VIAAS Bullet User Manual

VIAAS

User Guide

If extra support is needed please call VIAAS Technical Support at 408.342.5570, or email support@viaas.com

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1.1 Release Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

1.2 What's New in VIAAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1.3 Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1.3.1 Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

1.3.2 VIAAS Camera Installation Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1.3.2.1 VIAAS Bandwidth Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

1.3.2.2 Camera Framing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

1.3.2.3 Camera Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

1.3.3 Bullet Camera Installation in an Outdoor Enclosure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

1.3.4 Bullet Camera Installation in a Heated Outdoor Enclosure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

1.4 Understanding Locations, Groups, and Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

1.4.1 Understanding Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

1.4.2 Understanding Permissions and Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

1.4.3 Understanding Camera Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

1.5 Administrative Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

1.5.1 How to Manage Cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

1.5.2 How to Manage Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

1.5.3 How to Manage Users and Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

1.5.4 How to Manage Camera Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

1.6 Camera Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

1.6.1 Configuration Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

1.6.1.1 How to Configure a Single Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

1.6.1.2 How to Configure Multiple Cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

1.6.2 Images Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

1.6.3 NOW Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

1.6.4 Timeline Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

1.7 Saved Events Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

1.8 How to Update Personal Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

1.9 How to Use the VIAAS Mobile App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

1.10 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

1.10.1 How to Adjust from a Previous Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Overview

VIAAS is a cloud-connected, cloud-managed surveillance solution providing professional-grade features through a modern web browser or mobile device. VIAAS maintains your privacy. Everything recorded on the camera is fully encrypted and remains encrypted at all times – on the microSD card, on the Internet, and in cloud storage.

VIAAS cameras capture video when something happens, but do not record hours of nothing. For each video segment, object-based motion tracking captures a key image. You can scan thumbnail images of events to locate an event of interest, then review the video with a single click.

These thumbnail images are effective even over low bandwidth connections. Cameras only send the small images in real time, but store encrypted video locally on the microSD card. When more bandwidth is available, or when you want to watch a video, the video is uploaded to the cloud. You can schedule specific times to upload the video, so it never critically impacts your network bandwidth.

Release Notes

Version 5.0.0

This release improves security and modifies grouping and permission management to improve management for larger accounts, and to support the next generation of cameras.

The primary changes include:

Expanded Groups. Previously groups were only available to an individual user and were not shared within the account. There are now

three types of groups:

Locations: Each camera must belong to a Location group. The Location group geographically relates cameras, so configuration, monitoring, and administration are easier. Only users with the Superuser role can configure Location groups. Shared Groups: Cameras may optionally be added to multiple Shared Groups. Shared Groups are visible to all properly authorized users in the account. Shared Groups are intended to relate cameras in other ways, such as by purpose, such as "lobby cameras" and "outdoor cameras". Only users with the Superuser role can configure Shared Groups. My Groups: Cameras may optionally be added to multiple individual groups, called My Groups. My Groups are visible only to the user who created them, and are intended to relate cameras in whatever way is most helpful for that user. A typical use is for viewing a subset of cameras. Any user can configure My Groups.

Managing Bandwidth by Location. Configuration options allow for bandwidth management based on the Location rather than by

camera. This is primarily to assist with alerting and for our next-generation cameras to share bandwidth more intelligently.

.Updated Camera Configuration Panel Updated to improve usability and allow for Location configuration.

.Permissions for Locations and Cameras Configure permissions, notifications, and bandwidth schedules for a Location, as well as for

separate cameras. In this way, a newly added camera may have assigned permissions as soon as you assign the new camera to a Location.

.Permissions and User Roles Permission settings may be granted through Roles, so multiple users assigned to a single Role share a

single set of permissions. Assign a user to a Role to automatically set permissions to that Role.

. Camera Views based on Permission Users can only see cameras for which they have permission. If they do not have access to

cameras within a Location or Shared Group, they will not see the Location or Shared Group in the tree. For example, if a user has access only to "Boston" cameras, they will only see the "Boston" Location and not any other Location.

.Single Level of Groups There is no longer any "nesting" of groups.

