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Viewer for AXIS Cams – update: v3.6.0

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An update for our leading App Viewer for AXIS Cams went live on the App Store on Saturday 8th June.

The new version features App Injection for AXIS Video Motion Detection ACAP. AXIS VMD can be installed on AXIS Cameras that support ACAP. VMD makes it possible to detect motion and automatically make a recording. The mobile app injects VMD into the camera in a seamless way saving time-consuming installation via the web and installing Active X on Internet Explorer. The motion detection area can be set up on the app by positioning a polygon over the area where movement is to be detected.

app injection store

App injection store on Viewer for AXIS Cams mobile app

The app also features Timelapse ACAP also set up via App Injection.

Edge storage is also available as an in app purchase. Edge storage can take the form of an SD card mounted in the camera or a NAS box or a USB memory stick mounted on the router.

Set up for VMD via Viewer for AXIS Cams mobile app

Set up for VMD via Viewer for AXIS Cams mobile app

These new features make Viewer for AXIS Cams is the most sophisticated app for AXIS cams available on the market today.

Security and the Internet of Things; The Internet of Security

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The Internet of Things (IoT) is a hugely hyped concept. The hype is fueled by multi million dollar acquisitions such as the Google purchase of NEST. So far, much of the IoT action has been in the domestic consumer space.

One of the main ideas in IoT is the idea of Smart objects. In Security the tendency to build centralised server systems runs somewhat counter to the IoT idea of Smart objects.  In Security, intelligence, analytics and computational features tend to reside in the server rather than in the objects: the cameras, sensors and controllers that connect to the system. This contrasts with the consumer IoT where there are fewer central systems. In the consumer IOT features reside in the smart devices themselves, perhaps supported by generalized metadata from a cloud service. The NEST thermostat for example is a Smart object of itself not an object that relies on a connection to a smart server .

There are signs that Security is moving to a more edge based IoT style architecture. The AXIS Camera Companion system is one example of this. If an Internet of Security is to prosper then objects need to be discoverable and configurable and need to be able to respond to queries about the features they possess. In higher end security cameras this level of program-ability is already in place.

At IFSEC we have seen for several years now the development of Mobile Clients for server based Security Camera systems. Of course, this is good ,but really it is simply adding a mobile layer to an old Architecture. This trend contrasts with the next wave of mobile apps on ever more powerful mobile devices that can connect directly to cameras and other smart security devices and present customized UI elements to suit the properties of each individual device. Increasingly it is clear that a central server is not required. Instead edge devices organised and managed by a powerful, easy to use mobile apps stands to become a prevalent architectural model. Could this be the future Internet of Security?

At IFSEC14 EyeSpyFX are pleased to demonstrate an alpha version of our own Internet of Security product called Timeline. Timeline is a mobile app system that manages and enables video from AXIS Cameras and combines it with Access events from the new A1001 Access control product from AXIS. Timeline needs no server, all its capability is drawn from the mobile app. Essentially, Timeline is a Mobile Video Management System (mobileVMS). Timeline is an example of the next generation of mobile apps for the security industry: ultra light weight, agile and extremely powerful with a focus on ease of ease of use. To find out more about this potentially disruptive next wave of app technology call in and talk to us at stand B110 at IFSEC 14.

We would like to invite to installers and system integrators to join out join our advance thinking test flight group and help us shape the future of mobile  Security Camera Systems.

Timeline: The Internet of Security

Timeline: The Internet of Security

Security Camera Systems Remote Access for Mobile; Port Forwarding or set up a VPN?

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Introduction
Security Camera Systems used to comprise of a Security Guard Viewing Station, a server and the cameras. It was all within the corporate LAN. Then came Mobile apps. When the mobile device is within the LAN access to the Security Camera System is simple. The difficulty arises when the user picks up the device and roams outside the LAN then the app cannot connect anymore and the user is left wondering why.

Open a Port
The reason the App won’t work when it is moved outside the area of the LAN is because remote access is not set up on the Security Camera System. To enable remote access the System Manager must set up port forwarding (http://portforward.com) to an externally addressable IP address. The external IP address port details can be saved in the Mobile App. This is fine and works very well up to a certain limit. If you need to open multiple ports to access more than one camera or more than one server system then opening ports seems more and more burdensome.

