Axis AXIS 223M User manual

AXIS 223M Network Camera
User’s Manual

AXIS COMMUNICATIONS
<Product Name> Quick User’s Guide
About this Document
This manual is intended for administrators and users of the AXIS 223M
Network Camera, and is applicable for software release 4.40. It includes
instructions for using and managing the AXIS 223M 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 beneficial, for
developing shell scripts and applications. Later versions 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.
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 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/rendezvous/
Legal Considerations
Video and audio surveillance can be prohibited 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) MPEG-4 decoder license. To purchase further
licenses, contact your reseller.
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
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: Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the
separation between the equipment and receiver. Connect the equipment to an
outlet on a different circuit to the receiver. Consult your dealer or an
experienced radio/TV technician for help. Shielded (STP) network cables must
be used with this unit to ensure compliance with EMC standards.
USA - This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for
a Class B computing device pursuant to Subpart B of Part 15 of FCC rules,
which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference
when operated in a commercial environment. Operation of this equipment in a
residential area is likely to cause interference, in which case the user at his/her
own expense will be required to take whatever measures may be required to
correct the interference.
Canada - This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Europe - This digital equipment fulfills the requirements for radiated
emission according to limit B of EN55022/1998, and the requirements for
immunity according to EN55024/1998 residential, commercial, and industry.
Japan - This is a class B product based on the standard of the Voluntary
Control Council for Interference from Information Technology Equipment
(VCCI). If this is used near a radio or television receiver in a domestic
environment, it may cause radio interference. Install and use the equipment
according to the instruction manual.
Australia - This electronic device meets the requirements of the Radio
communications (Electromagnetic Compatibility) Standard 1998 AS/NZS 3548.
Liability
Every care has been taken in the preparation of this manual. Please inform
your local Axis office 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 fitness 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.
Trademark Acknowledgments
Apple, Boa, Bonjour, Ethernet, Internet Explorer, Linux, Microsoft, Mozilla,
Netscape Navigator, OS/2, Real, QuickTime, UNIX, Windows, WWW are
registered trademarks of the respective holders. Java and all Java-based
trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun
Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Axis
Communications AB is independent of Sun Microsystems Inc.
UPnPTM is a certification mark of the UPnPTM Implementers Corporation.
This product includes MPEG-4 AAC audio coding technology licensed by
Fraunhofer IIS. Refer to FHG audio home page
http://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/amm/
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 firmware updates
• find answers to resolved problems in the FAQ database. Search by product,
category, or phrases
• report problems to Axis Support by logging in to your private support area
• visit Axis Support at www.axis.com/techsup/
Safety Notice - Battery Replacement
The AXIS 223M uses a 3.0V CR2032 Lithium battery as the power supply for
its internal real-time clock (RTC). Under normal conditions this battery will
last for a minimum of 5 years. 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!
If the battery does need replacing, please observe the following:
• Danger of Explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced
• Replace only with the same or equivalent battery, as recommended by the
manufacturer.
• Dispose of used batteries according to the manufacturer's instructions
Communications AB is independent of Sun Microsystems Inc.
WEEE Directive
The European Union has enacted a Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive). This directive
is applicable in the European Union member states.
The WEEE marking on this product (see right) or its documentation
indicates that the product must not be disposed of together with
household waste. To prevent possible harm to human health and/or
the environment, the product must be disposed of in an approved and
environmentally safe recycling process. For further information on how to
dispose of this product correctly, contact the product supplier, or the local
authority responsible for waste disposal in your area.
Business users should contact the product supplier for information on how to
dispose of this product correctly. This product should not be mixed with other
commercial waste.
AXIS 223M User’s Manual Revision 1.1
Decmber 2006 Part No: 26914
Copyright© Axis Communications AB, 2006

AXIS 223M - Table of contents
3
Product Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Accessing the Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Access from a Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Accessing the camera from the Internet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Focusing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Video Streams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
How to stream MPEG-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
MPEG-4 clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Motion JPEG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Accessing the setup tools from a browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
AXIS Media Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Video and Image Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Overlay/Mask Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Advanced Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Live View Config . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
HTML Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
External Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Sequence Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Event Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Event Servers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Configuring Event Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Motion Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Port Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
System Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Date & Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Network - Basic TCP/IP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Network - Advanced TCP/IP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
SOCKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
QoS (Quality of service) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
QoS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
SMTP (email) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
SNMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
UPnP™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Bonjour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
RTP / MPEG-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Ports & Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
LED Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Advanced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Resetting to the Factory Default Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Unit Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
I/O Terminal Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Power connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
The RS-232 Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Replacing the lens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Removing and attaching the lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
General performance considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Optimizing your system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

