Milestone ONVIF Bridge Tested

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Published Jul 06, 2016 13:09 PM

*** ********* ***** ****** ***** ** a ************.

********** ***** **** **** ********** *** party ****** ****** ****** ****** *********** more *********, ***** **** ******* *** expensive *** ******* ****-**.

***, *********'* ***** ******, ******** ****, free *** ***** *********** ** **** and ******** ***** ***** **** *** of *** ****** ******* **** **** and **** ***** ****** **** ********, Exacq *** ******* ** ** *** same.

*** **** ** ****?

** ****** *** ********* ***** ****** with * ***** ********* ********, ***** and ******* ** *** *** ** worked.

*******

***** ******** ** ** '*****' ******, it ****** **** **** ** '****' Bridge *** **** ***** **** *******.

** *** *****, *** ********* ***** Bridge ****** ** **** **** **** VMSes, **** **** ******** ******* ****** able ** ******* ********, **** ***** and ******* **** ******* *** ******* to ***** **** *******.

**** ********* ****** **** *** ***** tested ******* *****, ****** ** * potential ****** *** ***** ***** ****** ** connect *** *****, ****** ** ** more **** ********* ** *** ** and ***** ******** ******** **** ** PTZ ******* ***** ** *** ***** integration.

Key ********

**** *** *** *** ******** **** this ****: 

  • ** *** *****, ********** ** *** ONVIF ****** ****** ******** **** ***** four out ** **** ***** ******* * ***** (*****, Genetec, ******* ***** *** ***** ****).
  • ********** **** ***** *** ******* ****** the ***** ****** ******* ** *****, requiring ** ** ** ******** *********.
  • ***** ****** ******* *** **** ** connect ** *** ****** *** ****** all ******* ******* ***** (**** ***** only, *** **********).
  • **** ******* ****** ******** ** *** player, ********, *** *****.
  • **** **** ***** *** ********* ** our ***** ** *** **** ******* G *** ******, ***** ****, *** unable ** ******* ** *** ********* Bridge.

Tech ******* ******** *********

****** *** ****** *** ******* ****, which ** ********* * *******, ** suspect **** ******* ***** ** * challenge ** *** ****** ** ***** used ** '********' ******** ********* ********. On *** *** ****, ********* ********* that **** ***** "******* *** ******** ***** *** ***** bridge ** **** ***** ******* ****, regardless ** **** ***** ********** **** use." ** *** ***** ****, ********* also *****, "*** ******* ***** ******* ** ******* to *** ************* ** ********* ***** out. ******* ** *** ********* ***, the *** ***** ******, ** *** in ***** *** ********* *******." ********, Milestone ********* **** **** ******** *** was **** *** ******* ********** *** that **** **** ******** ***** *** Bridge ***** **** *** *********** / takeover ********

*******, *** '*****' ******, ******* *** name, ** *** ********** ***** **********, ** it **** **** * ********** ** ONVIF ************, ***** ********** *** ******* / ********* ** ********** **** ***** to *** ******** ***** ********.

******* ** ****, *** ******* ** position *** ****** ** * ******** to ******** **** *** ******** ***** monitoring **** ********* ** * *** party *** ***** *********** **** ** working reliably.

************

*** ********* ***** ******** ***************** **** ******* **** ** ** no ********** ******.

** ** ********* ** *********** ** ************** *** ****** *** ***** (** and *********).

ONVIF ****** ******

**** **** ** ** * ******** server *********, *** ***** **** *** Milestone ****** ******.

** *** ** ********* ** *** same ****** ** * ******** ****** if *** **** ** * *******. ** our *****, *** ****** *** ***, only ********** **** ** *-*% *** 4 ******* (***** *********** **** **** to ***).

*************

***** ** ****** ************* ******** *** the ***** ****** **** ***** **** needing ** ****** *********** ** *** Milestone ****** ****** ************.

**** *********, ***** *** **** ***** may ** ******* (******* ** *** and ***, ************) *** ***** *** remote ******* *******

*** ****** *** ** ***** ****** ************* contains ******** ***** *** ********** ***** ******* (*** ******). *** full ********** ****** ** **** *** ONVIF ** **** ** ****, ********** of **** ** ******* ****, **** ** transcoding ** *********.

********* ****** ** ***** ************* **** step ******* *** **** ******** ** connect ** *******. ***** *** **** ****** the "*** ************** **** *******" ****** to ****** *** ******'* ****** ***** settings ** ****. *******, ** *** tests, **** ****** ****** **** ********, with ******** *********** ******** **** ** disabled, *** *** ********** ** *** when ***** ************** **** *******.