Try a VPN
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network) extends a private network across the internet. It allows a computer to send and receive data across the internet as if it was connected directly to the private network and it benefits from the functionality, security and management features of the private network. A VPN is created by establishing a virtual point-to-point connection through the use of various virtual tunnelling protocols or traffic encryption.
A VPN set up with four Cameras using Router based VPN software

From a user perspective, accessing the data on a VPN is exactly the same as if they were connected directly to the private network. VPNs allow employees to connected securely to the companies intranet from outside of the office in order to access data.

Security advantages of a VPN
Public WiFi offers no encryption security to its users and your signals are broadcast for anyone tech savvy to eavesdrop. If you are connected to a public network via a VPN then all of the data that was once easy to intercept is now encrypted and no one else can see it. Much like a firewall protects the data on your computer, a VPN protects your data when you are online.

Downsides:
Speed of performance maybe slower. A VPN encrypts all data that is transferred through it. Encryption is a processor task. The speed of the transfer may be affected if the processor in the VPN device is slow.

VPN and AXIS Camera Companion and a VPN on a NAS box
We decided to try out the VPN software on a NAS box device with a view to using it with AXIS Camera Companion and corresponding Mobile App. Read the full PDF here [FREE]

IP Utility for AXIS Cameras – easy discovery of AXIS IP Cameras

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IPUtility

The easiest way to discover the IP address and MAC address of AXIS Cameras is by using this simple app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ip-utility-for-axis-cameras/id875861065?mt=8

IP Utility for AXIS Cameras is designed for camera installation engineers. It searches a network and discovers AXIS IP Cameras. The app enables you to set a root password if one has not already been set. This feature will be displayed if the camera has not already been set up.

Discovered AXIS IP Cameras are displayed in a list showing the serial number of the camera and the IP address.

By highlighting a specific camera you can view the camera in a web browser if you know the user name and password.

  • - Discover
  • - Set root password
  • - View cam

If you need to discover AXIS Cameras on a network then this app makes it easy and enables you to do so without needing to carry a laptop.

IPUtilityforAXIS

 

Make Time-lapse movies using an AXIS Camera and an iPhone App

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We are pleased to launch our Time- Lapse AXIS Camera application.

Use case: You have an AXIS Camera and would like to use it to make Time-lapse movies.

timelapse560

We made a feature on our iOS app “Viewer for AXIS Cams” to make Time- lapse movies. This feature uses a process called App Injection to load an AXIS Camera application (ACAP) onto an AXIS Cam. Once the Time-lapse ACAP is loaded you can start making time-lapse movies using “Viewer for AXIS Cams”.

A choice of two in app purchases are available: Two cam licence @ $2.99 and Unlimited Cams licence@ $49.99

The status of the icon (a film clapperboard) changes colour according to the status availability of the Time-Lapse App.

A White icon will appear if the option to buy the ACAP is available. (i.e. if we have detected that the camera we are connecting to is capable of supporting ACAP). Red will appear if the time-lapse ACAP app has been purchased and successfully installed but is not currently running. A Green Icon will appear if the time-lapse icon is currently running

The time-lapse interval is adjustable: the range goes: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 35 mins, 1 hr, 24 hr.

Time-Lapse works with all AXIS models that can support AXIS Camera Application Platform  (AXIS maintain a list of ACAP capable cams: http://www.axis.com/techsup/firmware.php)

This Time lapse app is envisaged as a tool for making a summary of the day or week. Time-lapse  summaries can certainly be useful but also on occasion can be very beautiful….it all depends on the camera view.

The finished time-lapse videos are saved into the camera roll of your iOS device (iPhone, iPad or iPOD). Once you have them saved there you can share them via Dropbox.

As the images are uploaded from the camera they are stored in the cloud. Each time-lapse account stores 370 images. Once the 370th image is saved the first is deleted…and so it scrolls on. When a user requests a Time-lapse video from the app the images are sent to the iPhone and compiled by the app as a movie. The user then has the movie for that moment saved on their phone.