Security and Mobile Access. Improvements to security and mobile access.

If you are transitioning from a previous version of VIAAS, please note the following:

Each user in your account currently has custom permissions. All cameras are currently assigned to a Default Location.

A user with the Superuser role should complete the transition process with these steps:

Review and modify Location group values (Location group name and camera assignment) for the cameras. Update permissions and create roles so new cameras have permissions set up automatically.

What's New in VIAAS

New in Version 5.0

Locations and Roles

This release includes additional ways to administer cameras and users.

Cameras can now be grouped by . Certain changes you make to one location apply to all of the cameras within that location.location Users can now be organized by . Changes you make to the role apply to all users with that role.role

Be sure to read Understanding Locations, Groups, and Roles for information on these new features.

Note that while these additions are useful for all VIAAS installations, they are most helpful for organizations with multiple cameras in multiple geographic locations.

Getting Started

For information on physically setting up cameras, refer to the VIAAS Quick Start Guide, also provided in the box with your camera.

You should also refer to:

Recommendations VIAAS Camera Installation Tips Bullet Camera Installation in an Outdoor Enclosure Bullet Camera Installation in a Heated Outdoor Enclosure

Registering for the First Time

The first time you log into VIAAS, you must provide the following information to complete your registration:

Serial number of the device, located on a sticker on the back of the device

Last four digits of the MAC address for the same device

Timezone

* If you have more than one device, choose the serial number for one device. Then choose the MAC address corresponding to the serial number you chose.

Documentation Organization

This document is organized as follows:

Understanding Locations, Groups, and Roles Background on organization of cameras and

users.

Administrative Functions Managing users and cameras, along with

managing your account (available only to users with Admin and

Superuser roles).

Camera Functions Viewing cameras, images, and recorded

events. Also, how to configure cameras.

Saved Events Functions Viewing Events you have saved from

cameras.

Troubleshooting How to resolve common issues.

Where to Start

Administrators – Begin with , then adding users (Understanding Locations, Groups, and Roles Administrative Functions) and configuring

cameras (Configuration Panel). Users – Begin with becoming familiar with the .Understanding Locations, Groups, and Roles and Camera Functions

Administrative functions are not visible to all users. Only users with specific permissions can view and change administrative settings.

Recommendations

Read to familiarize yourself with the organizational structure of cameras and users.Understanding Locations, Groups, and Roles The most straightforward method of getting started is:

Add cameras to the system. Define new locations if needed, otherwise, assign cameras to existing locations. (Refer to How to Manage

)Cameras Define roles. (Refer to )How to Manage Users and Roles Add users to the roles. (Refer to )How to Manage Users and Roles

VIAAS Camera Installation Tips

This article includes tips for VIAAS installation.

Site Preparation

VIAAS cameras require the following network infrastructure:

Firewall – Is there a firewall at the site, and if yes, how is it programmed? VIAAS cameras connect automatically to VIAAS servers at. All VIAAS connections are outbound, so there is no need for any port forwarding. The cameras will use the following ports, in the order listed, if they are open: 733, 443, 80.

Internet Bandwidth – Check that there is sufficient Internet bandwidth at the site.

For D1 resolution (720x480), you will need at least 512 kbps of upstream bandwidth and at least 100 kbps upstream per additional camera. Using this metric, a facility with less than 1 Mbps upstream bandwidth can handle fewer than ten cameras. For 720p HD resolution, the bandwidth requirement for video streaming and video/image file transfer to the cloud is about 2.5 times higher. Using this metric, ten cameras running 720p HD should have at least 3 Mbps upstream bandwidth. Use the VIAAS Bandwidth Calculator (download here) for quick minimum bandwidth calculations.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) – Is the local network Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled? PoE is requuired to power VIAAS cameras.

PoE can be provided to multiple cameras with a PoE switch, or to individual cameras with a PoE injector. Some PoE switches only power half of their ports (many 8-port switches only power 4 ports) and some switches cannot supply full power to all ports (for example, an 8-port switch that supplies 15W on any of 8 ports but can only supply 60W total).

