Vicon Aurc-Niu User manual

Vicon part number 8009-8123-00-03 Section 4 Rev 503
XX123-00-03
AURC-NIU NETWORK INTERFACE UNIT FOR
AURORACORD DIGITAL RECORDER
Copyright © 2003 Vicon Industries Inc. All rights reserved.
Product specifications subject to change without notice.
Vicon and its logo are registered trademarks of Vicon Industries Inc.
Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corp.
VICON INDUSTRIES INC., 89 ARKAY DRIVE, HAUPPAUGE, NEW YORK 11788
TEL: 631-952-CCTV (2288) FAX: 631-951-CCTV (2288) TOLL FREE: 800-645-9116
24-Hour Technical Support: 800-34-VICON (800-348-4266)
UK: [phone] WEB: www.vicon-cctv.com

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Quick Installation
Connections to Install the IPInstaller

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•Quick Installation XX123-00-03 Rev 503 Network Interface
Connections for Operation
Standalone

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Network

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Introduction
The information in this instruction manual covers the installation, programming, operation and maintenance of
the Vicon AURC-NIU Network Interface for the AurorAcorD Digital Recorder. This unit should be installed by a
qualified technician using approved materials in accordance with national, state and local codes. Read these
instructions through completely before attempting installation.
The AURC-NIU is a network interface that allows the AurorAcorD Digital Recorder to be operated from a PC,
using a GUI, over a LAN/WAN (Internet). The AURC-NIU can be accessed by a workstation using Dial Up,
DSL, Cable Modem, ISDN or T1 connections. The Network Interface is normally connected locally to the
AurorAcorD it is controlling via the supplied Remote Control Cable. The Interface is also normally connected
remotely to the PC, or PCs, which will be controlling it via a standard or crossover type Cat5e cable (not
supplied). This results in two basic types of setups, Standalone and Network. The Standalone version is when
the Interface is simply controlled by a single computer via a crossover type Cat5e cable. The Network version
is the installation of the Interface to a LAN or WAN through a network hub or switch. All networked PCs will be
able to control the Interfaces. On a WAN, over the Internet or in any situation where a router is used, the
specific IP address installed into the Interface must be static type followed with an appropriate Gateway
address for communication to take place. Any dynamic IP address installed into the Interface will not provide
access over a WAN. In any case, the specific video of any particular AurorAcorD will be displayed on the PC
that is controlling it.
The provided GUI software allows full control of the AurorAcorD. Therefore, any function or feature performed
at the front panel of the AurorAcorD can be fully replicated on the GUI front panel. (Note: The AURC-NIU does
not transfer audio data.) In addition, any displayed digital video in any particular screen format can be
recorded locally to the PC hard drive or any network drive the PC can access. From there, the video can be
played back as a video segment or still image. Refer to Instruction Manual XX091 for operating instructions for
the AurorAcorD recorder.
Installation
Unpacking and Inspection
All Vicon equipment is tested and inspected before leaving the factory. It is the carrier’s responsibility to deliver
the equipment in the same condition as it left the factory.
Inspection For Visible Damage
Immediately inspect the cartons upon delivery. Make a note of any visible damage on all copies of the carrier’s
freight bill.
Make sure the carrier’s agent (the person making the delivery) signs the note on all copies of the bill. If the
agent does not have claim forms, contact the carrier’s office.
Inspection For Concealed Damage
As soon as possible after delivery, unpack the unit and inspect it for concealed damage. Do not discard the
carton or packing materials. If the unit is damaged, contact the carrier immediately and request forms for filing
a damage claim. Make arrangements for a representative of the carrier to inspect the damaged equipment. If
the equipment must be returned for repair, follow the Shipping Instructions at the end of this manual.

