Axis Multi-Imager Panoramic / PTZ Q6000-E

By: John Honovich, Published on Sep 29, 2014

Axis has launched its first multi-imager panoramic, entering in to a promising market with limited suppliers, most notably Arecont.

However, Axis has taken a unique approach to this camera.

In this note, we examine the features, pricing, strengths and weaknesses of it.

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Comments (22)

John Honovich

IPVM | 09/29/14 10:23am

Undisclosed #1

09/29/14 10:41am

This is certainly a unique approach. I'm curious to see how this product does, my experience is that the 180 degree panoramics tend to get far more use than the 360's and a big draw of both approaches is to limit the overall visibility of cameras installed. This does address the other major selling point of multi-imagers, which is reduced cabling and install time.

Also, I'm guessing to make this work as intended you need some specific VMS integrations? I wonder how licensing is done, especially when very few PTZs have a true 360 degree coverage requirement (eg: they're mounted to a building corner and typically need 270 degree or less coverage.) Is this 1, 2, or 5 channels of video?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 09/29/14 10:43am

I believe it's 5 channels of video - 4 from the panoramic, 1 from the PTZ.

It's one IP address, so under Milestone's rules, perhaps it's just 1 camera license. I am sure this will become clearer as this rolls out.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to John Honovich | 09/29/14 10:50am

Not to totally sidetrack this, but...

I'm not super familiar with Milestones licensing, but if it's 1 license per IP address, could you put all your IP cameras behind an internal firewall using port-forwarding and write a custom driver to break them out by channel to appear like a multi-channel encoder or multi-sensor camera? Or it seems like you could "easily" write some iptables rules and a little bit of nginx coding on a cheap linux box to mimic the API of a 32 channel Axis encoder? At some point that would quickly add up to huge savings in license costs.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 09/29/14 11:29am

Its one license per Mac Address in Milestone. In this scenerio the router would present the Mac's. :) But I get what your saying yes you could "pretend" to be a 32 Way Encoder and have 16 HD IP cameras.. I think alot of the axis encoder use an IP / Mac per 4 channels.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 09/29/14 11:32am

No, given that the router is a router, the Milestone server would only be aware of the MAC address of the router itself, not of any cameras behind it.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

09/29/14 11:39am

I meant "wouldn't present" so you might add one but you can't have duplicate Mac's in M/S :)

Undisclosed Integrator #2

09/29/14 11:46am

One Mac per device, You license the MAC to create a DLK the DLK is registered against the SLC. In the old days different devices create a different channel requirement on the MAC. I've seen a twin channel ip camera ( one built in channel and one analogue input) let you have 2 but a 4 way encoder have 4 channels :madness: Of course now the analogue channel has been removed, but you need to be careful on the IP/MAC the device actaully has like the 16 axis units, which have a 4x macs - IP's so 4 license requirement :)

nidal gharzeddine

09/29/14 11:52am

4,000$ isn't that too high for a saving in cable and a network port VS a standard PTZ with a multi-imager ex:arecont ( incase the above VMS licensing doesn’t work).

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to nidal gharzeddine | 09/29/14 11:58am

Nidal, agreed.... if you want both. If you want just a panoramic multi-imager, that's the issue.

Undisclosed Integrator #3

09/29/14 01:03pm

So far given poll results, comments and the fact this does not provide a direct competitive product to Arecont's multi-imager product except in maybe a very small percentage of cases, I'd say except for Axis fans and dealers, this is pretty insignificant offering.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #3 | 09/29/14 01:34pm

Yep, or PTZ fans....

nidal gharzeddine

09/29/14 02:19pm

It would be interesting to get Axis's input on the intended markets and expected market share for it.

Maybe they could shed some light on an angle we are missing.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to nidal gharzeddine | 09/29/14 02:21pm

We talked to Axis. It is marketed towards larger PTZ users, which they clearly have a lot of. It will help them differentiate against bigger PTZ rivals like Pelco, Sony, etc.

Undisclosed Integrator #5

In reply to nidal gharzeddine | 09/29/14 09:49pm

I was equally perplexed on what the target market was. However they did say they believe it would be used for traffic cameras over an intersection as an example of a use case.

Maybe there is a use in casinos or along the front lines in retail?

Undisclosed Integrator #4

09/29/14 02:36pm

Seems like Axis got the idea from Scanzone to have a PTZ and multiple cameras in a single enclosure on a pole www.sanzone.ie. I think the Axis product looks a little more refined(cheaper)

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #4 | 09/29/14 02:43pm

Such combinations have been around for a decade or more. The first one I remeber is DyanPel - combo with analytics.

Most recent i've seen is Vivotek's panormaic PTZ.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

09/29/14 03:35pm

Are the 4 (360) imagers Day / Night?

Undisclosed Integrator #5

09/29/14 09:25pm
Our Axis sales manager said they would eventually release it standalone with a plug to make up for the PTZ. Also the gray banding in between will eventually switch to all black.

John Honovich

IPVM | 02/05/15 08:59am

Update: Axis has released a demo video showing how the cameras work together. Video below:

Avatar

Luis Carmona

IPVMU Certified | 02/05/15 01:12pm

Interesting. Have they mentioned anything about how many they are selling?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Luis Carmona | 02/05/15 01:16pm

Axis rarely gives commentary on what individual products they are selling, so I didn't see any on this one and we have not asked.

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