Cameras running Wi-Fi need a Cat5 cable running PoE for power, even if the cable is not connected to the network. Router and DHCP Server – Confirm there is a router and a DHCP server at the installation site. Some small businesses have just a DSL or cable modem with one or two ports. Some of these devices lock to the first MAC address that they acquire and must be reset from the access provider before they can work with a newly installed router.

By default, the DHCP server provides the IP addresses and gateway and DNS addresses. The DHCP server must have a

sufficient range of free addresses to support all of the cameras you are installing, or you must manually assign IP addresses to

each camera.

Wireless – For wireless installations, confirm there is an access point on site and within range. Determine if the cameras will share it. If so, get the security information for the access point so you can configure the cameras to connect to it.

Make sure you have an account with VIAAS. The registration process adds the first camera to the account. You can then use the Add Camera feature to input all of the other cameras into the account.

Registering New Cameras

Unpack the cameras and connect them to an Internet-connected PoE cable in your office, before you go to the installation site. You can plug in several cameras at once. The cameras will connect to servers at VIAAS and download the latest firmware. This takes between 2-10 minutes, depending on the available bandwidth. The cameras run their initiation and updates independently. Make a list of the camera MAC addresses for future reference. If you will use the cameras with Wi-Fi, you must configure the camera Wi-Fi settings while they are connected to the service with an Ethernet cable.

Make sure you have all of the necessary mounting hardware, including the outdoor housings. Bullet cameras have versatile mounting kits included in each box. Dome cameras mount to any flat surface with three screws and rubber washers (included). If your network is not PoE-enabled or does not have enough PoE ports to support the cameras, you need to use PoE injectors (one per camera) or a PoE switch. Cable length is important. The maximum length of both Ethernet and PoE cables is 100 meters.

Installing Cameras

Hang the cameras securely and connect them all to the Internet. They take 2-3 minutes to boot and communicate with the servers at VIAAS. You should have already let them load the latest firmware before reaching the installation site, as described above. If your camera is not connecting to VIAAS, you might want to connect a laptop to the same cable that the camera is connected to and see if the laptop can access the Internet. This will sort out most cabling issues and some, but not all, DHCP issues. You can also try the following testing websites:

speedtest.net to check your network connection speed pingtest.net to check your network connection speed and quality, especially the packet loss test

LED patterns – Each camera has LEDs that blink to represent specific conditions. The blinking patterns depend on the camera.

The VIAAS Dome camera uses single, multi-color LEDs. Get the latest information about LED pattern indications by

Camera Wi-Fi settings must be configured while cameras have a connection to the Internet before they can connect withwired Wi-Fi. See the Wi-Fi Configuration section toward the end of this document for detailed instructions.

contacting VIAAS Technical Support at 408-342-5570. The indicator lights on VIAAS Bullet cameras have the following patterns:

Light Pattern Meaning

Both lights blink together every 2-3 seconds Good connection Right light is on; left light blinks Unable to obtain DHCP address Both lights blink once per second

DHCP address obtained, but camera cannot connect to the VIAAS servers

Aim – Once the cameras are all connected, you can adjust the camera aim. Aim each camera so it captures your target areas, minimizing walls and sky.

For all models:

You can "flip" the image 180 degrees (upside down to right side up), in case you have to mount the camera upside down, using the VIAAS Settings page in the browser.

VIAAS Bullet – Adjust the aim on the camera mount. Adjust the zoom using the lens (power zoom). VIAAS Dome – Rotate the entire lens bracket in the camera base to aim the unit. Gently twist the knurled ring behind the camera lens to achieve the best orientation.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT attempt to rotate the lens by turning the lens itself. This can cause the lens to break loose from its mount.

Camera Focus Tips

The cameras ship with default settings that should be adjusted after installation to maximize performance. It is best to perform the adjustments after the cameras have been running for a few days. This allows some event and video history to build, which can be used for fine tuning. VIAAS Support staff can examine each camera's performance and help you refine the filters and motion detection settings.

