This document is aimed at users of the Milestone XProtect Remote Client.
This document provides users with detailed descriptions of Milestone XProtect Remote Client
features. It furthermore provides a considerable number of targeted “how-to” examples, guiding
users through completing common tasks in Milestone XProtect Remote Client.
Note that depending on your user rights and your role in your organization, some features in the
Milestone XProtect Remote Client may not be available to you. Ask your surveillance system
administrator if in doubt.
RC35-um-5()-080109
www.milestonesys.com Target Audience for this Document
XProtect is a registered trademark of Milestone Systems A/S.
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
All other trademarks mentioned in this document are trademarks of their respective owners.
Disclaimer
This document is intended for general information purposes only, and due care has been taken in
its preparation.
Any risk arising from the use of this information rests with the recipient, and nothing herein should
be construed as constituting any kind of warranty.
Milestone Systems A/S reserve the right to make adjustments without prior notification.
All names of people and organizations used in this document's examples are fictitious. Any
resemblance to any actual organization or person, living or dead, is purely coincidental and
unintended.
The Remote Client provides users with access to the surveillance system. It lets users access
multiple servers at a time, allowing user access across systems.
The Remote Client does not offer nearly as many features as the Smart Client (see separate
manual). However, the Remote Client is accessed through a browser, and run from the surveillance
system server; this eliminates the need for installing any client software.
Example of the Remote Client, displaying video from
16 cameras
System Requirements
Operating System Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional (32 bit or 64 bit*) and Windows
Server 2003 (32 bit or 64 bit*), Windows Vista® Business (32 bit or 64
bit*), Windows Vista Enterprise (32 bit or 64 bit*) and Windows Vista
Ultimate (32 bit or 64 bit*). If using Windows Vista, the server on which
the Remote Client is running must be added as a trusted site in your
browser.
CPU Intel
RAM Minimum 256 MB (512 MB recommended for larger views, 1 GB
Network Ethernet (100 Mbit or higher recommended).
Graphics Adapter AGP or PCI-Express, minimum 1024 x 768 (1280 x 1024 recommended),
Hard Disk Space Minimum 10 MB free.
Software DirectX 9.0 or newer.
* Running as a 32 bit service/application.
Tip: To check which DirectX version is installed on a computer, click Start, select Run..., and
type dxdiag. When you click OK, the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window will open; version information
is displayed near the bottom of its System tab. Should the server require a DirectX update, the
latest versions of DirectX are available from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/
• View live video from cameras on the surveillance system.
• Browse recordings from cameras on the surveillance system.
• Create and switch between an unlimited number of views, each able to display video from
up to 16 cameras from multiple servers at a time*. Views can placed in private groups
(only accessible by the user who created them) or shared groups (accessible by all Remote
Client users connected to the surveillance system).
*
Depending on Milestone XProtect surveillance system used
• Control PTZ (Pan/Tilt/Zoom) and fisheye (360° view) cameras.
• Activate external outputs.
• Get quick overviews of sequences with detected motion.
• Print images.
• Generate and export evidence in AVI (movie clip) and JPEG (still image) formats.
• View HTML pages and static images.
How Can User Rights Affect Your Use of the Remote
Client?
The rights of individual remote users are specified centrally by the surveillance system
administrator. The rights of an individual user will determine the user’s ability to use the Remote
Client’s features.
Basically, the surveillance system administrator is able to restrict a user’s rights to the following:
• Access to the Remote Client
• Access to each of the Remote Client’s tabs: Live, Browse and Setup
• Ability to use features on the Remote Client’s tabs
• Ability to create views (views determine the way in which video from one or more cameras
is displayed)
• Ability to view video from specific cameras
The ability to use various features of the Remote Client may therefore vary considerably from user
to user. Ask your surveillance system administrator if in doubt about your user rights.
No download or installation of the Remote Client is necessary. The Remote Client is run directly
from the surveillance system server; you simply access it through a browser:
1. Open an Internet Explorer browser (version 6.0 or later), and connect to the surveillance
system server at the URL or IP address specified by your system administrator. When you
connect to the surveillance system server, you will see a welcome page.
If using Windows Vista, the server on which the Remote Client is running must be added as
a trusted site in your browser (from your browser’s Tools menu, select Internet Options >
Security > Trusted sites).
2. On the welcome page, select your required language in the menu in the top right corner.
Then go to the welcome page's Remote Client section, and click the required Remote Client
language version link.
Example: Selecting welcome page language and required Remote Client language
version. Number of available languages may be different in your organization.
My welcome page is different, why? The illustration shows the type of welcome
page that most users are likely to see. Other versions of the welcome page also exist:
If you see this type of welcome page, go to the welcome page's XProtect
Remote Client section, and click the Run XProtect Remote Client in Browser
Mode link.
If you see this type of welcome page, click the Run the XProtect Remote
Client from server link.
