In many surveillance applications you would wish to place a camera to cover a large area. To be able to turn your camera around and zoom in to
focus your attention is a powerful benefit. With ACTi’s KCM series auto focus zoom cameras, you get an unparalleled video quality and efficientzooming at high megapixel solution. A Pan-Tilt Scanner (Pan-Tilt Head) will help you turn the camera around and aim at wherever you desire.

It is also good to know that the zoom cameras KCM-5211E and KCM-5311E come with built-in IR LED. While traditional speed dome cameras do not have IR LED because of possible IR light reflection risk due to dome cover design, the IR LED supported box cameras together with Pan-Tilt scanner can see in any direction even in total darkness!

How it works
Many PTZ scanners are controlled by special analog protocols mostly based on RS-485 interface. The most widely used protocol is Pelco-D. ACTi Autofocus Zoom cameras will translate IP based PTZ commands into Pelco-D commands and send it to telemetry receivers, which can understand the Pelco-D commands and convert it again into motor movement signals for Pan-Tilt heads attached to the camera. This allows the Zoom cameras to do pan and tilt in real time. As there are many Pan-Tilt scanners available in the market, the Pan-Tilt performance will depend upon the PT scanner unit connected to the Zoom camera.

If you use a control panel with joystick for PTZ control that supports Pelco D protocol, you can just wire it to a video decoder, which will convert the PTZ controls into IP format for Zoom cameras.

Overview

Surveillance Station is a security monitoring application that allows you to manage IP cameras to safeguard your home and office environments. To link your IP camera to Surveillance Station, you first need to make some simple settings.

1. Launch IP Camera

To launch IP Camera, do either of the following:

• Launch Surveillance Station and click IP Camera.
  
• Launch Surveillance Station and go to Main Menu > IP camera.
  

2. Add a camera

To add a camera to Surveillance Station, choose one of the following options:

• If there are no connected cameras, click Add in the dialogue to activate Add Camera Wizard.
• In the top-left corner, click Add > Add Camera to activate Add Camera Wizard.
  

3. Set up the IP Camera

1. In Add Camera Wizard, choose between Complete Setup and Quick Setup. Complete Setup allows you to configure device information, video settings, recording settings, and schedule settings. With Quick Setup, you only need to set the necessary device information and can edit advanced settings in the Advanced page later.
   
2. Select a server.
   

3.1 Set up the camera information

1. Under Information, click the search icon to the right of IP address to open the Camera search result window. Surveillance Station will automatically search for connectable devices in the domain.
   
2. Select a camera and click OK. The device Name, IP address, Port, Brand, Camera model, default Username and Password¹, and other settings will be loaded automatically. You can also enter your device information and let Surveillance Station help you with the default user name, password, and other settings.
   
3. Some cameras also support Firmware, TV standard, Mount type, Video channel, and UPnP functions. To use the functions, make sure to enable them on your camera first.
   
4. Finish the Information setting, and click Test Connection to make sure Surveillance Station is connected to your device². If you are now connected to your device, a green check will appear and you can see the live feed in the box to the right³.
   
5. If you chose Complete Setup, more video settings will be shown in the next page. If you chose Quick Setup, Surveillance Station will complete the action with default settings.

3.2 Set up video settings

Adjust the Video format, Audio format, Streaming profile, Resolution, Frame rate, Bitrate control, and Image quality⁴. Depending on the camera, up to three streams can be set up simultaneously.

3.3 Set up recording settings

Adjust the Pre-recording time before an event and Post-recording time after an event. You can configure Keep the files within (days) and Limit the archive folder up to (GB) to manage recordings, and set up Customize archive folder names, Customize file name prefix, and Recording storage.

3.4 Set up a schedule

1. Determine what time to start continuous recording and what time to enable event detection⁵.
2. Click on the boxes above the timetable to choose a recording mode, and drag your mouse across the timetable to apply the settings.
   
3. Click Finish. Surveillance Station will try to set up the camera accordingly.

4. Make sure the camera is set up correctly

Once settings are complete, cameras will appear in the list with their status shown after the device name.

• It may take up to minutes for Surveillance Station to set up and connect to the camera. Meanwhile, the status will be “Activating“.
• If Surveillance Station cannot connect to your camera and obtain video streams, the status will read “Disconnected” and prompt possible reasons.
• If the camera is later connected, the prompt will be hidden while the video stream thumbnail appears. Click the thumbnail to access your camera and play the footage.

