100 Mbit network and local NIC with local IP address (1Gbit). If it is not necessary to provide public access to this server it may be useful to restrict traffic flow through Public IP.

Configuring Time Synchronization within Multi-Server Environment

DW Spectrum provides built-in time synchronization mechanism. However this mechanism synchronizes the time with the Internet and it no Internet connection available, it may be necessary to configure time settings manually. Even in this case DW Spectrum tries to synchronize time across servers. Manual settings are needed if it ns necessary to specify Master Time Server: the one all other Servers will synchronize to.
To do so open Main Menu –> System Administration (CTRL+ALT+A) and go to Time Synchronization tab.
Initially DW Spectrum tries to discover all available IP addresses of servers (including Public ones). However it is not possible in some network environments.
To go to routing setup open Main Menu –> System Administration (CTRL+ALT+A) and go to Routing Management tab.
The table shows all Servers that are currently online, current time and offset from Internet time or master server time.
To specify Master Time Server tick it in the table and click OK.
Digital Watchdog
42
DW Spectrum User Manual

Cameras, Encoders and I/O Modules Management

The following types of Devices are supported in DW Spectrum:
Cameras Encoders/DVRs I/O Modules
The following Device Settings are crucial for the application to function properly:
Recording schedule (see "Setting up Recording Schedule") Authentication (the default password has been changed for devices). See "Configuring Device
Authentication".
IMPORTANT. Most device parameters can only be configured by Advanced Viewer (permission level is
required). A basic viewer can access configuration, but cannot make any changes. See the "User
Management" section for more.
The section describes the following functions related to devices:
Viewing Full Device List Adding Devices (Cameras, Encoders and I/O Modules) Setting Up Devices Setting Same Parameters for Multiple Devices Swapping Devices between Servers (Admin Only) Deleting Devices (Admin Only)
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
43

Viewing Full Device List

All Devices registered in DW Spectrum are displayed in Resource Tree. If may be problematic to find a particular device when too many Devices appear in Tree. It is possible to use Search to locate Cameras on Scene.
To use a more organized list, open Main Menu and select Device List... (or press CTRL + M).
The information is broken down by the following columns:
Recording – recording of Device (Not recording, Continuous, Motion only, Motion + Lo-Res). See "Setting up Recording Schedule".
Note: this is not an indication on how Device is being recorded.
Name Device name. Driver – Device's manufacturer/maker. When interacting with a 3rd party Devices via Onvif protocol,
OnvifDevice is displayed. Model of Device. Firmware – the current firmware version. IP/Name – Device's IP address. ID/MAC – Device's MAC address. It is not possible at times to determine the MAC address. In this
instance, a unique identifier is shown (i.e. urn_uuid_207f19b2-d5a6-407f-8fec-
6265a311058b)
Server – the Server Device is hosted on.
Digital Watchdog
44
DW Spectrum User Manual
The following tools are available to manage Device List:
Sort data by column. Left Click on column's header. Filter data. Type the filter sub-string into the Search String field (on the top). The results will be
refresh as typing. To disable filtering, clear the sub-string.
Select several rows from the table. Drag the mouse, use CTRL + Click/Up/Down arrows, or Shift + Click/Up/Down arrows. Use CTRL + A to select all Devices.
Open one or several Devices. Select the desired Devices, open Context Menu and choose Open, Open in New Tab, Open in New Window.
Rename Devices. Select Device, open Context Menu and choose Rename. Viewing Device's event history. Select Device, open Context Menu and choose Check Device Issues...
Event History form will open and filtering against the selected Device will apply.
Delete one or multiple Devices. Select the desired Devices, open Context Menu and choose Delete. Go to Device Settings. Select the desired Devices, open Context Menu and choose Device Settings... Export data from one or multiple Devices to an external file. Select the desired Devices, open Context
Menu and choose Export Selected to File... Select file name and format. The following formats are
supported:
HTML File CSV file (text file with delimiters). This file type can easily be imported into Microsoft Excel.
Copy one or several rows to clipboard. Select the desired rows, open Context Menu and choose Copy Selection to Clipboard. The data can be pasted into any text editor or Microsoft Excel.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
45

Adding Devices (Cameras, Encoders and I/O Modules)

This section provides information on how to add various devices (Cameras, encoders, I/O Modules) to the DW Spectrum resource list.
Choose one of the following methods:
Automatic Device Discovery Disabling Automatic Discovery (Admin Only) Adding Devices Manually (Admin Only) Adding RTSP or HTTP Streams as Cameras (Admin Only).
Automatic Device Discovery
DW Spectrum provides a powerful and easy-to-use mechanism for automatic device discovery. It is required that a device should be accessible via Broadcast.
As soon as Server is started and connected to Server, it automatically performs device discovery in its network. Once a device is discovered, its parameters will be displayed in Resource Tree automatically.
If a device does not transmit media data, it is marked as Offline.
If Server is offline, all Devices the server is hosting are switched to the offline status automatically.