I already have a locally installed version of the Remote Client, will it work? In
some previous surveillance system versions it was possible to download and install the
Remote Client locally; this option is now available through the Smart Client only. If you
already have a locally installed Remote Client, your Remote Client will still work.
www.milestonesys.com Page 9 Accessing the Remote Client
1. Specify your login information in the following
fields:
• Previous Logins: Only available if you h
• Ad
• Po
A
•uthentication: Select between different methods of authentication (i.e. the process of
•sername: Type your user name as specified by your system administrator. The user
U
•
nd port number. However, if you occasionally log in to different addresses and ports, or
log in with different user names, the Previous Logins list lets you select your previously
specified logins, in which case all you have to do is specify your password.
the Remote Client you will be asked to
ave
lo
gged in before. Lets you reuse previously
specified login details (except any password,
which you must always type yourself). This can greatly speed up the login process.
dress: Type the URL or IP address specified by your system administrator. This will
typically be the same URL or IP address you used if connecting to the Remote Client
through a browser, although it may occasionally be a different one.
rt: Internet connections may use different ports for different purposes. Specify the
port number, your system administrator has asked you to use when logging in to the
Remote Client. In most circumstances, port 80 is used.
verifying that you are who you claim you are). Consult your surveillance system
administrator if in doubt about which authentication method to use.
oWindows (current user), with
ndows login, and do not have to specify any user name or password. This is the
Wi
default authentication method, i.e. the method which is automatically used unless
you select another method.
oWindows, with which you will be authenticated through your Windows login, but yo
will need to type your Windows user name a
oBasic, with which you will be authenticated through a user/password combination
defined on the surveillance system server.
name is case-sensitive, i.e. there is a difference between typing, for example, am
and Amanda.
Password: Type your password as specified by your system administrator. The
password is case-sensitive.
Tip: The vast majority of Remote Client users will always log in to the saame address
which you will be authenticated through your current
2. Click the Login link. After a short wait, the Remote Client
Client window has three tabs: Live,
video from c
recorded video from cameras, and the Setup tab is used
for configuring the Remote Client.
Note: Depending on your user rights, you may not be able to access all three tabs.
ameras, the Browse tab is used for browsing
Browse and Setup. The
nd password.
w
indow will open. The Remote
Live tab is used for viewing live
u
anda
www.milestonesys.com Page 10 Accessing the Remote Client
Is this the first time you log in? If you have logged in for the first time, you need to
determine whether any views exist. Views determine how video from various cameras is displayed
in the Remote Client. Views are thus essential in order to be able to use the Remote Client. One or
more views may already have been created for you, or you may need to create views your
Read more about views, including how to determine if any views
you, in Creating Views on page 12.
have already been created for
self.
Logging in from Different Computers
Your user settings are stored on the surveillance system server. This means that your login can be
used from any computer.
www.milestonesys.com Page 11 Accessing the Remote Client
The way in which video from one or more cameras is displayed in the Remote Client is called a
view. A view may contain video from up to 16* cameras. A Remote Client can handle an unlimited
number of views, allowing you to switch between various collections of cameras.
*
Depending on Milestone XProtect surveillance system used
Example of a Remote Client displaying a view with video from
16 different cameras; the view is highlighted in red frame
Views/Groups Concept
In order to help you maintain an easy overview when you navigate between various views in your
Remote Client, all views are placed in folders called groups. A group can contain any number of
views.
Private and Shared Groups
Groups, in turn, can be private or shared. Views placed in private groups can only be accessed by
the user who created them, whereas views placed in shared groups can be accessed by all Remote
Client users connected to the surveillance system.
Simplified example of views in
private and shared groups
Before you create any views, it is important that you know the difference between views placed in
shared and private groups—not least because a number of views may already have been created
and placed in shared groups for Remote Client users in your organization.
If views in shared groups already exist, you can start using your Remote Client straight
away; creating further views in your Remote Client will not be necessary unless you want to
supplement the views in the shared groups with views of your own, placed in private groups.
If you want to create views yourself, for example if no views in shared groups are available in your
organization, the Remote Client’s Setup tab lets you create groups and views, and specify which
cameras should be included in each view.
Note: Particular user rights may be required in order to access the Setup tab. Your ability to create
groups and views also depends on your user rights. From time to time your surveillance system
administrator may make changes to camera or user properties on the surveillance system server.
When this is the case, such changes will take effect in the Remote Client the first time you log in
after the changes were made. Such changes may require you to re-create your views. Ask your
surveillance system administrator if in doubt.
Are any Views in Shared Groups Available?
Especially if you are a first-time user of the Remote Client, you will want to know whether any
views have already been created and placed in shared groups for your organization’s Remote Client
users.
Typically, your surveillance system administrator will have told you if shared groups are used in
your organization. Alternatively, to quickly determine whether any views have already been
created and placed in shared groups, do the following:
Note: This method requires that your user rights permit you to access the Remote Client’s Live tab
and/or Browse tab. Most users will have access to at least one of these tabs.
1. Go to the Remote Client’s Live or Browse tab.
2. On the Live or Browse tab, look at the Views section:
•If the Views section contains any expandable folders labeled [Shared] ..., shared
groups are available, and you may—your user rights permitting—begin using the views
in the shared groups for viewing live and recorded video. See Viewing Live Video on
page 28 and Viewing Recorded Video on page 32. Only if you want to add more views,
e.g. customize your Remote Client with views in private groups, do you need to create
further views on the Setup tab.
Example of Views section containing
shared groups with views
•If the Views section contains no expandable folders at all, no views are available, and
you must create at least one view on the Setup tab before you can begin using the
Remote Client.
Example of Views section containing
no expandable folders
•If the Views section contains one or more expandable folders labeled [Private] ..., you
have already created one or more views in private groups.
Which Types of Groups Can You Create Views in?
Depending on your user rights, you may be able to create and edit views in the following types of
groups:
• Private and shared
• Private, but not shared
• Shared, but not private
• None at all (in which case you simply rely on views created by others and placed in shared
groups)
Typically, only a few people in an organization are able to create and edit views in shared groups.
