Recording Servers: Device Item Parameters

Camera settings with the ONVIF driver allow configuring the following parameters.

In the General Information section:

• Move the corresponding sliders to adjust the image:
  • Brightness
  • Saturation
  • Contrast
  • Sharpness
• Select the IR filter cut mode from the drop-down list:
  • On, enabling IR cut filter; typically Day mode
  • Off, disabling IR cut filter; typically Night mode
  • Auto, allowing the device to enable or disable the IR cut filter automatically
• Select the Wide Dynamic Range mode state from the drop-down list:
  • On, to enable the WDR mode
  • Off, to disable the WDR mode
• Enter the specific WDR level value if WDR mode is enabled (optional). The possible range is from 0 to 100:
  • 0: WDR is turned off.
  • 1: WDR is set to its minimum effect.
  • 100: WDR is set to its maximum effect, providing the greatest level of dynamic range correction.

In the Focus section:

• Select the focus mode from the drop-down list:
  • Auto, allowing the device to adjust focus automatically
  • Manual, disabling automatic focus adjustment and enabling manual setting
• Set near/far limits for focus lens (for Auto focus mode only): 
  • Near Limit: Parameter to set autofocus near limit (unit: meter).
  • Far Limit: Parameter to set autofocus far limit (unit: meter). If set to 0.0, infinity will be used. 
• Set default speed value for focus move operation (for Manual focus mode only)

In the White Balance section:

• Select the white balance adjustment mode from the drop-down list:
  • Auto, allowing the device to adjust the white balance automatically.
  • Manual, disabling automatic white balance adjustment and enabling manual setting.
• Enter the required values in the CR Gain and CB Gain fields to manually adjust the white balance. The possible range is from 0 to 100.

In the Exposure section, select the Exposure mode and set the required parameters:

•  Auto mode enables the exposure algorithm on the device:
  • Select the exposure priority mode from the drop-down list:
    • Low Noise
    • Frame Rate
  • Enter the required values in seconds in the Exposure Min. Time and Exposure Max. Time fields to set time range allowed to be used by the algorithm.
  • Adjust the Exposure Min. Gain and Exposure Max. Gain parameters to set the sensor gain range that is allowed to be used by the algorithm. The possible range is from 0 to 100.
• Manual mode disables the exposure algorithm on the device:
  • Enter the fixed exposure time used by the image sensor (μs).
  • Enter the fixed gain value used by the image sensor (dB).
  • Enter the value for fixed attenuation of input light affected by the iris (dB). 0dB maps to a fully opened iris. 

In the Backlight section:

• Select the Backlight Compensation mode state from the drop-down list:
  • On, to enable the BLC mode
  • Off, to disable the BLC mode
• Enter the specific BLC level value if BLC mode is enabled (optional). The possible range is from 0 to 100:
  • 0: BLC is turned off.
  • 1: BLC is set to its minimum effect.
  • 100: BLC is set to its maximum effect, providing the greatest level of backlight compensation.

Camera settings with the Dahua driver allow configuring the following parameters.

In the Picture section:

• Select the profile preset mode from the drop-down list:
  • Day: Weaker hue and lower contrast than the actual image
  • Night: Default image style, displaying the actual color of the image
  • Normal: More vivid image than the actual one
• Select the mirror mode from the drop-down list:
  • On, to enable the mirror mode and display the picture with left and right side reversed
  • Off, to disable the mirror mode
• Use the Brightness slider to adjust the picture brightness
• Use the Contrast slider to change the contrast of the picture
• Use the Saturation slider to adjust the color intensity
• Use the Sharpness slider to change the sharpness of the picture edges
• Use the Gamma slider to adjust the picture brightness and improve the dynamic range in a non-linear way
• Set the display direction of the picture by selecting the desired angle from the Flip drop-down list:
  • 0°: Normal display
  • 90°: The picture rotates 90° clockwise
  • 180°: The picture rotates 90° counterclockwise
  • 270°: The picture flips upside down

In the Exposure section:

