Axis Camera Optimization App (UI Me) Tested

By Ethan Ace, Published on Aug 28, 2017

A new Axis camera app (ACAP) called UI Me has been released, offering a number of interesting features including optimization wizards and cybersecurity checks.

This comes from the same developer who released the Axis Daybreak App that automatically adjusts day/night schedules based on local sunrise and sunset times changing throughout the year.

We tested UI Me to understand how it works and what impacts it could have for Axis users as well as to Axis competitors. Inside this note, we share those results.

Overview *****

** **** ***** *****, we **** *** ** Me ***** *** *********** its *** ********:

*** *********** ** ********* similar ** ***** **** apps *** *** ******'* web *********, ***** *****.

**** *********, ***** *** access *** ** ** UI ** ******** *** settings ** ** ***** to * ******** ***, e.g.:

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

Video ************* *******

*** ***** ******* ***** snapshots ** ********* ****** of ********, ******** *** user ** **** *** ones **** **** ****.

** ** ******** *** video ******* **** **** the **** ********* ****** of **** ******* **** by ****, ******* *** user ***** *** *** they ***** ***** ****. Instead ** ******** ****** one ** *** *** looking ** *** **** video ** *** *** the ******* *** *******, these ******* ** **** automatically, ****** ** **** simpler *** ******* ** compare ******.

*** ********** ****** (*****) adjusts:

  • ******** (********* ******** ****)
  • **********
  • ********
  • **********
  • ***** *******

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

  • ******** *****:**** ***** ******** ****** light/dark, *** **** *** adjust ******* *****)
  • ***:***** ******* ********, ******** Capture, *** ***** **** WDR ******** ** ** off.

Cybersecurity *********

*** *** **** ******** a ***** *** ** check ****** ** *** remedy ****** ***** ******** issues, ********* ******* ********* ***** ***************. ** *** "*********" section, ***** *** *** at * ****** ******* services **** ** ***, SSH, ** *** *** enabled/disabled, ******* **** ******** and ********* *** ***, and ****, ***** *****.

Firmware ****** *******

*** ********* ***** ******* also ************* ****** ******* the ****** ** ***** latest ********, *** ** not, ******** * **** to *** ****** ******* available *** *** ******.

Limitations ** ** **

*** **** ********** ** UI ** ** **** it ***** ** **** one ****** ** * time. ***** **** ** run *** ********* ****** on ******** ******* ***** especially ***** **********.

********, ***** **** ** ******* when ******* ***** *************, since ******* **** ****** one ***** *****/********* *** degrade ***** ** ***** times ** *** ***. For *******, ********* ******** at ***** *** **** to ************ ****** *** day, ** ******** *** change ************* ********* ** weather ** *** **** (overcast, *****, *****, ***.).

*******, ** ** ** not ********** ********* ** Axis *** ** ** a ***** ******* *** the *********. ***** ********** the *** ****** ****** no ******* ** ** Me ***** **** ********** on *** **** ***** site.

Comments (7)

John Honovich

IPVM | 08/28/17 01:52pm

Axis has failed to build a meaningful app strategy. Remember, it has been 5 years since Axis declared the megapixel race over, saying:

The race for business and operational intelligence begins. With the ability to download and run applications directly at the edge, the IP camera is now the iPhone of the surveillance world

Alas, the IP camera, not Axis nor anyone else's, is anything like an iPhone.

But it could be. This UI Me app and the Daybreak app are quite useful and could be important differentiators against their lower-cost rivals but Axis has done nothing to promote, encourage or build an ecosystem to support these apps. Here is hoping that Axis makes this a priority.

Avatar

Brian Karas

IPVM | 08/28/17 02:05pm

Neat concept, but seems very impractical for any decent sized installation. Just getting the ACAP app on all the cameras alone would be pretty tedious. 

This would be much more practical as a VMS feature instead of an ACAP app.

 

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Brian Karas | 08/28/17 02:13pm

You can upload the app to multiple cameras simultaneously using Axis Camera Management. But you'll still need to configure each one individually, which could be tedious.

I think having the features of this app built into Axis Camera Management would be a strong differentiator for Axis. Provide the ability to run the hardening guide wizard en masse and launch optimization for cameras from one app instead of having to go to however many IP addresses. They aren't features I've seen on any other line.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Brian Karas | 08/29/17 03:46pm

If you use this wisely, it could be a big help.  When I have deployed large numbers of cameras, I always use configuration files for each type of camera.  All you need to do is set up the configuration once, save it (being very careful not to include unique things like IP addresses or names) and dump it out to all the other cameras of that type.  The biggest PITA is that initial setup, I always seem to miss one odd-ball setting the first time. 

I can see using this on the first camera of any given type and firmware, setting it up, hardening it and saving a generic config file to use for setting up the remaining cameras.  If Axis would just change a few things with how IP addressees and host names are assigned, I could set up hundreds of cameras in a very short amount of time.  As it is, IP addresses and host names are the things that take the longest to do now if you use config files.

Now, if you want to use it for image optimization, yes, you have to go though every camera but you would have to do that anyway because no two scenes are the same.  And I do wish Axis would allow even rudimentary image views in the management tool like the Pelco tool does.

Samuel Rodgers

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 08/29/17 09:15pm

The new Axis firmware gives you a view of the image in all the image config screens and you can see in real-time as you adjust the image. It's firmware 7.x and higher i believe. For image adjustments, the UI me app isn't as practical as that starts to roll out and also as others have noted, you'd have to load the app onto each camera and adjust each one by one.  I do like the hardening features but again also cumbersome to have to do that on each camera and upload the app. I'd like to see that baked into the VMS to push out those settings when cameras are added.

