Axis P7214 User manual

USER MANUAL
AXIS P7214 Video Encoder

About this document
This manual is intended for administrators and users of the AXIS P7214
Video Encoder, and is applicable to rmware 5.50 and later. It includes
instructions for using and managing the product on your network.
Previous experience of networking will be of use when using this
product. Some knowledge of UNIX or Linux-based systems may also be
benecial, for developing shell scripts and applications. Later version of
this document will be posted to the Axis website, as required. See also
the product’s online help, available via the web-based interface.
Legal Considerations
Video and audio surveillance can be regulated by laws that vary from
country to country. Check the laws in your local region before using
this product for surveillance purposes.
This product includes one (1) H.264 decoder license and one (1) AAC
decoder license. To purchase further licenses, contact your reseller.
Liability
Every care has been taken in the preparation of this document. Please
inform your local Axis ofce of any inaccuracies or omissions. Axis
Communications AB cannot be held responsible for any technical or
typographical errors and reserves the right to make changes to the
product and manuals without prior notice. Axis Communications AB
makes no warranty of any kind with regard to the material contained
within this document, including, but not limited to, the implied
warranties of merchantability and tness for a particular purpose. Axis
Communications AB shall not be liable nor responsible for incidental or
consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance
or use of this material. This product is only to be used for its intended
purpose.
Intellectual Property Rights
Axis AB has intellectual property rights relating to technology embodied
in the product described in this document. In particular, and without
limitation, these intellectual property rights may include one or more
of the patents listed at http://www.axis.com/patent.htm and one or
more additional patents or pending patent applications in the US and
other countries.
This product contains licensed third-party software. See the menu item
“About” in the product’s user interface for more information.
This product contains source code copyright Apple Computer,
Inc., under the terms of Apple Public Source License 2.0 (see
http://www.opensource.apple.com/apsl). The source code is available
from http://developer.apple.com/darwin/projects/bonjour/
Equipment Modications
This equipment must be installed and used in strict accordance with the
instructions given in the user documentation. This equipment contains
no user-serviceable components. Unauthorized equipment changes or
modications will invalidate all applicable regulatory certications
and approvals.
Trademark Acknowledgments
AXIS COMMUNICATIONS, AXIS, ETRAX, ARTPEC and VAPIX are
registered trademarks or trademark applications of Axis AB in various
jurisdictions. All other company names and products are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Apple, Boa, Apache, Bonjour, Ethernet, Internet Explorer, Linux,
Microsoft, Mozilla, Real, SMPTE, QuickTime, UNIX, Windows, Windows
Vista and WWW are registered trademarks of the respective holders.
Java and all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its afliates. UPnPTM is a
certication mark of the UPnPTM Implementers Corporation.
SD, SDHC and SDXC are trademarks or registered trademarks of SD-3C,
LLC in the United States, other countries or both. Also, miniSD, microSD,
miniSDHC, microSDHC, microSDXC are all trademarks or registered
trademarks of SD-3C, LLC in the United States, other countries or both.
Regulatory Information
Europe
This product complies with the applicable CE marking directives
and harmonized standards:
•Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive 2004/108/EC. See
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), on page 2 .
•Low Voltage (LVD) Directive 2006/95/EC. See Safety, on page 2 .
•Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive 2011/65/EU.
See Disposal and Recycling, on page 3 .
A copy of the original declaration of conformity may be obtained from
Axis Communications AB. See Contact Information, on page 3 .
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
This equipment has been designed and tested to fulll applicable
standards for:
•Radio frequency emission when installed according to the
instructions and used in its intended environment.
•Immunity to electrical and electromagnetic phenomena when
installed according to the instructions and used in its intended
environment.
USA
This equipment has been tested using a shielded network cable (STP)
and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance
with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference
will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which
can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from
that to which the receiver is connected.
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Canada
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Europe
This digital equipment fullls the requirements for RF emission
according to the Class B limit of EN 55022.
This product fullls the requirements for immunity according
to EN 61000-6-1 residential, commercial and light-industrial
environments.
This product fullls the requirements for immunity according to
EN 61000-6-2 industrial environments.
This product fullls the requirements for immunity according to
EN 55024 ofce and commercial environments
Australia/New Zealand
This digital equipment fullls the requirements for RF emission
according to the Class B limit of AS/NZS CISPR 22.
Japan
この装置は、クラスB情報技術装置です。この装置は、家庭環境で使用することを目的としていますが、この装置がラジオやテレビジョン受信機に近接して使用されると、受信障害を引き起こすことがあります。取扱説明書に従って正しい取り扱いをして下さい。Korea
이 기기는 가정용(B급) 전자파적합기기로서 주로 가정에
서 사용하는 것을 목적으로 하며, 모든 지역에서 사용
할 수 있습니다.
Safety
This product complies with IEC/EN/UL 60950-1, Safety of Information
Technology Equipment.
The power supply used with this product shall fulll the requirements
for Safety Extra Low Voltage (SELV) and Limited Power Source (LPS)
according to IEC/EN/UL 60950-1.
Battery
Low battery power affects the operation of the RTC, causing it to reset
at every power-up. A log message will appear when the battery needs
replacing.

