How To’s – ViewCommander https://viewcommander.com IP Camera Software Thu, 01 Aug 2024 13:19:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://viewcommander.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-cropped-cropped-IVI-Logo-1-32x32.png How To’s – ViewCommander https://viewcommander.com 32 32 Adding Archive Footage Back into VC https://viewcommander.com/adding-archive-footage-back-into-vc/ Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:50:39 +0000 https://viewcommander.com/?p=5814

Adding Archive Footage back into VC

Cameras may change location.  This is why in ViewCommander when you change the “Easy Reference Name” you get the following popup: 

By selecting “Yes” a new is created and any previous footage is no longer viewable in Playback. However, some users may still need to see that footage. To do this, follow these steps to allow access to the old folder:

1. Add New Video Source and select "ViewCommander Archive"
2. Select "Folder"

Highlight the camera’s name and select “Ok”

3. Optional: Add an "Easy Reference Name"
4. "Save"

You will not see any video. You will need to go into “Playback” to view your archives. 

*Adding a “ViewCommander Archive” video source, will not count as one of your camera licenses 

Giving Users Remote Access to Archive

1. System Settings –> “Security Settings” tab, select user and click “Assign to Cameras” (this is for Versions 13 and newer)

2. Back in the video, select “remote access” and check “enable web” 

]]> Export Video https://viewcommander.com/export-video/ Thu, 02 Feb 2023 15:43:22 +0000 https://viewcommander.com/?p=2882

How to Export Video

There are two tools to export video, the NVR software, and the Web Client. Within these tools there are different ways to export video depending on the situation. 

Exporting within the ViewCommander Application

1. Enter “Playback mode” and click “Export”

2. Select from the “Format” drop down:

These files are typically best used when exporting a few short clips. They can be played on media players such as Windows Media Player. They also can be sent via email. ASF/AVI are traditional video file formats, if you would like the most compatability for video players this is the option to choose

The VCA format is ViewCommander’s video format. It preserves the original image integrity, and incorporates timestamp, digital fingerprint, and other video information. The ViewCommander player must be downloaded separately to playback this file

The EXE is the same as the VCA format except it comes in a fully packaged player. You can send this export to anyone with a Windows computer and it will playback without the need to download the player.

The folder export is a raw copy of the video files as they were saved. This copies video and saves the original format and structure as it was saved on disk. Typically this is used for larger exports (hours/days long video clips).

All the video exports will require a start/end time and day. If exporting a AVI/ASF format you will have a few additional options to add to the exported video. 

  • Note: Depending upon the size of video being exported the export process may take some time

3. “Select Cameras”: Allows for multiple camera export. For a time range, choose one or more cameras to export the same time range.  

4. A dialog box will open asking you to select a folder. This is where you want your archive files copied to. 

Exporting within the Remote Web Access

1. On the web portal select “Archive”

2. Select a Camera

4. On the calendar select the day, time, and minute you would like to export

5. Select “Video Exports” on the right hand side of the screen –> “New Export” 

6. Select the Name, Start/End Time, type of video format and the optional timestamp then click “Export” 

  • Note: Depending upon the size of video being exported the export process may take some time

9. To view the exported video click on “Export List” 

]]> Turn ViewCommander On as a Service https://viewcommander.com/turn-viewcommander-on-as-a-service/ Fri, 04 Nov 2022 14:04:43 +0000 https://viewcommander.com/?p=4897

Turn ViewCommander On As a Service

**Click HERE for a video tutorial

The service allows ViewCommander to continue running and recording in the background when the application is closed. 

Example: There is a power outage at the office over the weekend and the ViewCommander server goes down. As soon as power is restored and the server turns on, because the service is On, ViewCommander will continue recording and you will be able to access ViewCommander remotely. 

To Turn the Service On:

  1. Open the VCUtility
    • There should be an icon on your desktop 
    • If you do not see an icon it can be found here: C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI

     2.  Click “Install Service” 

 

Once the service is on, when you open ViewCommander, you will get this prompt letting you know the service is switching over to the application:

We recommend closing out of the application and letting ViewCommander run as a Service when you are not at the server. 