For example, the surveillance system administrator may create and maintain a number of views
and place them in shared groups: When Remote Client users log in, the views placed in the shared
groups will automatically be available to them, and the users will basically not need to create
further views unless they want their own views in private groups.
To quickly determine which types of groups your user rights permit you to create and edit views in,
do the following:
1. Select the Remote Client’s Setup tab.
Note: Particular user rights may be required in order to access the Setup tab. If you are
not able to access the Setup tab, you are not able to create views.
2. On the Setup tab, look at the Views section. Group folders to which you do not have access
will be indicated by padlock icons.
Example: The user is able to create and edit views
in private groups, but not in shared groups. Note
the padlock icon on the shared group folder.
Consult your system administrator if in doubt about your user rights.
Creating Views in Private Groups
To create your first view in a private group, you first create a group, and then create the required
view within the group.
If you have created views in private groups before, you may create new views in existing private
groups, or you may create a new private group for the view.
Note: Views are created on the Remote Client’s Setup tab. Particular user rights may be required
in order to access the Setup tab.
To create a private group, do the following on the Setup tab:
1. In the Setup tab’s Views section, select the [Private] folder, or—if you have created private
groups before—any folder labeled [Private].
2. In the Setup tab’s Group Control section, type a name for the group in the Group Name
field, then click the New button.
Typing a name in Setup tab’s Group Control section
Your new group will now appear in the Setup tab’s Views section, with the name you have
specified, and labeled as [Private]:
Newly created group appearing in Views section
You are now able to create a view within the group.
Creating a View in a Private Group
To create a view in a private group, make sure the group in which you want to create the view is
selected in the Setup tab’s Views section, and do the following:
1. In the Setup tab’s View Control section, type a name for the view in the View Name field.
Typing a name in Setup tab’s View Control section
2. Click one of the View Control section’s seven available New View layouts:
Your new view is automatically added to the selected group:
Tip: A group, whether private or shared, can contain an unlimited number of views. More than
one private and shared group can exist.
Adding Cameras to the View
Having created a view within a group, you are able to specify which cameras should be included in
the view.
To add cameras to a view, do the following:
1. In the Setup tab’s Views section, select the required view.
When you select a view, the layout of the selected view is outlined in the main section of
the Remote Client window.
Layout of selected view is outlined in main section
(indicated in red frame in this example)
2. In the Setup tab’s System Overview section, click the plus sign next to the required
engine (server) to view a list of available cameras.
3. In the list, select a camera and drag the camera to the required position in the view.
When you have dragged a camera to a position in the view, the name of the camera will
appear in the selected position. You will not see video from the camera yet, as the Setup
tab is only for configuration, not for viewing video.
Repeat for each camera required in the view.
Tip: If you want to use all of the cameras under an engine, you may simply drag the
required engine to the view; this will automatically place all of the engine’s cameras in the
view, beginning at the selected position. Remember to have sufficient positions available in
the view.
Tip: You can always change the cameras in your view: Either drag the System
Overview section’s Clear link to a position in the view to clear the position, or simply
overwrite a position by dragging a different camera to the position.
4. You are now able to use your view: You may—your user rights permitting—select the view
on the Live tab (see Viewing Live Video on page 28) and on the Browse tab (see Viewing Recorded Video on page 32).
Tip: In addition to cameras, you are able to add static images and HTML pages to views. See
Further Configuration on page 21.
Creating Views in Shared Groups
To create view in a shared group, you first create a group, then create the required view within the
group.
If you have created views in shared groups before, you may create new views in existing shared
groups, or you may create a new shared group for the view.
Note: Views are created on the Remote Client’s Setup tab. Particular user rights may be required
in order to access the Setup tab and in order to be able to create shared views. When creating a
shared view, bear in mind that depending on their user rights not all users may have access to all
cameras on the surveillance system.
Creating a Shared Group
To create a shared group, do the following on the Setup tab:
1. In the Setup tab’s Views section, select the [Shared] folder, or—if you have created shared
groups before—any folder labeled [Shared].
2. In the Setup tab’s Group Control section, type a name for the group in the Group Name
field, then click the New button.
Typing a name in Setup tab’s Group Control section
Tip: Bear in mind that since the group is shared, it will also appear in other users’
Remote Clients; therefore use a name which other users will immediately be able to
understand.
Your new group will now appear in the Setup tab’s Views section, with the name you have
specified, and labeled as [Shared]:
Newly created group appearing in Views section
You are now able to create a view within the group.
Creating a View in a Shared Group
To create a view in a shared group, make sure the group in which you want to create the view is
selected in the Setup tab’s Views section, and do the following:
1. In the Setup tab’s View Control section, type a name for the view in the View Name field.
Typing a name in Setup tab’s View Control section
Tip: Bear in mind that since the view will appear in a shared group, it will also appear
in other users’ Remote Clients; therefore use a name which other users will immediately be
able to understand.
2. Click one of the View Control section’s seven available New View layouts:
Your new view is automatically added to the selected group:
Newly created shared view appearing under group
Tip: A group, whether private or shared, can contain an unlimited number of views. More than
Having created a view within a group, you are able to specify which cameras should be included in
the view.
Note: Bear in mind that depending on their user rights not all users may have access to all
cameras on the surveillance system. Thus, even though you may be able to view video from all
cameras in a shared view, other users may not necessarily be able to view video from all the
cameras. Consult your system administrator if in doubt.