The battery should not be replaced unless required, but if the battery
does need replacing, contact Axis support at www.axis.com/techsup/ for
assistance.
WARNING
•Risk of explosion if the battery is incorrectly replaced.
•Replace only with an identical battery or a battery which is
recommended by Axis.
•Dispose of used batteries according to local regulations or
the battery manufacturer's instructions.
Disposal and Recycling
When this product has reached the end of its useful life, dispose of
it according to local raws and regulations. For information about
your nearest designated collection point, contact your local authority
responsible for waste disposal. In accordance with local legislation,
penalties may be applicable for incorrect disposal of this waste.
Europe
This symbol means that the product shall not be disposed of
together with household or commercial waste. Directive 2012/19/EU
on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is applicable in
the European Union member states. To prevent potential harm to
human health and the environment, the product must be disposed
of in an approved and environmentally safe recycling process. For
information about your nearest designated collection point, contact
your local authority responsible for waste disposal. Businesses should
contact the product supplier for information about how to dispose
of this product correctly.
This product complies with the requirements of Directive 2011/65/EU
on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in
electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS).
China
This product complies with the requirements of the legislative
act Administration on the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic
Information Products (ACPEIP).
Contact Information
Axis Communications AB
Emdalavägen 14
223 69 Lund
Sweden
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.axis.com
Support
Should you require any technical assistance, please contact your Axis
reseller. If your questions cannot be answered immediately, your
reseller will forward your queries through the appropriate channels to
ensure a rapid response. If you are connected to the Internet, you can:
•download user documentation and software updates
•nd answers to resolved problems in the FAQ database. Search
by product, category, or phrase
•report problems to Axis support staff by logging in to your private
support area
•chat with Axis support staff (selected countries only)
•visit Axis Support at www.axis.com/techsup/
Learn More!
Visit Axis learning center www.axis.com/academy/ for useful trainings,
webinars, tutorials and guides.

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Table of Contents
HardwareOverview .......................................... 5
ConnectorsandButtons .......................................... 5
LEDIndicators .................................................. 6
AccessingtheProduct ....................................... 8
AccessfromaBrowser ........................................... 8
AccessfromtheInternet .......................................... 9
SettheRootPassword ........................................... 9
TheLiveViewPage .............................................. 10
MediaStreams ............................................. 13
HowtoStreamH.264 ............................................ 13
MJPEG ........................................................ 13
AXISMediaControl(AMC) ........................................ 13
Alternative Methods of Accessing the Video Stream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
AccessingAudioStreams ......................................... 15
SettingUptheProduct ...................................... 16
BasicSetup .................................................... 16
VideoandAudio ............................................ 17
VideoStream ................................................... 17
Quadstream ................................................... 19
StreamProles ................................................. 19
CameraSettings ................................................ 19
Overlay ........................................................ 20
PrivacyMask ................................................... 21
AudioSettings .................................................. 22
AudioClips .................................................... 23
LiveViewCong ............................................ 24
PTZ(PanTiltZoom) ......................................... 27
PresetPositions ................................................. 27
GuardTour ..................................................... 28
Advanced ...................................................... 28
InstallingaPTZdriver ............................................ 29
Detectors .................................................. 30
CameraTampering .............................................. 30
MotionDetection ............................................... 30
AudioDetection ................................................ 32
Events .................................................... 33
SettingUpanActionRule ........................................ 34
Recipients ..................................................... 35
Schedules ...................................................... 36
Recurrences .................................................... 36
Recordings ................................................. 37
RecordingList .................................................. 37
ContinuousRecording ............................................ 37
Languages ................................................. 38
SystemOptions ............................................. 39
Security ....................................................... 39
Date&Time .................................................... 41
Network ....................................................... 42
Storage ....................................................... 46
Ports&Devices ................................................. 47
Maintenance ................................................... 47
Support ....................................................... 48
Advanced ...................................................... 49
ResettoFactoryDefaultSettings ................................... 49
Troubleshooting ............................................ 51
CheckingtheFirmware ........................................... 51
UpgradingtheFirmware .......................................... 51
Symptoms, Possible Causes and Remedial Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
TechnicalSpecications ...................................... 56
Connectors .................................................... 58
PerformanceConsiderations ....................................... 59
4