Apple TV and Security Cam Apps

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We have been doing some investigations regarding Apple TV and our Security Cam Apps. This is what we found.

OBJECTIVE:
Project any EyeSpyFX Security Cam app onto a TV to allow large screen viewing.

SET UP
40’ TV
Apple TV box             €100
iOS device (we tried iPad, iPod and iPhone)
EyeSpyFX Security Cam App, for example Viewer for AXIS Camera Companion.

Apple TV
Apple TV is a black box that allows you to project any (relatively new) Apple device to a TV. It is designed so you can project movies from your computer or iPod to your TV. This function uses an Apple projection system called AIRPLAY. It also has a range of built in content features like Netflix and YouTube and Vimeo. Apple TV costs about €100.

Apple TV control slots

Apple TV control slots

HDMI
Attaching Apple TV to the 40’ TV was easy: We simply plugged it in using a HDMI cable. The HDMI cable was not provided with the Apple TV unit (which is a bit mean of Apple we thought as the device is near useless without a HDMI cable).

Connect
When you plug the Apple TV into your TV you enter the details of your WIFI network password to connect the Apple TV to your network. You enter the password using a screen based keyboard which you control using the remote control from the Apple TV. We did this here in the EyeSpyFX office and it worked fine, but we have lots of wifi devices in the office and our wifi is a bit overloaded so we opted to plug the Apple TV into our Network using a standard Ethernet cable.

Mirror the App
Next take your iOS device and on iOS 7 swipe up from the bottom of the screen to make the control panel appear. Select Apple TV and switch on Mirroring.

Setting up Apple TV Mirroring

Setting up Apple TV Mirroring

Now open an EyeSpyFX app. Apple TV will work with all EyeSpyFX apps. The app will be mirrored on the TV. The best performance is when you turn the device into landscape mode as per in this snap, showing “Grid View” in “Viewer for AXIS Camera Companion”. Projecting an app onto a TV is useful for basic viewing of security cameras on TV’s. Its a great way to monitor your business premises from home.

EyeSpyFX Security Cam App, mirrored onto TV screen using Apple TV

EyeSpyFX Security Cam App, mirrored onto TV screen using Apple TV

Optimised Projection with “PVM for AXIS”
To create optimised projection to a TV for example to use as a “Public View Monitor” we have created a special app called PVM for AXIS. This app is designed to work with Stand Alone IP Cameras (Viewer for AXIS Cams) or Cameras in an AXIS Camera Companion Site. The app is specifically designed to project to TV screens. Apple TV makes this app even easier to use. The app has special projection features like Guard Tour enabling automatic scrolling from one cam to another. The app maximizes use of the available TV screen size (rather than simply mirroring the App).

PVM for AXIS iOS app gives optimised Public View Monitor Performance

PVM for AXIS iOS app gives optimised Public View Monitor Performance

PVM for AXIS iOS app give many optimised Public View Monitor features including 4x4 and timed Guard Tour options

PVM for AXIS iOS app give many optimised Public View Monitor features including 4×4 and timed Guard Tour options

 

Gesture control for Camera Companion

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In the latest of “Viewer for AXIS Camera Companion” features gesture based control. You can move from cam to cam by swiping up and down on the image. In the recordings area you can control the timeline by swiping left and right. We are gradually moving toward an idea where we can move through time and space (represented by cameras) in a fluid way with less and less UI getting in the way.

Liquid UI: Gesture Control of cameras and timeline

Liquid UI: Gesture Control of cameras and timeline

H264 Real Time Streaming on Mobile

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Camera Companion H264

H264 is a superior compression algorithm for streaming video. It gives faster frame rates for lower bandwidth. This makes it ideal for Mobile platforms.

EyeSpyFX iOS and Android Mobile Security Apps feature custom built libraries to decode H264. Over a good connection we can achieve 15fps. This performance makes mobile viewing a quality experience comparable with viewing on a PC. It is just like being there!

H264 is not always supported by Phone Networks. Some of them ban H264 RTSP packets. To get around this problem EyeSpyFX apps use Motion JPeg when H264 is not available.