Q: What is a Video server?
A: A Video server, is the popular
expression for a Web attached Video Server, connected to a digital network, i.e.
LAN. The purpose of the Video Server is to, automatically or on request deliver
live video to you browser or other applications over a digital network.this server
function can also be integrated into a network attached (or IP) camera.
Q: What is
the purpose of Video Servers on the network?
A: The purpose of a Video Server on
the network is to provide a very easy way of distributing live pictures so they
can be viewed by any computer on the network or Internet. There is no need for a
separate Video surveillance system with coax wiring and dedicated monitors
tucked away in a security office.
Q: Where
is the Video Server or IP camera connected in the network?
A: Practically anywhere on
the network. As the Video server or network attached camera (IP camera) is a
self contained web server it connects to your router or hub in exactly the same
way as a workstation, server or other peripherals.
Q: What
software do I need?
A: If you just want to view and
control the camera, you can use a standard web browser. If you want to view many
cameras on the same screen, or need to store the video, you can select a
software product or one of the complete network
attached video storage
systems.
Q: What
makes Video servers and IP cameras different from conventional
CCTV
technology?
A: The advantages of digital CCTV
are several, one for example is that there is no need for expensive dedicated
equipment such as monitors, cabling and video switches. The pictures can be
accessed from practically any location providing there is a network connection
or a phone line. The pictures can even be transmitted via a cellular
phone.
Q: Can I
store pictures on my hard disk for later viewing?
A: Yes, using IP Software you can
store your video on any hard drive on the network. As a mater of fact you can
distribute the storage across a number of different hard drives on th network.
There are however a few things that has to be considered. Storing images every
second, round the clock, means storing a lot pictures that are exactly the same.
One way to overcome that is to have a motion detector starting and stopping the
recording. When storing digital images there are several methods that can be
used. One is to save only a few frames per second. Another method is to compare
the most recent image with the previous image and determine whether there has
been a change or not and store only those frames where there has been a change.
All the Network Storage systems we provide include motion
detection.
Q: Can
I
Pan, Tilt, and Zoom?
A: Yes. PTZ cameras and analog PTZ
cameras on a video server can be individually maneuvered. Cameras can be
controlled using the web browser or one of the IP Software products. The video
servers use a RS232/485 connection to control PTZ.
Q: Do I
need a video switch?
A: No you do not. The LAN operates
as the switch allowing hundreds of cameras to be viewed on a
network.
Q: How
many bytes is one picture
A: The frame size depends on the
resoltuion of the camera and the compression scheme used. For example the IQ300 camera
provides a resolution of 1280 x 1024 and has a typical frame size of 80K bytes.
On the other hand, a cameras with a resolution oft 320 x 240, has a frame size
around 8K Bytes. The method of compression also determines frame size. MPEG4
compression provides more compression because it takes advantage of the
difference between one frame and another. Unfortunately MPEG4 usually provides
much lower resolution.
Network Video server
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