To add cameras to a view, do the following:
1. In the Setup tab’s Views section, select the required view. When you select a view, the
layout of the selected view is outlined in the main section of the Remote Client window.
Layout of selected view is outlined in main section
(indicated in red frame in this example)
2. In the Setup tab’s System Overview section, click the plus sign
engine (server) to view a list of available cameras.
Example: Engine with five available cameras
3. In the list, select a camera and drag the camera to the required position in the view.
When you have dragged a camera to a position in the view, the name of the camera will
appear in the selected position. You will not see video from the camera yet, as the Setup
tab is only for configuration, not for viewing video.
Repeat for each camera required in the view.
Tip: If you want to use all of the cameras under an engine, you may simply drag the
required engine to the view; this will automatically place all of the engine’s cameras in the
view, beginning at the selected position. Remember to have sufficient positions available in
the view.
Tip: You can always change the cameras in the view: Either drag the System Overview
section’s Clear link to a position in the view to clear the position, or simply overwrite a
position by dragging a different camera to the position.
4. Remote Client users on your surveillance system will now able to access the view in the
shared group as from their next login.
Tip: In addition to cameras, you are able to add static images and HTML pages to views. See
Further Configuration on page 21.
Using Your Views on Different Computers
All your user settings, including any private views, are stored on the surveillance system server.
This means that you are able to use your private views from any computer, provided you log in to
the Remote Client with your own user name and password.
In addition to creation of groups and views, the Remote Client’s Setup tab lets you edit existing
groups and views. The Setup tab furthermore lets you adjust camera settings, and set up joystick
control for PTZ (Pan/Tilt/Zoom) cameras.
Note: Particular user rights may be required in order to access the Setup tab. Your ability to edit
groups and views also depends on your user rights. Basically, if you are able to create groups and
views, you are also able to edit them. From time to time your surveillance system administrator
may make changes to camera or user properties on the surveillance system. When this is the case,
such changes will take effect in the Remote Client the first time you log in after the changes were
made. Such changes may require you to re-create your views. Ask your surveillance system
administrator if in doubt.
Which Type of Groups Can You Edit Views in?
Depending on your user rights, you may be able to create and edit views in the following types of
groups:
• Private and shared
• Private, but not shared
• Shared, but not private
• None at all (in which case you simply rely on views created by others and placed in shared
groups)
To quickly determine which types of groups your user rights permit you to create and edit views in,
do the following:
1. Select the Remote Client’s Setup tab.
Note: Particular user rights may be required in order to access the Setup tab. If you are
not able to access the Setup tab, you are not able to create views.
2. On the Setup tab, look at the Views section. Group folders to which you do not have access
will be indicated by padlock icons.
Example: The user is able to create and edit views
in private groups, but not in shared groups. Note
the padlock icon on the shared group folder.
Consult your system administrator if in doubt about your user rights.
www.milestonesys.com Page 21 Further Configuration
You are not limited to viewing video in a view; you are able to view static images (such as GIF or
JPEG) as well.
Example: A company logo inserted as a static image (in
this case viewed on the Live tab). The feature could
equally well be used for inserting maps, floor plans,
photos of wanted persons, etc.
To use a static image in a view, do the following on the Setup tab:
1. Drag the System Overview section’s Static Image link to the required position in the view.
2. Release the mouse button over the required position. When you release the mouse button,
the Choose File window opens, letting you select the required static image file.
Using HTML Pages in Views
In addition to viewing video and static images in a view, you are able to import HTML pages and
display them in the view. This way, you are able to include company web pages, intranet pages,
navigation pages, link collections, etc. together with the video in the view.
Example: A company web page inserted in a view (in
this case viewed on the Live tab). The feature could
equally well be used for inserting clickable maps, etc.
Tip: When your imported HTML pages contain links, it is recommended that links have the
target='blank' attribute. Example: <a href="otherwebpage.htm" target="blank">Link</a>.
This will make the links open in separate windows, which will help you avoid losing view of the
www.milestonesys.com Page 22 Further Configuration
Remote Client window itself due to a link opening a web page in the same browser window as the
Remote Client.
To include an HTML page in a view, do the following:
1. Drag the System Overview section’s HTML Page link to the required position in the view.
When you release the mouse button over the required position, the Import HTML Page
window opens:
Import HTML Page window
2. In the Import HTML Page window’s Url field, type the URL of the required HTML page
(example: http://www.mywebsite.com/mywebpage.htm). Always include the http:// prefix.
- or If the HTML page is stored locally on your computer, specify its location on your computer
(example: C:\myfiles\mywebpage.htm), or click the Browse... link to browse for the
required HTML page.
3. In the Title field, you are able to specify a title for the HTML page. The title will appear i n
blue title bar above the HTML page itself when it is displayed in the view.
4. Select scaling for the HTML page, either No scaling (default) or the required scaling
(640×480, 800×600, 1024×768 or 1280×1024).
5. Click the OK link.
Renaming Groups
To rename a group, do the following:
1. Select the required group in the Views section.
2. In the Group Control section, overwrite the existing name in the Group Name field.
3. Click the Rename button.
Deleting Groups
Note: Deleting a group will delete all views within the group as well.
To delete a group, do the following:
1. Select the required group in the Views section.
www.milestonesys.com Page 23 Further Configuration
2. In the Group Control section, click the Delete button. You will be asked to confirm that you
want to delete the group and all of its views.