• Select the anti-flicker mode from the drop-down list:
  • 50 Hz: When the electric supply is 50 Hz, the system adjusts the exposure according to ambient light automatically to ensure that no stripe appears.
  • 60 Hz: When the electric supply is 60 Hz, the system adjusts the exposure according to ambient light automatically to ensure that no stripe appears.
  • Outdoor: You can select any device exposure mode as needed.
• Choose the device exposure mode from the Mode drop-down list:
  • Auto: Automatically adjusts the image brightness according to the actual conditions.
  • Gain Priority: When the exposure range is normal, the system prioritizes the configured gain range while auto-adjusting based on ambient lighting conditions. If the image brightness is insufficient and the gain has reached its upper or lower limit, the system automatically adjusts the shutter value to maintain ideal brightness. You can configure the gain range to adjust the gain level in the Gain Priority mode.
  • Shutter Priority: When the exposure range is normal, the system prioritizes the configured shutter range while auto-adjusting based on ambient lighting conditions. If the image brightness is insufficient and the shutter value has reached its upper or lower limit, the system automatically adjusts the gain value to maintain ideal brightness.
  • Manual: Manually configure both gain and shutter values to adjust image brightness.
• Select the effective exposure time from the Shutter drop-down list: The smaller the value, the shorter the exposure time will be. If the Custom option is selected, set the minimum and maximum shutter in milliseconds.
• Adjust the Gain sliders to set the desired gain range. Depending on the illumination conditions, the camera automatically balances the gain within the set range to produce clearer images.
• Select the 3D NR mode state from the drop-down list:
  • Auto: Reduces noise by using the frame information between previous and subsequent frames. This works only with multi-frame (no fewer than 2 frames) images.
  • Off: Disables the 3D noise-reduction mode.
• If the Auto mode state is selected, move the Grade slider to adjust the effectiveness of the 3D NR parameter. The higher the grade, the better the noise reduction result.

In the Backlight section, select the backlight mode from the drop-down list:

• BLC: Enables backlight compensation, allowing the camera to capture clearer images of dark areas when shooting against the light. Additionally, select the BLC type:
  • Default: The system automatically adjusts exposure based on ambient lighting conditions to ensure the clarity of the darkest areas.
  • Customized: The system automatically adjusts exposure only in the specified area based on ambient lighting conditions to ensure the set area has ideal brightness.
• HLC: Enables highlight compensation in environments with extremely strong light (such as toll stations or parking lots). The camera will dim strong light and reduce the size of the halo zone to lower the overall image brightness, allowing it to capture details of human faces or license plates clearly. The higher the value, the more pronounced the HLC effect will be.
• WDR: Dims bright areas and compensates dark areas to ensure the clarity of the entire image. The higher the value, the brighter the dark areas will be, but more noise may be introduced.
• SSA: Automatically adjusts the image brightness according to the environment to make the objects in the image clearer.
• Off: Disables the backlight mode.

In the White Balance section, select the white balance mode from the drop-down list:

• Auto: The system automatically adjusts the white balance according to color temperature to ensure color accuracy.
• Natural: The system automatically adjusts the WB for environments without artificial light to ensure color accuracy.
• Street Lamp: The system adjusts the WB for outdoor night scenes to ensure color accuracy.
• Outdoor: The system automatically adjusts the WB for most outdoor environments with natural or artificial light to ensure color accuracy.
• Manual: Manually configure the red and blue gain; the system automatically adjusts the WB according to color temperature.
• Custom Area: The system adjusts the WB only for the set area according to color temperature to ensure color accuracy.

In the Day/Night section:

• Select the device display mode:
  • Color: The system displays color image.
  • Auto: The system switches between color and black-and-white display according to the actual condition.
  • B/W: The system displays black-and-white image.
• Select the camera sensitivity level when switching between color and black-and-white mode:
  • Low
  • Middle
  • High

• Select the delay value in seconds for the camera to switch between color and black-and-white mode. The lower the value, the faster the camera switches between color and black-and-white mode.

In the IR Light section, select the IR light mode:

• Manual: Manually set the brightness of the IR light. The system adjusts light compensation based on the IR light intensity.
• SmartIR: The system automatically adjusts the IR light brightness according to the actual scene.
• Off: Disables the IR light mode.

Camera settings with the Hikvision driver allow configuring the following parameters.

In the Image Adjustment section, move the corresponding sliders to adjust the image:

• Brightness
• Saturation
• Contrast
• Sharpness 

In the Exposure Settings section:

• Select the mode from the drop-down list:
  • Auto, to set the auto iris level from 0 to 100
  • If the camera is equipped with a fixed lens, only Manual is selectable, and the iris mode is not configurable
• If the Manual mode is selected:
  • Select the exposure time in seconds from the drop-down list to adjust the electronic shutter time according to the actual luminance condition. The possible range is from 1/3 to 1/100,000s
  • Move the Gain slider to set the image gain value from 0 to 100. The bigger the value is, the brighter would the image be, and the noise would also be amplified to a larger extent.