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Hardware Overview
Hardware Overview
1. Audio input 1
2. Audio input 2
3. Audio output 1
4. Video input connectors
5. LED indicators for power, status, network
6. Mounting holes
7. SD card slot (microSD)
8. I/O connector
9. RS-485/RS-422 connector
10. Control button
11. Power connector
12. Network connector (PoE)
Connectors and Buttons
For technical specications, see page 56.
BNC Connector
Each video input is terminated using a coax/BNC connector. Connect a 75 Ohm coaxial video cable; the recommended maximum
length is 250 m (800 ft).
Note
75 Ohm video termination can be enabled/disabled for the video input through the product's web page at Video & Audio >
Camera Settings > Video termination. This termination is enabled on factory default. In cases where the product is to be
connected in parallel with other equipment, for optimum video quality, it is recommended that termination be enabled for
only the last device in the video signal chain.
Network Connector
RJ45 Ethernet connector. Supports Power over Ethernet (PoE).
NOTICENOTICE
NOTICE
The product shall be connected using a shielded network cable (STP). All cables connecting the product to the network switch
shall be shielded (STP) and intended for their specic use. Make sure that the network switch is properly grounded. For
information about regulatory requirements, see Regulatory Information, on page 2 .
5

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Hardware Overview
I/O Connector
Use in applications for e.g. motion detection, event triggering, time lapse recording and alarm notications. In addition to an
auxiliary power and a GND pin, the I/O terminal connector provides the interface to:
•Digital output – For connecting external devices such as relays and LEDs. Connected devices can be activated by the
VAPIX® Application Programming Interface, output buttons on the Live View page or by an Action Rule. The output will
show as active (shown under System Options > Ports & Devices) if the alarm device is activated.
•Digital input – An alarm input for connecting devices that can toggle between an open and closed circuit, for example:
PIRs, door/window contacts, glass break detectors, etc. When a signal is received the state changes and the input becomes
active (shown under System Options > Ports & Devices).
Power Connector
2-pin terminal block for power input. Use a Safety Extra Low Voltage (SELV) compliant limited power source (LPS) with either a rated
output power limited to ≤100 W or a rated output current limited to ≤5 A.
Audio Connector
The Axis product has the following audio connectors:
•Audio in (pink) – 3.5 mm input for a mono microphone, or a line-in mono signal (left channel is used from a stereo signal).
•Audio out (green) – 3.5 mm output for audio (line level) that can be connected to a public address (PA) system or an
active speaker with a built-in amplier. A stereo connector must be used for audio out.
RS485/RS422 Connector
Two terminal blocks for RS485/RS422 serial interface used to control auxiliary equipment such as PTZ devices.
SD Card Slot
An SD card (not included) can be used for local recording with removable storage. For more information, see Technical Specications.
NOTICENOTICE
NOTICE
To prevent corruption of recordings, the SD card should be unmounted before removal. To unmount, go to Setup > System
Options > Storage > SD Card and click Unmount.
Control Button
The control button is used for:
• Resetting the product to factory default settings. See page 49.
• Connecting to an AXIS Video Hosting System service. See page 42. To connect, press and hold the button for about 1
second until the Status LED ashes green.
• Connecting to AXIS Internet Dynamic DNS Service. See page 42. To connect, press and hold the button for about 3 seconds.
LED Indicators
LED Color Indication
Green Steady for connection to a 100 MBit/s network. Flashes for network activity.
Amber Steady for connection to a 10 MBit/s network. Flashes for network activity.
Network
Unlit No network connection.
6