Avatar

Lasse Sørensen

08/28/17 05:52pm

Okay.. You almost lost me there... The APP isn't a smartphone APP, but an Axis cam APP? Im aware off installing apps in a Axis cam, but you didn't mention this anywhere. And how do you reach the "new" interface, and not the old one? a special url, a program installed on my laptop or an iPhone APP ? What do I know, your clips is not showing a webbrowser or iPad framing. This is what I call a light review..

/Lasse

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Lasse Sørensen | 08/28/17 06:32pm

UI Me installs like other ACAP applications, found in the web interface under "Applications":

Once it's installed, you can click to its "Settings" for the new interface or manually type in the IP address + "/local/uime" to get to the new UI. You can also set UI Me as default in the older Axis web interface, but you cannot do that yet in the New IP Camera Web Interface (firmware 7.20+).

Read this IPVM report for free.

This article is part of IPVM's 6,599 reports, 889 tests and is only available to members. To get a one-time preview of our work, enter your work email to access the full article.

Already a member? Login here | Join now

Related Reports

Ubiquiti Access Control Tested on Oct 21, 2020
Ubiquiti has become one of the most widely used wireless and switch providers...
Milestone XProtect on AWS Tested on Sep 21, 2020
Milestone finally launched multiple cloud solutions in 2020, taking a...
Avigilon ACC Cloud Tested on Jul 08, 2020
Avigilon merged Blue and ACC, adding VSaaS features to its on-premise VMS,...
AndroVideo Presents Edge AI Face Recognition Cameras on Jun 26, 2020
AndroVideo presented its AI at the edge face recognition cameras at the May...
Verkada Access Control Tested on Sep 09, 2020
Verkada raised $80 million earlier in 2020, expanding from video into access...
Video Surveillance 101 Book Released on Jul 07, 2020
IPVM's unique introduction to video surveillance series is now available as a...
Verkada Disruptive Embedded Live Help on Sep 24, 2020
Call up your integrator? Have someone come by the next day? Verkada is...
FaceFirst Problems And Layoff on Oct 01, 2020
FaceFirst, a US company and one of the oldest ongoing facial recognition...
VSaaS Online Show June 2020 - On-Demand Recording of 25+ Manufacturers Presentations on Jun 24, 2020
The show featured 25+ VSaaS providers showcasing their latest services. The...
Cisco Meraki Unlocks IP Cameras With RTSP Tested on Jul 06, 2020
Meraki opened up its cameras to 3rd party NVRs/VMSes by offering RTSP...
Security And Safety Things (S&ST) Tested on Oct 22, 2020
S&ST, a Bosch spinout, is spending tens of millions of dollars aiming to...
Hanwha AI Analytics Camera Tested on Aug 11, 2020
Hanwha has released their Wisenet P AI camera, adding person and vehicle...
Startup Cawamo Presents Live Alerts With Edge AI and Cloud VMS on Sep 15, 2020
Cawamo, an Israeli edge-to-cloud analytics and VMS startup, presented its...
Avigilon Elevated Temperature Detection Camera Tested on Sep 17, 2020
Avigilon has entered the temperature screening market with the release of...
Vintra Presents FulcrumAI on Jul 02, 2020
Vintra presented its FulcrumAI object recognition and mask detection offering...

Recent Reports

Bedside Cough and Sneeze Detector (Sound Intelligence and CLB) on Oct 28, 2020
Coronavirus has increased interest in detecting symptoms such as fever and...
Fever Tablet Thermal Sensors Examined (Melexis) on Oct 28, 2020
Fever tablet suppliers heavily rely on the accuracy and specs of...
Verkada Fires 3 on Oct 28, 2020
Verkada has fired three employees over an incident where female colleagues...
Recruiters Online Show LIVE Thursday! on Oct 27, 2020
IPVM's 7th online show resumes Thursday with 12 recruiters presenting...
Eagle Eye Networks Raises $40 Million on Oct 27, 2020
Eagle Eye has raised $40 million aiming to "reinvent video...
Hikvision Q3 2020 Global Revenue Rises, US Revenue Falls on Oct 27, 2020
While Hikvision's global revenue rises driven by domestic recovery, its US...
VICE Investigates Verkada's Harassing "RawVerkadawgz" on Oct 26, 2020
This month, IPVM investigated Verkada's sexism, discrimination, and cultural...
Six Flags' FDA Violating Outdoor Dahua Fever Cameras on Oct 26, 2020
As Six Flags scrambled to reopen parks amid plummeting revenues caused by the...
ISC Brasil Digital Experience 2020 Report on Oct 23, 2020
ISC Brasil 2020 rebranded itself to ISC Digital Experience and, like its...
Top Video Surveillance Service Call Problems 2020 on Oct 23, 2020
3 primary and 4 secondary issues stood out as causing the most problems when...
GDPR Impact On Temperature / Fever Screening Explained on Oct 22, 2020
What impact does GDPR have on temperature screening? Do you risk a GDPR fine...
Security And Safety Things (S&ST) Tested on Oct 22, 2020
S&ST, a Bosch spinout, is spending tens of millions of dollars aiming to...
Nokia Fever Screening Claims To "Advance Fight Against COVID-19" on Oct 22, 2020
First IBM, then briefly Clorox, and now Nokia becomes the latest Fortune 500...
Deceptive Meridian Temperature Tablets Endanger Public Safety on Oct 21, 2020
IPVM's testing of and investigation into Meridian Kiosk's temperature...
Honeywell 30 Series and Vivotek NVRs Tested on Oct 21, 2020
The NDAA ban has driven many users to look for low-cost NVRs not made by...