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¹ Always load the default username and password. If the username or password is changed, Surveillance Station may not be able to find your camera.
² Even if the test connection is successful, some cameras may not function properly. See this article for more information.
³ Some cameras do not provide snapshots, so snapshots may not be displayed properly.
⁴ If Bitrate control is set as Variable, you can choose the Image quality you want. If Bitrate control is set as Constant, you can adjust the bit rate.
⁵ After setting up your IP Camera, you can find Event detection and I/O Port in the left panel and edit settings.

Speed ​​Dome Cameras are cameras with PTZ (Pan, tilt , zoom ) feature that can be changed by digitally controlling the camera angle.

We can explain these three features of Speed ​​Dome Cameras, which include PTZ, ie pan, tilt and zoom, as follows:

Pan is  the ability of the Camera to move left and right.

Tilt is  a feature that indicates that the Camera can move up and down.

Zoom indicates  the auto zoom feature in the lens.

Speed ​​Dome Cameras are known by many names on the market. Some of those; PTZ camera, motor camera, pan tilt zoom camera, mobese cameras, slow speed camera, high speed camera, motion camera.

Speed ​​dome cameras, which have become widespread with the developing technology, were not preferred much because of their high cost. It was used in very special military security units, key points and airports. But today,  lower cost speed dome cameras are preferred in terms of their features as they are produced  . Speed ​​dome cameras, which also provide digital control advantage, are divided into two in terms of rotational speed. These are  slow and speed dome  cameras. Its speed can be preferred according to the area it will be used.

If we look at the general features,  speed dome cameras have digital control feature . Serial communication protocol RS-485 is used to control the camera. This is because the RS-485 is a simpler and more convenient system than others. Two wires are used for data communication and data transmission up to 1200 meters can be provided.

Speed ​​dome cameras can be rotated around continuously according to their location, or thanks to preset points with a specified motion and zoom program, cameras can be displayed in the desired area in case of an alarm.

Control Options

Speed ​​dome cameras; DVR Record Card can  be managed with DVR Recorder  and  Control Units .

How to Control the DVR with Record Card?

First of all, if the camera will be controlled with this method, RS232 / RS-485 converter must be plugged into the computer’s RS-232 output. The number of speed dome cameras that can be controlled varies according to the make and model of the cameras. Systems up to 256 cameras can be installed. Control is done with the software of the DVR card. Users connected via the internet or network have the ability to use the speed dome camera. In order to be able to check, the number given on the speed dome camera must match the number on the DVR record card. Also the communication protocol and baudrate used by the speed / slow dome camera again ?? i should be the same. This simply means that the devices speak the same language at the same speed.

How to Control the DVR with a Digital Recorder?

Digital recorders have RS-485 output (depending on the model). The speed dome cameras that are desired to be controlled can be connected in parallel, and can be controlled on the device, over the network and over the internet. It provides both convenience and extra professionalism to the speed dome camera control system with digital recording devices that can be controlled via the control of recorders.

Control with Control Unit

In this control type, the cameras can be controlled with a joystick with RS-485 output. It can be preferred in military camera systems, which are insufficient in terms of computers, and where an operator is required to be controlled, factory CCTV monitoring and recording systems, and construction site closed circuit camera systems. In addition, it can be used in camera system installations in places that want to control with a conventional operator by using both a computer or recorder control unit. Prices vary according to the control unit model and features.

Various protocols are used for speed dome camera control in communication with RS-485 interface. For example:

KTD-312 ,   Nice Cam , Pelco D , Pelco P , Lilin PIH / Philips , TC8560 / 700, Samsung , Yaan Speed ​​Dome , TD-500 . These protocols provide communication in different baudras.

What are the Uses of Speed ​​Dome Cameras?

Today, we can see speed dome cameras, which are increasing day by day, in military facilities, airports, factories and outdoors construction sites. Speed ​​dome cameras, such as normal dome cameras, are not easy to understand where it controls. For this reason, we can say that its deterrence feature is high. You can find speed dome cameras, which are a very useful and technological camera type, on our site with the brands Everest, REDrock and BALITECH.