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Hardware Overview
Green Steady green for normal operation.
Amber Steady during startup and when restoring settings.
Status
Red Slow ash for failed upgrade.
Green Normal operation.
Power
Amber Flashes green/amber during rmware upgrade.
Note
• The Status LED can be congured to be unlit during normal operation. To congure, go to Setup > System Options > Ports
& Devices > LED. See the online help for more information.
• The Status LED can be congured to ash while an event is active.
• The Status LED can be congured to ash for identifying the unit. Go to Setup > System Options > Maintenance .
7

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Accessing the Product
Accessing the Product
To install the Axis product, refer to the Installation Guide supplied with the product.
The product can be used with most operating systems and browsers. The recommended browsers are Internet Explorer with Windows,
Safari with Macintosh and Firefox with other operating systems. See Technical Specications, on page 56.
To view streaming video in Internet Explorer, allow installation of AXIS Media Control (AMC) when prompted.
Note
• QuickTimeTM is also supported for viewing H.264 streams and for audio.
• If your computer restricts the use of additional software components, the product can be congured to use a Java applet
for viewing Motion JPEG.
Access from a Browser
1. Start a browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari).
2. Enter the IP address or host name of the Axis product in the browser’s Location/Address eld. To access the product from a
Macintosh computer (Mac OS X), click on the Bonjour tab and select the product from the drop-down list.
If you do not know the IP address, use AXIS IP Utility to locate the product on the network. For information about how to
discover and assign an IP address, see the Installation and Management Software CD or the document Assign an IP Address
and Access the Video Stream on Axis Support web at www.axis.com/techsup
3. Enter your user name and password. If this is the rst time the product is accessed, the root password must rst be
congured. For instructions, see Set the Root Password, on page 9 .
4. The product’s Live View page appears in your browser.
Note
The controls and layout of the Live View page may have been customized to meet specic installation requirements and
user preferences. Consequently, some of the examples and functions featured here may differ from those displayed in
your own Live View page.
8

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Accessing the Product
Access from the Internet
Once connected, the Axis product is accessible on your local network (LAN). To access the product from the Internet you must
congure your network router to allow incoming data trafc to the product. To do this, enable the NAT-traversal feature, which
will attempt to automatically congure the router to allow access to the product. This is enabled from Setup > System Options >
Network > TCP/IP Advanced.
For more information, see NAT traversal (port mapping) for IPv4, on page 44. See also AXIS Internet Dynamic DNS Service
at www.axiscam.net
For Technical notes on this and other topics, visit the Axis Support web at www.axis.com/techsup
Set the Root Password
To access the Axis product, you must set the password for the default administrator user root. This is done in the Congure Root
Password dialog, which appears when the product is accessed for the rst time.
To prevent network eavesdropping, the root password can be set via an encrypted HTTPS connection, which requires an HTTPS
certicate. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol over SSL) is a protocol used to encrypt trafc between web browsers and servers. The
HTTPS certicate ensures encrypted exchange of information. See HTTPS, on page 39.
The default administrator user name root is permanent and cannot be deleted. If the password for root is lost, the product must be
reset to the factory default settings. See Reset to Factory Default Settings, on page 49.
To set the password via a standard HTTP connection, enter it directly in the dialog.
To set the password via an encrypted HTTPS connection, follow these steps:
1. Click Use HTTPS.
A temporary certicate (valid for one year) is created, enabling encryption of all trafc to and from the product, and the
password can now be set securely.
9

