exacqVision comments

[cglaeser 0]

I've been using the demo version of ecacqVision. Overall impressions are favorable. Here are a few comments on various issue and suggestions for improvements. If I've misunderstood a feature, please let me know.

 

1. Time Zone Reset - I've already documented this in another thread. Basically, exacqVision resets the camera time zone to GMT 0 and does not set the camera to the correct time zone. There are a couple of situations that will reset the camera time zone, including a restart of the PC/exacqVision server. exacqVision should either set the camera time zone to the correct time zone, or leave it alone.

 

2. In the Search Cameras view, the date of the time line is not readily apparent. When scrolling the time line back and forth, and then switching between Live View and Search Cameras, there is no indication as to the date of the time line.

 

3. In the Search Cameras view, hitting the play button will render AND play the video clips. However, hitting the 2x play button will not render the video clips, and does nothing until the video clips have been rendered by some other action. This requires, for example, hitting play first to begin rendering and then hitting 2x play. The 2x play button should have the same behavior as the play button wrt rendering.

 

4. Would be a welcome addition if exacqVision supported a simple USB hardware trigger device. exacqVision does support triggers that are included with cameras and video servers, but would be nice if it were possible to add a collection of 8 or 16 input/output triggers. There are cheap hardware devices already available. Just need to pick one and support it.

 

5. Thumbnails - Some DVRs show thumbnails of video motion triggers so it is easier to find a particular event. Would be nice if exacqVision included this feature in future release.

 

6. Export Video - If I understand how it works, exporting a video seems a bit tedious. For example, the user must specify the name of a video so as not to overwrite a previous video clip. exacqVision should use some form of unique file name scheme such that previous video clips are not overwritten (e.g. sequence number, time stamp, etc).

 

As I mentioned above, my overall impressions of exacqVision are favorable. If I misunderstood one of the above features, please let me know.

 

Best,

Christopher

[mateck8888 0]

I used exacqVision on a 16IP set up, and it seems quite stable... and that was a few updates ago. It has not been updated for the last 18 months. I found the set up to be very easy. Choosing a display setup was also very easy. The chunky part I found was the time it took to play a video clip. It was always "rendering" first. It would not just play a clip instantly. This is annoying. On a Geo or Aver, you play the clip, and it just plays. I'm not sure why this is. Have you experienced this in your set up?

[cglaeser 0]

It would not just play a clip instantly.

 

The demo release I am using does require rendering, but it will play and render at the same time. So, there is no delay waiting for the entire clip to render. I just hit the play button and it will begin rendering. You might try the latest release and see if that has been improved.

 

It will also render and 2x play at the same time, but hitting the 2x play button will not initiate a render. So, you must first initiate the render by hitting the play button, and then hit 2x play. It's a small detail, but it would be nice if both play and 2x play would initiate a render.

 

Regarding the exacqVision implementation of time zone, I've been updating various applications that require rebooting the PC, and these time zone resets are becoming a royal headache. I have to manual fix the camera each time the exacqVision server is started. And, the demo only supports one camera. I can't imagine trying to deal with this headache on 16 cameras.

 

Best,

Christopher

[mateck8888 0]

Humm.... I guess I don't understand what you mean by "camera" time zone. Is not the time stamp controlled by the exacqVision server software, not the individual cameras? I used it with Axis 207MW cameras (I love 'em, except they are hard to sell as they look like something out of a Cracker-Jack box). While he 207 has an internal time, I don't remember having to ever set it, presuemable because I was using the ExacqVision software for time.

[cglaeser 0]

Humm.... I guess I don't understand what you mean by "camera" time zone. Is not the time stamp controlled by the exacqVision server software, not the individual cameras?

 

Today's IP cameras are much more than a lens glued to a sensor. Many are built around a complete RTOS that may provide more sophisticated features and protocols than the exacVision server itself. Axis, for example, supports NTP, FTP, SMTP, HTTP, motion detection, alarms, scheduling, and the list goes on and on and on. In the recent release of Axis firmware, FTP can create folders and file names based on date and time. The exacqVision server trashes this feature, because the dates and time are all wrong. Date/Time stamp overlays are wrong. Scheduling is wrong. Anything based on camera date is wrong (unless the cameras happens to be installed in GMT 0 )

 

The most frustrating thing is that Exacq has no current plans to fix this. I'm guessing that when the OVNIF standard begins to take traction, they will realize their implementation is wrong. The exacqVision server is not the center of the universe, and when a large customer tries to plug-and-play various ONVIF components together and discovers that exacqVision does not play nice, they will probably fix it. Here's hoping.

 

Best,

Christopher

[mateck8888 0]

OK, I see what you are saying. I know that Exacq uses the cameras motion detection to feed the ExacqVision server, which saves on processing power. I've just never needed any of those advanced features such as the FTP.

 

I know it is frustrating sometimes with manufactures, because it seems like the fix would be so easy to do. How long could it possible take? But then again, I'm not a computer programer!

 

It's kind of like trying to figure out why Microsoft, when copying a folder from one drive to another drive, can't copy everything except the errors, and tell you what errors you have at the end. Instead, they abort the whole process. I mean really... would it cost that much to fix?

 

matt

[cglaeser 0]

OK, I see what you are saying. I know that Exacq uses the cameras motion detection to feed the ExacqVision server, which saves on processing power. I've just never needed any of those advanced features such as the FTP.

 

FTP is an excellent fail-safe feature. If the DVR goes down for any reason, the cameras can still upload alarm events to a NAS, for example.

 

Regarding motion detection, yes, exacqVision simply records the video when the camera detects motion, which is a reasonable implementation, but this does not work correctly either if you use scheduled motion detection (or any other camera scheduled alarms). Suppose you want one motion detection configuration for 8 to 5 and a different motion detection configuration for off-hours. This only works correctly if the camera knows what time it is, and the camera does not know what freakin' time it is because exacqVision stomps on the camera's time zone!!!!!

 

I know it is frustrating sometimes with manufactures, because it seems like the fix would be so easy to do. How long could it possible take? But then again, I'm not a computer programer!

 

I am a computer programmer and this requires modest effort. The biggest hurdle is getting them to admit the implementation is wrong. C'mon Exacq, get with the program.

 

Best,

Christopher

[mateck8888 0]

Are you going to ISC WEST in April? Sometimes it is really nice to be able to talk face to face with the sales and engineering people. Heck, half my motivation for going to ISC is just so I can complain in person to someone who might care more when I'm in their face!

 

If nothing else, it makes me feel better

[cglaeser 0]

Are you going to ISC WEST in April?

 

No, but I have talked to Exacq technical support on the phone, and I just sent another email message asking if they intend to release an ONVIF compliant update.

 

Best,

Christopher