Best way to efficiently monitor existing Hik 40+ cams

[Jimito 0]

Thanks to all for contributing to this forum, either through good questions or specially, through great answers. It has been of great help.

 

My question will deal with how to best use the "man-power" or "man-hours" to effectively monitor the security video-feeds, I assume through Video Content Analysis. With 40+ cams, and possibly growing to 64 cams or more, truth is after a short while any "monitoring guard/person" will probably either go crazy or simply not be able to continue doing their job adequately. I´ll share the setup, and appreciate your help or suggestion to the goal inquired about at the end. I apologize for any erred terms; English is not my first language.

 

I have been installing a nice sized system, on the side as NOT my main job, but unsure of expectations or suggestions. Located in Central America, by the Pacific coast, help is quite limited, so I´ve built it up a step at a time; everything works, but want to improve it further.

 

I have installed about two miles of buried fiber optic which interconnects five Gigabit Cisco 3750 switches, setup as nodes.

 

All cameras (always metal bodies) are fed to the switches via optic fiber, as to minimize damage possibilities from thunderstorms (I do use converters at ends). Everything with surge suppressors (at line-in and at data level at both ends), always FTP cable rather than un-shielded UTP, with interconnected grounding, plus extra ground rods at each node amongst devices, and with UPS´s per device group in case power fails –using the "always through UPS feed" type ones instead of the "switching on when power fails" type ones, here called on-line UPS which by default push all input power through the batteries which are probably the best available permanent line filters-.

 

Since having switched from analog wired cams to this setup, burn-out issues with cams stopped altogether, period. Let me add another period.. I just wanted to share this, as sitting 400 feet above sea level at less than 1/4 mile from shore into the cloud moving direction, lightning is always hitting around here... and this has made a huge difference, actually an ABSOLUTE difference.

 

This internal fiber optic net, is kept UN-connected from the internet, as monitoring is done within the property, and there is no desire to take chances "out" there with internet.

 

I´ve pretty much installed or migrated everything to Hikvision brand, with a few older sections that have analog cams waiting to connect them through Hivision DVR´s (already purchased DS-7200 series) instead of the current Flir DVR´s (for the sake of uniformity in interconnect protocols, in the meantime a cheap PC reads the web-intended feed off the Flir DVR’s). All else are megapixel IP cams, either bullets, mini-domes or several PTZ domes. They get recorded reading off another Cisco 3750 switch, into Hikvision NVR’s, models DS-7600 or DS-7700 series. By the way, just installed several Hik bullets 4MP (DS-2CD1041-I) and I must say I am very pleased with their price and behavior -and I love how they can keep colors at night with limited ambient light-.

 

The monitoring room has 5 screens, three 24" and two 32" above them. At this point in time, the monitors are fed the grouped camera views from five NVR´s (two pulling the video from the DVR´s with older analog cams). The reason for using different NVR´s, in a growing process over time, has been to keep their video output to each monitor with less than 9 cameras (anything more than a 3x3 multiple view per screen and you really can´t see much detail on the screen without opening it to a single camera, but then not being able to view the others meanwhile).

 

The area recorded is a residential area, with cameras mainly covering the perimeter boundary (think of a triangle shaped property ½ to 1 mile each side with VERY much non-regular terrain and lots of foliage (it´s the tropical forest! ... however camera views are pretty clear)).

 

OK, so now with clear and plentiful video coming to my "video wall", and with possibly more cams to be setup in the future, the need is to properly manage or "human-monitor" all the views... not loosing one´s attention by looking at cameras (or groups of them on a screen) when not necessary.

 

Currently, the line crossing detection, motion detection and rest of functions in cams work fine (yes, LOTS of false triggers from weather to bugs, working on minimizing them, but aware they will never disappear). Each NVR will display a "bell" symbol on its screen when something is detected, but as you can imagine, often it seems all screens have a "bell" symbol and the "pay attention here" purpose is defeated -or impossible to follow-.

 

In this process, I am quite sure the next step involves setting up Video Analytics. I am aware it takes quite-the-computer to process all this video feed, and quite-the-video-cards as well to feed the several monitors! By the time that PC is assembled together, my son for-sure will be really envious of it! However, as everything, in every step all has been done in an incredibly expense conscious manner; I remain as moderate as possible with expenses (likely the reason I get to be able to keep going and enjoying the process). The cost of this computer could mean many more cameras and thus I want to be sure I am on the right track, before spending that money.

 

I keep hearing of Hikvision iVMS software, but I have not been able to find someone with similar setup where I can see it work. I believe the ideal setup would be one where:

 

-1 monitor simply displays the four PTZ megapixel domes.

-3 monitors display all the other feeds, even if small images to each camera.

-The 5th monitor will “pop-up” any triggered camera(s).

 

First question: Does iVMS 4200 or any other software have a “pop-up” camera function, to display triggered cams (from cam’s own software) to a particular screen? This is, rather than just displaying a small “bell” symbol at its corner and not becoming larger in display size.

 

-Under each of the PTZ domes, to be installed soon, 3 fixed cameras (looking at the same area). This is with the objective of keeping constant PTZ movement to a minimum, unless needing the zoomed-in video in case of any alert from the fixed cams. While we have not lost a single camera to thunderstorms or power surges, two of the four PTZ’s have gone bad in their PAN movement only (DS-2DE7184-A). I am 100% sure what happened is not any electronic issue, but rather simple mechanical wear-down, as all else functions and even the motor spins. The Hikvision distributor was honorable in changing the non-panning cameras right at their 1 year of age with a month difference one to the other, but I can tell sooner or later this will be the cause for them all to become unusable, probably after warranty is over.

 

Second question: Because of above issue, to go from constant panning to panning only when needed, I would like that if any of the fixed cams below the PTZ’s is triggered by line crossing, movement detection or whatever, the corresponding PTZ automatically zooms in to that area. I understand one can do this via the triggered alarm connections in back of the NVR or via wires at camera (which requires an additional triggering device), but can it be done in response to internal camera event?

 

Third question: Given that the PTZ’s are so much easier to handle with a joystick rather than clicking the small control screen with a mouse, is there any way to leave “OPEN” the option to control PTZ’s with a Joystick? (I found very reasonably priced –at less than 1/8 of price of IP joysticks- and purchased the USB Hikvision Joystick DS-1005KI) i.e. My current issue is that each time one wants to use the joystick (or the mouse) to move the PTZ’s, you have to enter user name and then 8 digit password. Often, when involving a vehicle or something fast, by the time you input user and password, you cannot track the issue in real-time with PTZ… thus I wondered if maybe some simple way to punch in the user & pass and not having to redo for several hours rather than a few minutes… but without cutting off the possibility for a trigger event from the fixed cams to automatically move the PTZ dome’s should it be needed.

 

Hopefully I have used the right wording and my expectations are not unrealistic or dependent to high priced software… and beforehand, thanks for your help…

 

I am a simple guy trying to do the best possible, within financial limitation of a small group of homeowners in a large property, whom more than anything else is doing this whole CCTV system as hands-on entertainment & hobby. Thanks!

 

Jimito