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Accessing the Product
2. Enter a password and then re-enter it to conrm the spelling.
3. Click OK. The password has now been congured.
The Live View Page
The controls and layout of the Live View page may have been customized to meet specic installation requirements and user
preferences. Consequently, some of the examples and functions featured here may differ from those displayed in your own Live View
page. The following provides an overview of each available control.
Controls on the Live View Page
Select a stream prole for the Live View page from the Stream Prole drop-down list. For information about how
to congure stream proles, see page 19.
Click Pulse to activate the product’s output port for a dened period of time. For information about how to enable
and congure output buttons, see page 25.
Click the Active/Inactive buttons to manually activate and inactive the product’s output port. For information
about how to enable and congure output buttons, see page 25.
The Manual Trigger button is used to trigger an action rule from the Live View page. For information about how
to congure and enable the button, see .
Click Snapshot to save a snapshot of the video image. Right-click the video image to save it in JPEG format on your
computer. This button is primarily intended for use when the AXIS Media Control viewer toolbar is not available.
Enable this button from Live View Cong > Action Buttons.
The Audio clip drop-down list allows you to play an audio clip from the Live View page. Select the audio
clip and click the Play button.
AXIS Media Control viewer toolbar
The AXIS Media Control viewer toolbar is available in Internet Explorer only. See AXIS Media Control (AMC), on page 13 for more
information. The toolbar displays the following buttons:
The Play button connects to the Axis product and starts playing a media stream.
The Stop button stops the media stream.
The Snapshot button takes a snapshot of the video image. The location where the image is saved can be specied
in the AMC Control Panel.
Click the View Full Screen button and the video image will ll the entire screen. Press ESC (Escape) on the computer
keyboard to cancel full screen view.
The Record button is used to record the current video stream. The location where the recording is saved can be specied in
the AMC Control Panel. Enable this button from Live View Cong >Viewer Settings.
10

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Accessing the Product
AMC Audio Controls
AMC audio buttons control the speakers and microphone connected to the client computer. The buttons are only visible when
audio is enabled.
Speaker button — Click to turn the speakers on or off.
Microphone button – Click to mute or unmute the microphone. In Simplex - speaker only mode, the Microphone and Talk
buttons must both be active to send audio to the Axis product. Click either button to stop audio transmission.
Use the slider to control the volume of the speakers and the microphone.
Half-duplex mode
The Talk/Listen button is used to switch between sending and receiving audio. The button can be congured
from the Audio tab in the AMC Control panel:
• Push-To-Talk mode: Click and hold the button to talk/send. Release the button to listen.
• Toggle mode: Click once to switch between talking and listening.
Simplex – speaker only mode
To send audio, the Talk and Microphone buttons must both be active. Click either button to stop audio
transmission.
PTZ Controls
The Live View page also displays Pan/Tilt/Zoom (PTZ) controls. The administrator can enable/disable controls for specied users under
System Options > Security > Users.
Click the Emulate joystick mode button and click in the image to move the camera view in the direction of the
mouse pointer.
Click the Center mode button and click in the image to center the camera view on that position. The center mode
button could also be used to zoom in on a specic area. Click in the image and drag to draw a rectangle surrounding
the area to be magnied. To zoom out, rotate the mouse wheel.
Click the Ctrl panel button to open the PTZ control panel which provides additional PTZ controls.
User-dened buttons can also appear in the Control panel. See Controls, on page 28.
Select the video channel or a PTZ preset position to steer the camera view to the saved position. See
Preset Positions, on page 27.
Pan and Tilt bars – Use the arrows to pan and tilt the camera view, or click on a position on the bar to steer the
camera view to that position.
Zoom bar – Use the arrows to zoom in and out, or click on a position on the bar to zoom to that position.
Focus bar – Use the arrows to focus the camera, or click on a position on the bar to set the focus position. Using the
focus bar will disable the product’s autofocus. To re-enable, use the PTZ control panel which is opened by clicking
the Ctrl panel button (see above).
Iris bar – Click on a position on the iris bar to change the degree to which the iris is opened. This will disable the
product’s auto iris. To re-enable, use the PTZ control panel which is opened by clicking the Ctrl panel button (see above).
11

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Accessing the Product
The PTZ controls can be disabled under PTZ > Advanced > Controls, see Controls, on page 28.
12