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Product Overview
All connections are made on the rear panel. Refer to Figure 1 and Table 1 for connection functions. The side
panel has three LED indicators. Refer to Figure 2 and Table 2 for those functions.
A basic knowledge of Windowsplatform and networking is required to install and operate the unit. Vicon
recommends that the GUI be loaded onto a freshly loaded operating system. Vicon recommends using
Windows 2000, ME or XP operating systems.
Note: Vicon does not recommend using Windows NT or 98SE.
Table 1
Rear Panel Connectors
Connector Name Function
DC12V Power in jack; supplies the power to unit
SERIAL RJ45; connects PC to interface for IP installation and also connects interface to
AurorAcorD for operation
ETHERNET RJ45 (10Base-T/100Base-T) network connector; used for Wide Area Network
(WAN) or Local Area Network (LAN)
PRESET Recessed button; used to restore the factory default settings
IN BNC connector; receives analog video input
OUT BNC connector; transmits analog video output
Figure 1
Rear Panel
Table 2
Side Panel Indicators
Name Function Indication
Ethernet Network
LED Green network status light; indicates network activity Blinking light indicates data transfer; no light when no data is transferring
Ethernet Link
LED Yellow link status light; indicates network connection Solid light indicates physical connection to Ethernet input on NIU; blinks when
first connected
Power LED Red light; indicates power connection Solid light when power is on; no light
when power is off
Figure 2
Side Panel Indictors

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Physical Installation
The AURC-NIU can be used in a desk-top configuration or, optionally, can be mounted to the rear panel of the
AurorAcorD. If the AurorAcorD has four (4) mounting holes on the rear panel and the AURC-NIU has
mounting ears, the AURC-NIU can be attached to the AurorAcorD with the four (4) black screws supplied with
the AURC-NIU. Refer to Figure 3.
Figure 3
Installing the AURC-NIU on an AurorAcorD
Downloading Applications
The AURC-NIU is supplied with a CD that contains the applications needed to run the unit.
1. Remove the CD from the sleeve and place it in the CD drive of the PC.
2. Click once on the drive directory icon to select it. Two files will appear in the directory.
3. Copy and paste the file named IPInstaller.exe and place it on your desktop. See Figure below.
4. Double click on the file named Vicon DVR; the Vicon DVR application will self-install onto the PC. See
Figure below.
5. When the self-install process is complete, the PC must be rebooted before proceeding.
IPInstaller… …..Vicon DVR
Applying the IPInstaller
Before the AURC-NIU is connected to the AurorAcorD, the IP address of the AURC-NIU must be set up.
1. Connect the supplied 12 VDC power cord to the AURC-NIU and to an appropriate power supply.
2. Use the supplied Installer Cable (part number 1298-5243-01) to connect the PC serial (COM) port (DB9)
to the AURC-NIU SERIAL port connector. Only use this supplied cable.
3. Connect any crossover type Cat5e LAN cable to the Ethernet connector on the AURC-NIU and to the
Ethernet (RJ45) connector on the PC.
4. From the Control Panel Network icon of the PC, get the IP address of the computer. Make a record of this
address.

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5. Double-click on IPInstaller.exe icon, shown below.
6. The following screen displays.
a. Serial Setting: Select the appropriate COM port. See Note on page 6 and Technical
Information for COM port requirements.
b. Connect: When the Connect button is clicked, connectivity is initiated. When connection is
established, the Apply button becomes available and IP Address fields are accessible.
c. IP Setting: Assign and enter a unique IP Address with appropriate Subnet Mask and Gateway
numbers. For a Standalone installation, a valid IP address is 10.0.0.(1-254). The first NIU can
have address 10.0.0.1, the second 10.0.0.2, and so on up to 254. The Subnet Mask is the
same as those of your PC. When installing the AURC-NIU on a corporate network, ask your
network administrator for a unique IP address. (Note: For operation over a WAN/Internet or
any application through a router, a valid static IP address must be used in conjunction with a
valid Gateway address. The unit will not recognize dynamic (DHCP) IP addresses assigned
by a router or server.)