In the Day/Night Switch section:

• Select the Day/Night Switch mode according to different video security demands:
  • Day: The camera stays in day mode.
  • Night: The camera stays in night mode.
  • Auto: The camera switches between the day mode and the night mode according to the illumination automatically.
  • Schedule: The camera switches between the day mode and the night mode according to the defined schedule.
  • Alarm Trigger: The day/night switch is triggered by alarm input. Set the switch mode to day or night.
• Enable the Smart Supplement Light and choose the supplement mode from the drop-down list:
  • Auto, to change the supplement light according to the actual luminance (e.g., if the current scene is bright enough, then the supplement light adjusts itself to lower power; and if the scene is not bright enough, the light adjusts itself to higher power)
  • Manual, to adjust the supplement by adjusting the distance (e.g., if the object is near the camera, the device adjusts the supplement light to lower power, and the light is in a higher power if the object is far away)
• If the Auto mode is selected, adjust the additional parameters:
  • Set the Sensitivity value from 0 to 7. The higher the value is, the easier the mode switches.
  • Set the Filtering Time value from 5 to 120 seconds. It refers to the interval time between the day/night switch.
• If the Schedule mode is selected, set the start time and the end time to define the duration for day/night mode

In the Backlight Settings section:

• Select the BLC area from the drop-down list:
  • Close
  • Up
  • Down
  • Left
  • Right
  • Center
• If the BLC area is set to Close, the WDR parameter becomes available. Select the Open option from the WDR drop-down list to use WDR when there is a high contrast of the bright area and the dark area of the scene
• If the WDR is enabled, set the WDR Contrast value from 0 to 100. The higher the value, the brighter the dark areas will be, but more noise may be introduced.

In the White Balance section, select the required white balance mode to adjust the color temperature according to the environment:

• MWB
• AWB1
• AWB2
• Locked WB
• Incandescent Lamp
• Warm Light Lamp
• Natural Light
• Fluorescent Lamp

In the Image Enhancement section:

• Select the digital noise reduction mode from the drop-down list:
  • Off
  • Normal
  • Expert
• If the Normal mode is selected, set the DNR time level from 0 to 100 by moving the slider
• If the Expert mode is selected, set the DNR level for both space DNR [0-100] and DNR time [0-100]

In the Video Enhancement section:

• Select the Flip mode to change the image display:
  • Left/Right
  • Up/Down
  • Center
  • Off
• Enable the rotation function when you use the camera in a narrow-view scene to make complete use of the 16:9 aspect ratio

Camera settings with the Bosch driver allow configuring the following parameters.

In the Color section, move the corresponding sliders to adjust the image:

• Brightness
• Saturation
• Contrast 

In the White Balance section:

• Select the appropriate white balance mode from the drop-down list:
  • Standard Auto mode allows the camera to continually adjust for optimal color reproduction in an environment with natural light sources.
  • Indoor mode is recommended for use in most indoor situations with artificial lighting.
  • Sodium Lamp auto mode allows the camera to continually adjust for optimal color reproduction in an environment with sodium vapor light sources (street lighting).
  • Manual RGB mode allows the Red, Green, and Blue gain to be manually set to a desired position.
  • Outdoor mode is recommended for use in most outdoor situations with natural light sources.
  • Basic auto mode allows the camera to continually adjust for optimal color reproduction using an average reflectance method. This is useful for indoor light sources and for colored LED light illumination.
  • Dominant Color auto mode takes into account any dominant color in the image (for example, the green of a football pitch or of a gaming table) and uses this information to obtain a well-balanced color reproduction.
• Turn the RGB-weighted white balance on to manually adjust:
  • R-Weight from -50 to +50, with 0 as the default. Reducing red introduces more cyan.
  • B-Weight from -50 to +50, with 0 as the default. Reducing blue introduces more yellow.
  • G-Weight from -50 to +50, with 0 as the default. Reducing green introduces more magenta.

In the Exposure section:

• Select the mode for automatic light-level control (ALC):
  • Fluorescent 50 Hz
  • Fluorescent 60 Hz
  • Standard Auto
• Adjust the ALC level. A positive value is more useful for low-light conditions; a negative value is more useful for very bright conditions.
• Select the shutter mode from the drop-down list:
  • Fixed, to set a selectable shutter speed
  • Auto, to let the camera automatically set the optimum shutter speed. The camera tries to maintain the selected shutter speed as long as the light level of the scene permits.
• Select the shutter speed from the drop-down list for fixed exposure 
• Select the default shutter speed from the drop-down list to improve the motion performance in Auto exposure mode. The camera tries to hold this shutter value as long as sufficient ambient light is available in the scene.

