Axis Camera Monitoring App Tested

By Ethan Ace, Published Dec 04, 2015, 12:00am EST

Axis' Camera Application Platform has been around for years, but has mainly been limited to complex analytic apps.

Now, an independent website, ACAP Share [link no longer available], not officially affiliated with Axis, has released several applications intended to add more useful everyday features. 

We tested one of these, simply named Monitor Me, in this report. This app allows monitoring and graphing of camera CPU load (shown below) and bandwidth, as well as ACAP application status, parameters not available by default in Axis cameras.

******* ** ****** ***** to ***** ****** ********** not ********* ** ******* in **** *******, *** trigger ****** ***** ** them. *** **** *** bandwidth *** ** ********** useful ** ********** ****** issues ***** **** ****** otherwise ********* ** ************.

*******, *** **** ** ****** custom ****** ****** **** extra *********** **** *** may ** ********* ** complex ** **** *****. 

***** **** ** ** a **** ***-**, **** integrators *** **** **** helpful ********** ** *************** *******.

Key ********

*** *** ********* ******** were ******, ********** *********** not ********* ********* *** the **** *** *********. Axis ******* **** ******** provide ******* **** *** the ******* ******, *** total *********, *** *** load is *** ********* ** all.

****** ********* ******** ** our *****, **** ****** sent ** ******* ** about ** ******* ***** bandwidth ******** *********. ** some *****, ***** **** was ******, ** ** 30 *******, ** *******, nearly *********.

****** *** *** ********* with *** ****** *** (Genetec, *********, *****) *** of *** ***. ****** may ** **** *** TCP ****** ******* ** supported *****, **** ** Exacq *** *********, ** used ** ******* ****** or **** *****, ***.

******* ** ** ********* free **** **** *****. No ********* ** ********.

******** 

******* ** ******** *** same ** *** ***** ACAP ***********, ****** ******** to *** ******. ** the ***** ***** ** review *** **** ********* and *** ** *********/******* events ***** ******* **. 

Interface *******

**** *********, ***** *** enter *** **** ******* Me **** *********, ***** contains **** ******** ****:

*** ****

**** *** ******** ******* CPU **** **** ** text ** **** ** a *****. **** **** these ******* *** *** percentages, *** *** ******* based ** *******, * Linux *******. ******* ** this, ***** ****** ******** gauge ********** ** *** use, *** ********** *** alerts ****** ** *** based ** ********* ****** performance *** ******* ****.

**** ***** *** **** to *** ***** *** Load:

** * ****** **** chip *** ****** ********* load *** ** ******* 40-170 *** ***** ** a * *****-****. **** does *** **** **** the ****** ** ** overloaded ** *** ***** is ******. ** ***** to ********* ******** *** need ** ******* *** CPU **** **** * longer ****** ** **** during ****** **********.

*********

**** *** ******** ********* *** and ******* ******* ** CPU ****. ***** *** set * **** ********* (6 **/* *** **) to ******** ****** ***** on **** *******. **** that **** ** ************** *****, *** ********** specific ****** *****.

*****

*** ***** *** ****** users ** ******* * reference ***** *** ****** comparison. *** *******, ** a **** *** ***** is ********, ***** *** compare ******* ***** ** the ********* ** ***** for ***** ***********. ******* may ** ******** ********* and *** **** ************* taken ** ******** *** noon.

**** **** **** * manual ****** ********** ****. The *********** **** *** compare ******* ****** ** reference (* ******* ***** in **** ****** ********* analytics).

****

*******, **** *** ****** users ** ******* *** current ***** ** *** or **** **** ************. This *** ** **** to ****** ***** ** an *** ******* ** restarts ************, *** *******.

Comments (5)

Brian Elias

12/07/15 10:03pm

I found out about this site a few months ago after speaking with a very helpful Axis tech support representative. He pointed me to ACAP Share for an app called "Daybreak Me" which allows you to trigger actions based on the current sunset / sunrise time. What a great app..and it's free.

I use this now on every outdoor install with a WDR camera to turn WDR on and off based on sunrise / sunset.

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Brian Elias | 12/07/15 10:08pm

SPOILER ALERT: I'm finishing up a quick report on Daybreak Me today, too. It's an interesting one, for sure.

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Larry Vinson

IPVMU Certified | 12/08/15 03:35pm

How do you find out if an Axis camera is supported by the MonitorMe app from ACAP Share? Under requirements for the app it says"

"Camera platform: ARTPEC 4/5 (MIPS) & AMBARELLA (ARM)."

Where do you find this information out?

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Larry Vinson | 12/08/15 04:05pm

That's actually a bit of a tough one. Axis doesn't release a full list of what cameras use what chips. There is no harm in trying it on a camera, though. I accidentally uploaded the wrong version and it doesn't install. It just pops up a message saying it's not compatible.

As a rule of thumb, ARTPEC-5 is new and mostly in higher end cameras, like the Q1614/1615/1635, but also the M1124/M1125. If it has Forensic Capture, their latest WDR, I believe it's using an ARTPEC-5.

ARTPEC-4 was/is found in their higher end stuff from the past few of years, like the Q1604, P33s, etc., but generally not in the Ms.

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

In reply to Larry Vinson | 12/08/15 07:58pm

If you review the firmware page look under the "Axis Camera Application Platform" column for a check mark. That indicates the camera supports ACAP.

http://www.axis.com/global/en/support/firmware

ARTPEC-4 chips are also found in the M3006, M3007, M7014, M7016, M3026 models. Older M series are mainly Ambarella and ARTPEC-3.

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