Once Device is discovered, <%PRODUCT NAME%> tries to configure the following settings on Camera: the best possible image settings for the main video stream (best possible resolution and FPS) and optimal ones for the secondary stream (240p to 320p, 2 to 7 FPS). To disable this feature, see "Preventing DW
Spectrum from Changing Camera Streaming Settings".
If Device was deleted (see "Deleting Devices (Admin Only)") and connected again, it will be re­discovered. Disable this feature to avoid auto device discovery. See "Disabling Automatic Discovery
(Admin Only)".
Digital Watchdog
46
DW Spectrum User Manual
Disabling Automatic Discovery (Admin Only)
Once Device is discovered, the only way to delete it is to unplug it from the network (see "Deleting
Devices (Admin Only)"). However, if Device is plugged back again, it will be re-discovered. To avoid this it
is possible to disable this feature:
1. Open Main Menu –> System Administration (CTRL+ALT+A) –> General tab.
2. Uncheck Enable device auto discovery in the Device Management section.
3. When finished, press OK to apply or Cancel to discard settings.
IMPORTANT. Once the feature is disabled, new devices will no longer be auto-discovered, only added
manually.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
47
Adding Devices Manually (Admin Only)
If Device is not accessible via broadcast (usually if it is located in a different network), it will not be discovered automatically. In this case DW Spectrum provides an ability to add Device manually. For instance, it can be useful if Device is located in a different network or can even be accessed via Internet only. It is also possible to add several Devices simultaneously by scanning a range of IP addresses.
To add one or more Devices:
1. Right-Click on server in Resource Tree and open Context Menu.
2. Choose Add Device(s)... The following view will appear:
Digital Watchdog
48
DW Spectrum User Manual
3. Choose one of the following: To add a single Device, enter device's Address (IP or Host Name the Device can be resolved on)
IMPORTANT.DW Spectrum allows adding Devices by IP Address, Host Name or Generic RTSP/HTTP
Link (advanced). See "Adding RTSP or HTTP Streams as Cameras (Admin Only)".
To add several Devices at once, select Subnet Scan:
4. Enter the desired IP range to start scanning. By default, addresses 0-255 of the same subnet are
suggested. As a result, the entire specified network will get scanned for Devices.
6. Specify authentication parameters in Login and Password fields (if needed).
7. Specify Discovery Port if needed. Most Devices are discovered on port 80, so it is better to leave on
Auto setting.
8. Press Scan to initiate search. This can take a lengthy period of time (especially if IP Range is being
scanned).
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
9. If Devices are located, they will be displayed in order.
If Device is already registered (manually or automatically), it will be displayed though cannot be selected for addition:
49
10. Select desired devices and click Add selected.
Devices should be added to Resource Tree.
Digital Watchdog
50
DW Spectrum User Manual
Adding RTSP or HTTP Streams as Cameras (Admin Only)
Some camera models are not fully compatible with Onvif Profile S; therefor, will not work properly in DW Spectrum. However, if such Cameras can provide streams by RTSP or HTTP, they can still be viewed and recorded.
Note: to add, it is important to check if a particular camera model supports this option plus know the
exact RTSP/HTTP URL of the stream. This information can be found in camera's guide or by contacting the manufacturer.
To add the stream use the standard manual addition procedure (see "Adding Devices Manually (Admin
Only)").
First, Make sure Subnet Scan is unchecked, then enter RTSP or HTTP URL (i.e. rtsp://<camera
IP>:554/hi_stream) instead of Camera IP.
Once added, Camera will be displayed in Resource Tree as follows way:
It can now be configured as any regular IP Camera (see "Setting Up Devices").
Note: only one stream can be added per Camera, so Dual-Streaming benefits will not be available
(see "Dual Stream Recording Specifics (RADASS)"). Lastly, if resolution is greater than 720*576, software motion detection will not be available.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
From Resource Tree:
From Scene:
51

Setting Up Devices

It is possible to configure Devices for Administrators and Viewers that have the appropriate access Permission. Administrators can configure all cameras and Viewers can only use the ones that are assigned
to them by Administrators.
A user can locate Device Settings from Device's Context Menu.
The following actions can be performed when configuring Device Parameters:
Setting Up I/O Modules Renaming Devices Obtaining Device’s IP, MAC, Firmware and Model Configuring Audio on Device Configuring Device's Authentication Forcing Aspect Ratio for Cameras Setting up PTZ on PTZ and Fish-Eye Cameras Setting Up Fish-Eye Cameras Setting up Recording Schedule Setting up Motion Mask and Motion Sensitivity Configuring Proprietary Camera Parameters Adjusting Secondary Stream Quality Forcing Aspect Ratio for Cameras.