In the Day/Night section:

• Select the desired day/night mode from the drop-down list:
  • Monochrome: The IR cut-off filter is removed, giving full IR sensitivity. It forces the camera to stay in Nigh Mode and transmit monochrome images.
  • Color: The camera does not switch to Night Mode regardless of ambient light conditions and always produces a color signal regardless of light levels.
  • Auto: The camera switches the IR cut-off filter on and off depending on the scene illumination level. It switches out of Night Mode after the ambient light level reaches a pre-defined threshold.
• If the Auto mode is selected, move the Night to Day Switchover slider to adjust the light level at which the camera automatically switches out of night mode (B/W) operation. Select a value between 10 and 55 (in increments of 5; default 40). The lower the value, the earlier the camera will switch to color mode.

In the Enhance section:

• Select the backlight compensation (BLC) mode from the drop-down list:
  • Off to switch off the backlight compensation
  • On to capture details in high-contrast and extremely bright-dark conditions
• Enable the contrast enhancement to increase the contrast in low-contrast conditions
• Enable intelligent defog feature which continuously adjusts image parameters to provide the best picture possible under foggy or misty conditions
• Enable intelligent DNR which reduces noise based on motion and light levels
• Adjust the sharpness level between -15 and +15. The zero position of the slider corresponds to the factory default level.
• Adjusts the temporal noise filtering level between -15 and +15. The higher the value, the more noise filtering.
• Adjust the spatial noise filtering level between -15 and +15. The higher the value, the more noise filtering.

In the Scene Mode section, select the desired current mode from the drop-down list:

• Indoor
• Outdoor
• Vibrant

Camera settings with the Hanwha driver allow configuring the following parameters.

In the Preset Mode section select the desired image preset mode from the drop-down list:

• Number Plates
• Outdoor Daytime
• Vivid
• User Preset 1
• Indoor Backlight
• Indoor Bright Scene
• User Preset 2
• Outdoor Night Time

In the SSDR section:

• Enable the SSDR mode to increase the brightness of the dark area alone to regulate the overall brightness in a scene where the difference between bright and dark is severe
• Select the amplitude area of the dynamic range from the drop-down list:
  • Narrow
  • Wide
• Adjust the level of dynamic range by moving the slider

In the White Balance section:

• Select the desired white balance mode;
  • Manual, to adjust the red and blue gains of the camera video manually.
  • ATW, to correct the colors of the camera video automatically.
  • Narrow ATW, to auto-correct camera video color in 2800 K ~ 9000 K environment.
  • Outdoor, to correct the video colors of the camera automatically to be optimized for the outdoor environment.
  • Indoor, to correct the video colors of the camera automatically to be optimized for the indoor environment.
  • AWC, to correct the colors of the camera video to be optimized to the current lighting condition and screen mode. To obtain the optimal condition for the current lighting, put the focus of the camera to a white paper. If the lighting environment is changed, you should readjust the settings accordingly.
  • Mercury, to calibrate the camera video colors automatically so that they are optimized for mercury lamp illumination. 
  • Sodium, to calibrate the camera video colors automatically so that they are optimized for lighting conditions such as sodium.
• Move the Red Gain and Blue Gain sliders to adjust the red and blue gains of the camera video when the Manual mode is selected

The white balancing may not work properly in the following conditions:

• If the surrounding condition of the object is out of the temperature correction range (e.g., clear sky, sunset)
• If the surroundings of the object are dark
• If the focus of the camera directly faces the fluorescent lighting or if the camera is installed in a place of variable illumination, the white balancing operation may be unstable.

In the Backlight section select the desired mode and set its parameters as required:

• Select BLC mode to set the area to be displayed more clearly and change the BLC level to adjust the brightness of the monitoring area
• Select HLC mode to cut off the desired area to prevent an over-saturation on the monitor, if a strong light like a streetlamp or vehicle headlight points toward the camera. In this mode set the additional parameters as required:
  • Change the HLC level to cut off the highlighted area
  • Select the Mask mode from the drop-down list:
    • Off: Does not block an area with a brightness that is a certain level or higher.
    • On: Always blocks an area with a brightness that is a certain level or higher.
    • Night Only: No blocked area is generated if the surrounding environment becomes dark to a certain level.
    • All Day: No blocked area is generated if the surrounding environment becomes dark or bright to a certain level.
  • Enable Dimming to detect an area on the screen with strong light, adjust the brightness, and reduce the saturated area
• Select WDR mode to display a sharp image of the objects in a scene where both bright and dark areas exist. In this mode set the additional parameters as required:
  • Change the WDR level to adjust the intensity of backlight compensation
  • Choose the WDR control mode from the drop-down list:
    • Auto, to detect the surrounding environment and automatically use backlight compensation
    • Always On, to constantly use backlight compensation 
    • Turn Off in Low Light, to disable automatic backlight compensation when detecting a dark environment
    • Turn Off in Black/White, to disable automatic backlight compensation when switching to B/W mode

In the Exposure section adjust the exposure level of the camera:

• Adjust the brightness of the screen. The higher the number, the brighter the screen.
• Set the desired value for each Shutter parameter. The shutter can set the sensor exposure automatically according to the environment; the electronic shutter operates at a range between minimum shutter and maximum shutter:
  • Min. Shutter: Select the minimum value of the possible range for exposure time and set a long exposure time
  • Max. Shutter: Select the maximum value of the possible range for exposure time and set a short exposure time
  • Prefer Shutter: Select the proper exposure time that has a high priority in operation within the range of exposure time
• Select the antiflicker mode from the drop-down list. It prevents screen flickering that occurs due to inconsistency in the lighting in the capturing environment. Available options are:
  • Off
  • 50 Hz
  • 60 Hz
• Select the desired mode for SSNR:
  • On, to use the SSNR function and additionally adjust the SSNR level
  • Off, to disable SSNR
  • Wise NR, to adjust the noise reduction level automatically to improve object discrimination when a moving object is in the image
• Select the required level of SSNR 2D and SSNR 3D parameters. These options are available only if On or Wise NR mode is selected for SSNR:
  • SSNR 2D Level: Reduces noise on the image using adjacent pixels in one frame. Noise will be reduced when you raise the level, but the picture may become less clear.
  • SSNR 3D Level: Reduces noise on the image using the pixels of various frames. The higher the level, the less the noise, but then the video might lag.
• Select the iris mode from the drop-down list:
  • Auto, to automatically adjust the iris depending on the optical intensity of the surroundings
  • Manual, to manually adjust the iris’s F-number
• Select AGC (Auto Gain Control) mode to adjust the brightness by controlling the sensitivity of image gain when capturing an object in dim light:
  • Off, to disable the AGC function that brightens dark images by amplifying gain from the video signal. When this option is selected, SSNR and Day/Night do not work.
  • Manual, to manually adjust the AGC level.
  • Max gain, to set the max gain level which can be auto-controlled depending on the brightness of the surroundings.

In the Day Night Mode section:

• Select the Day/Night mode from the drop-down list to change the image to color or b/w according to the camera’s environment:
  • Auto: Switches to color mode during the daytime and b/w at night or in low light.
  • B/W: Outputs an image in b/w.
  • Color: Outputs an image in color.
  • Schedule: Activates the Day/Night switch according to the set schedule.
• Select the Dwell Time value in seconds to change to color or b/w when the Auto mode is selected for Day/Night and the brightness condition is maintained for the set dwell time
• Select the duration mode from the drop-down list to set the time interval when switching to color or b/w occurs. Selecting Customize allows you to manually set the duration by moving the sliders
• If Schedule is selected in the Day/Night mode, set the schedule for operation in color mode

In the Special section:

• Enable the Digital Image Stabilization parameter to automatically correct the video and stabilize the screen when the camera is shaking due to external impacts, such as wind.
• Enable the Sharpness parameter to adjust the overall sharpness of the image. Additionally, set the desired value in the Sharpness Level parameter by moving the slider. The higher the sharpness level, the stronger and clearer the video sharpness is.
• Enable the Gama Control parameter to adjust the brightness level of the video.
• Select the desired value in the Gamma parameter to adjust the contrast of the image. This means the gap between the brightest part and the darkest part in an image; a higher gamma value means a clearer display of the difference in brightness.
• Move the Contrast slider to adjust the shade contrast of the image.
• Move the Color Level slider to adjust the intensity of color in the image.
• Enable the Local Contrast parameter to see the subtle difference in the video brightness more clearly.
• Move the Local Contrast Level slider to adjust the intensity of the local contrast. The higher the level value, the higher the contrast of the video, which means a clearer image. However, this also increases the level of noise on the screen, and a warped form of the duplicated image might be more visible around the edges.
• Select the Defog mode from the drop-down list to correct the image when it is foggy or cloudy:
  • Auto: The surrounding environment is detected and the image is corrected automatically.
  • Manual: The user can see the surrounding environment and set the correction level directly by adjusting the defog level. A higher defog level displays the image more clearly. If the fog level is low and a high defog level is
    set, the screen may look darker.
  • Off: Defog is disabled.