Renaming Views
To rename a view, do the following:
1. Select the required view in the Views section.
2. In the View Control section, overwrite the existing name in the View Name field.
3. Click the Rename button.
Deleting Views
To delete a view, do the following:
1. Select the required view in the Views section.
2. In the View Control section, click the Delete button. You will be asked to confirm that you
want to delete the view.
Adjusting Camera Settings
In the Setup tab’s Camera Control section, you are able to adjust camera settings. To adjust
camera settings, select the position of the required camera in the view. The position you select will
be indicated by a bold border.
Image Quality
The Image Quality setting determines the quality of the video when viewed, but also affects
bandwidth usage. If the Remote Client is used over the internet, over a slow network connection,
or if for other reasons you need to limit the bandwidth used by the Remote Client, image quality
can be reduced on the server side by selecting e.g. Low or Medium
Tip: You can quickly reduce the bandwidth usage for all cameras in the view by reducing the
image quality for a single camera, then clicking the Apply To All button.
Tip: If you have selected reduced image quality for a camera, video from the camera will be
displayed in full quality when viewed enlarged (see Enlarging Images from a Particular Camera on
page 28 and 32).
Frame Rate
The Frame Rate setting lets you select a frame rate for the selected camera. Default is Unlimited.
www.milestonesys.com Page 24 Further Configuration
Available only if the selected camera is a fisheye camera. Fisheye is a technology that allows
creation and viewing of 360-degree panoramic images. The Remote Client supports up to four
different viewpoints from a single fisheye camera. The IPIX Split Mode list lets you select the
required spilt mode:
• One by One lets you view a single viewpoint.
• Two by Two lets you view four different viewpoints at a time.
When viewed on the Live and Browse tabs, the fisheye camera will appear as specified, with either
one or four viewpoints from the same image:
Two by Two: Live tab displaying four different viewpoints from a single fisheye camera;
in this example, the fisheye camera's four viewpoints are enlarged for clarity.
Tip: When viewing different viewpoints from a fisheye camera on the Live or Browse tabs, you
are able to navigate each viewpoint independently by clicking inside each viewpoint, or by using
the buttons in the PTZ Control section.
Apply to All
The Apply To All button lets you quickly apply the camera settings for the selected camera to all
cameras in the view.
Configuring Joystick Control
The Joystick Control section lets you configure joystick control of PTZ (Pan/Tilt/Zoom) cameras.
Joystick configuration control requires that a joystick is attached to the computer running the
Remote Client.
Note: Even though joystick control is supported for a large number of PTZ cameras, not all PTZ
cameras may be joystick-controlled. Consult your surveillance system administrator if in doubt
about joystick support for cameras; your surveillance system administrator will be able to find
information about joystick support for cameras in the release note for your organization’s Milestone
XProtect surveillance system.
Click the Joystick Control section’s Setup... button to access the Joystick Setup window.
www.milestonesys.com Page 25 Further Configuration
The Joystick Setup window’s Joystick Axes section lets you configure the axes used for the joystick.
With a joystick, you are typically able to navigate images three-dimensionally, along three axes: an
X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis.
The Z-axis typically refers to the depth (zoom) level.
Example: X-, Y-, and Z-axes
The Joystick Axes section contains the following buttons and check boxes:
Button,
Description
Check Box
Invert y-axis Lets you invert the Y-axis.
This way, you are able to select whether the camera should move up or
down when you move the joystick towards you and away from you
respectively.
z-axis uses a
relative
positioning
scheme
Default
Lets you specify whether the Z-axis should use a relative or an absolute
positioning scheme.
This will affect the way you zoom in and out with camera.
Resets axes settings, letting you use the joystick’s default axes settings.
values
The Joystick Setup window’s Joystick Buttons section lets you specify which joystick buttons should
be used for particular actions:
To assign an action to a particular joystick button, select the required action in the list, then click
the required joystick button.
www.milestonesys.com Page 26 Further Configuration
You view live video on the Remote Client’s Live tab.
Note: Particular user rights may be required in order to access the Live tab. In order to view live
video in the Remote Client, the surveillance system's recording server must be running; consult
your surveillance system administrator if in doubt. Depending on your user rights, access to
viewing live videos from some cameras may be restricted.
The Live tab, in this example displaying a view
with video from eight cameras
Selecting a View
You are able to select a view for display on the Live tab in two ways:
•By selecting the required view in the Live tab’s Views section:
Detail from Live tab’s Views section
•By selecting the required view from the Views list located in the upper part of the
window:
Views list
Image Bars
Each camera in the view is identified by an image bar, located in the top of each camera image.
The image bar is blue. When you select a particular camera in the view, the image bar of the
The image bar displays the name of the camera as well as the name of the device to which the
camera is connected. The device name is displayed first, in square brackets, followed by the
camera name.
Each image bar will display the word Live when live video is displayed, and the word Stopped if the
camera is stopped.
Each image bar features three colored indicators:
•Event indicator (the leftmost of the three indicators, solid yellow): Lights up when
specific events, defined by the surveillance system administrator, occur. Click anywhere
inside the image to reset the event indicator. This indicator may appear black if event
indication has not been specified for the camera in question, of if no specified events
have occurred. Consult your surveillance system administrator if in doubt.
•Motion indicator (the indicator in the middle, solid red): Lights up when motion is
detected in the image. Click anywhere inside the image to reset the motion indicator.