AXIS 223M - Table of contents
4
Frame rates - Motion JPEG and MPEG-4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Bandwidth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

AXIS 223M - Product Features
5
Product Features
The AXIS 223M is a high performance camera, designed for demanding security installations. It delivers crisp,
clear images, disclosing every detail, thanks to its top quality 2.0 Megapixel progressive scan CCD sensor,
Megapixel lens and advanced image processing. AXIS 223M features a removable infrared cut filter, which
enables color video in high and low light conditions as well as IR sensitive black/white video at night.
Supported by the industry’s largest base of video management software, the AXIS 223M provides the perfect
solution for securing bank offices, airports and other facilities, as well as for traffic surveillance, over IP based
networks.
The built-in Power over Ethernet (IEEE 802.3af) support enables power to the camera to be delivered via the
network, eliminating the need for a power outlet and reducing installation costs. Steady power can be
guaranteed with a central Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).
The AXIS 223M offers a comprehensive set of network security and management features. This includes support
for port based network control (IEEE802.1X), which allows the camera to be connected to a network secured
with this control, and HTTPS encryption, which provides a secure channel between camera and application and
enables authentication of the video source. Axis video products are efficiently managed with the powerful AXIS
Camera Management tool, provided with the AXIS 223M.

Status
indicator
Zoom puller
(Tele/wide)
Focus puller
DC-Iris
Serial number
on underside
label
DC-Iris control cable
DC-Iris
control cable Power adapter
connector
(PS-K)
RS-232
connector
Network
(also PoE)
connector
Power and
Reset/Control
button
Audio out
Audio in
connector
10-pin I/O terminal
Power connector
block
network indicators
AXIS 223M - Product Features
6
Overview
Power adapter connector - only for connection of the PS-K power adapter (included).
I/O connector - The I/O terminal connector provides the physical interface to one solid state relay output, two
digital photo-coupled inputs, RS-485 and an auxiliary connection point for DC power. For more information,
see Unit Connectors, on page 34.
Network connector - The AXIS 223M connects to the network via a standard network cable, and automatically
detects the speed of the local network segment (10BaseT/100BaseTX Ethernet). This socket can also be used to
power the AXIS 223M via Power over Ethernet (PoE). The camera also negotiates the correct power level when
using PoE.
Audio Output - Audio output (line level), which can be connected to a public address (PA) system or an active
speaker with a built-in amplifier. A pair of headphones can also be attached. A 3.5mm audio connector must be
used for the audio out.
Audio Input - One 3.5mm input for a mono microphone, or for line-in mono signal (only the left channel is
used from a stereo signal).
RS-232 Connector- Single 9-pin D-SUB RS-232 connector, max 115 kbit/s, half-duplex.
Serial Number - This number is used during installation.
Reset/control Button - Press this button to install using the AXIS Internet Dynamic DNS Service (see the
installation guide) or to restore the factory default settings, as described in Advanced, on page 32.
LED Indicators - After completion of the startup and self test routines, the multi-colored Network, Status, and
Power LED indicators flash as follows:
Network Green Steady for connection to 100 Mbit/s network. Flashes for network activity.
Amber Steady for connection to 10 Mbit/s network. Flashes for network activity.
Unlit No connection
Note: The Network LED can be configured to be unlit during normal operation. See the online help files for more informa-
tion. Go to Setup > System Options > LED settings.
Status Green Shows steady green for normal operation.
Note: The Status LED can be configured to be unlit during normal operation, or to flash only when the camera is accessed.
See the online help files for more information. Go to Setup > System Options > LED settings
Amber Steady during startup, reset to factory default or when restoring settings.
Red Slow flash for failed upgrade.
Power Green Normal operation.
Amber Flashes green/amber during firmware upgrade.
LED Color Description