Digital Watchdog
52
DW Spectrum User Manual
Additionally, there is some specifics while working with Analog Encoders and Cameras. See "Setting up
Analog Cameras" for details.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Setting up Analog Cameras
Typically, Analog Cameras are connected to via Analog Recorders. Each Recorder has a number of channels that indicates the number of Analog Cameras it can handle. If Recorder is plugged into the network, it can either be discovered automatically or added manually (see "Adding Devices (Cameras,
Encoders and I/O Modules)"). Encoder with discovered channels looks as the following:
The following types of Analog Cameras are supported:
Analog Cameras plugged into Encoder. Those cameras act like regular Cameras: it is possible to configure Recording Schedule for them as well as Motion Detection.
Analog Cameras plugged into Recorder. Those cameras are recorded somewhere else so DW Spectrum only pulls the desired stream from the recorder. It is not possible to configure Recording Scheduleand
Motion Detection for those Cameras.
53
Digital Watchdog
54
DW Spectrum User Manual
Setting Up I/O Modules
DW Spectrum considers I/O devices as regular ones (Cameras), but provides some specific functionality. First of all, DW Spectrum discovers I/O Modules exactly as all other devices: automatically or with the user's help. Afterward I/O Modules are displayed in Resource Tree.
To start working with I/O Module it is necessary to obtain and configure I/O Module License, otherwise the "Module is disabled" message will be displayed. See "Obtaining and Activating DW Spectrum
Licenses" for details.
It is possible to configure I/O Devices for Administrators and Viewers that have the appropriate access Permission. Administrators can configure all cameras and Viewers can only use the ones that are assigned to them by Administrators. See "Introducing User Roles" for details.
After the license is activated the module will be displayed in the following way:
To get I/O Module working it is necessary to perform additional setup:
1. Open Device Settings and go to IO Ports.
2. Set Up the following I/O Connectors' configuration and apply the changes:
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Type – Input or Output Default State – Open or Grounded (depending on I/O Module)
55
Name of the port Pulse time (output only) – the amount of time the signal will be generated for (in milliseconds)
After the I/O module is configured, it will be displayed as following:
The following actions can be performed:
Record Audio from I/O Module (if a microphone is connected). See Setting up Recording Schedule for details.
Playback Audio Archive Recorded from I/O Module (if a microphone is connected). This is similar to
Digital Watchdog
56
DW Spectrum User Manual
viewing archive from Cameras (see "Navigating through Archive and Live")
View Inputs State. When the circuit is grounded, the appropriate sensor turns green Trigger Output. For this purpose click the corresponding button. The output signal is being sent for the
amount of time specified in Pulse Time setting. Create Rules (see "Configuring Events and Actions (Admin Only)") using the device's Input/Output
ports:
Input Signal on Device Trigger Output on Device.
Renaming Devices (Admin Only)
If a device is discovered automatically (see "Automatic Device Discovery"), it is displayed in Resource
Tree as a predefined sequence ("model"or "manufacturer + model"). For instance, 10005 for Arecont
Vision cameras or DWC-MD421D for Digital Watchdog.
Note: It is possible to configure Devices for Administrators and Viewers with an appropriate
permission level.
It is recommended to rename same device models for easier identification. Devices can be renamed directly from Resource Tree using Context Menu (or F2):
or in device settings:
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
57
IP-addresses are added to a device name automatically and are non-editable. It is possible to deactivate displaying IP addresses in Resource Tree.
Digital Watchdog
58
Obtaining Device’s IP, MAC, Firmware and Model
To obtain Device's IP and MAC, open Camera settings and go to General:
DW Spectrum User Manual
The fields are non-editable.
Note: this information is available for Administrators and Viewers with an appropriate permission
level.
It may be useful to go to Device's web page by clicking on the appropriate hyperlink to check or set up Device's parameters. See "Configuring Proprietary Device Parameters" for details.
It is possible to check if a device is accessible by pressing the Ping button.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Configuring Audio on Device
DW Spectrum allows to record audio from Devices (if device has this feature and the microphone is connected to it).
To set up audio recording for the device open device settings and go to General:
59
To enable/disable audio enable or disable the corresponding flag. The settings are applied right after Apply or OK are clicked.
It may be useful to go to Device's web page by clicking on the hyperlink. See "Configuring Proprietary
Device Parameters" for details.
IMPORTANT. It is possible to configure audio for multiple devices at a time. See “Setting Same
Parameters for Multiple Devices”.
Digital Watchdog
60
DW Spectrum User Manual
Configuring Device Authentication
All Devices come with a predefined login and password combination. During the discovery process, DW Spectrum attempts to use manufacturer’s default credentials to access a device.
However, default login and passwords may vary between models/lines or can be changed deliberately, which prevents DW Spectrum from accessing Devices and acquiring media streams. As a result, Device is shown as Unauthorized ( ) in Resource Tree. The following message will appear if a user attempts to view a live stream:
UNAUTHORIZED Please check authentication information in device settings.
Note: It is possible to configure Devices for Administrators and Viewers that have the appropriate
permission level.
To get Device working it is necessary to setup Authorization Parameters:
1. Open Device Settings and go to Network.
2. Enter Login and Password in the Authentication section and click Apply or OK. To discard changes,
click Cancel.
