Axis Releases Their Own Video Analytics

By: John Honovich, Published on Sep 28, 2015

After years of promoting third party video analytic applications and improving their VMD (see IPVM test results of Axis VMD 3.0 vs Avigilon), Axis is now finally releasing their own video analytics called 'Guard Suite'.

In this note, we examine what is offered, how it differs from Axis VMD 3.0, how it compares to Avigilon and ioimage/DVTel plus its potential impact.

***** ***** ** ********* third ***** ***** ******** applications *** ********* ***** VMD (*** **** **** ******* of **** *** *.* vs ********), **** ** *** finally ********* ***** *** video ********* ****** '***** *****'.

** **** ****, ** examine **** ** *******, how ** ******* **** Axis *** *.*, *** it ******** ** ******** and *******/***** **** *** ********* impact.

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

**** *** ****** ***** from **** ****** ***** basic *****:

Partner *********

**** *** *** ** application partner******* ***** ****, *** **** ****** promoted ***** ******** ** they ******** ********** *******, even ******~** ********* **** ********* with ****. ** **** ***** understood *** **** ****** ** use ***** ********* ****** to ***** ***** ************ / ********* *** **** remained ******* *** ** sight, *** ** ****.

Progress **** ***** *** *********

** *** **** * years,**** ********** *** *.**** **** *** *, more ******** ******** ** traditional ****** **** ***. As ******* ******* ** *** 3.0 ******, **** *********** ********, however, **** ***** ********** ***** ***** ****** ******* and ********* *****, ** found 6-7 ***** *********** *** ****** per ***, ***** ** fairly ****. ******, **** ******* object ******** **, ********* ******* ******** ***** was ******* **** ~***' horizontal ** **** ~**'.

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

***, **** ** ********* 3 ******** ****. ***** Axis ***** *** *.* '********', the *** ********* *** marketed ** '******'. **** are:

****** ***** [**** ** longer *********] - ****** in * **** ******* region
***** ***** [**** ** longer *********] - ******** application
********* ***** [**** ** longer *********] - ****** ** inactivity ** ******** *** a ****** ** ****

*******

***** ********* ******* ******** purchase, ****** *** *.*, which ** ********* *** free. Each *** **** **** an **** ** $***, which ***** ** * modest *********** **** *** not ***********.

Perspective ***********

*** ***** ********** **** Axis *********** ***, ** that *** ***** ***** offers *********** ***********, ***** an ***** ****** ** heights ** ******** ******* / ****** ** ******* the *********** ** *** analytics. **** ** ******* to *********** / ************* *** ** *** needed for ********'* ***** *********.

**** ** *** *********** from ****' ****** [**** no ****** *********]:

****** **** **** ********** and ****, ** ********* improves *********** ** *********** VMD.

*** ***** ***** ** from *** ******* *******:

Limited *************

** ** *****'* ******, the ********* *** **** compatible **** * ** Axis' ******* *******, *** of *** **** **** 150 ****** **** *****. Here ** *** ****:

**** ********* **** ****** availability **** ** ********, noting "********* *** ****** ** supported ******* ** ******* due ** ******** ******, but ** *** ******* **** to ****** ******* ** more *******, ********** *******." They *** *** ***** a ******** **** ***** or ****** ** ******* that ***** ********** ** supported.

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3rd ***** *******

******: "**** ***** ***** **** be ********* ** **** ****** ******* *** ******* *** ********* Genetec *** ******* ******* through **** *******’ ***** stream, ***** ********* ******* will ******* ****** ***********. Support ** ******* ****., Exacq ************ *** ***** is ******* ** ** available ** *** *** of ****."

Patent ******

*********** (*.*., ***********) ** one ******* **** ** long ******* ** **** patented. *** **** ******** owns ***** ******* *** since **** *** ***** been ********* ** * licensee, ** ***** ****** that **** **** ****** have ** *** * license **** ******** ** fight **** ** *****.

**** *********, "**** ** *** ** a ******** ** ******* or ******* ** ********* license **********."

***********

***** ********* ** ********** performance ********* ***, ** years ** ******* *****, the ******** ** ***** analytics ******* ******* ** how **** ********* ****, as *** ********* *** errors *** **** ***** is ***.

**** **** ******* *** ****** *** the *** ************ ** **** ** test **** **** ****, after ***** ** *** provide ********** ******** ** comparative *********** ** ******** and ******.