AXIS 223M - Accessing the Camera
7
Accessing the Camera
Follow the instructions in the AXIS 223M Installation Guide to install the camera.
The AXIS 223M can be accessed with most standard operating systems and browsers. The recommended browser
is Internet Explorer for Windows, and Mozilla with other operating systems. See also the Technical
Specifications, on page 42.
Notes: • To view streaming video in Microsoft Internet Explorer, set your browser to allow ActiveX controls and allow the AXIS Media Control
(AMC) to be installed on your workstation.
• QuickTimeTM and Real PlayerTM are also supported for viewing streaming MPEG-4 video and audio.
• If your workstation restricts the use of additional software components, the camera can be configured to use a Java applet for viewing
motion JPEG.
• The AXIS 223M includes one (1) decoder license for viewing MPEG-4 video streams. This is automatically installed with AMC. The
administrator can disable the installation of the MPEG-4 decoder, to prevent unlicensed copies being installed.
Access from a Browser
1. Start a browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Mozilla)
2. Enter the IP address or host name of the camera in the
Location/Address field of your browser.
To access the camera from a Macintosh computer (Mac
OSX), simply click on the Bonjour tab and select the
AXIS 223M from the drop-down list.
3. If this is the first time the camera is accessed, see Setting the Password, on page 8. Otherwise enter
your user name and password, as set by the administrator.
4. The camera’s Live View page is now displayed in your browser.
Note: The layout of the live view page in the camera may have been customized to meet specific requirements. Consequently, some of the
examples and functions featured here may differ from those displayed on your own Live View page.

AXIS 223M - Accessing the Camera
8
Setting the Password
1. When accessing the camera for the first time, the ‘Configure
Root Password’ dialog will be displayed on the screen.
2. Enter a password and then re-enter it, to confirm the spelling.
Click OK.
3. The ‘Enter Network Password’ dialog will appear. Enter the User name: root
Note: The default administrator user name root is permanent and cannot be deleted or altered.
4. Enter the password as set in step 2 above, and click OK. If the password is lost, the camera must be
reset to the factory default settings. See page 32.
5. If required, click Yes to install the AXIS Media Control (AMC). You will need administrator rights on
the computer to do this.
Accessing the camera from the Internet
Once installed, the camera is accessible on your local network (LAN). To access the camera from the Internet you
must configure your broadband router to allow incoming data traffic to the camera. To do this, enable the
NAT-traversal feature, which will attempt to automatically configure the router to allow access to the camera.
This is enabled from Setup > System Options > Network > TCP/IP Advanced.
For more information, please see the AXIS Internet Dynamic DNS Service at www.axiscam.net or, for Technical
notes on this and other topics, visit the Axis Support Web at www.axis.com/techsup
Focusing
To focus the AXIS 223M, follow the instructions below.
1. From the Basic Configuration page in the setup tools, open the Focus adjustment page.
2. Set the DC-Iris to Disabled and click Save.
3. Unscrew the zoom puller on the lens by turning it
anti-clockwise. Adjust the zoom setting as
required. Re-tighten the zoom puller.
4. Unscrew the focus puller on the lens. Adjust the
focus as required. Re-tighten the focus puller.
5. From the Focus adjustment page, set the DC-Iris to
Enabled and click Save.
Note: The DC-Iris should always be disabled while focusing the camera. This
opens the iris to its maximum, which gives the smallest depth of field and thus the best conditions for correct focusing. When the focus
is set with this method it will then be maintained in any light conditions.
Zoom
pu
ll
er
(Tele/wide)
Focus puller

AXIS 223M - Accessing the Camera
9
The Live View Page
Depending on whether or not the Live View page has been customized, the buttons described below may or may
not be visible.
The Video Format drop-down list allows the video format on the Live View page to be
temporarily changed.
These buttons start and stop the Sequence Mode. This mode is created in Setup > Live View
Config > Sequence mode, and automatically displays the view from 2 or more video sources at set
intervals.
From the Source list, select the desired external video source. Note that Sequence Mode
must be stopped before selecting a source from this list.
The Trigger buttons can trigger an event directly from the Live View page. These are configured
under Setup > Live View Config > Layout.
The Snapshot button saves a snapshot of the image currently being displayed. Right-click on the
video image to save it in JPEG format on your computer. This button is intended for use when the
AMC viewer toolbar is not available.
The AMC (AXIS Media Control) viewer toolbar is available in Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows only.
It displays the following buttons:
Play/Stop button - starts and stops the live video stream.
Snapshot button - saves a snapshot of the video image currently being displayed. The Snapshot function
and the target directory for saving snapshots can be configured from the AMC Control Applet in the
Windows Control Panel (Internet Explorer only).
View Full Screen button - makes the image fill the entire screen area. No other windows will be visible.
Press Esc (Escape) on the keyboard to exit full screen.
Click the Record button to start an MPEG-4 recording (only available when viewing MPEG-4).
The Output buttons control the
output directly from the Live
View page. These buttons are
configured under Setup > Live
View Config > Layout.
Pulse - click this button to activate the output for a defined
period of time, e.g. to switch on a light for 20 seconds.
Active/Inactive - click these buttons to manually start and stop a
connected device, e.g. switch a light on/off.