IMPORTANT. It is possible to configure same authentication credentials for several devices
simultaneously. See “Setting Same Parameters for Multiple Devices”.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Forcing Aspect Ratio for Cameras
Occasionally, Cameras report an incorrect Aspect Ratio. In such instance, DW Spectrum automatically corrects Aspect Ratio for Cameras.
Note: this correction will require transcoding if exporting videos from Camera. See "Exporting
Recorded Region from Single Camera".
To specify Aspect Ratio:
1. Open Camera Settings and go to General.
2. Enable Force aspect ratio flag and select the desired ratio. The following AR are available: 1:1, 4:3,
16:9.
61
3. Disable the flag to restore the original Aspect Ratio.
4. The settings are applied once Apply or OK are clicked.
Digital Watchdog
62
DW Spectrum User Manual
Setting up Camera Orientation
Sometimes Cameras can be mounted rotated by 90 degrees or upside down. In such instance, DW Spectrum can display proper orientation.
Note: this correction will require transcoding if exporting videos from Camera. See "Exporting
Recorded Region from Single Camera".
To specify Orientation:
1. Open Camera Settings and go to General.
2. Enable Default Rotation flag and select the desired orientation.
3. Disable the flag to restore the original orientation.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
63
Setting Up Fish-Eye Cameras
DW Spectrum provides advanced capabilities to operate with fish-eye cameras. Such cameras use a specific type of lens that can cover a much larger viewing area. This particular type of lens warps a picture and a de-warping algorithm must be enabled to display the picture correctly:
Note: It is possible to configure Cameras for Administrators and Viewers with an appropriate
permission level.
Digital Watchdog
64
DW Spectrum User Manual
In order for DW Spectrum to distinguish cameras with fish-eye lens, the following configuration must be performed:
1. Open Camera Settings and go to General.
2. Check This is a fish-eye lens camera to activate the Dewarping tab:
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
3. Go to the Dewarping tab to select the following parameters:
65
Camera's orientation - type of de-warping algorithms based on orientation. Calibration - to avoid de-warping artifacts, it is important to position the calibration circle within
the Camera's view as accurately as possible. First, try Auto Calibration, then manually adjust the viewing range (if needed):
Use scrollers to move the circle horizontally or vertically (or drag it with a mouse) Use the botton scroller to specify the shape of the lens (panamorph lens support) Use a mouse wheel to resize the circle
Camera's view angle.
Note: It is recommended to keep Camera on Scene to monitor any image changes while
adjusting settings.
4. Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard changes, click Cancel.
Once Camera is established as a fish-eye camera, de-warping can be performed. See "De-warping Fish-
Eye Cameras" for details.
Digital Watchdog
66
DW Spectrum User Manual
Setting up PTZ on PTZ and Fish-Eye Cameras
DW Spectrum provides a smart and intuitive way for setting up PTZ on Cameras, in addition to easy controls for PTZ on Fish-Eye Cameras and Screenshots (see "De-warping Fish-Eye Cameras").
PTZ on PTZ Cameras can be set by either Administrator or Viewer (a corresponding permission level is required – see "User Management"). PTZ on Fish-Eye Cameras/Screenshots is accessible to all users.
This feature is available for PTZ Cameras if:
It is supported by the Camera model (Onvif Cameras only) Camera is in Live mode
If the requirements are met, will display on the corresponding camera item.
These restrictions do not apply to Fish-Eye Cameras and Screenshots.
The following PTZ modes are available:
Simple (Zoom only). Refer to the following image:
Use + and - buttons to zoom in/out.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Regular (Zoom and Point). Refer to the following image:
Use + and - buttons to zoom in/out. Left-Click on the center circle, Hold Left Mouse Button and move the cursor to move Camera to the desired position.
67
Additionally, if Camera supports Absolute Move, the following features will be available:
Save and restore PTZ positions Setting Up PTZ Tours
Setting Up Home Positions or Tours (see "Home Positions and Tours for PTZ and Fish-Eye Cameras")
Extended (Zoom, Point and additional features). Requires the support for Absolute Move from Camera and custom integration:
In this case Camera allows moving and zooming as in previous case, plus:
Move to a certain position – Left Click to the desired position Zoom to a certain range – Hold Left Mouse Button and draw the rectangle to zoom into (see the
above picture) Full Zoom Out – Double Click.
Fish-Eye Cameras/Screenshots support full PTZ functionality.
After all settings are configured press once again to hide PTZ controls.
Digital Watchdog
68
DW Spectrum User Manual
Saving and Restoring PTZ Positions
In addition to standard PTZ controls, DW Spectrum allows for managing of predefined PTZ positions. It is basically possible to set up several points, tilt and zoom presets and restore them with only two clicks or one hot key.
Then PTZ presets can be used for composing PTZ Tours (see "Setting Up PTZ Tours") or serve as a Home Position (see "Home Positions and Tours for PTZ and Fish-Eye Cameras").
Note: It is possible to configure PTZ on Cameras for Administrators and Viewers with the appropriate
permission level.