In the Focus section:

• Select the focus mode from the drop-down list:
  • Auto: The focus will be adjusted automatically according to the zoom factor.
  • Manual: The focus will be adjusted manually according to the zoom factor.
  • One Shot AF: Auto Focus will be performed once after the zooming operation.
• Select the zoom mode from the drop-down list to set how the focus is interconnected:
  • Auto: It will control (detect and correct) the zooming operation to keep fitting the focus.
  • Manual: The zooming operation will be guided by the focus track.
• Select the applicable range when automatically adjusting the camera focus:
  • Narrow, to  automatically adjust the focus in consideration of only a partial range from the current location
  • Wide, to automatically adjust the focus in consideration of the whole supported range for the camera
• Select the zoom mode to synchronize the camera focus when the zoom is operating:
  • Auto: Even if the zoom magnification is changed, the zoom operates while maintaining the focus by continuously appraising and modifying the condition in focus.
  • Manual: The zoom operates according to the set focus track. The image may be out of focus if the zoom magnification is changed.
• Set the zoom speed from the drop-down list:
  • Fast
  • Medium
  • Slow
• Select the lens reset option from the drop-down list:
  • Choose Manual, to reset the lens manually once by clicking the Reset button
  • Select a desired time between 1 and 7 days to reset the lens automatically at the set period from the set time

Camera settings with the Uniview driver allow configuring the following parameters.

In the Image Enhancement section:

• Move the corresponding sliders to adjust the image:
  • Brightness: The overall lightness or darkness of the image.
  • Saturation: The intensity or vividness of colors in the image.
  • Contrast: The difference between the lightest and darkest tones in the image.
  • Sharpness: The definition of edges in the image.
  • 2D Noise Reduction: Reduce noise by individually analyzing each frame, which may cause image blur.
  • 3D Noise Reduction: Reduce noise by analyzing the difference between successive frames, which may cause image smearing or ghosting.
• Set the display direction of the picture by selecting the desired display option from the Image Rotation drop-down list:
  • Normal
  • Flip vertical
  • Flip horizontal
  • 180°
  • 90° clockwise
  • 90° counterclockwise

In the Exposure section:

• Select the Exposure mode from the drop-down list:
  • Auto: The camera automatically sets the optimum shutter speed according to the scene.
  • Custom: User can set exposure parameters as needed.
  • Shutter Priority: The camera adjusts shutter as priority to adjust the image quality.
  • Iris Priority: The camera adjusts iris as priority to adjust the image quality.
  • Indoor 50 Hz: Reduce stripes by limiting shutter frequency.
  • Indoor 60 Hz: Reduce stripes by limiting shutter frequency.
  • Manual: Fine-tune image quality by setting shutter and gain manually.
  • Low Motion Blur: Control the minimum shutter to reduce motion blur in faces captured in motion.
• Select the shutter value from the drop-down list to control the light that comes into the lens. A fast shutter speed is ideal for scenes in quick motion. A slow shutter speed is ideal for scenes that change slowly.
• Set the minimum and maximum gain to set the desired gain range. Depending on the illumination conditions, the camera automatically balances the gain within the set range to produce clearer images.
• Enable the Slow Shutter mode to increase image brightness in low-light conditions. Additionally, set the slowest shutter speed for exposure.
• Adjust the compensation value as required to achieve the desired image effect.
• Set the Restore Auto Exposure duration value in minutes for the camera to restore automatic exposure mode.
• Select the Metering Control mode from the drop-down list to define how the camera measures the intensity of light:
  • Center-Weighted Average Metering: Measure light mainly in the central part of the image.
  • Evaluative Metering: Measure light in the specified area of the image.
  • Spot Metering: Similar to evaluative metering. But it cannot increase the brightness of images.
  • Face Metering: Adjust image quality in poor lighting conditions by controlling the brightness of captured faces in face scenes.

