OnCloud: How do I change camera settings?

Applies to: OnCloud

Summary

This article explains how to change settings for your cameras.

NOTE: To change camera settings, you must be an administrator.

Video

Below is a short video demonstrating how to change camera settings.

Changing Camera Settings

Open camera settings

To open the settings for a camera:

1. Log in to Cloud Portal.
   
   
2. Navigate to OnCloud.
   
   
3. Click Cameras in the top menu.
   
   
4. Click the three dots beside a camera, then click Camera Settings:
   
   
   
   This opens the Device Information page in the camera settings.
   
   

   NOTE: Alternatively, the camera settings can be 
   accessed as follows: 
   
   1. Click a camera to open its page. 
   
   2. Click the Gear icon, then click All Camera Settings.
   
   
   
   3. Open the Dashboard. 
   
   4. Click Manage, then click the Gear icon for the camera.
   
   

Change the Name, Location, and Area

1. To rename the camera, click the field under Device Name and edit the text.
   
   
   
   
2. To change the location, scroll to Assign Location and select the location in the drop-down list.
   
   

Multi-channel or Gateway-connected Device

If the camera is a multi-channel or gateway-connected device, you must open the parent device to change the location for the individual devices.

For example, in Device Information for this gateway connected device, the Assign Location dropdown is unavailable.

To change the location:

1. On the Devices page, enter the name of the device in the search box to reveal the parent device.
   
   
2. Click the Gear icon to open the Device Information page.
   
   
3. Scroll to Assign Location, then select the new location from the drop-down.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Click Save Changes.
   
   All of the devices connected to the parent device are moved to the new location.
   
   
5. To move the camera to a different area, scroll to Assign Area, and select the new area from the drop-down list.
   
   
6. Click Save Changes.

Adjust video settings

This article covers general video settings. To reduce network usage for your cameras, see OnCloud: How do I manage camera bandwidth?

1. Open the camera settings, then click Video Settings.
   
   
2. Change the video settings:
   
   

   NOTE: Video settings vary depending on the type of camera; not all of the 
   following settings are available for all cameras.

   
   

   • Resolution: Click the dropdown to change to higher or lower resolution video.
     
     

   • Frame Rate: Use the slider to increase or decrease the frame rate; the value is shown in the box to the right of the slider.
     
     

   • Recording Bitrate: Use the slider to increase or decrease the recording bitrate; the value is shown in the box to the right of the slider.
     
     

   • Recording Video Codec: Select H.264 or H.265 (where available).

   • Flip: Turn this switch on to flip the video upside down.
     
     

   • Mirror: Turn this switch on to see a mirror image of the video.
     
     

   • Dewarp Mount Setting: Select Wall or Ceiling, depending on your installation.
     
     

   • Hallway view: Click the drop-down list to set to 0, 90, or 270 degrees.
     
     

   • Wisestream: Turn this switch on to enable Wisestream, a compression technology that reduces bandwidth and storage requirements by applying different compression levels to different regions, based on level of activity. On some cameras you can select either the WiseStream or WiseStream III profile, and set the video quality to Low, Medium, or High.
     
     

   • Dynamic FPS: Turn on to enable automatic adjustment of the frame rate (frames per second) based on the amount of motion detected in a scene. Use the slider to set the minimum FPS.
     
     

   • Brightness: Drag the slider to the right to make the image brighter.
     
     

   • Sharpness: Drag the slider to the right to make edges stronger and clearer.
     
     

   • Contrast: Drag the slider to the right to increase the contrast between the lightest and darkest parts of the image.
     
     

   • Auto IR Mode: Turn this switch on to automatically use infrared mode when the area is dark.
     
     

   • Backlight Settings:

     - WDR: Wide Dynamic Range. Use this setting to adjust the lighting when the background is very bright. For example, this can happen when an indoor camera records an area with windows in the background.
     To change this setting, turn the switch on, and then drag the slider to the right to increase the level of correction.

     - BLC: Backlight Compensation. Use this setting to increase the exposure of darker foreground areas to enhance visibility against a bright background.

     Set the Region of Interest by clicking the pencil icon at the right. Then, drag the slider to the right to increase the level of backlight compensation.

     - HLC: Highlight Compensation. HLC targets and masks overly bright spots. Use this setting to reduce glare from bright light sources and improve visibility of details in normally lit areas in the video.
     Set the Region of Interest by clicking the pencil icon at the right. Then, drag the slider to the right to increase the level of highlight compensation. You can also set the mask color in the Mask dropdown, and turn Dimming on or off.

     - Off: Do not use backlight settings.

      

   • Dynamic GOV: Set to optimize video compression by automatically adjusting the Group of Video  (GOV) length based on the amount of motion detected. This increases the GOV length to save bandwidth when little or no motion is detected. When motion is detected, the GOV length shortens to capture more detail.

      

Adjust the zoom and focus

1. Open the camera settings, then click Focus.
   
   
2. To zoom in or out, click the plus and minus buttons under Zoom.
   
   
3. To automatically adjust the focus, click Simple Focus.
   
   
4. To adjust the focus, click the plus and minus buttons under Focus.
   
   
5. To reset the focus and zoom, click Initialize Focus. This pulls the zoom back to the widest possible image.

Adjust the audio

1. Open the camera settings, then click Audio Settings.
   
   
2. Use the Audio In section to manage the audio that the camera sends to OnCloud:
   
   
   • To change the audio source, click the drop-down list.
     
     
   • To change the microphone volume, drag the slider below Volume.
     
     
   • To change the sensitivity to quiet sounds, drag the slider below Sensitivity.
     
     
   • To automatically reduce noise, turn on the switch beside Noise Reduction.
     
     
3. Use the Audio Out section to manage the audio that the camera plays locally:
   
   
   • To change the output volume, drag the toggle below Volume.

Adjust analytics settings

Event detection can also be adjusted. To adjust analytic settings: 

1. Open the camera settings, then click Analytic Settings.
   
   
2. To turn on detection for an event, click the toggles.
   
   
   
   
3. To change Motion Detection settings, click the pencil ( ) to create and include areas for motion detection, or the plus sign (+) to exclude areas. The number of areas you can include or exclude depends on the type of camera.
   
   
      

4. Click Add Area to create an area, then click on the screen to draw four points to define the area you add. You can also change the name of the area.

   Level of Detection: The minimum level of action for triggering an event. Drag this toggle to the left to detect more events. Drag it to the right to decrease false positives.

   Sensitivity: The sensitivity for detecting events. Drag this toggle to the right to increase the sensitivity. For example, for motion detection, do this when objects do not contrast well with the background, such as in dimmer areas.

   Minimum Duration: The minimum duration for triggering an event. Drag this toggle to the right to increase the number of seconds.
   
   

5. To set Tampering Detection, Defocus Detection, and Fog Detection, click the pencil ( ) for each setting and drag the sliders to adjust Level of Detection, Minimum Duration, and Sensitivity.
   
   

Audio Analytics Settings

Enable audio detection and then define the types of sounds that are detected.

To enable audio detection:

1. Click the switch to On.
   
   
2. Click the pencil ( ) to set the detection level.
   
   
3. Click Back or the X in the upper right corner to save the setting.
   
   
4. Return to the Analytics Settings page.
   
   

To enable sound classification: 

1. Click the switch to On.
   
   
2. Click the pencil ( ) to set the classification level and define the types of sounds that are detected.
   
   

AI Analytics Settings

 AI analytics settings can be used to trigger and tag events related to object movement and behavior. 

To set Virtual Lines to trigger an event when an object crosses the line in the direction specified:

1. Toggle the IVS (Intelligent Video Analytics) switch to ON.
   
   
2. Click the pencil ( ) to open the Virtual Lines box.
   
   
3. Click Add Line.
   
   
4. Click and drag on the screen to create a line.
   
   
5. Assign a name to the line.
   
   
6. Select the line direction detection: A to B, B to A, or both.
   
   
7. Click Save All to save the line and settings and return to the Analytics Settings page. Add additional lines if needed.
   
   

To set Virtual Areas to trigger an event when objects or categories are detected in an area:

1. Toggle the IVS (Intelligent Video Analytics) switch to ON.
   
   
2. Click the pencil ( ) to open the Virtual Areas box.
   
   
3. Click Add Area, and then click on the screen to draw four points to define the area.
   
   
4. Assign a name to the area.
   
   
5. In the Categories section, select the type of detection you want to record.
   
   Intrusion: Set the minimum duration for detection, up to 5 seconds.
   
   Enter: Turn on to detect entry into an area.
   
   Exit: Turn on to detect exit from and area.
   
   Appear, Disappear: Set the minimum duration of detection, up to 60 seconds.
   
   Loitering: Set the minimum duration, between 1 and 60 seconds.
   
   
6. Click Save All to save your virtual areas settings and return to the Analytics Settings page. Add additional areas if needed.
   
   

To exclude areas where events are triggered:

1. Toggle the IVS (Intelligent Video Analytics) switch to ON.
   
   
2. Click the pencil ( ) to open the Exclude Areas box.
   
   
3. Click Add Area, and then click on the screen to draw four points to define the excluded area.
   
   
4. Assign a name to the area.
   
   
5. Click Save All to save your virtual areas settings and return to the Analytics Settings page. Add additional areas if needed.