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Media Streams
Media Streams
The Axis product provides several audio and video stream formats. Your requirements and the properties of your network will
determine the type you use.
The Live View page in the product provides access to H.264 and Motion JPEG video streams, audio streams and to the list of available
stream proles. Other applications and clients can access video and audio streams directly, without going via the Live View page.
How to Stream H.264
The video compression standard H.264 makes good use of bandwidth, and can provide high quality video streams at less than 1 Mbit/s.
Deciding which combination of protocols and methods to use depends on your viewing requirements, and on the properties of
your network. The available options in AXIS Media Control are:
Unicast RTP This unicast method (RTP over UDP) is used
for live unicast video, especially when it is
important to always have an up-to-date video
stream, even if some images are dropped.
RTP over RTSP This unicast method (RTP tunneled over RTSP)
is useful as it is relatively simple to congure
rewalls to allow RTSP trafc.
RTP over RTSP over HTTP This unicast method can be used to traverse
rewalls. Firewalls are commonly congured to
allow the HTTP protocol, thus allowing RTP to
be tunneled.
Unicasting is used for video-on-demand
transmission so that there is no video trafc
on the network until a client connects and
requests the stream.
Note that there are a maximum of 20
simultaneous unicast connections.
Multicast RTP This method (RTP over UDP) should be used for live multicast video. The video stream is always
up-to-date, even if some images are dropped.
Multicasting provides the most efcient usage of bandwidth when there are large numbers of
clients viewing simultaneously. A multicast cannot however, pass a network router unless the
router is congured to allow this. It is not possible to multicast over the Internet, for example.
Note also that all multicast viewers count as one unicast viewer in the maximum total of 20
simultaneous connections.
AXIS Media Control negotiates with the Axis product to determine the transport protocol to use. The order of priority, listed in the
AMC Control Panel, can be changed and the options disabled, to suit specic requirements.
Note
H.264 is licensed technology. The Axis product includes one H.264 viewing client license. Installing additional unlicensed
copies of the client is prohibited. To purchase additional licenses, contact your Axis reseller.
MJPEG
This format uses standard JPEG still images for the video stream. These images are then displayed and updated at a rate sufcient
to create a stream that shows constantly updated motion.
The Motion JPEG stream uses considerable amounts of bandwidth, but provides excellent image quality and access to every image
contained in the stream. The recommended method of accessing Motion JPEG live video from the Axis product is to use the AXIS
Media Control in Internet Explorer in Windows.
AXIS Media Control (AMC)
AXIS Media Control (AMC) in Internet Explorer in Windows is the recommended method of accessing live video from the Axis product.
13

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Media Streams
The AMC Control Panel can be used to congure various video and audio settings. Please see the AXIS Media Control User’s
Manual for more information.
The AMC Control Panel is automatically installed on rst use, after which it can be congured. Open the AMC Control Panel from:
• Windows Control Panel (from the Start menu)
• Alternatively, right-click the video image in Internet Explorer and click Settings.
Alternative Methods of Accessing the Video Stream
You can also access video and images from the Axis product in the following ways:
•Motion JPEG server push (if supported by the client, Firefox, for example). This option maintains an open HTTP connection
to the browser and sends data as and when required, for as long as required.
•Still JPEG images in a browser. Enter the path http://<ip>/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi
•Windows Media Player. This requires AXIS Media Control and the H.264 decoder to be installed. The following paths
can be used:
- Unicast via RTP: axrtpu://<ip>/axis-media/media.amp
- Unicast via RTSP: axrtsp://<ip>/axis-media/media.amp
- Unicast via RTSP, tunneled via HTTP: axrtsphttp://<ip>/axis-media/media.amp
- Multicast: axrtpm://<ip>/axis-media/media.amp
•QuickTimeTM. The following paths can be used:
-rtsp://<ip>/axis-media/media.amp
-rtsp://<ip>/axis-media/media.3gp
14