In the Day/Night section:

• Select the Day/Night mode from the drop-down list:
  • Auto: The camera automatically switches between day and night mode according to the ambient lighting condition to output optimum images.
  • Day: The camera outputs high-quality images in daylight conditions.
  • Night: The camera outputs high-quality images in daylight conditions.
  • Input Boolean: The camera switches between day and night mode according to the Boolean value input from a connected third-party device.
• If Auto mode is selected, configure additional parameters:
  • Day/Night Sensitivity, to set the light threshold for switching between day mode and night mode
  • Day/Night Switching, to set the length of time before the camera switches between day and night mode

In the Wide Dynamic Range section:

• Set the WDR mode:
  • Disable WDR
  • Enable, to ensure clear images in high-contrast conditions
  • Auto, allows the camera to switch the WDR automatically
• Enable the Suppress WDR Stripes parameter to allow the camera to automatically adjust the slow shutter frequency according to the light frequency to minimize stripes in the image
• With Enabled or Auto WDR, adjust the WDR level
• When WDR is set to Auto, adjust the WDR On/Off Sensitivity parameters to change the WDR switching sensitivity

In the Smart Illumination section:

• Enable smart illumination
• Select the required illumination mode from the drop-down list:
  • White Light: The camera uses white light illumination.
  • IR: The camera uses infrared light illumination.
  • White Light and IR
• Choose the desired illumination control mode from the drop-down list:
  • Global: The camera automatically adjusts illumination and exposure to achieve a balanced image effect. Some areas might be overexposed if you select this option. This option is recommended if you focus on the monitoring range and image brightness.
  • Overexposure Restrain: The camera automatically adjusts illumination and exposure to avoid regional overexposure. Some areas might be dark if you select this option. This option is recommended if you focus on the clarity of the monitoring center area.
  • Manual: This mode allows you to manually control the intensity of illumination.
• If the Manual control mode is selected, set the intensity of the illuminator:
  • Near Illumination Level: Recommended for near-focus scenes.
  • Far Illumination Level: Recommended for far-focus scenes.

In the White Balance section:

• Select the desired white balance mode from the drop-down list:
  • Auto/Auto 2: Automatically adjust the red and blue gains according to the lighting conditions. If there are still color casts in Auto mode, try Auto 2 mode.
  • Fine Tune: Manually adjust the red and blue offsets.
  • Sodium Lamp: Automatically adjust the red and blue gains for optimal color reproduction in sodium light sources.
  • Outdoor: Recommended for outdoor scenes where the color temperature varies widely.
  • Locked: Keep the current color temperature.
• If the Fine Tune mode is selected, move the sliders to adjust the red and blue offsets

In the Advanced section configure the defog parameters:

• Select the desired defog mode from the drop-down list:
  • Off, to disable the mode
  • On, to improve image visibility in foggy, hazy, and other low-visibility scenes
  • Auto, to automatically adjust the defog intensity according to the fog concentration for clear images
• If the Defog mode is enabled, move the slider to adjust the defog intensity

Camera settings with the Vivotek driver allow configuring the following parameters.

In the Video section:

• Select video stream display mode:
  • Color
  • Black/White
• Set the power line frequency consistent with local utility settings to eliminate image flickering associated with fluorescent lights:
  • 50 Hz
  • 60 Hz

In the Day/Night section:

• Enable the Switch to B/W in Night Mode parameter to allow the camera automatically switching to Black/White during night time
• Select the IR-cut filter mode from the drop-down list:
  • Auto: The camera automatically removes the IR-cut filter by judging the level of ambient light.
  • Day: The camera switches on the IR-cut filter at all times to block infrared light from reaching the sensor so that the colors will not be distorted.
  • Night: The camera switches off the IR-cut filter at all times for the sensor to accept infrared light, thus helping to improve low light sensitivity.
  • Schedule: The camera switches between day and night mode based on a specified schedule. Additionally, enter the start and end time for day mode.
• When IR-Cut Filter Mode is set to Auto, select the IR-cut filter sensitivity mode from the drop-down list to tune the responsiveness of the IR filter to lighting conditions:
  • Low
  • Normal
  • High

In the Illuminators section:

• Enable the Built-in IR Illuminator in Night Mode to turn on the camera’s onboard IR illuminator when the camera detects low light conditions and enters the night mode.
• Enable Anti-Overexposure to allow the camera to automatically adjust the IR projection to adjacent objects in order to avoid over-exposure in the night mode. 