** **** ** ************* ** **** detail ** **** *****:


Unable ** **** ******** *****

********* ****** *** ***** ***** ******** recorded ***** *** ******* *. *******, **** is ** ******* ***, ** **** two ***** (***** *** **********) *** officially **********. ********, ** *** *****, Axxon **** *** ****** ** ******* to *** ****** *** ****** **** video, *** ***** **********.

Connecting **** ***** ****** *******

***** ****** ********** **** ** ******** *** ******* to *** ***** ****** ******* ******, with **** ***** ******** ********* *** all *******. *******, ************* ************ ** ***** DM *** *** ******** ********, **** CODEC, *******, ****, *** ***** ******** not **** ** ** ********** ** they *** ** **** **** ***** devices.

**** **** ***** ** ******** *** easiest *** ** ****** ** ***** Bridge ******'* **** ***, ***** ** the "**** *****" **** (********* ******* *****).


******* ******* *** **** *********** ** ONVIF ** ****** *** *** ***** **** ****.

VMS ***********

** *** *****, ********** ** *** ONVIF ****** *** ***** ****** ** most *****, ********* *****, *****, *** Genetec. *******, **** ********** ** ******* **** Exacq ** *******, *** ********* ***** Bridge ******* ******* *** *** ** be ******** *********. ***** ****** ******** regardless ** ****** ** *******, **********, or ****** ********.

**** ******** ******* ****** *** **** to ******** ******* *** ****** ***** Bridge *******, *** **** **** *** "Use ************** **** *******" ****** (********* above) *** ********.

** ****** ***** ****** ** **** video:


****** ** ********* *** ******** ********, stream ************* (*****) *** *** ******** did *** ******** ** *** ** our *****, *********** *** *** **** benefits ** ***** ***** **** ****. Even ****** ************* ***** **** ** renaming ******* ****** ** ***.

RTSP ***********

*** ***** ****** **** ****** ** **** option *** ****** *********, ***** ****** without ****** ** *** ***** ** our *****, ** ******** ** *** ONVIF ***********.

**** **** ** ** ******* **** RTSP *******, ** ****** **** *** or ***** ******, */*, ** *** control ** *********.

**** ****** ********

*** ******** *** ** ****** ****** RTSP **** ** *** ***** **. Users *** ****** **** *** **** URL **** *** **** ***** **** and ***** ** **** ***** *** (if *********).

** ***** ** ** ***********, ***** may ***** *** *** *** *** following ******:

****://*********************:***/****/***********

********* ******** ***** ************ *** ******** GUID:

** ********* *** ****** **** ** an ******** ******** ******** ** ********* Husky ******** ********, **** *** ********** Client, ******** ** *** ******, ****** the **** ***, **** **** **** and ***** ** *** ******. *** GUID **** ** ********* ** *** bottom ** *** **** ***.

** ********* *** ****** **** ** an ******** ************ ******* ** ******** Milestone *****, ******** ** *:\***********\*********\********* ************ and **** *** “*************.***” **** ** Notepad. ** * ****** *** *** name ** *** ****** (******** *** camera ** ***** ** *** ********** Application). *** **** ******** ***** *** name ** *** ****** **** ** the **** *** *** ******.

******** ****** - ******************>

********-****-****-****-****************>

Software ******** ****

*** ********* *** ******** **** **** in **** ****:

  • ********* ******** *********: **** ** **.**
  • ******** ******* ****** **********: *.*.*.**
  • ***** ****: *.*.*.****
  • *********** **********: *.*.*.*****
  • ******* ******** ******: *.* ** *
  • ******* ***** *********: *.*.*.*****
  • ***** ****** *******: *.*.***
Comments (15)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Jul 06, 2016

"The support would however be limited to the functionality of providing video out. Support on the receiving end, the 3rd party client, is not in scope for Milestone support."

For integrators, this translates to a lot of finger pointing.

I don't blame Milestone. It is logical that they cannot support someone else's product. However, it still makes a challenge when two parties do not support connection to each other's product. This makes the functionality of limited use as updates on one end or the other could break it.

Avatar
Sergey Bystrov
•Jul 06, 2016
NetworkOptix

I have to admit this is the key here.

  • ONVIF Device Manager was able to connect to the Bridge and stream all cameras without issue (live video only, not recordings).


It could be a million reasons why VMSes do not recognize milestone ONVIF( could be not Milestone issue. For example VMSes are counting on the fact that profile could be changed, since cameras normally allow it, unlike Milestone).

For the developer who needs to integrate with Milestone the fact that it works well with ODM - is all what is needed.

(2)
Avatar
Murat Altu
•Jul 08, 2016
AxxonSoft
In reply to Sergey Bystrov

I'm sure that it is Milestone's issue. Axxon, Genetec and Exacq are officially compliant ONVIF clients, while Milestone ONVIF bridge is not official compliant ONVIF device. May be they need to try to pass testing process and become listed and then it will work well, I believe.