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Media Streams
Note
•<ip>= IP addess
• The Axis product supports QuickTime 6.5.1 and later.
• QuickTime adds latency to the video stream.
• It may be possible to use other players to view the H.264 stream using the paths above, although Axis does not guarantee
this.
Accessing Audio Streams
The Live View page provides access to audio through AXIS Media Control; in addition audio can be accessed in the following ways:
•VAPIX® Application Programming Interface (API) For more information, visit www.axis.com/developer
•Windows Media Player supports simplex audio. The following paths can be used:
- Unicast via RTP: axrtpu://<ip>/axis-media/media.amp
- Unicast via RTSP: axrtsp://<ip>/axis-media/media.amp
- Unicast via RTSP, tunneled via HTTP: axrtsphttp://<ip>/axis-media/media.amp
- Multicast: axrtpm://<ip>/axis-media/media.amp
•QuickTimeTM supports G.711 and AAC audio encoding. The following paths can be used:
-rtsp://<ip>/axis-media/media.amp
-rtsp://<ip>/axis-media/media.3gp
• The Java applet supports simplex audio with G.711 encoding.
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AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Setting Up the Product
Setting Up the Product
The Axis product can be congured by users with administrator or operator rights. To open the product’s Setup pages, click Setup in
the top right-hand corner of the Live View page.
•Administrators have unrestricted access to all settings.
•Operators have access to all settings except System Options
See also the online help .
Basic Setup
Basic Setup provides shortcuts to the settings that should be made before using the Axis product:
1. Users. See page 39.
2. TCP/IP. See page 42.
3. Date & Time. See page 41.
4. Video Stream. See page 17.
5. Audio Settings. See page 22.
The Basic Setup menu can be disabled from System Options > Security > Users.
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AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Video and Audio
Video and Audio
The video and audio settings can be used to optimize video and audio quality. You can congure the following:
• Video stream settings. See page 17.
• Stream proles. See page 19.
• Camera settings. See page 19.
• Overlay image. See page 20.
• Privacy mask. See page 21.
• Audio settings. See page 22.
• Audio clips. See page 23.
Video Stream
You can dene the following video stream settings from Video & Audio >Video Stream:
• Image. See page 18.
• Audio. See page 22.
• H.264. See page 18.
• MJPEG. See page 18.
Note
Video stream can be congured for each channel including quad stream.
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AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Video and Audio
Pixel Counter
The pixel counter shows the number of pixels in an area of the image. The pixel counter is useful in situations where there is a
requirement that the image is a certain size, for example in face recognition.
The pixel counter can be accessed from:
•Video & Audio > Video Stream. Under Preview, click Open and select the Show pixel counter option to enable the
rectangle in the image. Use the mouse to move and resize the rectangle, or enter the number of pixels in the Width
and Height elds and click Apply.
• The Live View page in Internet Explorer in Windows. Right-click in the image and select Pixel counter. Use the mouse
to move and resize the rectangle.
Image
The default image settings can be congured under Video & Audio > Video Stream. Select the Image tab.
The following settings are available:
•Resolution. Select the default resolution.
•Compression. The compression level affects the image quality, bandwidth and le size of saved images; the lower the
compression, the higher the image quality with higher bandwidth requirements and larger le sizes.
•Rotate image. If required, the image can be rotated.
•Maximum frame rate. To avoid bandwidth problems, the frame rate allowed to each viewer can be Limited to a xed
amount. Alternatively, the frame rate can be set as Unlimited, which means the Axis product always delivers the highest
frame rate possible under the current conditions.
•Overlay settings. See Overlay, on page 20.
Click Save to apply the new settings.
H.264
H.264, also known as MPEG-4 Part 10/AVC, is a video compression standard that provides high quality video streams at low bit rates.
An H.264 video stream consists of different types of frames such as I-frames and P-frames. An I-frame is a complete image whereas
P-frames only contain the differences from previous frames.
The GOV length is the number of frames between two consecutive I-frames. Increasing the GOV length may save considerably on
bandwidth requirements in some cases, but may also have an adverse affect on image quality.
The Axis product supports two H.264 proles. The Main prole provides higher compression than the Baseline prole with the same
video quality, but requires more processing power to decode.
The bit rate can be set as Variable Bit Rate (VBR) or Constant Bit Rate (CBR). VBR adjusts the bit rate according to the image
complexity, using up more bandwidth for increased activity in the image, and less for lower image activity. CBR allows you to set a
xed Target bit rate that consumes a predictable amount of bandwidth. As the bit rate would usually need to increase for increased
image activity, but in this case cannot, frame rate and image quality are affected negatively. To partly compensate for this, it is
possible to prioritize either frame rate or image quality. Not setting a priority means that frame rate and image quality are equally
affected. You must save your settings before they can take effect.
The current bit rate can be set to appear as text overlay. To do this, select the Include text check box option under Overlay
Settings and enter the modier #b in the eld.
MJPEG
Sometimes the image size is large due to low light or complex scenery. Adjusting the maximum frame size helps to control the
bandwidth and storage used by the Motion JPEG video stream in these situations. Setting the frame size to the Default setting
provides consistently good image quality at the expense of increased bandwidth and storage usage in low light. Limiting the frame
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AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Video and Audio
size optimizes bandwidth and storage usage, but may give poor image quality. To prevent increased bandwidth and storage usage,
the maximum frame size should be set to an optimal value.
Quad stream
A Quad view displays images from all four channels on a single screen; where the images from each camera take up a quarter of
the display area. It is possible to dene settings for the video stream in quad view.
Stream Proles
A stream prole is a set of predened stream settings including resolution, compression, frame rate and overlay settings. Stream
proles can be used:
• When setting up recording using action rules. See Events, on page 33.
• When setting up continuous recording. See Continuous Recording, on page 37.
• In the Live View page – select the stream prole from the Stream prole drop-down list.
For quick setup, use one of the predened stream proles. Each predened prole has a descriptive name, indicating its purpose. If
required, the predened stream proles can be modied and new customized stream proles can be created.
To create a new prole or modify an existing prole, go to Setup > Video & Audio >Stream Proles.
To select a default stream prole for the Live View page, go to Setup > Live View Cong.
Camera Settings
The Video & Audio > Camera Settings page provides access to advanced image settings for the Axis product.
Image Appearance
Increasing the Color level increases the color saturation. The value 100 gives maximum color saturation. The value 0 gives a
black and white image.
The image Brightness can be adjusted in the range 0–100, where a higher value produces a brighter image.
The Contrast changes the relative difference between light and dark. It can be adjusted using the slidebar.
Video input
• Enter a descriptive name for your video source in the Video source name eld.
• The values in the Offset Adjustments elds affect the horizontal and vertical synchronization for the image. This can
be used to eliminate any black border surrounding the image. High values, both negative and positive can put the
image out of sync.
• De-interlacing - is used to improve video stream image quality from analog devices. Select any of the following options
from the De-interlacing drop-down list. Select None if de-interlacing is not necessary; Blending for improved image
quality that is not as processor intensive; Adaptive Interpolation performs de-interlacing of the video stream by applying
different lters on the image. This may give a better result than Motion Adaptive Interpolation in rare cases; Motion
Adaptive Interpolation performs de-interlacing of the video stream by applying different lters depending on the motion
in different parts of the image. This will in most cases result in the best image quality.
•Antialiasing will minimize distortion known as aliasing, which happens when a high-resolution image is represented at
a lower resolution.
• For each video input 75 Ohm video termination can be enabled/disabled via the product's web page at Video & Audio
>Video Input >Video termination. These terminations are enabled on factory default. In cases where the product is
19