AXIS 223M - Accessing the Camera
10
AMC audio controls
There are audio controls for controlling the client computer’s speaker output. These controls are only available
when audio is enabled, see AXIS Media Control (AMC), on page 12 and Audio, on page 17.
Click the Speaker and Microphone buttons to switch the sound off and on for the speaker and
microphone, respectively.
Use the sliders to control the volume on the speaker and microphone. The volume can be set
between 0 and 100.
When using Half-duplex mode, this button toggles between allowing you to speak and listen. The first
icon indicates that you can talk and the speaker attached to the camera will play your voice. The second
indicates that you will hear audio from the camera, but no audio will be sent to any web clients.
When in simplex talk mode, the icon toggles between allowing you to speak and is dimmed when you do not
want other clients to receive any audio.

AXIS 223M - Video Streams
11
Video Streams
The AXIS 223M provides several different image and video stream formats. The type to use depends on your
requirements and on the properties of your network.
The Live View page in the AXIS 223M provides access to MPEG-4 and Motion JPEG video streams, as well as
single JPEG images. Other applications and clients can also access these video streams/images directly, without
going via the Live View page.
How to stream MPEG-4
This video compression standard makes good use of bandwidth, and can provide DVD-quality video streams at
less than 1 Mbit/s. Note that the image settings of the MPEG-4 stream are the same for all clients. The image size
in MPEG-4 is limited to 640x480, this will be set when switching from Motion JPEG.
Deciding on the combination of protocols and methods to use depends on your viewing requirements, and on
the properties of your network. The available options in AMC are:
Unicast RTP This unicast method (RTP over UDP) should be your
first consideration for live video, especially when it is
important to always have an up-to-date video stream,
even if some images are dropped. Unicasting is used for video-on-demand
broadcasting, so that there is no video traf-
fic on the network until a client connects
and requests the stream.
Note: There is a maximum of 20 simulta-
neous viewers.
RTP over RTSP This unicast method (RTP tunneled over RTSP) is use-
ful as it is relatively simple to configure firewalls to
allow RTSP traffic.
RTP over RTSP over HTTP This unicast method can be used to traverse firewalls.
Firewalls are commonly configured to allow the HTTP
protocol, thus allowing RTP to be tunneled.
Multicast RTP This method (RTP over TCP) should be your first con-
sideration for live video, especially when it is impor-
tant to always have an up-to-date video stream, even
if some images are dropped.
Multicasting provides the most efficient
usage of bandwidth, especially when there
are large numbers of clients viewing simul-
taneously. Note however, that a multicast
broadcast cannot pass a network router
unless the router is configured to allow this.
It is thus not possible to multicast over e.g.
the Internet.
AMC will negotiate with the camera to determine exactly which transport protocol to use in the order listed
above. This order can be changed and the options disabled, to suit any specific requirements.
Important!
MPEG-4 is licensed technology. The AXIS 223M includes one viewing client license. Installing additional
unlicensed copies of the viewing client is prohibited. To purchase additional licenses, contact your Axis
reseller.