(2)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
•Jul 08, 2016
In reply to Murat Altu

I think the problem is partly due to the fact that ONVIF Profile S is designed to provide an interface to encoders, i.e. cameras. For it to make sense on a VMS, the VMS would have to re-encode (i.e. transcode) the video output rather than just forward it from the camera. Many of the ONVIF XML packets are based around configuring the encoder (e.g. frame rates, protocols, resolution, GOP, audio/video protocols etc) , but since the VMS has no encoder to configure it is questionable how it handles this.

Sergey is right I think. The ONVIF clients are probably confused that they can't find a useful profile, can't modify a profile, and can't create a new one...

If the VMS is just forwarding video, then IMO there is little advantage in using ONVIF over just plain RTSP.

JH
John Honovich
•Jul 08, 2016
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

The ONVIF clients are probably confused that they can't find a useful profile, can't modify a profile, and can't create a new one...

3, thanks, that makes sense to me. Milestone did tell us originally that:

Most, but not all of ONVIF will be supported, most notably changing configurations via ONVIF will not be allowed

And as for:

If the VMS is just forwarding video, then IMO there is little advantage in using ONVIF over just plain RTSP.

On the other hand, PTZ control would be useful, maybe knowing when motion is occurring (i.e., passing motion events) and, on the profile G side, getting recorded video.

(2)
(1)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
•Jul 08, 2016
In reply to John Honovich

PTZ control would be useful, maybe knowing when motion is occurring (i.e., passing motion events) and, on the profile G side, getting recorded video

Yes true, I stand corrected on my last point.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
•Jul 08, 2016
In reply to John Honovich

The question I ask then, for those who require ONVIF-OUT on a VMS, would it be better for the VMS to:

1) transcode the output, and hence probably support lower frame rates and resolution than the original stream.

2) or is there an expectation that the video output should be unaltered from the original video from the camera

The first would work well for mobile ONVIF clients, the majority of existing ONVIF clients, access control integrations etc, The second is more in line with what would be needed by law enforcement as evidence, although you'd think the VMS export options would be used in this case.

I am actually thinking (1) might be more useful, and the more natural implementation to go with the way ONVIF works.

U
Undisclosed #2
•Jul 08, 2016
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Sergey Bystrov

For the developer who needs to integrate with Milestone the fact that it works well with ODM - is all what is needed.

Perhaps we should eliminate all the pesky self-certification requirements and just make ODM the standard bearer?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
•Mar 29, 2017

Can you provide any further details on how you were able to successfully add an Onvif Bridge stream to Genetec Security Center via RTSP?  Please outline the steps if possible.

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Mar 29, 2017
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #4

We actually were never able to get it to work. From the report:

...when attempting to connect with Exacq or Genetec, the Milestone ONVIF Bridge service crashed and had to be manually restarted

I just tried it again briefly to see if anything changed, and it seems to no longer crash the service on the Milestone server, but now... the Genetec directory restarted. Not sure that's an improvement!

If anyone else has had success integrating it with Genetec, I'd be interested.

(1)
AB
Alexander Bakke
•Jan 21, 2019
In reply to Ethan Ace

Can you please clarify if it did or did not work with RTSP to Genetec?

Like Undisclosed 4 says below, your answer differs from what is written in the article.

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Jan 21, 2019
In reply to Alexander Bakke

Yes, RTSP streaming does work, but you cannot simply type in a URL in Genetec Security Center as you can in most of the other clients. You need to create a custom driver for it, which requires tools from Genetec which aren't publicly available to output an XML file which is saved to the server. So while it works, it's not so simple.

Trying to connect to the ONVIF bridge using Genetec's ONVIF driver crashed the Genetec directory service the last time I tried it.

AB
Alexander Bakke
•Jan 22, 2019
In reply to Ethan Ace

I appreciate the reply.

"RTSP Integration

The ONVIF Bridge also offers an RTSP option for camera streaming, which worked without issues in all VMSes in our tests, in contrast to the ONVIF integration."

Can you really use the words "without issues", when getting it to work requires the steps you described?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
•Mar 29, 2017

Thanks for the update Ethan.  I was basing my assumption that it worked from a statement in the original article :

"The ONVIF Bridge also offers an RTSP option for camera streaming, which worked without issues in all VMSes in our tests, in contrast to the ONVIF integration."

I am more interested in getting RTSP to work as opposed to ONVIF.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
•Jan 22, 2019

https://ipvm.com/forums/video-surveillance/topics/adding-rtsp-streams-to-genetec-security-center