Axis Open VMS ACS5 Tested

Author: Ethan Ace, Published on Mar 14, 2016

Axis has launched an open VMS, with its new ACS5. What has historically been an Axis only offering is now suddenly a potential competitor to the many open VMSes in the market, including its corporate sibling Milestone.

But how well does it work? We downloaded ACS5 and the free trial license to try it out.

Here is a quick peek showing 4 manufacturers running inside ACS5:

Inside, we examine the 3 key strengths and 5 key weaknesses of ACS5.

**** *** ******** ** **** ***, **** *** *** ****. **** *** ************ **** ** Axis **** ******** ** *** ******** * ********* ********** ** the **** **** ***** ** *** ******, ********* *** ********* sibling *********.

*** *** **** **** ** ****? ************ **** *** *** **** ***** ********* *** ** ***.

**** ** * ***** **** ******* * ************* ******* ****** ****:

******, ** ******* *** * *** ********* *** * *** weaknesses ** ****.

[***************]

Key ********

*** *** ********* ********:

  • ***** ***** ****** *********** *** ***** ** *** ***** *** the ****** ************* ****, ****** **** **** ***************, ******.
  • ********** ** **** ******* *** ****** *** ****, ******** ******** control *** ***********
  • ****** ******* **********, ******** ** ****, *** ****** *** ******.

*** *** ********** ********:

  • ** *** ******* *** ***** ***** *******, ********** ********* ****. Axis **** ****** ***** ***** *** ******* ** * **** priority *** **** *******.
  • *** *** ********* ******* ***** ****, *** ** *** ***** and ******* ** **** **** ******** *****.
  • ********** **** / ****** ********** ** *********. ****** **** ******** monitoring ***** **** ******** *******, ******** **** ** ***********.
  • ********* ******* ** *********. ****** ******** ******* *** ** ******** simultaneously, ********* **** ****** ** ****** **** *************.
  • ** ***** ****** ******. ***** **** ***** ** *** ******* this, ****' ********* ********* **** *** **** **** ****. **** **** ****** **** ** * **** ******** *** 2016 *******.

Pricing **** ** ***** *****

*** *** *** * ***** ** *********. ***** ** ********* from *** **** ******** **** *** (****) ******:

  • **** ******** *** *** **** ******* *** **** ** ** 32 *******. **** ** $** *** *** ******.
  • ********* ******** *** *** *** *** **** ****** *** *** any ******* **** ** *******. **** ** $*** *** *** device.
  • ****** ***** ** ***** ** ***** ******* ** * ******, i.e., ** *** **** *** **** ******* ****** ** ******* connected ** * ****** ******, **** ***** ******* ** **** and *** ****** ****** ********* ********.
  • ** ********* / ****** / *********** ****, ** ******, *** future ******** (****, ***.) *** ******* ** ******* ***.

Competitive ******

***** ***, **** ** *** ***** *** *******, **** **** primarily ** *** ***** *** **** *** **** *** **** need ** *** ** * *** *** ***** *******. *******, once **** **** **** *** ***** ****** ******, ** ******* that **** **** ** * ********, *** ************ **********, ** open ***** **** ***** *** *********.

Solid ***** ***** ****** ***** ***********

*** ***** ***** ******* ********* (* ****** **** * *************) worked ******* ****** ** *** *, **** ************* ** ********* and ********** *********** ********, *** ***** ************ ********. 

No ***** ***** ***

*** * **** *** ******* ***** ****** ********* ** ***** party *******. ****** **** *** ** ********* ** **** ******* only.

**** ***** **** ***-**** ****** *** ******* ** ********** ********* only, * *********** **********, ** **** ***** ******* **** **** of ****** ********* (****** ** ****** ****) *** ****/**** ***** party *******. 

Device Compatibility Tool ******

**** ****** ************* **** ****** ************* **** ****. ***** ***** *** ******'* ** ******* and ***********, *** ***** ************* ***** *** ***, *********** ********** of *.*** *** ***** *********, *****, *** ***** ************* (***/**********). Axis ********* **** ******* **** ** ***** ******* * **********, but *** ****** ** ***, *** **** *** *** *** full ******* * **** *** ***** ***** ************, ****** **** basic ****** *** *********.