•Online indicator (the rightmost of the three indicators, blinking green): Changes state
every time an image is received from the camera.
Enlarging Images from a Particular Camera
To enlarge images from a particular camera in a view, double-click the blue image bar above the
image.
Double-clicking blue bar above image enlarges view
To return to normal view, simply double-click the blue image bar again.
Tip: If you have selected reduced image quality for the camera (on the Setup tab), images
from the camera will be displayed in full quality when viewed enlarged.
If the selected camera has external outputs defined, for
example for switching on lights or sounding a siren, such
outputs can be triggered from the Remote Client. To
trigger an output, first select the required camera in the
view, then select the required output in the Output Control section, and click the Fire link.
Note: Depending on your user rights, access to triggering outputs for some cameras may be
restricted.
PTZ Control
PTZ (Pan/Tilt/Zoom) and fisheye (technology allowing creation and viewing of 360-degree
panoramic images) cameras can be controlled from the Remote Client.
Note: Depending on your user rights, access to PTZ controls from some cameras may be
restricted.
Point-and-Click Control
Many PTZ cameras may be controlled simply by pointing and clicking inside the images from the
camera. If you see a set of crosshairs when placing your mouse pointer over the images from a
PTZ camera, point-and-click control is supported for the camera.
Crosshairs indicate point-and-click control.
For some cameras, crosshairs may look different.
For some cameras, crosshairs surrounded by a square may be displayed. When this is the case,
you are able to zoom in on an area by dragging a square around the required area in the image.
For such cameras, zoom level is controlled by holding down the SHIFT key on your keyboard while
moving the mouse up or down; this will display a zoom level slider inside the image.
PTZ Navigation Buttons
As an alternative to point-and-click PTZ control, use the
navigation buttons in the PTZ Control section to move
the selected PTZ or fisheye camera.
The round middle button lets you quickly move the
camera to its home (i.e. default) position. The plus and
minus buttons lets you zoom in and out respectively.
PTZ Preset Positions
If preset positions have been defined for the selected PTZ camera, you are able to select such
positions from the Presets list. Selecting a preset position from the list will make the PTZ camera
move to the specified position.
Preset positions are defined by the system administrator; the Presets list will be empty if no preset
positions have been defined for the selected PTZ camera.
Tip: You may be able to use a joystick for controlling your PTZ cameras. Joystick control is
configured on the Remote Client’s Setup tab. See Further Configuration on page 21.
Note: Even though joystick and point-and-click control is supported for a large number of PTZ
cameras, not all PTZ cameras may be controlled this way. Consult your surveillance system
administrator if in doubt about joystick support for cameras; your surveillance system
administrator will be able to find information about joystick support for cameras in the release note
for your organization’s Milestone XProtect surveillance system.
IPIX PTZ Positions for Fisheye Cameras
You are able to move to a specific position in a fisheye camera image, and then save that position
by clicking the Save button.
When you later want to return to the saved position, click the Load button.
You view recorded video on the Remote Client’s Browse tab. Note: Particular user rights may be required in order to access the Browse tab. Depending on your
user rights, access to browsing video from some cameras may be restricted. Date and time formats
used when browsing recorded video may vary depending on your computer’s regional settings.
Illustrations in this help topic, and date and time formats used in these illustrations, are thus for
guidance only.
The Browse tab provides you with a number of advanced features for browsing recorded video. In
addition to image browsing features, the Browse tab also lets you print images, and export AVIs
(movie clips) and JPEGs (still images).
The Browse tab, in this example displaying a
view with video from eight cameras
Selecting a View
You are able to select a view for display on the Browse tab in two ways:
•By selecting the required view in the Browse tab’s Views section:
Detail from Live tab’s Views section
•By selecting the required view from the Views list located in the upper part of the
window:
Views list
Enlarging Images from a Particular Camera
To enlarge images from a particular camera in a view, double-click the blue title bar above the
image.
www.milestonesys.com Page 32 Viewing Recorded Video
Double-clicking blue bar above image enlarges view
To return to normal view, simply double-click the blue title bar again.
Tip: If you have selected reduced image quality for the camera (on the Setup tab), images
from the camera will be displayed in full quality when viewed enlarged.
Time Navigation
The Browse tab’s Time Navigation section provides you with controls for browsing and playing back
recorded video from the camera selected in the view.
Time Navigation section.
Master Time
The Time Navigation section’s Master Time area shows the master time and date of the recordings
viewed. The master time is the time to which all the cameras viewed are tied. This means that
when you browse recordings, all the images you see in the view will, in principle, be from exactly
the same point in time.
Some cameras, however, may only record if motion is detected. Also, there may be no recorded
images from one or more cameras in the view matching the specified point in time. When this is
the case, the last image in the camera’s database prior to the specified point in time will be
displayed in the view.
Master Time area.
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The Master Time area also displays the current playback speed (example: 1.00x, indicati ng real-
time).
Browse Buttons
The Time Navigation section’s browse buttons lets you manually navigate through recordings from
the camera selected in the view.
Browse buttons
Previous image: Moves to the image just before the one currently viewed
Next image: Moves to the image just after the one currently viewed
Previous sequence: Moves to the first image in the previous sequence
Next sequence: Moves to the first image in the following sequence
First image: Moves to the first image in the database for the selected camera
Last image: Moves to the last image in the database for the selected camera
Time Sliders
The Time Navigation section’s time sliders let you browse recordings simply by dragging the sliders’
handles. Drag to the left to move backwards in time; drag to the right to move forward in time.