Focusing VIAAS Bullet and Dome Cameras

To focus VIAAS Bullet and Dome cameras:

Open VIAAS in your browser and navigate to the Settings page for the camera you want to focus. On the Settings page, click Zoom/Focus. If you are not already in Auto Mode, click Switch to Auto Mode.

a. In Auto Mode, adjust the zoom and then click Focus so the camera will focus itself.

b. In the browser window, you should see the frame come into focus and lock automatically. Click Done. Click Save & Exit to save your focus settings on the camera. Please be patient. This process may take 10-20 seconds. Optionally, when you return to the NOW Panel in the view for that camera, click Go Live to see that the scene is in focus and the zoom is optimized.

In some environments, the camera may have difficulty focusing automatically. If the camera is unable to focus automatically, click Switch to

. There, you can make small adjustments to the focus manually. Please be patient because the camera view you see is delayedManual Mode 10-20 seconds, due to network and server latency. If the delay is too long, close the focus utility and check the camera focus in Go Live mode. Repeat the focus sequence if needed.

Installing an IR Illuminator

If you are installing an IR illuminator ring on the VIAAS Bullet camera, remove the sticker covering the contacts at the front of the camera. Find the contact pads in the camera, and then look where the spring pins in the IR ring will contact the pads. Line the pins up over the pads and snap the ring in place. Take care that you do not install the ring with both pins on one pad. The IR ring will not operate under those conditions. Test the IR ring. The ring only receives power when the camera is in Night Mode. To put the camera in Night Mode, hold your hand over the lens for about 2 minutes, the LEDs will blink, and then you will hear the click as the exchanger flips the IR filter out of the optical path and the camera switches to Night Mode. Look at the IR ring with your cell phone camera. If it is functioning, you will be able to see the LEDs glowing. The human eye cannot see the IR ring illumination, so using a cell phone camera is helpful.

Outdoor Installation

The VIAAS Dome camera is rated for both indoor and outdoor use.

If you adjust the zoom for framing, you must also adjust the focus.

Please be patient when adjusting the focus and zoom on the cameras. It takes several seconds for the commands to execute on the camera and for the results to appear in the browser window.

The VIAAS Bullet camera is not weatherproof. To install them outdoors, you will need housings. Contact VIAAS Sales for assistance in purchasing outdoor housings. For particularly cold or hot climates, VIAAS Sales can suggest housings with heaters and fans.

Most of the housings come with a ¼-20 screw with a low profile head for attaching the camera to the sled. Be sure to use that screw; any other screw could prevent the sled from seating in the track. Be sure to seal the conduit hole in the housing to prevent dust or insects from getting into it. Put the lens very close to the glass, but not quite touching it. The lens will need a little room to move when zooming or focusing. This prevents insects from getting between the glass and the lens and seeing the reflection of the LEDs in the image. LEDs can be turned off in the camera settings tool to prevent reflection issues. As described above, focus the camera outside the housing, then snap it in. Refer to the following articles for details on this these types of installations:

Bullet Camera Installation in a Heated Outdoor Enclosure Bullet Camera Installation in an Outdoor Enclosure

Camera Configuration

Nearly all camera settings, except physical positioning, are done from the camera Settings page in the VIAAS web interface. In the NOW Panel, click the small gear icon in the upper left corner of the camera view. This opens the settings window for that camera.

Bandwidth Settings

This table summarizes suggested bandwidth settings. You can select for D1 or 720p HD. Choose the settings and bandwidth management that allow the cameras to operate optimally over the local

network. For a detailed description, continue reading the article after the table.

Default Bandwidth D1 resolution cameras

720p HD cameras

100 - 200 kbps 250 - 600 kbps (about 2.5 times amount for

D1 resolution)

Maximum

D1 resolution cameras 720p HD cameras

500 kbps 1250 kbps (1.25 Mbps)

Unlimited

Do not use this setting. When the SD card fills up, the camera might

consume all of your network bandwidth when attempting to upload videos.