******

******** ****' *** ***** analytics *** *********** *** weak. ******.

Comments (17)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

09/28/15 02:33pm

I wish Axis and Milestone would get on the same page already. Upon release Milestone should be integrated! Canon/Milestone/Axis looks like a three headed Hydra moving in opposite directions.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 09/28/15 06:59pm

"Canon/Milestone/Axis looks like a three headed Hydra moving in opposite directions."

What???

They are totally independent and unrelated companies by design.

Scratch that, you are right :)

Maybe it's just this year as they settle in but, yes, given that they are parts of the same conglomerate and it would benefit their mutual customers, such integrations should be offered immediately.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to John Honovich | 09/28/15 11:45pm

Update, newer Axis announcement lists broader support including direct from Milestone:

"AXIS Guard Suite will be supported by AXIS Camera Station and leading VMS providers Genetec and Salient Systems through Axis cameras’ event stream, while Milestone Systems will provide direct integration. Support by Aimetis Corp., Exacq Technologies and OnSSI is planned to be available by the end of 2015."

Undisclosed #2

In reply to John Honovich | 09/29/15 01:42am

Is the direct integration an exclusive reward for Milestone, or was it an assignment that no one else took Axis up on?

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to John Honovich | 09/29/15 01:49am

I'm not sure what that even means. What is the "event stream" compared to a direct integration? Last I looked, Genetec supported Axis events others didn't, including things like Digital Autotracking. On the other hand, Milestone still required TCP notifications to be manually configured on the camera to integrated VMD 3, last I checked.

Michael Miller

In reply to Ethan Ace | 09/29/15 08:50pm

This will be intresting to see how they intergrate the analytics with Milestone vs everyone else.

Direct mean that you can configure the analytics directly from Milestone?

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to John Honovich | 09/29/15 03:37am

That is great to see. If nothing else comes out of this deal, immediate tight integration should.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 09/29/15 03:22pm

If nothing else comes out of this deal, immediate tight integration should.

If this is not the most sarcastic comment so far then it is easily the most naive one...:)

Michael Miller

09/28/15 02:49pm

Looks like you need to use IE to configure the analytics in the cameras. Doesn't work correctly in Chome

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Michael Miller | 09/28/15 03:22pm

If I remember correctly, most Axis event setup involving drawing regions/lines doesn't work in Chrome. It requires ActiveX. VMD 2.1/3 were the same.

John Honovich

IPVM | 09/28/15 06:56pm

Here's a setup video from Ethan's test in progress:

John Honovich

IPVM | 09/29/15 02:14pm

Updates from Axis:

Axis responded that camera availability will be expanded, noting "currently the number of supported cameras is limited due to firmware delays, but we are working hard to expand support to more cameras, especially thermal." They did not offer a specific time frame or number of cameras that would eventually be supported.

On patents, Axis responded, "Axis is not in a position to confirm or comment on potential license agreements."

Undisclosed #2

In reply to John Honovich | 09/29/15 04:36pm

Wow. They really said "potential license agreements."?

It may not seem like much, but when employing the intentionally vapid Glomar response, every word counts 10x.

"Potential" would normally be replaced here by "hypothetical", unless they actually see them as "potential".

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

09/29/15 02:50pm

The line cross has been available for a few years.

Looks like the price increased considerably as it used to be around $20 to add it to a camera

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 09/29/15 03:33pm

This is supposed to work better. If the new stuff works well, $149 will not be an obstacle...

John Honovich

IPVM | 09/29/15 04:43pm

Also, related, in Axis newest 5.8 firmware, there are important changes in VMD support:

"AXIS Video Motion Detection 3, which includes Axis False Alarm Filtering, is now a pre-installed ACAP application and it replaces the built-in Motion Detection in the product Web GUI.

The built-in Motion Detection is still available via VAPIX so VMS solutions using it are not affected. The built-in Motion Detection application will however not be maintained anymore and the API for it is now deprecated and will eventually be removed.

Axis strongly recommends current users of the Motion Detection API to plan for transfer to the AXIS Video Motion Detection 3 API, please see VAPIX Library."

As we mentioned above, VMD 3 has much better performance than traditional Axis motion detection, so this is a plus if your VMS supports it.

John Honovich

IPVM | 09/29/15 08:37pm

More details from Axis:

Axis further clarified that they expect 'widespread adoption in coming months' for other cameras noting that as they upgrade cameras to 5.80 firmware, they will start with cameras running the newest ARTPEC5 chips and are also working to expand it to older cameras using ARTPEC4.