The following is possible:
Saving PTZ positions (simple):
1. Set up a desired PTZ Position on Camera using PTZ Controls (see "Setting up PTZ on PTZ and Fish-Eye
Cameras")
2. Open Context Menu and select PTZ... -> Save Current Position...
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
3. Type a desired preset name.
4. If needed, select a hot key for preset (0-9).
Saving and Editing PTZ positions (advanced):
1. Open Context Menu and select PTZ... -> Manage. The following form will appear:
69
2. Move the form aside, so that the item and its PTZ controls are fully accessible (as shown at the picture
above).
3. Set up a desired PTZ Position on Camera using PTZ Controls (see "Setting up PTZ on PTZ and Fish-Eye
Cameras").
4. Click Save Current Position.
5. To edit positions set Hotkey and Name if necessary.
6. Set Home Position if necessary (see "Home Positions and Tours for PTZ and Fish-Eye Cameras")
7. Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard changes, click Cancel.
Digital Watchdog
70
DW Spectrum User Manual
Restoring PTZ positions:
Open Context Menu and choose PTZ... -> Go to Position... -> <Desired position> or press the predefined hot key (0-9).
It is also possible to restore PTZ Positions in Manage PTZ window (Go to Position):
Deleting PTZ positions:
1. Open Context Menu and select PTZ... -> Manage ...
2. Select a desired preset and Click Delete.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
IMPORTANT. If Position is included in Tour, the deletion may make this Tour invalid.
3. Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard changes, click Cancel.
71
Digital Watchdog
72
DW Spectrum User Manual
Setting Up PTZ Tours
DW Spectrum allows to create PTZ Tours. PTZ Tour is a sequence of PTZ Positions. It may be useful to move from one position to another automatically in a cycle to observe large locations by a single Camera.
The following parameters can be configured for PTZ Tours:
Positions. Tour can contain an unlimited number of PTZ Positions. Stay Time - the duration of time for Camera to stay on PTZ Positions. Speed - the speed of Camera moving between PTZ Positions.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
To configure PTZ Tours:
1. Open Context Menu and select PTZ... -> Manage. The following window will appear:
73
2. Move the form aside, so that the item and its PTZ controls are fully accessible (as shown at the picture
above).
3. Make sure the list of positions contains a minimum of two positions.
4. Click Create Tour. A new item will appear in the bottom section:
Digital Watchdog
74
DW Spectrum User Manual
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
5. Select PTZ Positions to include in Tour: To add Position click on "+" button To change, click on the desired Position and select another one:
To change the order of Positions, select desired Position and use arrows on the right to move it up and down the list.
To delete Position select the desired Position and click on "-" button.
75
Note: the following restrictions are applied to Tours:
Tour should contain at least two Positions. It is not recommended to use the same Positions in a row or select the same ones for the first and
last Position. Warning appears if Tour has several identical positions.
6. Set Stay Time and Speed for each Position.
7. Test Tour by clicking Start Tour in the upper table.
8. Rename Tour if necessary (in the upper table) or set it as Home Tour (see "Home Positions and Tours
for PTZ and Fish-Eye Cameras").
9. Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard changes, click Cancel.
Digital Watchdog
76
DW Spectrum User Manual
Home Positions and Tours for PTZ and Fish-Eye Cameras
DW Spectrum allows setting Home Position or Tour for any PTZ or Fisheye Camera. Home Position or Tour will be activated on Camera automatically in the following cases:
If there is no active PTZ Tour If PTZ Position is not changed for Camera for 2 minutes.
To set up Home Position or Tour for Camera:
1. Configure the desired Position (see "Saving and Restoring PTZ Positions") or Tour (see "Setting Up PTZ
Tours").
2. Open PTZ Positions and Tours management dialog:
3. Choose the desired Position or Tour on top and check Home.
Note: only one Position or Tour can be active.
4. Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard changes, click Cancel.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Setting up Recording Schedule
To record Camera, Recording Schedule must be set up first.
Note: It is possible to configure Cameras for Administrators and Viewers with an appropriate
permission level.
Note: To record one camera, License is required. See “Obtaining and Activating DW Spectrum Licenses
(Admin Only)”. Even if recording is not performed immediately, the License will still be considered as
used.
The recording schedule specifies the following recording parameters:
Recording Type:
Record Always Motion Only – records only when motion occurs. Motion recording may require for the camera to
support motion detection. Motion + Lo-Res Always – by default, a camera is set to record at low resolution unless motion
occurs, at which point it switches recording to high resolution automatically. High resolution recording requires dual streaming (if supported by camera). See "Dual Stream Recording Specifics
(RADASS)"
77
Motion Mask and Motion Sensitivity may need to be configured as well (see "Setting up Motion Mask
and Motion Sensitivity").
FPS Quality
Note: FPS and Quality recording settings will affect live stream viewing as well. For example, if 1 FPS
and Low Quality are set in the recording schedule, DW Spectrum will stream live as per selected settings even if the camera is capable of more. If recording is not set, DW Spectrum will stream live at Maximum FPS and Quality.