Details about Bandwidth

Choosing a default bandwidth. Cameras work well with a default bandwidth of 100 or 200 kbps. Cameras in the field typically have a

duty cycle of less than 25% (recording less than 25% of the day), and are often under 15%. The camera records at 380 kbps (1 Mbps in 720p HD) when it detects motion. If it detects motion 25% of the time and it has 100 kbps of default bandwidth, it can smoothly upload images to VIAAS servers throughout the day and night. 720p HD cameras should be allocated about 2.5 times as much bandwidth as those running in D1 resolution. As a general rule, give the cameras as much bandwidth as you can afford, up to 500 kbps in standard resolution or 1 Mbps in 720p resolution. This will extend the life of the SD cards. Choosing a maximum bandwidth. In D1 resolution, set the max bandwidth to 500 kbps. For 720p HD resolution, multiply the bandwidth requirements by 2.5 for live streaming and video file transfer to the cloud. Busy scenarios. In some cases, you cannot set the camera's default bandwidth high enough to upload all of the video during the day. For example, in a busy restaurant or retail shop, the cameras might average 20% duty cycle (recording 20% of the day), so if you have 6 or 8 cameras running on a modest broadband connection, they might use nearly all the available bandwidth, leaving little for point-of-sale devices (e.g., credit card machines) and other essential networked equipment. In these busy situations, you can set camera bandwidth utilization to be very low during business hours and then throttle it up when the network is not needed by the customer, typically late at night. For example, to minimize use of the customer network during busy periods, you can set each camera's bandwidth to 50 kbps or 100 kbps during business hours. When the restaurant or retailer is closed, you can set the cameras to run at 500 kbps for several hours to empty their SD cards. Set this feature carefully to achieve the best performance for your needs.

Schedules.

When you set a schedule, remember to click , so the schedule runs every day. Otherwise, it will run only once. Daily Avoid setting rolling schedules, where one camera gets high bandwidth for an hour, then another camera gets the high

bandwidth, then another camera, and so on. Give all of them the entire night, or off-peak period, and they will work through it. Avoid cascading switches with a slow connection. If you have a slow Internet connection, do not cascade switches. If you have one switch plugged into another, the cameras on the downstream switch get a fraction of the bandwidth the cameras on the top switch receive.

5. a. b.

10.

Preview Mode. Put the cameras in Preview Mode to view them on the camera browser. Nearly all organizations want this "live view" capability for active monitoring.

Set "dead zone" cameras (for example, storage, back door, basement, IT closet) to a slower preview rate. Set "active zone" cameras ( , lobby, dining room, manufacturing, showroom) to one frame every two seconds orfor example

more for near-motion video monitoring.

Camera Motion Detecting Settings

VIAAS Bullet and Dome Cameras

For VIAAS Bullet and Dome cameras, motion detection is set using Regions of Interest. On the Settings page of the web interface, scroll down to the Zone Editor section. Click Create Zones to open a tool to draw boxes around "Regions of Interest" where motion should be detected, and other motion in the image can be ignored. This is useful for a camera in a lobby with a busy street behind it. Using the tool, you would draw a box around the lobby area, the Region of Interest, but exclude the street. That way, activity in the lobby triggers the motion detection and video recording, but traffic on the street would not.

For all cameras, use the following tips for motion detection:

Tune out unwanted motion. If you have video clips that were created based on background motion, you can tune the settings to fix that. Play one of these clips from within the Images or Timeline panel. While the clip is playing, click player menu icon in the

lower-right corner of the player and select Show Motion. Red boxes will appear in the video, showing where the camera picked up motion. It could be actual motion, or just things like lights, shadows, or outside traffic. You can make adjustments by creating zones to reduce unwanted recordings and alerts. Tune the camera settings carefully. Maxing out the settings can reduce the system performance. The cameras have a high degree of adjustability that can be very effective if set systematically and thoughtfully. Set alerts to actively monitor camera, event, and recording activity. VIAAS can send you email notifications of events or if the camera goes offline. The system can also email you if it detects motion during a scheduled time period. In most conditions the motion detection is very accurate and these "off-hours motion alerts" may be very helpful.

Wi-Fi Configuration: VIAAS Bullet and Dome Cameras

If possible, configure the camera Wi-Fi settings using the Wi-Fi network the camera will use when it is operating normally. It is possible, but more challenging, to perform this configuration remotely. If you perform the configuration remotely, be sure you have the key information for the Wi-Fi network the camera will use, as described in Step 6 below.