AXIS P7214 Video Encoder
Video and Audio
to be connected in parallel with other equipment, for optimum video quality, it is recommended that termination be
enabled for only the last device in the video signal chain.
Image Settings
Noise reduction - Set to On to enable noise reduction. Noise reduction may increase the amount of motion blur.
Overlay
Overlays are used to provide extra information, for example for forensic video analysis or during product installation and
conguration. Overlays are superimposed over the video stream.
An overlay text can display the current date and time, or a text string. When using a text string, modiers can be used to display
information such as the current bit rate or the current frame rate. For information about available modiers, see File Naming &
Date/Time Formats in the online help .
It is also possible to display text when an action rule is triggered, see Using Overlay Text in an Action Rule.
To enable overlays:
1. Go to Video & Audio > Video Stream and select the Image tab.
2. To include an overlay image, select Include overlay image at the coordinates. The overlay image must rst be uploaded to
the Axis product, see Overlay Image.
3. To include date and time, select Include date and Include time.
4. To include a text string, select Include text and enter the text in the eld. Modiers can be used, see File Naming &
Date/Time Formats in the online help .
5. Dene text overlay characteristics in the relevant elds.
6. Click Save.
To modify the date and time format, go to System Options > Date & Time. See Date & Time, on page 41.
Note
Overlay is not possible for quad stream.
Overlay Image
An overlay image is a static image superimposed over the video stream. The image, for example company logo, is used to provide
extra information or to mask a part of the image.
Since it is static, the position and size of an overlay image will remain the same regardless of resolution and Pan/Tilt/Zoom
movements. To set up a dynamic mask, which will always mask the specied part of monitored area, see Privacy Mask, on page 21
To use an overlay image, the image must rst be uploaded to the Axis product:
1. Go to Video & Audio >Overlay Image.
2. Click Browse and browse to the le.
3. Click Upload.
4. Select the image to use from the Use overlay image list.
5. Click Save.
To display the overlay image:
1. Go to Video & Audio >Video Stream and select the Image tab.
20