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d. Apply: After successfully setting up the IP Setting, click Apply. This installs the previously
entered IP Setting to the connected AURC-NIU. Keep a permanent record of this address.
e. IP Install: If IPInstaller.exe was successfully completed, the following message is displayed:
IP installation is completed
You must restart the server (Note: the server is the AURC-NIU)
f. Program Status: Depending on the progress on the installation, various messages may
appear:
You must connect – click Connect button
Ready to apply – click Apply button
Writing network setting – sending address information to unit
IP installation is completed. You must restart the server – power off and power on the unit
Waiting for server response – communication not established; close the IPInstaller application
and then restart procedure from step 6.
After the IP address is installed, click OK and reset the unit by disconnecting and reconnecting the power cord
to the AURC-NIU.
If the same IP address is being assigned to multiple NIUs concurrently, the IP address associated with the
MAC address of the previous NIU must be cleared from the ARP table before the next NIU can be assigned
the IP address. From the Command (DOS) window type in the following procedure:
Enter arp –d 100.122.1.222 (100.122.1.222 is an example IP address; enter the specific IP address
for the AURC-NIU).
Follow this procedure for each subsequent NIU requiring the same IP address.
Running the Ping Function
To confirm that the IP address is communicating, perform a Ping function. Equipment connections remain as
above.
1. Find the Command Prompt (MS-DOS Prompt) with the Start button. This opens a command window.
2. On the command line, type in “ping” after C:\WINDOW>, leave a space, and then type in the IP address,
putting periods between the numbers (i.e., C:\WINDOWS>ping 10.0.0.25).
3. If the AURC-NIU IP address is responding, a “Reply from…” message appears, confirming the connection
and the IP address assigned. See screen below. Note that after first initializing the IP address for the
AURC-NIU, it may indicate that there is “No Reply from…”, however a reply could take as long as 60
seconds before it will echo back “Reply from…” This is a normal response.

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When an invalid address is used a “Request timed out” message appears. See screen below.
Connections
After the IP installation is successfully completed, unplug the power cord to power off the unit. Disconnect the
Installer Cable. Refer to Connection for Operation diagrams in Quick Installation section.
1. Connect the supplied 12 VDC power cord to the AURC-NIU.
2. Connect a coaxial cable from the Video IN BNC connector on the AURC-NIU to the CVBS video output
BNC connector on the AurorAcorD.
3. Connect a coaxial cable from the Video OUT BNC connector on the AURC-NIU to the Video IN connector
on any CCTV monitor.
4. Connect the supplied Remote Control Cable (part number 1298-5244-01) to the SERIAL port of the
AURC-NIU and one of the AurorAcorD COM ports. Use only the supplied cable.
Note: Refer to the AurorAcorD manual (XX091) for information on settings for the COM port for serial (RS-
232) configuration. The serial port 1 or 2 should be set to: baud rate 9600, data bits 8, parity/stop bits
none/1, mode Prn/Host, type RS-232. More Host Setup must be set to: print time broadcast No, host
address 0, command terminator CR. To communicate with a receiver for PTZ control, use COM 2; for
communication with a host PC, use COM 1. The PC port settings must match the settings on the
AururAcorD.
5. If the NIU is to stay connected to one PC (standalone), leave the Ethernet connection as is; if it is going to
be connected to a network switch or HUB, disconnect the Ethernet connection to the PC and connect a
standard (non-crossover) Cat5e cable from the Ethernet port on the AURC-NIU to the Ethernet port on the
HUB/switch.

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Operation
Operating the AurorAcorD Digital Recorder is done through the customized interface, AURC-NIU GUI, shown
below. Refer to the AurorAcorD instruction manual, XX091, for basic operating instructions using the front
panel keyboard.
Double click the Vicon DVR icon on your desktop to launch the GUI. See below.
The following screen will display. (Note: The PC monitor settings must be 1024 x 768 pixels (minimum) and
color setting equivalent to 32 bit for screen image to display correctly.)
Network Considerations
The AurorAcorD Digital Recorder can be used on a 10 or 100 Mbps network. As users are added to the
network, additional bandwidth is used, until eventually the total bandwidth limit is achieved. When the
bandwidth limit is exceeded, the video frame rate will decrease. To optimize overall system performance, use
smaller Image Sizes and reduce the quality level to Low.
The buttons on the bottom of the screen mimic the front panel of the AurorAcorD.