Those settings are applied to Recording Schedule. See "Modifying Recording Schedule" for details.
It is possible to record I/O Modules as well (see "Setting Up I/O Modules"). In this case audio will be recorded, if a microphone is connected to the module. To enable recording it is necessary to setup Recording Schedule for I/O Module. It is similar to Camera Recording Schedule except Quality/FPS settings.
See also "Analyzing and Anticipating Storage Usage".
Digital Watchdog
78
DW Spectrum User Manual
Dual Stream Recording Specifics (RADASS)
Some Recording Parameters may need Motion to be supported by the Camera. Motion + Low Quality Always recording requires Dual-Streaming to be supported by Camera.
If Dual-Streaming is supported, the second stream settings are set automatically based on the main recording settings:
2 to 7 FPS 320p to 480p
Not only is the second stream used for recording, it is also used for Software Motion Detection and bandwidth and CPU saving during playback. See "Setting up Motion Mask and Motion Sensitivity" and "CPU and Bandwidth Saving during Playback (RADASS)".
If primary stream is 480p or less, it can be used for Software Motion Detection as well.
Modifying Recording Schedule
DW Spectrum provides a powerful and flexible schedule for configuring recording parameters.
A specific date and time can be set in the recording schedule as well.
Examples:
Workdays 8AM-8PM – record Always, 24 FPS, high quality Weekends and Workdays 8PM-8AM – record motion only, 10 fps, low quality
The cameras recorded by Server s are marked with a small red circle in Resource Tree:
– camera in recording mode – camera recording is setup, though not recording at the moment (a license is still being used)
Note: It is possible to configure Cameras for Administrators and Viewers that have appropriate
permissions.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
To set up Recording Schedule:
1. Select the desired Camera(s) in Resource Tree (use SHIFT or CTRL to select several) or on Scene, open
Camera Settings and go to Recording:
79
IMPORTANT. If Server and Client are in different time zones the schedile displays Server Time.
2. Click Enable Recording. Check the number of licenses used. If the number is insufficient, click Get
More Licenses and proceed with activation.
Click on Display FPS on Grid and Display Quality on Grid to show/or hide FPS and quality in grid cells.
Digital Watchdog
80
DW Spectrum User Manual
3. Select Recording Mode: Record Always Motion Only – recording will start if motion occurs. To specify a range for motion recording, use
Record before motion and Record after motion selectors. Motion detection must be supported by the camera (Software or Hardware).
Motion + Low Quality Always – low quality stream is recorded always and is switched to high quality streaming once in case of any motion. To use this recording setting, make sure the camera supports dual-streaming.
If not the following will be displayed:
Do not Record
4. Select Recording Quality
5. Select FPS
IMPORTANT. If making any changes to image parameters for Camera is prohibited for DW Spectrum,
then FPS and Recording Quality changes will not take effect. See "Preventing DW Spectrum from
Changing Camera Streaming Settings (Admin Only)" for details.
6. As soon as all the parameters are selected, click on Schedule Grid: Click and Drag to select multiple cells Click on hour to select an entire column Click on weekday to select an entire row Click Schedule Grid's top left corner to select all cells
Note: to select same values, hold Alt and click on the cell to choose a recording mode, FPS and values.
7. Repeat to set another recording for different cells
8. If Motion Recording is set, it is possible to adjust Pre-recording and Post-Recording intervals (the time
range between the start and end of motion recording).
9. Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard changes, click Cancel.
In case of insufficient licenses, the following warning will appear:
Enable Recording flag will be disabled; however, all schedule settings will be saved.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Example:
Workdays 8AM-8PM – Record Always, 24 FPS, High Workdays 8PM-8AM – Motion + Low Quality Always, 24 FPS, Medium Weekends – record motion only, 10 fps, Low
81
IMPORTANT. Make sure to apply all recording selections to the schedule once selected (recording
type, FPS and quality). The following message will appear in case the selection is not applied.
Digital Watchdog
82
DW Spectrum User Manual
Copying Recording Schedule between Cameras
If Recording Schedule is already set up on Camera it may be needed to copy the settings to a different one. For instance, if a new camera is plugged in it is much more convenient than set up a schedule separately.
To copy Recording Schedule:
1. Open Camera the schedule should be copied from, go to Camera Settings -> Recording:
2. Click on the Copy Schedule button. The following form will be opened:
3. Check desired Cameras the schedule should be copied to. To select all Cameras on specific Server
check it. To filter search use the Filter box. Filter criteria is the same as search (see "Search"). If hover with a mouse cursor on Camera, the actual picture from this Camera will be displayed on the right.
Note: additional Licenses may be needed. See "Obtaining and Activating DW Spectrum Licenses"
for details.
4. Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard changes, click Cancel.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Configuring Maximum and Minimum Recording Time for Camera
Some governmental regulations require the footage to be stored for a specific amount of time. DW Spectrum supports the ability to set up maximum and minimum recording amount.