Use the upper times slider for fine browsing within a limited period of time; use the lower slider for
coarser browsing within longer time spans.
Time sliders
Playback Slider and Buttons
The Time Navigation section’s playback slider lets you specify the required playback speed. In the
slider’s middle position, playback speed is real-time (1.00x). Drag the slider to the l eft for a slower
playback speed; drag to the right for a faster playback speed.
An indication of the exact playback speed is displayed in the upper right corner of the Time Navigation section’s Master Time area.
Playback slider and buttons
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Play reverse: Plays back recordings backwards in time
Play forward: Plays back recordings forward in time
Stop: Stops playback
Tip: Dragging the playback slider to its leftmost position pauses playback.
Go To Time
The Time Navigation section’s Go To Time fields let you
quickly jump to a specific point in time. Specify required
date in the first field and required time in the second field,
then click the Go To link.
Sequences
The Browse tab’s Sequences section provides you with an overview of recorded sequences for the
camera selected in the view. To use the Sequences section, select the required camera in the view,
then click the Sequences section’s Get Sequences button.
Clicking the Get Sequences button will retrieve a list of up to 40 sequences: 20 sequences prior to
the point in time displayed in the view, and 20 sequences following the point in time displayed in
the view. Each sequence will be listed with date and time as well as the length of the sequence.
Clicking a sequence in the list will move all images in the view to the time the sequence.
If the Preview check box is selected, you are able to quickly view each sequence by placing the
mouse pointer over the required sequence in the list:
Sequences section; placing mouse pointer over
a sequence indication lets you quickly view the
incident.
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Clicking the expand icon next to a sequence in the list will show you the exact date and time of
the first and last image in the sequence as well as the exact date and time of the motion detection,
event, etc. triggering the recording.
Sequences may often begin some seconds before a motion detection, event, etc. and end some
seconds after. This so-called buffer allows you to be able to see what happens immediately before
and after an incident; the buffer length is determined by the surveillance system administrator.
Detail from Sequences section, showing
expanded sequence indication.
PTZ Control
The Browse tab’s PTZ Control section lets you navigate recorded images from fisheye cameras
(fisheye is a technology allowing creation and viewing of 360-degree panoramic images).
Note: The Browse tab’s PTZ Control section cannot be used for controlling PTZ (Pan/Tilt/Zoom)
cameras, as the Browse tab is used for viewing already recorded video.
Navigation by Dragging Inside Fisheye Images
Many fisheye images may be navigated simply by dragging inside the images.
If your mouse pointer changes to or similar when placed over an image from a fisheye camera,
navigation by dragging is supported for the camera.
Navigation Buttons
As an alternative to navigation by dragging inside fisheye images, use the navigation buttons in the
PTZ Control section to move around the image from the selected fisheye camera.
The round middle button lets you quickly move the camera to its home (i.e. default) position.
The plus and minus buttons lets you zoom in and out respectively.
PTZ Control section
Presets
The Presets list does not apply for navigating recorded video from fisheye cameras.
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You are able to move to a specific position in the fisheye image, and then save that position by
clicking the Save button. When you later want to return to the saved position, click the Load
button.
Printing Images
With the Browse section’s Print section, you are able to print recorded images.
Print section
To print an image, do the following:
1. Select the required camera from the Print section’s Source list. Alternatively, you may
select the camera in the view.
2. Select the required date and time by using the controls in the Time Navigation section.
3. Click the Print section’s Print button.
This will open a separate window with a preview of the image to be printed as well as
information about camera name, image capture time, print time and user name of the user
printing the image.
You also have the option of including a user’s note, for example a description of the
recording.
Window with preview and information
about printed image
4. Click the separate window’s Print link to print the image and associated details.
www.milestonesys.com Page 37 Viewing Recorded Video
If the image is missing from the preview window, and from the printed report itself, it may be due
to a security setting in Microsoft Internet Explorer:
• If you run a locally installed version of the Remote Client, a notice bar prompting you to
accept the running of a script/ActiveX control may appear when you attempt to print an
image. When this is the case, simply accept the running of the script/ActiveX control.
• If you run the Remote Client from the surveillance system server, you must define the
surveillance system server as a trusted site in Internet Explorer: Open Internet Explorer,
and select Tools > Internet Options. In the Internet Options window, select the Security
tab. Now select the Trusted sites zone (the one with the green check mark), click the Sites
button, and add the surveillance system server's address (including the http:// prefix) to
the list of trusted websites. Log in to the Remote Client again, and you will be able to see
the required image.
Exporting Video
With the Browse section’s Export section, you are able to
export recorded video in the AVI (movie clip) and JPEG
(still image) formats.
See Exporting Evidence in AVI and JPEG Formats in the
following for detailed information about exporting
recorded video.
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With the Remote Client you are able to quickly generate and export video evidence in the AVI
(movie clip) and JPEG (still image) formats.
Note: Depending on your user rights, access to generating AVI or JPEG evidence from some
cameras may be restricted. Date and time formats used when browsing recorded video may vary
depending on your computer’s regional settings. Illustrations in this help topic, and date and time
formats used in the illustrations, are thus for guidance only.
To export video evidence, do the following:
1. Select the Remote Client’s Browse tab.
2. In the Browse tab’s Export section, specify start date and time for the export by typing the
date in the first Start Time field and the time in the second field.
Export section.