AXIS 223M - Video Streams
12
MPEG-4 clients
AXIS Media Control (AMC)
The recommended method of accessing live video (MPEG-4 and Motion
JPEG) from the AXIS 223M is to use the AXIS Media Control (AMC) in
Microsoft Internet Explorer in Windows.
The AMC control panel can be used to configure various video and audio
settings. Please see the readme file included in the tool for more
information.
The AMC control panel is automatically installed on first use, after which
it can be configured. 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 in the menu.
For more information on the AMC settings, please refer to the AXIS
Media Control User’s Manual available from the Axis Web site at
http://www.axis.com
QuickTime™ & Real Player™
To access the video stream from e.g. QuickTime™ or Real Player™ the following paths can be used:
• rtsp://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
• rtsp://<ip>/mpeg4/media.3gp
Notes: • The AXIS 223M supports QuickTime 6.5.1 (or later) and Real Player 10.5 (or later)
• QuickTime adds latency to the video and audio stream (up to 3 seconds)
• It may be possible to use other players to view the MPEG-4 stream using the paths above, although this is not guaranteed by Axis
Motion JPEG
This format uses standard JPEG still images for the video stream. These images are then displayed and updated
at a rate sufficient 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 each and every individual image contained in the stream. The recommended method of accessing
Motion JPEG live video from the AXIS 223M is to use the AXIS Media Control (AMC) in Microsoft Internet
Explorer in Windows.
Note also that multiple clients accessing Motion JPEG streams can use different image settings.
Alternative methods of accessing the video stream
Video/images from the AXIS 223M can also be accessed in the following ways:
• Motion JPEG server push (if supported by the client, e.g. Mozilla/Firefox). This option maintains an open
HTTP connection to the browser and sends data as and when required, for as long as required. See HTML
Examples, on page 27.
• Still JPEG images in a browser. Enter e.g. the path: http://<ip>/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?resolution=320x240
• Windows Media Player. This requires AMC and the MPEG-4 viewing client to be installed. The paths that can
be used are listed below in the order of preference.
• Unicast via RTP: axrtpu://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
• Unicast via RTSP: axrtsp://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
• Unicast via RTSP, tunneled via HTTP: axrtsphttp://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
• Multicast: axrtpm://<ip>/mpeg4/media.amp
Note: <ip> = IP address

AXIS 223M - Configuration
13
Configuration
This section describes how to configure the camera, and is intended for product Administrators, who have
unrestricted access to all the Setup tools, and Operators, who have access to the settings for Video & Image,
Audio, Live View Config and Event Configuration.
The camera is configured from Setup, from a standard browser (see Minimum web browsing requirements, on
page 53).
Accessing the setup tools from a browser
Follow the instructions below to access the Setup Tools from a browser.
1. Start your browser and enter the IP address or host name
of the camera in the location/address field.
2. The Live View page is now displayed. Click Setup to
display the Setup tools.
AXIS Media Control
The AXIS Media Control (AMC) is installed automatically the first time the camera is accessed from Microsoft
Internet Explorer. The AMC control panel can be opened by right-clicking on the video image in the Live View
web page. The AMC control panel can be used to configure various video and audio settings. For more
information, please refer to the AXIS Media Control User’s Manual available form the Axis Web site at
http://www.axis.com
Setup tools

AXIS 223M - Video and Image Settings
14
Video and Image Settings
The following descriptions show examples
of some of the features available in the
AXIS 223M. For details of each setting,
please refer to the online help available
from the setup tools. Click to access
the online help.
Image Appearance
Use these settings to change the image as
required. The video image can be rotated
and fine-tuned by adjusting the color
level, the brightness and the sharpness.
The configuration of the video image will
affect the camera’s overall performance,
depending on how it is used and on the
available bandwidth. Setting higher
resolution and lower compression
improves video image quality, but
increases the amount of bandwidth used.
When the box for Widescreen resolutions
(16:9) is checked, all the currently open
video streams are stopped and the
resolutions for this format are displayed
in the drop-down list. Open video streams are also stopped when this box is unchecked and the format switches
to 4:3. Please see the online help for further information on these settings.
Video Stream
Define the maximum video stream time per session in seconds, minutes or hours. When the set time has
expired, a new stream can be started by refreshing the page in the Web browser. For unlimited video stream
time, set this value to 0. This setting is only applicable to Motion JPEG.
The frame rate allowed to each viewer can also be limited, to avoid bandwidth problems on the network.
Test
To preview the image before saving, click Test. Note that the preview image will be in JPEG format, even though
the settings are valid both for Motion JPEG and MPEG-4.