To configure Wi-Fi for the VIAAS Bullet and Dome cameras:

Plug the camera into a wired Internet connection with power over Ethernet. Log into VIAAS using a web browser. Open the Settings page for the camera. Scroll to the bottom of the camera Settings page. For Interface Preference, select Use Ethernet, Wi-Fi Backup. At the bottom of the Settings page, click Configure Wireless. A new window opens. If you are within range of the network the camera will use:

Change the to and click . A list of available networks should appear.Mode DHCP Scan Select the correct network from the list. The window opens and you can enter the NetworkWireless Network Configuration Name, Network Authentication, Data Encryption, and Network Key. You only need to enter a pass phrase if you are selecting a network from the list.

If you are not within range of the Wi-Fi network the camera will use:

Click to manually enter the network and security settings (Network Name, Network Authentication, DataConfigure Manually Encryption, Network Key). The camera cannot work without the exact Wi-Fi settings. When you are within range of the Wi-Fi network, this information will populate automatically, reducing the risk of error.

After you have entered the network and security settings, click Apply. Click Test Wi-Fi to see if the connection works. Click Done to save the settings and close the window. If possible, check the list on the access point to verify that the camera is connected. If you do not have access to the list, reopen the VIAAS Wi-Fi configuration page you opened in Step 4, and see if it says connected and displays the selected network highlighted in green. Near the bottom of the camera configuration page, under Interface Preference, change the setting to Use Wi-Fi, Ethernet Backup. At the top of the Settings page, click Apply to save the settings. After you have entered and saved the settings to the camera, you can install and power on the camera. It will connect to the Wi-Fi network.

Check local laws before turning audio on because it may be illegal in some jurisdictions.

Caution

VIAAS surveillance cameras are not intended to replace security alarm systems or intrusion detection devices.

10.

Contacting Technical Support

For assistance, contact VIAAS Technical Support.

Call 408-342-5570 between 8:30am-5:30pm Pacific time Email support@viaas.com Visit VIAAS Technical Support

Important

Please allow about a minute for the settings to save to our servers and in the camera before unplugging the camera from the wired Internet connection. If you disconnect the camera before the settings are applied, the camera will not have the correct Wi-Fi settings and you will have to connect the camera to a wired Internet connection for a couple of minutes until the settings are saved.

VIAAS Bandwidth Calculator

Use the VIAAS Bandwidth Calculator for quick minimum bandwidth calculations.

Click to download the VIAAS Bandwidth Calculator.

Refer to VIAAS Camera Installation Tips for information on bandwidth requirements.

Camera Framing

When deciding how to mount your VIAAS camera, consider the topics in this article.

What do you want to see?

Deciding what you want to see is really a question of your goals. If you want to be able to recognize who is coming in and out of your lobby, place the camera someplace where it is likely to get a facial shot as people enter or exit. If you want to watch cars in your parking lot, decide if you need to be able to read license plates and mount the camera appropriately. You can usually make these decisions easily, once you think about what you want to see on a video a week after the event occurred.

How can you best use your camera to accomplish that?

From a technical point of view, there a two issues to consider – image quality and event triggers.

Image Quality

Range of Lighting

For reasonable image quality, you need light – the better the light, the better the image you will capture. Strive for light that is bright and consistent across the entire frame. VIAAS Ultra High Dynamic Range (UHDR) is relatively immune to lighting issues. However, it is important to know it works by first making sure that the darkest areas of the image are good enough, then extending the dynamic range to cover the brightest areas. If you have poor image quality, the best fix is to increase the light in the darkest areas (<10 lux) or to adjust the camera framing to eliminate dark areas.

Sharp Transitions in Lighting

Try to avoid sharp transitions in frame lighting. This is most often encountered as somebody opens a tinted door to a brightly lit outdoor area, flooding the room with light. In this situation, consider pointing the camera away from the door and capturing images as people leave, before they open the door on the way out.