IMPORTANT. Be careful with minimum amount. These settings do not guarantee this to be kept, they
just set the priority. So, in case of insufficient space DW Spectrum will delete the records on cameras that do not have minimum amount of footage. However if there is no space to store such amount of data, no other cameras will be recorded.
To specify minimum and maximum amounts:
1. Select the desired Camera(s) in Resource Tree (use SHIFT or CTRL to select several) or on Scene, open
Camera Settings and go to Recording.
2. Set Min. Days and Max. Days.
83
Digital Watchdog
84
DW Spectrum User Manual
Setting up Motion Mask and Motion Sensitivity
In order to detect motion more properly and accurately, DW Spectrum provides a powerful and flexible Motion Detection configuration. For example, if a camera is pointed at a parking lot, motion mask can be set on all the surrounding areas that are not targeted for recording. In this case, any motion appearing in the areas surrounding the main target area, will not trigger motion detection and recording.
IMPORTANT. This particular feature in DW Spectrum works only if the selected camera supports
Motion Detection.
The following Motion Detection types are supported:
Hardware Motion Detection – implemented on Cameras directly. In this case only motion mask can be configured. To configure additional parameters it may be necessary to go to Camera Settings web page (see "Configuring Proprietary Device Parameters").
Software Motion Detection is performed on Server . It consumes more resources, though it provides
better and more flexible motion detection. In this case, it is possible to set up unlimited number of motion regions and adjust its sensitivity. Software Motion Detection requires Dual-Streaming supported by Camera. If supported, Software Motion Detection is set automatically (excluding
Arecont Vision cameras). If primary stream is 480p or less, it can be used for Software Motion Detection as well.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
To set up Motion Detection:
1. Open Camera Settings and go to Motion:
85
If red zones appear on the grid during motion, Motion Detection is supported. Red cells indicate the level of motion (the higher the motion level, the brighter the cells).
2. Select the type of motion detection (Hardware or Software). If none are active, the camera does not
support Motion Detection at all.
3. Select Sensitivity on the slider. 0 is motion mask (minimal sensitivity, motion will not be detected on
the selected region); 9 is the highest sensitivity.
Digital Watchdog
86
DW Spectrum User Manual
4. Select the desired regions the sensitivity will be applied to:
Click and Drag to select a single region Ctrl + Click and Drag to add another region Click on a region to fill it with desired sensitivity
To set Motion Mask just Click and Drag. There is no need to adjust Motion Sensitivity.
5. Repeat for each desired sensitivity. Use Reset Motion Regions to start over.
The above picture illustrates the following:
the area marked in grey will not capture motion (Motion Mask) the green area will capture motion with very low sensitivity top right and bottom left corners will capture motion with standard sensitivity for other regions, the sensitivity will be high.
6. Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard any changes, click Cancel.
It is possible to set up motion directly from camera’s web page. For this purpose, use Camera Motion Web Page link on the Motion tab.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
87
Configuring Proprietary Device Parameters
DW Spectrum allows configuring basic image settings inside the software. These settings are available for
Onvif-compliant devices only.
Additionally, DW Spectrum allows displaying native device web page inside the software (approved models only).
Note: It is possible to configure Devices for Administrators and for Viewers that have the appropriate
permissions.
To go to proprietary device settings:
1. Open Device settings and select Advanced.
2. Configure desired Device Parameters:
If DW Spectrum supports the specific Device, it displays Device Web Page inside this tab.
Note: If the list is empty, Device does not support configuring (not Onvif-Compliant).
Digital Watchdog
88
DW Spectrum User Manual
All settings are applied immediately. Best practice is to leave a video Item on the Scene while configuring its parameters.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
Other proprietary device parameters such as Authorization, Network Settings etc. can be configured directly from device’s web page.
1. Open Device settings and select General.
2. Enter Authentication Parameters if the device requires authentication (Admin only).
3. Click on Web Page. The browser will open device’s web page.
Web page may be inaccessible because it can be located on a different network. To check device accessibility, press the Ping button prior to opening the web page.
Additionally, the following can also be performed:
Resetting Camera Upgrading Camera's Firmware.
Resetting Camera
DW Spectrum allows for cameras to be reset to factory defaults. These settings are available for Onvif­compliant cameras only.
89
Note: It is possible to configure Cameras for Administrators and Viewers with an appropriate
permission level.
To go to proprietary camera settings:
1. Open Camera settings and select Advanced.
2. Go to Maintenance.
Note: If the list is empty, Camera does not support configuring (not Onvif-Compliant).
3. Choose one of the following:
System Reboot – reboot Camera and save settings Soft System Factory Default – reboot Camera and restore all settings related to the image Hard System Factory Default – reboot Camera and restore all settings (Network, Authorization, etc).
The reboot is performed instantly once selected.
It is also possible to reboot Camera from its Web Page. See "Configuring Proprietary Device Parameters".
Digital Watchdog
90
DW Spectrum User Manual
Upgrading Camera's Firmware
DW Spectrum allows for Cameras Firmware upgrade from within the application. These settings are available for Digital Watchdog cameras only.