]]> Add Presets https://viewcommander.com/add-presets/ Wed, 11 May 2022 16:11:11 +0000 https://viewcommander.com/?p=4809

Presets

OVERVIEW

Creating Presets

  • Click on the “Control Tab”
  • Move your camera to a location you would like to set, for example, “Driveway”.
  • From the Preset Management dropdown choose an empty slot then give it a name. Once you click “Add/Set” you will see it in the “Select a Preset” drop down at the top.
Adding a Preset
"Select a Preset" Drop Down

Note: For some cameras you may need to set the presets in the camera directly. When going directly through the camera itself, to get the presets into ViewCommander click “Update Presets”. Now you will see them in the ”Select a Preset” drop down.

"Presets and Touring"

“Go to Preset after a period of Inactivity”

You can select a preset and choose how much time we want to give before having the camera move back to this preset. This is helpful if multiple people are logging into ViewCommander, moving the camera, and they forget to zoom out or move it back to its original position.

“Preset Touring”

This allows the camera to move periodically to specific locations on a cycle. The wait time is how much time you want at each preset and the “resume” field is how many seconds we want to wait before the camera goes back on the cycle.

Going to a Preset on Motion

Click on the “Event” tab then “Sensors and Events”

Here is where a preset can be added for motion detection. To learn about motion detection, click here

Click “PTZ Custom Controls” tab. This means, for example, if you have a region set for any motion detected in a doorway for ViewCommander to record, you can set the camera to zoom into the door when this is detected. If you have the ProAdvanced model of ViewCommander you can set up to 3 regions of interest.

Going to a Preset at a Specific Time

In Sensors and Events you can also have the camera point to a specific location at a specific time. This can be done by choosing the “Timer-Daily” sensor, setting your time and then the preset.

]]> Find ViewCommander Logs https://viewcommander.com/viewcommander-logs/ Mon, 24 Jan 2022 14:39:23 +0000 https://viewcommander.com/?p=4385

*Updated: 2/2/23

How to Find the ViewCommander Log

What Version are you?  VERSION 14/13/12    VERSION 11/OLDER

If you have Version 14/13/12:

In the Application: 
  1. In the ViewCommander Application click “Options”–> “System Settings” 
  2. Under the “General Tab” you will see “Log File Folder” click here to find the file named “ViewCommanderLog” 
OR 
Click on the last icon in the menu bar: 
 
On the C Drive: 
  • The log files for each month are stored in folders with the following format:
    • C:\ProgramData\ViewCommander\VCLogs\<YEAR>\<MONTH>
      • Example: C:\ProgramData\ViewCommander\VCLogs\2021\12

IF YOU HAVE VERSION 11 and older:

On the C Drive: 
  • C:\ProgramData\ViewCommander 
  • “ViewCommanderLog” 
]]> Set up a Recording https://viewcommander.com/recording/ Sat, 03 Apr 2021 18:08:15 +0000 https://viewcommander.com/?p=3696

Setting up a Recording

**Click HERE for a video tutorial

1. Set the default archive location on the computer’s storage drive for where you would like to save your recordings:

System Settings–> Archive Tab

NOTE: That these settings are global and will apply to all cameras. Once set, you should not have to go to this screen unless there are default settings that you need to change.

2. Setting up your cameras to record: 

You will find all your Recording options here in the “Recording Settings” section. This is where you can select each cameras recording mode. From the drop-down box there are four options.

Video for this camera will not be recorded.

This mode will record all incoming video 24-7.  You can see the system is recording by looking at the recording icon at the top right corner. If it is a filled in circle this means it is recording. It will save video at the frame rate that you specify. If the incoming frame rate is slower than the specified recording frame rate, then video will only record at the incoming frame rate. This frame rate specification applies only to MJPEG video. Due to the nature of H.264, all frames must be recorded.

When this option is chosen, you will need to set up a recording schedule. If a schedule has not been set, then a popup will appear telling you a schedule needs to be set. If a schedule is not set, no video will be recorded. Please see the “Master Schedule” page for more information on this. 

You would choose this option if you want to record video only when an event is triggered, such as motion detection. If this is clicked and there are no events set up, a warning will appear. You will need to go to the  Events section of the configuration panel and set up at least one or more events that trigger recordings when an event is encountered. 

Enable Audio Recording

If your camera supports audio, ViewCommander can record audio too. To enable audio recording, simply check the “enable audio recording” checkbox.  You must already have audio enabled for this camera.

Advanced Settings

If “Default” drive is selected, then video will be saved to the drive specified in the Systems Settings. Say for example you want to save this camera to a different drive letter, such as a USB drive that you are going to use for this one camera. Here is where you will override the default drive, and choose the specific drive location.

