We are currently testing multiple VMSes Mobile Apps, and are evaluating what are the best features or capabilities to base our evaluation on.
The initial list of parameters / criteria we are starting out with are:
- Number of Simultaneous Viewable Streams: Multiple Camera Streaming support is a strength.
- Alarm Received/Acknowledgement/Forwarding: Receiving alarms as notifications on the app, and being able to acknowledge and potentially forward the alarm are strong points.
- Video/System Event Support (Motion, Analytics, etc): In commercial/Enterprise environments using mobile apps as a primary video search tool might be limited, but being able to search through motion or analytic events in the app is a strength.
- Streaming the Smartphone Camera back to the VMS Support: If a security officer has the app running in the field, they can trigger the phone to record back to the VMS.
- Exporting/Downloading/Marking Video For Download: Being able to export or download a full quality version to the mobile device is a strength.
- Snapshot Capture: Being able to capture a quick snapshot of an individual or vehicle to email/send to authorities is a strength.
- HTTPS Support, 2 Factor Authentication, Security Features: Considering the mobility and potential dynamic network use (4G, public wifi, home wifi, etc), any/all data security features are a strength.
- Cloud Connection Services: Related to the concerns in the above criteria, a secure cloud connection rather than port forwarding or firewall compromises is a strength.
- Tablet Version of App: If the phone/small screen version of the app does not scale well to a 8-10+" tablet, having a tablet version is a strength. If the standard app scales properly, not having a tablet app won't necessarily be a weakness.
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Stream Quality Settings: Streaming 1080P or 4K video over a 4G connection to a mobile device can cause data limitation concerns. Being able to adjust downscaling of live video at the server or at the device level is a strength.
What other criteria or aspects should we be considering for our evaluation? Let us know in the comments.
Thanks!