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

******* ********, *****, ****/*****, *********, *** ****, ******* **** ************, with **** ******* ******* *** **** *******, *** ******* ******** upon ******, ******* ******** *** ***** ********.

*** *******, ** ****** *** ******** *.**-**-**, ***** ***** ****** all *****, ***** ** **********. *******, ******* *** **** * second ****, *** ****** ****** ***** *****. ******* * ***** time, ** ****** **** *****.

***** *** *** **** ****** *******, * ********** ***** ******* given *** ****** ** ***** *********/*********. **** * ****** ******, the ********* **-*********-* ****** ***** ********* ***** (*****). *******, **** camera ****** **** ** *** **** *****.

Strong **** ****** **********

*** ****** ****** ********** *** *** ** *** **** *******, with *** **** ****** ********** ********* ********** ******** **** *** client. **** ****** ***** ** ******* ********, ******* **** ************, and ********* ******* ** **** ******** **** *** ******. ***** functions *** *** ********* ** ***** ***** *******. **** **** configuration **** *** **** *********** ***********, ******* ** ****** ********, which *** ** ********* *** ****** *****.

******* ** *** ********** *********, ***** ************* ******* *** *********, such ** **********, ********, ***, ***., ** ******** ** ***/**********/*********** available *** *** *******.

** ****** ***** ******** ** **** *****:

Improved ****** ********* **********

*** * **** * ********* ****** ******* ***** ***** *** manage ***** *******' ********, *** ******, *** *** ********** ****** channels ******* ******* ** ***** *** **** ** ****** *** server ********. ******** *** ********* *** ************* ****** ** *** server *** *** ********. *** ***** ******* ******** ******, ***** may ******** * ******* **** ***** *** ** ******** ** the ******.

** **** **** ****** ** *** ***** *****:


New ********* ** ****** ******* ** ***********

****' *** ********* ******* ****** ***** ** ****** ***** *** drag ******* ******** *****, ******* ** ********* **** ** **** back/forward ** ******* ****** ** ***** ** ******** ****** ** the ********. **** ** *** ** ***, *** ****** ** most ***** *****.

Export ******* *********

*** * ******* ***** ** **** .*** ****** ****, ******* a *********** ******. ******** ******* *** ** ******** ** *** time, *** ******* * ***********/*****-****** ******. * ******** ** ******* containing *** ***** ********, *** **** *** ****** **** ************, not **************.

Enterprise **** / ****** ********** *********

******** *** * ********* *** ** ****** *** ********** **** one ****** ********, *** **** ******** *** *** ****** *********. In ***** ** *** ** ******** *******, ***** ****** * configuration **** **** * ********** ******, *** ****** ** ** the ****. ******** ** *** ****** ****** *** **** ***** saved ** * ******* ********.

No ***** *********

****** *** ***** ********** ***** ** *********** **** ****** ********* *******, *** * ******** ****** **** ********** ** ******** *******, either *** ****** ** ****** *** (*** **** *** *). ***** must ******** ***** *** ** ******* ** **** **** ** each ****** **** **** ** ******* **. ** ********,**** ****** ********* ******* *** ***** ** * ****'* **** *******, ******** **** to *** ** ******** ******* ****** *****.

Server ****/*** *****

*** ***** ** *** **** ****** ******* ******* ****** *** low, ~*-*% ** ** ** *.* ***, **** *** ** and * ***** ******* ** ***. **** ***** ******** ****** consistent ********** ** *******/********** ** ***.

**** ****** ******** ******** ******** ** *** *, *** ** our *****, ** *** ** ********** **** *** ******** ** or ***. ** **** ******* *** ** **** *** *******.

Comments (12)

Thumbnail zayon 1673

Ari Erenthal

Chesapeake & Midlantic | 03/14/16 03:13pm

Why even bother releasing without third party VMD now? Either wait until VMD works, or release as is but make the announcement at ISC West. If they would have waited, it probably would have been the big announcement at ISC.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Ari Erenthal | 03/14/16 04:48pm

"Why even bother releasing without third party VMD now?"