Note: It is possible to configure Cameras for Administrators and Viewers with an appropriate
permission level.
IMPORTANT. To enable this feature, Camera must have Internet Access.
To go to proprietary camera settings:
1. Open Camera settings and select Advanced
2. Go to Maintenance –> Firmware Upgrade
Note: If the list is empty, Camera does not support configuring (not Onvif-Compliant).
3. Click on Check Upgrade. The coordinates of Digital Watchdog FTP Server (Address, Port, Login and
Password) are predefined.
4. If a camera has Internet access, the application will check for any available upgrades automatically.
5. If a newer version of firmware is found, click OK to run upgrades. The application will automatically
reboot once upgrades are completed.
It is possible to upgrade Camera Firmware from its Web Page. See "Configuring Proprietary Device
Parameters" for details.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
91
Adjusting Secondary Stream Quality
DW Spectrum's architecture provides significant CPU and network bandwidth savings by acquiring multiple streams from a single camera: High Resolution (regular) and Low Resolution (approximately x10 less bandwidth). The second stream is always decoded by Server and is used for the following:
Software Motion Detection
CPU and Bandwidth Saving during Playback (RADASS)
The quality of the second stream is set automatically, however, it is possible for User to adjust the quality of the stream.
IMPORTANT. Higher quality of the second stream provides for a much better look and feel (especially
on larger monitors), but can significantly increase CPU load on Server . It is not recommended to change these settings.
To adjust the quality of the second stream:
1. Open Camera Settings and go to Expert.
2. Check I have read the manual and understand the risks.
3. Adjust Secondary stream quality.
4. Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard changes, click Cancel.
Note: If Camera does not support dual-streaming, the above settings are unavailable.
Digital Watchdog
92
DW Spectrum User Manual
Disabling Recording of Primary/Secondary Stream
For some reasons it may be necessary to disable recording of primary or secondary streams. For instance:
Primary – to save space. Instead it is recommended to set "Motion + LQ" recording type Secondary – if secondary stream's bitrate is too high. In this case DW Spectrum server will still do
software motion detection (by decoding asecondary stream for this purpose), but won't record it.
To disable recording of primary or secondary streams
1. Open Camera Settings and go to Expert.
2. Check I have read the manual and understand the risks.
3. Tick Do not archive primary stream or Do not archive primary stream.
Setting Up Camera Transport Protocol
Some cameras stream data in a different way. Usually 2 protocols are used for streaming: UDP (faster, but less reliable) and TCP (more reliable, but slower). DW Spectrum tries to determine the best protocol for the camera. However, sometimes camera may have issues when streaming via the chosen protocol. In this case setting the protocol manually may help.
To do so:
1. Open Camera Settings and go to Expert.
2. Check I have read the manual and understand the risks.
3. Choose RTP Transport and click OK or Apply.
4. Restart the camera.
5. If the changes do not help, choose a different protocol and restart once more.
Digital Watchdog
DW Spectrum User Manual
93
Preventing DW Spectrum from Changing Camera Streaming Settings (Admin Only)
Once Camera is discovered, DW Spectrum attempts to configure the following settings on Camera: the best possible image quality for the main video stream (best possible resolution and FPS) and optimal quality for the secondary stream.
In some cases it may be necessary to set up custom stream settings on Cameras. DW Spectrum allows this as well.
IMPORTANT. In this case DW Spectrum can record Camera with specified settings only. It will not be
possible to set up FPS and Quality when configuring Recording Schedule (see "Modifying Recording
Schedule").
To disable automatic adjustment for one or multiple Cameras:
1. Stop recording of the desired Cameras and close them.
2. For each Camera go to its Web Page and set all desired image settings.
3. Select one or multiple Cameras, then open Camera Settings and go to Expert.
4. Check I have read the manual and understand the risks.
5. Check Keep camera streams' and profiles' settings.
6. Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard changes, click Cancel.
To disable automatic adjustment for all Cameras:
1. Disable recording for all cameras and close them (if opened for viewing).
2. For each Camera go to its Web Page and set desired image settings.
3. Open Main Menu and go to System Administration –> General tab.
4. Remove Enable automatic camera settings optimization flag.
5. Click OK when done or Cancel to discard changes.
Digital Watchdog
94
From Resource Tree:
From Scene:
DW Spectrum User Manual

Setting Same Parameters for Multiple Devices

In order to simplify the configuration process, DW Spectrum enables users to apply same parameters to more than one device at a time.
The following can be performed as a batch:
Authentication setup Schedule configuration
To set the same parameters for multiple Devices:
1. Use Multi-Selection to select desired devices: In Resource Tree, hold Ctrl or Shift and Click On Scene – use Ctrl and Click
2. Open Context Menu and go to Device Settings.
If the selected devices share the same Authentication Credentials, they will be displayed. If the selected devices share the same Recording Settings, they will be displayed. If the selected devices have different Enable recording field values, the field will be displayed as
follows:
Digital Watchdog
Loading...