Tip: Instead of manually specifying date and time, you may use the Browse tab’s Time
Navigation features to move to the required start point, then click the upper of the Export
section’s Set links. This will automatically set the date and time of the viewed image into
the Start Time fields.
3. In the End Time fields, specify end date and time for the export.
As was the case with the start date and time, end date
and time must be in the correct format if specified
manually.
Alternatively, use the Set link as described above.
4. Select the required camera from the Source list.
5. Click the Export button. This will open an export dialog,
listing the specified start time, end time, and camera.
6. In the export dialog, select the required export format:
AVI (movie clip) or JPEG (still images).
7. Select whether to add timestamps from the surveillance
system to the exported images. If selected, timestamps
will appear in the corner of the images.
8. This step applies for export in the AVI format only; if using the JPEG format, go to
step 11
Select required frame rate for the export. With the Full option, all images between the start
and end times will be included in the export; with the Half option, only every second image
will be included, yet still play back in real-time.
9. This step applies for export in the AVI format only; if using the JPEG format, go to
step 11
In the AVI Codec list, select required AVI codec. The list will contain the video codecs
available on your computer.
A video codec is a particular compression/decompression technology used when generating
video files. Your choice of codec will affect the quality and size of the AVI file.
Tip: The Indeo® video 5.10 codec, if available on your computer, generally provi des a
very good compromise between quality and file size.
10. This step applies for export in the AVI format only; if using the JPEG format, go to
step 11
By default, the AVI file will get a file name based on the export start time, along the
structure yyyymmddhhmmss.avi (year, month, day, hour, minute, second; example:
20050630160430 for a file with a start time of 16:04:30 on 30th June 2005). The name
will automatically appear in the AVI FileName field.
The default file name format is independent of regional settings on your computer.
You are always able to change the default file name to a name of your choice, simply by
overwriting the default file name. Remember that the file name must include the .avi file
extension.
11. Specify export destination.
If you select Desktop, your exported file will be saved in an automatically created Exported Images folder on the desktop of your computer.
If you select Path, you are able to specify a path yourself. The exported file will be saved in
an automatically created Exported Images folder under the path you specify (example: If
you specify a path like C:\My Stuff\My Files, the exported file will be saved in C:\My
Stuff\My Files\Exported Images).
When specifying a path this way, the folders you specify do not have to be existing ones; if
they do not already exist, they will be created automatically.
12. Click the Export link to begin the export.
The status bar in the upper part of the export dialog will display the status of the export:
Export status bar
Tip: If you are exporting very long sequences, export may—depending on your
selected export settings—take a while. You can continue to use the Remote Client for other
purposes while the export process is underway.
If the Close On Completion check box is selected (default), the export dialog will
automatically close when the export is finished.
Upon completion, you are able to view and distribute the exported file.
You are able to use the following keyboard shortcuts in the Remote Client:
On All Tabs
CTRL+1 Go to Live tab
CTRL+2 Go to Browse tab
CTRL+3 Go to Setup tab
CTRL+DOWN
ARROW
CTRL+UP ARROW
Go to the next view in the Views list (located in the upper part of the
window)
Go to the previous view in the Views list (located in the upper part of the
window)
On Live Tab Only
PLUS SIGN PTZ camera, zoom in
MINUS SIGN PTZ camera, zoom out
UP ARROW PTZ camera, move up
DOWN ARROW PTZ camera, move down
LEFT ARROW PTZ camera, move left
RIGHT ARROW PTZ camera, move right
HOME (numeric
keypad only)
END (numeric
keypad only)
PAGE UP (numeric
keypad only)
PAGE DOWN
(numeric keypad
only)
5 (numeric keypad
only)
PTZ camera, move up and left
PTZ camera, move down and left
PTZ camera, move up and right
PTZ camera, move down and right
PTZ camera, move to default position
On Browse Tab Only
RIGHT ARROW Move to next image
LEFT ARROW Move to previous image
PAGE DOWN Move to next sequence
AVI: A popular file format for video. Files in this format carry the .avi file extension.
C
Codec: A technology for compressing and decompressing audio and video data, for example in an
exported AVI file. MPEG and Indeo
®
are examples of frequently used codecs.
D
DirectX: A Windows extension providing advanced multimedia capabilities.
F
Frame Rate: A measure indicating the amount of information contained in motion video. Frame
rate is typically measured in FPS (Frames Per second). The higher frame rate, the smoother motion
in video sequence will appear.
H
HTTP: HyperText Transfer Protocol, a standard for exchanging files across the internet. HTTP is the
standard used for formatting and transmission of data on the world wide web.
I
IP Address: Internet Protocol address; the identifier for a computer or device on a network. Used
by the TCP/IP protocol for routing data traffic to the intended destination. An IP address consists of
four numbers, each between 0 and 256, separated by full stops (example: 192.168.212.2).
IPIX: A technology that allows creation and viewing of 360-degree panoramic “fisheye” images.
J
JPEG: An image compression technology, named after the Joint Photographic Experts Group. Files
created with JPEG compression usually carry the .jpg file extension.
P
PTZ: Pan/Tilt/Zoom; a highly movable and flexible type of camera.
U
URL: Uniform Resource Locator; an address of a resource on the world wide web. The first part of
a URL specifies which protocol (i.e. data communication standard) to use when accessing the
resource, whereas the second part of the URL specifies the domain or IP address at which the
resource is located. Example: http://www.milestonesys.com.