Getting ONVIF based VMD to work consistently is a minefield (see ONVIF test results) so that could have been a factor.

Thumbnail zayon 1673

Ari Erenthal

Chesapeake & Midlantic | In reply to John Honovich | 03/14/16 06:14pm

No, I get that, I'm asking why they didn't wait to launch or announce it as ISC, in just a few weeks.

Thumbnail brk1

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Ari Erenthal | 03/14/16 06:48pm

IMO, if you're going to wait for ISC West to drop a product announcement it should be HUGE.

This is really incremental to something Axis has had for a while. It's noteworthy, but it's not enough to drown out the rest of the noise at ISC West. As Itamar noted, the price itself isn't really fantastic for the feature set you get.

Many people go to ISC West with a game plan of what they want to see. As a manufacturer you're better off (IMO) getting releases like this out earlier. Give people time to digest it, give people time to think about it relative to other options, and then at the show you can have a more in-depth conversation with an informed person.

For Axis, an ISC West level announcement would be them doing a 32MP camera to rival Avigilon's 30MP. You know Avigilon is going to have a lot of their messaging at ISC West revolving around the 7K camera, so Axis could throw their competitor off their game by making an announcement like that AT the show.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Brian Karas | 03/14/16 09:04pm

For Axis, an ISC West level announcement would be them doing a 32MP camera

That would ship 32M later...

Itamar Kerbel

03/14/16 03:23pm

I'm not sure what the strategy is. It feels like with 80$ per device is too expensive for what you get.

I'm guessing that things will improve over time but the price is too close to milestone essential license.

I understand that both MS and AX want to keep the appearance of an independent companies but I think the better strategy is keep being open but base your products on milestone at this stage.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Itamar Kerbel | 03/14/16 04:47pm

"It feels like with 80$ per device is too expensive for what you get."

My guess is that the price is a 'feature', not a 'bug'. In other words, Axis may have set that price to limit the competitive threat of ACS to third parties. Imagine if they gave away ACS for Axis cameras? That would be highly disruptive to their partner relationships.

Undisclosed #1

03/14/16 07:04pm

Imagine if they gave away ACS for Axis cameras?

Imagine if Milestone gave away a camera with every license. :)

Undisclosed Integrator #2

03/14/16 07:36pm

Ask the customer what features they feel are most needed that they are willing to pay for. Then compare those comments with one of the no license fee manufacturers. I bet most do not give a hoot about half the stuff and if they knew they could RECORD, PUSH to the CLOUD, and VIEW LIVE for free they would do it for FREE.

Thumbnail usa shield

Luis Carmona

IPVMU Certified | 05/09/16 11:58am

Was there an example video of the user basics I might have missed? Here is how what the start interface looks like... Here is how to bring up and change cameras... Here is how to change or choose your layout... Here is how to playback/rewind/jump to previous date and time in video ... Here is how to get to the Event List (if any)...

As for the software, it seems very behind established players in similar price ranges like DW Spectrum/NXWitness, Exacq Start and Pro, MS Essential (alreayd mentioned), etc. I guess their long term play is for people who want all Axis at the small to mid level installations...?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Luis Carmona | 05/09/16 12:49pm

What specifically makes you think it is 'very behind established players in similar price ranges'?

We did not record basic videos as we focused on what's new as the basics remain the same from previous versions of ACS.

Thumbnail usa shield

Luis Carmona

IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Honovich | 05/09/16 02:40pm

I think the lack of camera side motion detection, the lack of multiview export, and the other players just seem to have more established 3rd party camera support. I'm not saying they can't catch up quickly if they want to. But my jaded view is while many manufacturers say they'll do this or that soon, it usually takes a long time.