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When using the GUI for first time use, click on Site List on the right side of the GUI panel. Enter the IP address
just programmed into AURC-NIU and give it a name. Click Connect. The Login screen will display, as shown
below. From the drop down list, select admin; the default password is “vicon”. Click OK.
Note: If multiple AURC-NIUs are connected to the system, and IP addresses have been programmed in them,
they all can be added to the Site List at this time. The PC will save the list.
The GUI buttons have the following functions:
a. Full Image/Small Image: Click these buttons to change the size of the video image displayed.
When set at 1024, the Full Image is 6.75 in. width and 4.75 in. in length and the Small Image
is 3.75 in. width and 2.75 in. in length.
b. Site List: Displays a list of AURC-NIU IP addresses.
c. Play Back: A video or still image can be selected for play back. A list of recorded events is
displayed by date and time. Select an event. When viewing an image, the “snapshot” will
appear. When video is selected, press the play button (!). The pointer arrow indicates the
relative position of the video, and it can be manually moved. The maximum size of a
recorded event is 47.7 M, which is about 7 minutes of video. If recording goes beyond that
size, a second file is automatically created with the same name plus an underscore and
numeral (1, 2, etc.). Pressing Reload updates the current directory; pressing Path selects a
directory.

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d. Video Setup: Select the Input Type, Image Size and Quality. (Note that the larger image size
and the higher quality result in a decrease in storage capacity.) See Image Size table in
Technical Information.
e. Record Setup: File information for video and image setup. A “User define” selection allows
the addition of text before the date. Long date time includes the full date and time. Short date
time omits the year from the date; short date includes full date only. Frame choices include 5,
4, 3, 2, or 1 frame per 1 second.
f. Image Record: Use to take a “snapshot” of an image. Click Save to record.

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g. Video Record: Click Save button to start recording. Click the green Recording button (Video
Record becomes a Recording button when recording begins) to stop recording.
h. Disk Space: Displays disk space left on the PC. When the PC is full, recording to the hard
drive of the PC stops. Recording on the AurorAcorD is not affected. See Image Size table in
Technical Information.
A message appears when the PC is at full capacity.
i. Account: Click the Account Management tab to add users with unique passwords; click the
Change Password tab to change the current administrator password. If the password is
forgotten, refer to Preset Button section of the manual.

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j. Help: On-screen guide to GUI functions.
k. Double Click: Simulates a simultaneous key click required for some AurorAcorD functions.
Preset Button
The PRESET button is located on the rear panel of the unit. Refer to Figure 1. The button is recessed to
protect it from being accidentally pushed. The button is accessed by using a small pointed object, such as
small screwdriver or the end of a paper clip. Pressing the PRESET button for 10 seconds returns the
AURC-NIU to the factory default condition.
•Resets Video Setup to NTSC, 640 x 240, normal.
•Clears all the user accounts and passwords; user reverts to “admin” and password reverts “vicon”
It is important to note that a result of using the PRESET button is that the next time the unit is powered down
and then powered up after pressing the PRESET button (no matter how long after the PRESET action), the IP
address for the AURC-NIU will revert to the factory default and must be reprogrammed to match your unique
network setting.
Maintenance
The AURC-NIU requires no maintenance. Remember that recording will stop when the PC has reached full
capacity of disk storage space. To prevent the possibility of not recording important data, check disk space
and delete any unnecessary files. Usually it is recommended to delete oldest files first.

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Shipping Instructions
Use the following procedure when returning a unit to the factory:
1. Call or write Vicon for a Return Authorization (R.A.) at one of the locations listed below. Record the name
of the Vicon employee who issued the R.A.
Vicon Industries Inc.
89 Arkay Drive
Hauppauge, NY 11788
Phone: 631-952-CCTV (2288); Toll-Free: 1-800-645-9116; Fax: 631-951-CCTV (2288)
For service or returns from countries in Europe, contact:
Vicon Industries Ltd
Brunel Way
Fareham, PO15 5TX
United Kingdom
Phone: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
2. Attach a sheet of paper to the unit with the following information:
a. Name and address of the company returning the unit
b. Name of the Vicon employee who issued the R.A.
c. R. A. number
d. Brief description of the installation
e. Complete description of the problem and circumstances under which it occurs
f. Unit’s original date of purchase, if still under warranty
3. Pack the unit carefully. Use the original shipping carton or its equivalent for maximum protection.
4. Mark the R.A. number on the outside of the carton on the shipping label.