AXIS 223M - Video and Image Settings
15
Overlay/Mask Settings
Overlay image
Text, date and
time overlays
Text Overlay
These settings enable you to place text at
the top or bottom of an image, e.g. date,
time or some other text.
Overlay/Mask Type
When using an image overlay, select from
the following options the type to use:
• Uploaded image as overlay - usually
used to provide extra information in the video image.
• Configurable areas as privacy masks - up to 3 areas are used to conceal parts of the video image.
The difference between an overlay and a privacy mask is that a privacy mask cannot be bypassed by accessing
the video stream with the help of the AXIS VAPIX API, whereas an overlay can.
Selecting the overlay/mask type will display further settings available for the selected type. See the online help
for further information.
Upload and use an overlay
To upload an overlay image to the camera:
1. Select the type of overlay to use in Overlay/Mask Type.
2. In the field Upload own image, click the Browse button and locate the image file on your computer or
server.
3. Click the Upload button and follow the on-screen instructions.
To use an already uploaded image:
1. Select an uploaded image from the Use image drop-down list.
2. Place the image at the required location by entering the x and y coordinates.
3. Click Save.
Overlay image requirements
There are a number of limitations when using overlay images, such as the size and positioning of images. Please
refer to the online help for more information.
Image Formats Image Size
• Windows 24-bit BMP (full color) The height and width of the overlay image in
pixels must be exactly divisible by 4.
• Windows 4-bit BMP (16 colors) The height and width of the overlay image in
pixels must be exactly divisible by 16.

AXIS 223M - Video and Image Settings
16
Advanced Settings
These web pages include different settings for fine-tuning the video image.
Camera Settings
To compensate for the lighting
conditions, the white balance,
the exposure control, the
exposure area and the IR cut
filter can all be adjusted. DC-Iris
should always be enabled, except
when focusing, or when using a
non-DC-Iris lens.
The settings for low light
behavior determine how the
camera will behave at low light
levels. These settings all affect
video image quality and are
basically a measure of how much
noise to allow in the video
images.
Please see the online help for further information on these settings.
MPEG-4 Settings
These are the tools for adjusting the MPEG-4 settings and controlling the video bit rate.
The MPEG-4 standard provides
many different coding tools for
various applications in different
situations. As most MPEG-4
clients do not support all of
these tools, it is usual to instead
define and use subsets for
different clients or groups of
clients. These settings allow you
to define the type of viewing
client to use.
Adjusting the maximum bit rate
and setting it to variable or
constant is a good way of
controlling the bandwidth used
by the MPEG-4 video stream.
For more information on these
advanced settings, please see the online help, and Video Streams, on page 11.

AXIS 223M - Audio
17
Audio
The AXIS 223M can transmit audio to other clients using a connected external microphone and can play audio
received from other clients via connected speakers. This section describes how to configure the basic audio
settings for the AXIS 223M, e.g. set the communication mode and adjust the sound levels in the microphone and
speakers connected to the camera.
Note: The speakers connected to the audio output must have a built-in amplifier, e.g.
PC speakers.
Audio Settings - Enable Audio
Check this box to enable audio in the AXIS 223M.
Audio Channels - Audio mode
Half-duplex mode transmits and receives audio in both directions,
but only in one direction at a time. This means that you must select
when to receive or transmit audio with the push-to-talk button. To
speak, press and hold the button (check that the microphone is not
muted). When finished speaking, release the button and you will
receive audio from the other end of the connection.
Note that the push-to-talk button is configured from AMC. It is also possible to configure the push-to-talk
button so that it toggles between speaking and listening modes.
When selecting Simplex - Network Camera speaker only mode, the speaker connected to the camera will play
audio, but no audio will be transmitted from the camera to other web clients. This could be used to e.g. provide
spoken instructions to a person seen in the camera. This mode requires you to use the push-to-talk button.
Simplex - Network Camera microphone only mode transmits audio only from the AXIS 223M to web clients. It
will not receive audio from any other web clients. This can be used in remote monitoring, web attractions etc.,
to provide live audio, as well as video, of a monitored situation.
When using half-duplex, the Send the sound from the active client to all other clients option transmits the
audio signal from the client that is talking to all the other clients.
Audio Input
Audio from a connected microphone or a line source can be connected to the Audio in connector of the AXIS
223M. The audio source must be set to Microphone or Line depending on the connected device.
The Enable microphone power option provides DC power for an external microphone. If using a small electret
condenser microphone such as a clip-on mic or a PC microphone, this option needs to be enabled.
Note: To use a high impedance dynamic microphone, DC power should not be enabled. DC power will not harm the microphone, but if you are
uncertain, try switching it off and on. The default value is DC power enabled. To use a professional microphone requiring 48V phantom
power, you need an external power supply and must use a balanced-unbalanced converter (audio transformer) in between.
If there are problems with the sound input being too low or high, adjust the input gain for the microphone
connected to the AXIS 223M.
Select the desired audio Encoding format, AAC, G711, G726.
Select the desired Sample rate (the number of samples of a sound that are taken per second). The settings
depend on the available bandwidth and the required audio quality, i.e. 16kHz produces better sound but requires
more bandwidth.
Depending on the selected encoding, set the desired Bit rate (audio quality). The settings depend on the
available bandwidth and the required audio quality, i.e. a high bit rate setting requires more bandwidth.
Client PC
TCP/IP Network
Example of a network
using AXIS 223M cameras to transmit
audio and video across the network.