In the ProPlus model or higher, you can select a secondary failover drive to record to if the primary drive is full or offline. You can also record to two drives simultaneously if you are using the ProAdvanced model.  

Under “saving a video when an event is triggered” you have the option to choose how soon you would like the system to start and end a recording when an event is triggered. The first option lets you save video before the event was detected.

NOTE: The longer you set this value, the more system memory ViewCommander will consume.

The second option sets how long to record video when an event is no longer detected.

Under the section “Automatically delete old archives” you can specify the number of days you want to save archives for before deleting automatically.

NOTE: Please be certain here if selecting to delete archived files, as files will be permanently deleted after this amount of days.

Under “additional recording settings” you can choose to have a recording end date. Simply click on the button to choose the date.

]]> Add a Camera https://viewcommander.com/add-a-camera/ Sat, 20 Mar 2021 18:58:48 +0000 https://viewcommander.com/?p=3613

Adding a Camera

To watch a Video Tutorial Click HERE

Network Settings

Device Model is the model of the camera or video encoder you will be adding.

Under the device model you will see “device special instructions”. These are tips that we provide for some cameras to assist in connecting to the camera.

This is the network address the system will use to connect to the camera. You can also enter a hostname, as well as a dynamic hostname if you set up your camera to use a DDNS, or Dynamic DNS address.

Video port and control port are typically the same port numbers, the default port number set on most cameras is usually 80. However you may have changed this if your camera is on a remote connection behind a router or firewall.  If you are using RTSP, for example, you will need to change the video port to the camera’s RTSP port, usually port 554 by default. 

If your camera allows it, you can check off “encryption or Sockets Layer SSL” . This will create an encrypted video stream between the camera and ViewCommander.

This is the same username and password that you use to log into the camera directly with a web browser.

This Easy reference Name option allows you to name your camera to a name that describes the camera. For example: parking lot, outside, street cam, etc.

This is a number assigned by ViewCommander. It is used by the system for functions including storage and web access. This value cannot be changed.

Video Properties

NOTE: Not all cameras will have the same options as below. The options depend on your camera’s capabilities. If an item is grayed out, it means this value cannot be set from ViewCommander. However, you may be able to log into the camera directly and change these settings.

References the video feed on the camera or encoder that you want to view. It is mainly used for video encoders that have two or more video feeds.  For most cameras, this will be grayed out.  If connecting to a video feed from another ViewCommander system, this number will correspond with the source ID on the remote ViewCommander system.

For cameras that allow it, ViewCommander can request the video with a specific quality, or compression, value. Video with higher quality will allow you to see more detail, but will use more bandwidth to transmit as well as more disk space when saving.

Any number between 0 and 100 can be inputted here. We typically see values of 50 to 75.

Lower resolutions will use less bandwidth and disk space, but will result in images with less detail.  Higher resolutions will allow for more detail in the image, but will use more bandwidth, use more diskspace, and may reduce the video frame rate if bandwidth is constrained.

If you notice that the video in ViewCommander appears pixelated, it is the result of a lower resolution being stretched to fit the ViewCommander screen. You may want to increase the resolution if you desire.

You can set the maximum frame rate at which you want the camera to send video.. Any number between 0 and 30 is acceptable. The default value is 0 which means it will look to the default frame rate that is set on the camera or video server. Set the value to 0 to get the maximum frame rate possible.

Checking ‘Show Date/Time’ for cameras that allow it will tell the camera to embed a timestamp in the video image. If you choose this, be sure your camera is set to the correct time, or the ViewCommander timestamp will be different than the camera’s timestamp in the video. To set the timestamp on the camera, refer to the instructions that came with your camera. The time on the camera can usually be set through the camera’s web interface.

There are two supported video protocols: MJPEG and H264.

MJPEG allows for reliable and consistent video but may use more bandwidth.

H264 compresses video more efficiently, but may not be the best choice where the bandwidth can vary widely – such as some cellular connections. We generally recommend using TCP connections with H.264.

If unsure which video protocol to use, we recommend starting with MJPEG.

Connect to Web Interface

Some video cameras and video encoders allow you to adjust additional settings through the device’s web-based interface. Refer to your device manual on how to adjust these settings.

NOTE: If you are NOT able to connect your camera to ViewCommander please see our Troubleshooting tips on adding a camera by clicking HERE

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