Low Light

If you want very good performance at night with very low light, use an IR illuminator. They are inexpensive and very effective. VIAAS works well in Night Mode on its own, down to about 1 lux, and has usable images down to 0.1 lux. Almost any "legal" indoor workplace lighting including emergency lighting will work well. If you want to capture images of a deer in your backyard by starlight, it would help to use an IR illuminator.

Capturing Motion Events

VIAAS cameras use object-based motion detection to capture images when things happen, and to ignore what does not matter. Cameras are tuned to fire aggressively, under the assumption you do not want to miss anything.

A common issue is that you have things in the foreground you want to capture (e.g., people on a sidewalk) but there are also things in the background that move a lot (e.g., cars on the street). You end up with a huge number of images of cars and a few of people. Random small movement, such as waves or trees in the wind, are filtered effectively. The only issue is relatively large things moving coherently.

VIAAS events offer two tools on the Configuration Panel to help you:

Zone Editor – Allows you to create up to three regions of interest. Recording will trigger if there is motion in any region, but will ignore motion outside the region(s). Sensitivity – Sensitivity works if you have different-sized objects. For example, the people in foreground are large, and the cars in background are small.

If your situation does not fit into one of these two categories, you need to re-frame the image. Some options include:

Zoom in to narrow the field Mount the camera higher or lower to get better separation Re-aim the camera to eliminate one of the motion types

Camera Mounting

Refer to the Quick Start Guide you received in the box with the camera for most instructions. This article is an additional discussion of how to physically hang the camera.

Choosing a Location

Determine where you will mount the camera. Consider the following factors:

what will the camera look like and how will people react to it? how easy will the installation be? where will you get connectivity and power? how well will the camera function to provide you with the images you want?

Be sure to read the article on Camera Framing as part of determining the camera's location.

Getting the Equipment Ready

After you have picked a location, get your equipment ready. The steps from here vary a little between drop ceiling install and screwmount.

Drop Ceilings

It is relatively easy to mount a camera on a drop ceiling. For drop ceilings, you use the "scissor mount" to attach the camera to one of the drop ceiling rails. You do not need any tools, though a large pair

of pliers (channel lock type) can be useful. While on the ground, assemble the camera mount. In most situations, one long extender and one short extender work well. Attach the extenders

to the scissor mount and attach the mount head to the other end. Screw everything together firmly by hand. You do not want any of these connections turning when you attach the camera later, but also do not break anything.

DO NOT ATTACH THE CAMERA NOW. Open the scissor mount completely (so the flanges are as far apart as possible). Finally, pick the rail you will mount to. It is better to have the rail

largely in line with the direction of the camera aim. Now you are ready to go up the ladder. Attach the scissor mount to the rail. It works well to rock the mount slightly in one direction and work one side over the rail, then rock it flat and

close the mount. The channel lock pliers come in handy for closing the mount. If it is really tight, you can use a flat screwdriver to open the flanges a little. Continue with , described below.Attaching the Camera

Screw Mount

To mount the camera on a solid wall or ceiling, use the screw mount base. If you are installing into drywall or plaster, you can use the included screws and inserts. You will also need:

drill with a 1/4" or 6mm bit pencil Phillips head screwdriver

If you are installing into a different material, use appropriate screws and attachment techniques. In any case, you will follow these steps:

Mark the mount points using the base Drill for the screws/inserts Attach the base Attach the mount to the base Attach the camera.

With the base and a pencil, climb up and mark the mounting holes, then drill. Push in the inserts until they are flush, then attach the base with the screws.

Assemble the rest of the mount before you attach it to the base. Pick your extenders – for ceiling mount, one long and one short work well and– screw them together with the camera head. Now attach the assembled mount to the base. Make sure everything is fairly tight. You do not want any of these joints twisting as you finish the install. Continue with Attaching the Camera, described below.

Attaching the Camera

The final step is attaching the camera. Climb up and install the camera. Loosen the set knob so the camera screw moves freely. Turn the head itself until the slot is parallel to the direction of the camera aim because you will need to tilt the camera. To attach the camera, aim it about where you want, push it onto the screw and turn the screw, holding the camera in place. Keep going until it is tight. Now make sure the camera can tilt (align the slot with direction of the camera). Tilt the camera to about the right angle, and tighten up the set knob. Plug in your Power-Over-Ethernet and you are done.