AXIS 223M - Audio
18
The AXIS 223M can be set to trigger an event if the incoming sound level rises above, falls below or passes the
set value. The Alarm level is set between 0-100%.
Audio Output
If the sound from the speaker is too low or high, adjust the output gain for the active speaker attached to the
AXIS 223M. When satisfied with the settings, click Save, or click Reset to revert to the previously saved
settings.

AXIS 223M - Live View Config
19
Live View Config
These are the tools for deciding the layout of the
camera’s Live View page. The layout can be set in 3
ways:
•Use Axis look - the layout is unchanged.
•Use custom settings - modify the default Live View
page with your own colors, images etc. Click the
Configure button and see below.
•Own Home Page - Use your own custom page as
the default web page. Click the Configure button
and see the following page.
The other settings on this page concern which other
features to include, e.g. buttons and links. See page 20
for more information.
Use custom settings
Adjust the settings under Modify the Axis look, to
change the background picture, banner, colors, etc.
To use your own file for e.g. a banner, first upload
it (see the following page) or select External and
enter the path to the file.
Note that unchecking the box for Show setup link
will remove the setup link from the camera’s Home
Page. The setup tools will then only be accessible
by entering the full setup address into the
address/URL field of a browser, i.e.
http://<ip address>/operator/basic.shtml
Upload Own Web Files
Your own background pictures, banners and logos can either be located externally on e.g. a network server, or
they can be uploaded to the AXIS 223M itself. Once uploaded, files are shown in the drop-down lists for Own
(file). Follow these instructions to upload a file.
1. Click the Upload/Remove button in the Custom settings dialog.
2. Enter the path to the file, e.g. a file located on your computer or click the Browse button.
3. Select the user level for the uploaded file. Setting the user access level means that you have complete
control over which pages can be viewed by which users.
4. When the path is shown correctly in the text field, click the Upload button.
All uploaded files are shown in the list in the lower section of this dialog. To remove a file, check the box
provided next to it and then click the Remove button.

AXIS 223M - Live View Config
20
Own home page
From Live View Layout, select the radio button Use custom settings and click Configure.
Check the box Use own home page at the bottom of this dialog, To use a previously uploaded web page (see
above) as the default home page, select the page from the drop-down list and click OK.
User-defined Links
Enter a descriptive name and enter the URL in the
provided field.
User-defined link
Example
1. Check Show Custom Link 1
2. Enter a descriptive name, e.g. My Website
3. Check the radio button for web link.
4. Enter the web link: e.g. http://www.example.com
5. Click Save.
This link will then be shown on the Live View page and
will open the specified web site.
User-defined CGI links can be used to issue advanced
commands via the AXIS VAPIX API (Application
Programming Interface). For more information, see the
Developer pages at www.axis.com/developer
Action Buttons
The manual trigger buttons can be used to manually trigger and stop an event from the Live View page. See
Event Configuration, on page 22.
Enabling the display of the Snapshot button allows users to save a snapshot from the video stream by clicking
this button. This button is mainly intended for use with browsers other than Internet Explorer for Windows, or
when otherwise not using ActiveX to view the video stream. The ActiveX viewing component (AXIS Media
Control) for Internet Explorer provides its own snapshot button.
Output Buttons
These buttons can then be used to manually activate the output from the Live View page, e.g. to switch a light
on and off. There are 2 options for how the output is activated:
• The Pulse button activates the output for a defined period
• Active/Inactive displays 2 buttons, one for each action (on/off)
Default Video Format
Select default video format from the drop-down list. Checking the box for Show video format selection displays
a drop-down list on the Live View page allowing you to temporarily change the format.