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

Most Wanted Improvements In Manufacturer Technical Support (Statistics) on Jun 21, 2018
5 key areas of improvement and 1 clear wanted support feature were voiced by 140+ integrator responses to: What improvement in manufacturer...
Axis Guardian - Cloud VMS And Alarm Monitoring - Released on Jun 19, 2018
Axis has struggled to deliver a cloud-based managed service video platform. Video service providers have utilized AVHS for over a decade, and have...
Axis Releases First New Access Controller In 5 Years (A1601) on Jun 15, 2018
It has been 5 years since Axis 2013 entry in the physical access control market, with the A1001 (IPVM test). Now, Axis has released its second...
ReconaSense - The AI / Access Control / Analytics / IoT / Video Company Profile on Jun 12, 2018
One company's ISC West booth stood out for displaying a light-up tower of buzzwords. The company, ReconaSense, pledged to be 'making sense of it...
H.265 / HEVC Codec Tutorial on Jun 07, 2018
H.265 support has improved significantly in 2018, with H.265 camera/VMS compatibility increased compared to only a year ago, and more manufacturers...
Bosch IVA Video Analytics And Motion+ VMD Tested on Jun 06, 2018
Bosch's video analytics now ship on nearly every model, from indoor domes to high-end 5MP starlight cameras.  In this test, we evaluate Bosch's...
Hikvision PanoVu 20MP Flexible Camera Tested on Jun 01, 2018
Hikvision has released their first repositionable multi imager cameras with integrated IR included, atypical in competitors. We bought and tested...
Oncam 12MP Fisheye Camera Tested on May 29, 2018
Oncam has made their name since the early 2000s as a fisheye specialist, focusing only on panoramic cameras. To see how this specialist stacks up...
VMS Server Sizing on May 25, 2018
Specifying the right sized PC/server for VMS software is one of the most important yet difficult decisions in IP video surveillance. In the past...
Hanwha Wisenet X Analytics and VMD Test on May 24, 2018
Continuing our updated testing of camera analytics, we tested Hanwha's Wisenet X analytics for over two weeks in multiple scenes, indoors and out,...

Most Recent Industry Reports

Installation Hardware for Video Surveillance - Indoor Fasteners on Jun 22, 2018
As part of our Installation for Video Surveillance series, in this note, we cover drywall anchors. A key part of installing security hardware is...
Hikvision ColorVu Integrated Visible Light Cameras Examined on Jun 22, 2018
When it comes to low light, infrared light has become the defacto standard in surveillance. But IR is limited to monochrome images, making colors...
Last Chance - Save $50 - July 2018 IP Networking Course on Jun 21, 2018
Today, Thursday the 21st is the last chance to save $50 on registration. Register now and save. This is the only networking course designed...
'Secure Channel' OSDP Access Control Examined on Jun 21, 2018
Despite claiming to be better than Wiegand, OSDP's initial releases did not address the lack of encryption between reader and controller, leaving...
Most Wanted Improvements In Manufacturer Technical Support (Statistics) on Jun 21, 2018
5 key areas of improvement and 1 clear wanted support feature were voiced by 140+ integrator responses to: What improvement in manufacturer...
GDPR / ICO Complaint Filed Against IFSEC Show Facial Recognition on Jun 20, 2018
IPVM has filed a complaint against IFSEC’s parent company UBM based on our concern that the conference violates core GDPR principles on...
IFSEC 2018 Final Show Report on Jun 20, 2018
IPVM attended the IFSEC show for the first time this year. The Chinese have taken over the UK, centered on Hikvision, flanked by Dahua, Huawei and...
Mobotix Releases 'Move' Into 21st Century on Jun 20, 2018
For years, Mobotix stood resolutely against, well, every other manufacturer, selling it as a virtue: MOBOTIX equipment is designed with no...
Cybersecurity Startup VDOO Disclosing 10 Manufacturer Vulnerabilities Starting With Axis And Foscam on Jun 20, 2018
Cybersecurity startup VDOO has uncovered significant vulnerabilities in Axis cameras along with many others not yet disclosed. In this report, we...
Axis Guardian - Cloud VMS And Alarm Monitoring - Released on Jun 19, 2018
Axis has struggled to deliver a cloud-based managed service video platform. Video service providers have utilized AVHS for over a decade, and have...

The world's leading video surveillance information source, IPVM provides the best reporting, testing and training for 10,000+ members globally. Dedicated to independent and objective information, we uniquely refuse any and all advertisements, sponsorship and consulting from manufacturers.

About | FAQ | Contact