Bullet Camera Installation in an Outdoor Enclosure

This document explains how to install a Bullet Camera into an outdoor enclosure.

Step 1: Install the Wi-Fi Antenna (Optional)

If you will be installing a Wi-Fi antenna, complete the steps in this section. Otherwise, proceed to the next section, Ethernet Cable Installation.

Open the enclosure. Drill a ¼" hole toward the back of the enclosure. Remove all burrs and cuttings.

Install the RP-SMA extension cable into the hole in the back, .using the supplied lock washer and nut

This figure shows a completed antenna.

Note: Point antenna straight down (vertically), for best results. Do not position antenna horizontally, as shown.

Step 2: Install Ethernet Cable

Ethernet cable provides power to the camera, regardless of whether Wi-Fi is used to transmit data. Use the following recommendations:

Power over Ethernet (PoE) – either an 802.3af PoE supply or a 48VDC power supply Current – 125mA, about 6 watts

or a flexible conduit with indoor rated cable inside. Ethernet cable – either outdoor rated (described here)

Place the PoE power supply in a location suitable for the device. Ensure that you will power the supply in accordance with all applicable safety and electrical codes. Run a CAT5 or better Ethernet cable from the output of the supply. Locate the cable gland in the enclosed parts bag. Note that the supplied gland may be designed for a substantially larger cable than what you are using. The purpose of the gland is to provide strain relief. If the cable gland is too large for your cable, you can wrap a section of the cable in electrical tape to increase its girth.

Install the cable gland or flexible conduit fitting in the camera enclosure, using the provided hole at the rear of the enclosure.

Route the cable into the enclosure through the cable gland.

Terminate the cable with an RJ-45 connector so it can be connected to the camera, as shown below. Continue with the following section, Camera Installation.

Step 3: Install the Camera

To install the camera:

Remove the locking screws that keep the camera holder in place. Remove the camera holder.

In the original camera packaging, locate one of the white metallic spacers.

Mount the camera to the holder as shown, using the ¼"-20 screw that came in the parts bag and the white metallic spacer from the original camera packaging.

Snap the camera and holder back into the enclosure. Position the camera so the lens is about ¼" - ½" behind the front glass. If the lens

Ris too close, the zoom mechanism will hit the glass. If the lens is too far, the wide angle of the lens will see the edges of the enclosure.

eplace the locking screws to fix the camera holder in place.

Connect the Ethernet cable to the camera. If you are using Wi-Fi, connect the RP-SMA extension cable to the camera.

Mount the enclosure in a suitable location.

Step 4: Assemble the Mount

To assemble the mount:

Disassemble the highlighted section of the arm mount.

Remove the base from the bottom of the case.

Attach both bases together using the supplied screws, then install it back to the arm mount.

4. Install the full arm on the camera case, and adjust the angles as needed.

This figure shows a completed arm mount installation.

The unit is now ready to be installed in the location you have chosen.

Bullet Camera Installation in a Heated Outdoor Enclosure

This document explains how to install a Bullet Camera into an outdoor enclosure with environmental controls. It does not cover the physical mounting of the enclosure mount or running the conduit.

Much of the installation work is best done on the ground. You can complete most of the steps in this article before you get to the installation site. Only the final step requires you to be at the final installation location.

PART I: COMPLETE BEFORE MOVING TO THE INSTALLATION LOCATION

Understanding the Parts

You must run two separate cable wires:

for the camera – CAT-5 or better for the enclosure's control printed circuit board (PCB) – 24 VAC

The images in this article show the use of a cable gland, which shipped with the enclosure. Flexible conduit systems generally provide better results. It is up to the installer to adapt their chosen conduit system to the enclosure.

The enclosure includes an opening that accepts industry-standard ½" conduit termination, such as those shown here.

Supplied Items

+ 49 hidden pages

VIAAS Bullet User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual