Documentation for Axxon PSIM 1.0.0-1.0.1.

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Video capture card resources

By default the resources of video capture cards are uniformly distributed between cameras video signals of which are digitized and processed by this ADC. The frame rate of the digitized video signal is limited by the ADC resources for video signal processing and digitization.

Video capture cards may be configured, so as to give to one or more cameras additional ADC resources, and thus to increase the frame rate of video signals from these cameras. At the same time the frame rate of video signals from other cameras is decreased.

Axxon PSIM and video capture cards sharing allows reallocating video capture card resources to the cameras:

Option 1. Reallocation of cameras between ADCs of a video capture card.

ADC resources are generally characterized by the maximum total frame rate of video signals. By default ADC resources are uniformly distributed between cameras to the assigned cameras. So, the more camera video signals are digitized and processed by the ADC, the lower the frame rate of the single video signal is.

Reallocation of cameras between ADCs allows increasing the frame rate for some cameras by means of others.

If all allowable cameras are connected to a video capture card, then only uniform distribution on ADC is possible. In this case every ADC of a video capture card digitizes and processes video signal from an equal number of cameras. So, the maximum frame rate is the same for all video signals (except for video signals of different formats and different resolutions).

If the number of cameras connected to a video capture card is less than their maximum number, then it is possible to reallocate them between ADCs of a video capture card. For this, those cameras, which frame rate is to be increased, are allocated separately to one ADC, or allocated in number that is less than the maximum allowable one. Cameras allocated to a given ADC and not subject to strict frame rate requirements, are reallocated to other ADCs.

An example of allocating cameras to ADCs is shown in the figure.

A. Uniform camera allocation between ADCs

B. reallocating the cameras between ADCs to allocate extra resources to Camera1


Option 2. Reallocation of resources of one ADC between cameras video signal of which are to be processed and digitized by one ADC.

By default the ADC resources are uniformly distributed between cameras video signals of which are digitized and processed by this ADC.

Reallocation of cameras between ADCs allows increasing the frame rate for some cameras by means of others. Reallocation of resources of one ADC to the cameras is much less effective than camera reallocation between the ADC. Therefore this is to be done only if camera reallocation to the ADC is impossible or if it does not help.

With reallocation of resources from 1 ADC to the cameras, one of the cameras gets extra ADC resources for its video signal processing and digitization. Extra ADC resources are formed by removing them from other cameras video signals of which whose are processed by the ADC.

So, for a single ADC, when the frame rate of a certain camera increases, the frame rates of other cameras decrease.

To perform this operation, a selected camera is to have priority in the process queue.

An example of reallocation of resources of one ADC between cameras is shown in the figure below.

A. Uniform camera allocation between ADCs

B. reallocating the cameras between ADCs to allocate extra resources to Camera1

Operation modes of the video capture cards’ ADC

ADC operation mode is defined by the number of processed and digitized video signals. There are two modes:

  1. Live video.
  2. Multiplexing.

In the Live video mode all resources of an ADC are used to process the single video signal. The mode provides digital video stream with a maximum frame rate of 25 FPS in PAL format and 30 FPS in NTSC format.

If the ADC processes two or more video signals, its resources are used in the multiplexing mode. Then the ADC resources are uniformly allocated between the cameras, and part of its resources support the multiplexing process. So, in the multiplex mode the total frame rate of video signals, digitized by a single ADC, is much lower than in the Live video mode.

The maximum permissible total frame rate in the multiplexing mode depends on the frame resolution.

For ADC that digitizes all video signals with standard (352 x 288 pixels in PAL format, 352 x 240 pixels in NTSC format) and/or high (704 x 288 pixels in PAL format, 640 x 240 pixels in NTSC format) frame resolution, the total frame rate is 16 FPS in PAL format and 20 FPS in NTSC format.

When ADC digitizes at least one of the video signals with full resolution (704 x 576 pixels in PAL format, 640 x 480 pixels in NTSC format), the maximum permissible total frame rate is reduced to 12 FPS in PAL format and 15 FPS in NTSC format.

Frame rate setup procedure

Default settings for the digitized video signals frame rate are 2 FPS in PAL format and 2.5 FPS in NTSC format.

While settings it is possible to increase or to reduce the frame rate.

To set up the frame rate, do the following:

  1. Switch off the Camera objects, which are assigned to the idle video channels. This allows allocating the resources between working cameras only and thus increasing the frame rate.
  2. Change frame grooming.
  3. Reallocate cameras on ADC of the video capture card.
  4. Reallocate resources of one ADC between cameras (priority process queues).

In most cases 1 and 2 steps are sufficient to set the frame rate. 3 and 4 steps are necessary only with high frame rate requirements to one or more cameras.

Configuring video subsystem with disabled video channels

By default resources of video capture cards’ ADC are allocated uniformly between all video channels whether there is any signal passing through it or not. So, even if a video channel has no signal, the resources of ADC are allocated to it.

Several Camera objects are disabled in turn.

To prevent allocation of ADC resources, the Camera objects are to be disabled in Axxon PSIM, assigned to the disabled video channels.

To disable the Camera objects in Axxon PSIM, do the following:

  1. Define the numbers of the idle video capture channels (taking into account BNC plug numbering).
  2. Go to the Hardware tab in the System settings dialog box (1).
  3. Select the Camera object, created before, with the same channel number as the BNC plug (idle channel) (2). The settings panel for the selected object is displayed on the right of the Hardware tab.
  4. Make sure that no signal is displayed in the video field (1).
  5. The signal displayed in the video field indicates that the Camera object is matched to another video channel.The video channel number is specified in the Channel number drop-down list in the Basic settings tab (2). Match the Camera object with the channel number, which corresponds to the BNC plug number and the Camera object number, or scan for a Camera object, matched with the desired channel number.
  6. Set the Disabled checkbox (3).
  7. Click the Apply button (4).

The disabled Camera object is indicated with a cross mark.

Video subsystem with disabled video channels is now configured.

Actual frame rate

It is recommended to define the actual frame rate of video signal digitization and then to set up the frame rate for video signals from video surveillance system cameras.

Frame rate setup must be performed if frame rates of video signal from one or more cameras do not meet the requirements.

Actual frame rates are defined for each camera individually.

To define the actual frame rate for a selected camera, do the following:

  1. Configure the Video surveillance monitor (see Configuring video display on Video Surveillance Monitor);
  2. Enable the Debug mode in Axxon PSIM using the tweaki.exe utility (see Tweaki.exe utility for advanced setup of the Axxon PSIM software system, The Settings panel of the Axxon PSIM section).

As a result, the current frame rates of the digitized video signals are displayed directly in the Video surveillance monitor. To get information about the frame rate of the video signal from the selected camera, display the Surveillance window corresponding to the selected camera in the Video surveillance monitor and activate this window by clicking it with the left mouse button. A window with video signal information is displayed in the upper right corner:

  • video stream frame rate (FPS);
  • size of the displayed frame in bytes (the parameter can be used, for example, to understand whether the displayed frame is a reference frame or to calculate the average bitrate);
  • video stream resolution in pixels.

Note that this information window displays initial data about the video stream from the camera or from the archive transmitted to the Video surveillance monitor. The actual displayed frame rate of the video stream can be different, see Displaying information about a video stream on top of a video.

Note

For Stretch video cards of standard compression (h264) the frame rate that is displayed on Monitor in Axxon PSIM can be less than the frame rate that is indicated by the video card manufacturer. This is due to the fact that while displaying the frame rate of video signal digitization on Monitor in Axxon PSIM blank frames that are distributed by the video card, are not taken into account. Blank frames do not contain the information about the image and are created by the video capture card when there are no changes in the video stream and a new video frame is the same as the previous one (for example, there is no motion in the frame).

Changing frame decimation

By default Axxon PSIM digitizes video signals with the frame rate lower than maximum allowed one. This is caused by the following:

  1. Video signal processing and digitization with a high frame rate is a resource-intensive process. When the video signal frame rate increases, configuration requirements increase for the computer used as a Server.
  2. Video signal is transmitted to the Remote Workplaces with the same frame rate as it was digitized. So, network capacity requirements increase together with the frame rate increase.

By default the total frame rate of video signals, which are digitized and processed by the same ADC, is 2 times lower than the maximum allowed one. This ratio is provided by frame decimation, which allows every second frame to be processed by the program.

Settings allow reducing (total frame rate increases) or increasing (total frame rate decreases) the decimation.

Frame decimation is changed separately and independently for every ADC.

To change decimation of ADC video signals, do the following:

  1. Go to the Hardware tab in the System settings dialog box (1).
  2. Select the relevant Video Capture Device object, created before, in the Hardware tab in the objects tree (2). The settings panel for the selected object is displayed in the right part of the Hardware tab.
  3. If it is necessary to increase the total frame rate up to the maximum allowed value, move the Rate slider to the Max position (3).
  4. If it is necessary to reduce the total frame rate to the minimum allowed value, move the Rate slider to the Min position. The minimum total frame rate of video signals, digitized and processed by selected ADC, is 3 times lower than the maximum allowed one.
  5. If it is necessary to return the default decimation settings, move the Rate slider to the middle position. The default total frame rate is 2 times lower than the maximum allowed one.
  6. Click the Apply button (4).
  7. Close the System settings dialog box and restart Axxon PSIM.

Note

Without restart, changes in video signal decimation can be applied incorrectly.

Allocation of video capture card’s resources

By default all cameras are uniformly allocated to ADC of video capture card. Thus ADC resources are uniformly distributed to the cameras, attached to the video capture card, and all cameras have the same frame rate.

If the number of cameras connected to a video capture card is less than their maximum allowed number, it is possible to reallocate them between different ADCs of the video capture card. Reassigning of cameras allows increasing the frame rate for some cameras by means of a decrease in the frame rate of others.

Before reassigning the cameras to ADCs of the video capture card, disable the Camera objects corresponding to disabled cameras (see Configuring video subsystem with disabled video channels section).

Note

Video inputs numeration of SC300Q16 (FX4) and SC300D16 (FX8) video capture cards does not correspond to the numeration of PCI channels in Axxon PSIM. It is impossible to allocate video inputs to chips one after another (i.e. the first corresponds to 1 and 2 chips, the second upper input corresponds to 3 and 4 etc.) because OS determines it.

To increase the frame rate of the video signal from one or more cameras, do the following:

  1. Go to the Hardware tab in the System settings dialog box (1).
  2. Select the Camera object, created before, corresponding to the camera, which frame rate is to be increased, in the objects tree in the Hardware tab (2). The settings panel for the selected object is displayed on the right of the Hardware tab.
  3. To increase the frame rate of a camera up to the Real time rate (25 FPS in PAL format and 30 FPS in NTSC format), reallocate other cameras serviced by the same ADC as with the camera above, to other ADCs.

For this move Camera objects to parent branches of other Video capture device objects. The parent Video capture device object for a Camera object is set by selecting the number of the parent object in the Video capture device list of settings panel for the Camera object. As a result the Camera object moves to a subdirectory of the selected Video capture device object.

Example 1. Configuring video signal digitization with the Real time frame rate.

Task. Video signal on Camera 2 is to be digitized with the Real time frame rate.

Initial data. The card has 4 ADCs. They are matched to 4 Video capture device objects in the objects tree. The video capture card may have up to 16 cameras connected to it. 8 cameras are actually connected to the video capture card. The objects matched to the remaining 8 cameras are disabled. Each of two ADCs, matched to the Video capture device 1 and Video capture device 2 objects, is configured to digitize the signals from 4 cameras. The ADCs matched to the Video capture device 3 and Video capture device 4 objects are not configured to digitize signals from any cameras. An example of the objects tree is given in figure A:

 

A. Initial data                                            B. Result

Solution. Do the following:

  1. Select the Camera 1 object in the objects tree. The settings panel for the selected object is displayed.
  2. Select Video capture device 3 in the Video capture device list.
  3. Click the Apply button.
  4. The Camera 1 object moves to the subdirectory of the Video capture device 3 object (see B).
  5. Repeat 1-4 steps for the Camera 3 and Camera 4 objects.
  6. Select the Video capture device 1 object in the objects tree.
  7. Make sure that the Speed slider is in the max position.
    If the Speed slider is in the max position, then setup is completed.
    If the Speed slider is in another position, move it to the max position and do 8-10 steps.
  8. Click the Apply button.
  9. Close the System settings dialog box and restart Axxon PSIM.
  10. The frame rate of the selected camera increases up to the Real time rate (for information on testing the frame rate change, see Actual frame rate).
  11. If the number of connected cameras prevents the configuration of video signal digitization from one of the cameras with the Real time rate (for example, when 15 of 16 allowed cameras are connected), or if the frame rate on several cameras is to be increased simultaneously to the rate, lower than the Real time one, then the cameras, the frame rate of which is to be increased, are allocated between ADCs and they do not exceed the maximum allowable number. The frame rate is increased by as many times, as the number of cameras on ADC is reduced.

Video capture card’s resources are now allocated.

Example 2. Configuring video signal digitization from 2 cameras with increased frame rate

Task. Video signal on Camera 1 and Camera 5 is to be digitized with increased frame rate.

Initial data. The card has 4 ADCs. They are matched to 4 Video capture devices objects in the objects tree. The video capture card may have up to 16 cameras connected to it. 12 cameras are actually connected to the video capture card. The objects matched to the remaining 4 cameras are disabled. Each of 3 ADCs, matched to the Video capture device 1, Video capture device 2 and Video capture device 4 objects, is configured to digitize the signals from 4 cameras. The ADC, matched to the Video capture device 3 object, is not configured to digitize the signals from any camera. An example of the objects tree is given in figure A.

 

A. Initial data                                            B. Result

Solution. Do the following:

  1. Select the Camera 1 object in the objects tree. The settings panel for the selected object is displayed.
  2. Select Video capture device 3 in the Video capture device list.
  3. Click the Apply button.
  4. The Camera 1 object moves to a subdirectory of the Video capture device 3 object (B).
  5. Repeat 1-4 steps for the Camera 5 object.
  6. The frame rate on Camera 1 and Camera 5 increases twofold (for information on testing the frame rate change see the Actual frame rate section).
  7. Click the Apply button.

Video capture card’s resources are now allocated.

Note

Ways of resources allocation (given in examples) are not used for SC200Q4 (FS15)\SC200Q4 LOW PROFILE (FS115)\SC300Q16 (FX4)\SC300D16 (FX8) video capture cards, because for these cards numbers of PCI channels (specified in settings of the Video capture device objects) are connected with physical inputs (BNC connectors).

Video signal processing priorities

The ADC resources are uniformly distributed to the assigned cameras by default.

ADC resources reallocation allows increasing the frame rate for a camera by means of other cameras. Reallocation of resources from 1 ADC between the cameras is much less effective than camera reallocation on the ADC. Therefore it should only be done if camera reallocation on the ADC is impossible or if it does not help.

With reallocation of resources from 1 ADC between the cameras, one of the cameras is allocated with additional ADC resources for its video signal processing and digitization. Additional ADC resources are formed by removing them from other cameras, video signals of which are processed by the ADC.

A camera is allocated with additional ADC resources via the priority process queue.

Axxon PSIM provides 1/2 and 1/3 process queues.

When a camera has a 1/2 process queue, its video signal is processed in every second frame. So, the digitization frame rate on this camera is the half of total frame rate of the considered ADC.

When a camera has a 1/3 process queue, its video signal is processed in every third frame. So, the digitization frame rate on this camera is one third of total frame rate of the considered ADC.

Example 1. The ADC is configured to digitize video signal from 4 cameras.

If all the cameras have a common queue, the ADC digitizes video signals in the following sequence:

Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3, Camera 4, Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3…

Let us suppose that Camera 1 has 1/2 queue, and the rest of the cameras are in the common queue. Then the ADC digitizes video signals in the following sequence:

Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 1, Camera 3, Camera 1, Camera 4, Camera 1…

So, the frame rate on Camera 1 is increased by 2 times and becomes the half of total frame rate of the considered ADC. The frame rate of each of the remaining cameras becomes 1.5 times less and makes up 1/6 of total frame rate of the considered ADC.

Example 2. The ADC is configured to digitize the video signal from 3 cameras.

If all the cameras have a common queue, the ADC digitizes video signals in the following sequence:

Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3, Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3…

Let us suppose that Camera 1 has a 1/2 queue, and the rest of the cameras are in the common queue. Then the ADC digitizes video signals in the following sequence:

Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 1, Camera 3, Camera 1, Camera 2…

So, the frame rate of Camera 1 is increased by 1,5 times and becomes the half of total frame rate of the considered ADC. The frame rate of each of the remaining cameras becomes 1.33 times less and makes up 1/4 of total frame rate of the considered ADC.

Example 3. The ADC is configured to digitize video signal from 4 cameras.

If all the cameras have a common queue, the ADC digitizes video signals in the following sequence:

Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3, Camera 4, Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3…

Let us suppose that Camera 1 has 1/3 queue, and the rest of the cameras are in the common queue. Then the ADC digitizes video signals in the following sequence:

Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3, Camera 1, Camera 4, Camera 2, Camera 1…

So, the frame rate of Camera 1 is increased by 1.33 times and becomes one third of total frame rate of the considered ADC. The frame rate of each of the remaining cameras becomes 1.125 times less and makes up 2/9 of total frame rate of the considered ADC.

Example 4. The ADC is configured to digitize video signal from 4 cameras.

If all the cameras have a common queue, the ADC digitizes video signals in the following sequence:

Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3, Camera 4, Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3…

Let us suppose that Camera 1 and Camera 2 have 1/2 queue, and the rest of the cameras are in the common queue. Then the ADC digitizes video signals in the following sequence:

Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3, Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 4, Camera 1…

So, the frame rate of Camera 1 is increased by 1.33 times and becomes equal one third of total frame rate of the considered ADC. The frame rate of each of the remaining cameras becomes 1.5 times less and makes up 1/6 of total frame rate of the considered ADC.

Note1. If Camera 1 and Camera 2 have 1/3 queue and Camera 3 and Camera 4 are in the common queue, then allocation of the ADC’s resources is as it is showed in the Example4.

Note2. It has no sense to enqueue one of two cameras, with 1/2 priority allocated to the same ADC, because this camera video signal will be processed as if it were in the common queue.

Note3. It has no sense to enqueue one of three cameras with 1/3 priority allocated to the same ADC, because this camera video signal will be processed as if it were in the common queue.

Reallocation of resources of 1 ADC between the cameras is possible in two modes:

  1. in the processing mode, i.e. with video signal digitization and processing before it is displayed;
  2. in the recording mode, i.e. with video signal digitization and processing before it is recorded into the Server archive. When cameras are switched to the recording mode, video signals are displayed with the rate, corresponding to the given ADC resources allocation.

Setting video processing priority

While processing video before displaying it, ADC resources are reallocated between the cameras by queueing one of the cameras with 1/2 or 1/3 priority.

This setting is relevant only for the following video capture cards: FS5, FS6, FS8 and FS16.

To change the order of processing video from the selected camera, do the following:

  1. Go to the Hardware tab in the System settings dialog box (1).
  2. Select the Camera object, created before, corresponding to the camera, ADC video processing queue of which is to be changed, in the Hardware tab in the objects tree (2). The settings panel for the selected object is displayed on the right of the Hardware tab.
  3. Go to the Advanced settings tab on the settings panel of the Camera object (3).
  4. If it is necessary to queue the camera with 1/2 priority for ADC video processing, move the Processing slider in the Priority group to the 1/2 position (4).
  5. If it is necessary to queue the camera with 1/3 priority for ADC video processing, move the Processing slider in the Priority group to the 1/3 position.
  6. If it is necessary to return the camera into the normal queue for ADC video processing (set by default), move the Processing slider in the Priority group to the Normal position.
  7. Click the Apply button (5).

Video processing priority is now set.

Setting video recording priority

While processing the video signal before recording it to the video server archive, ADC resources are reallocated between the cameras by queueing one of the cameras with 1/2, 1/3 or the Real time priority.

If the camera with Real time priority switches into the recording mode, it will be allocated with all ADC resources for its video processing. So, the frame rate on this camera becomes equal to the total frame rate of the considered ADC. No video from other cameras, allocated to a given ADC, is processed, displayed and recorded to the disk.

To change the processing queue of the video on the selected camera in the recording mode, do the following:

  1. Go to the Hardware tab in the System settings dialog box (1).
  2. Select the Camera object, created before, corresponding to the camera, ADC video processing queue of which is to be changed, in the objects tree of the Hardware tab (2). The settings panel for the selected object is displayed on the right of the Hardware tab.
  3. Go to the Advanced settings tab on the settings panel of the Camera object (3).
  4. If it is necessary to queue the camera with 1/2 priority for ADC video processing in the recording mode, move the Recording slider in the Priority group to the 1/2 position (4).
  5. If it is necessary to queue the camera with 1/3 priority for ADC video processing in the recording mode, move the Recording slider in the Priority group to the 1/3 position.
  6. If it is necessary to queue the camera with the Real time priority for ADC video processing in the recording mode, move the Recording slider in the Priority group to the Real time position.
  7. If it is necessary to return the camera into the normal queue for ADC video processing in the recording mode (set by default), move the Recording slider in the Priority group to the Normal position.
  8. Click the Apply button (5).

Video recording priority is now set.

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