In the White Balance section:

• Select the desired white balance mode:
  • Auto: Automatically adjusts the colors of the camera video.
  • RB-Gain: Allows manual adjustment of the red and blue gains of the camera video.
  • Manual:
    • If RB-Gain is not supported, the camera retains its current white balance settings.
    • If RB-Gain is supported, the red and blue gains are updated to the current values provided by the white balance module and can then be adjusted similarly to RB-Gain mode.
• Move the Red Gain and Blue Gain sliders to adjust the red and blue gains of the camera video when the RB-Gain mode is selected

In the Image Adjustment section, move the corresponding sliders to adjust the image:

• Brightness: The overall lightness or darkness of the image.
• Saturation: The intensity or vividness of colors in the image.
• Contrast: The difference between the lightest and darkest tones in the image.
• Sharpness: The definition of edges in the image.
• Gamma: The gamma correction towards higher contrast or towards the higher luminance for detailed expression in both dark and lighted areas of the image.

In the Defog section:

• Select the desired defog mode from the drop-down list:
  • Off, to disable the mode
  • On, to improve image visibility in foggy, hazy, and other low-visibility scenes
• If the Defog mode is enabled, move the slider to adjust the defog strength

In the Noise Reduction 3D section, move the Strength slider to increase or reduce noises and flickers in the image.

In the Exposure section:

• Select the Measurement Window type from the drop-down list to set measurement window(s) for low light compensation:
  • Full View: Calculate the full range of view and offer appropriate light compensation.
  • Custom: This option allows manually adding customized windows as inclusive or exclusive regions. A total of 10 windows can be configured.
  • Auto: Firmware automatically determines an optimal exposure level.
  • Center: Use the center portion of the screen to determine the exposure level.
• Select the required metering mode for exposure measurements:
  • Auto: Allows the firmware to detect the exposure measurement automatically.
  • BLC (Back Light Compensation): This option will automatically add a “weighted region“ in the middle of the window and give the necessary light compensation.
  • HLC: (Highlight Compensation): Firmware detects strong light sources and compensates on affected spots to enhance the overall image quality. For example, the HLC helps reduce the glare produced by spotlights or headlights.
• Select the exposure level from the drop-down list. The possible range is from +2.0 to -2.0.
• Move the Time and Gain Control sliders to manually adjust to specify a range of shutter time and Gain control values within which the camera can automatically tune to an optimal imaging result.
• Enable the WDR Pro mode to allow the camera to capture details in a high contrast environment.
• When WDR Pro is enabled, move the WDR Pro Strength slider to adjust the strength of the WDR Pro functionality, depending on the lighting condition at the installation site. Select a higher value when the contrast is high (between the shaded area and the light behind the objects).
• Enable the WDR Enhanced functionality to identify more image details with an extreme contrast from an object of interest with one shadowed side against a bright background, e.g., an entrance.
• When WDR Enhanced is enabled, move the Strength slider adjust the enhancement strength (low, medium, high) to reach the best image quality.
• Enable the Flickerless mode to limit the exposure time in order to match the AC power frequency

In the AE Speed Adjustment section:

• Enable AE Speed Adjustment mode to automatically adjust the exposure in response to rapid changes in lighting conditions.
• Additionally adjust the following settings:
  • Move the Speed Level slider to control how quickly the camera adapts its exposure to changing light levels.
  • Move the Sensitivity slider to set how responsive the camera is to minor or major changes in lighting.

Stream profile settings with the Basic driver allow to:

• Click the desired profile name to view stream details, including:
  • Stream URL
  • Profile name and token
  • Video source name and token
  • Video encoder name and token
• Configure the stream parameters in the profile:
  • Select the required codec type from the Encoding drop-down list:
  • Select the desired stream resolution from the Resolution drop-down list
  • Specify the time interval in seconds between video data encoding in the Encoding Interval field
  • Enter the required number of frames per second for the stream in the Frame Rate Limit field
  • Move the Quality slider to the left (to decrease) or to the right (to increase) the image quality
  • Enter the desired value in kilobits per second in the Bitrate Limit field to limit the data transfer rate for the stream

Stream profile settings with the RTSP driver allow viewing of the available stream profile information:

• Stream URL
• Profile name and token

Stream profile settings with the ONVIF driver allow to:

• Click the desired profile name to view stream details, including:
  • Stream URL
  • Profile name and token
  • Video source name and token
  • Video encoder name and token
• Configure the stream parameters in the profile:
  • Select the required codec type from the Encoding drop-down list:
  • Select the desired stream resolution from the Resolution drop-down list
  • Specify the time interval in seconds between video data encoding in the Encoding Interval field
  • Enter the required number of frames per second for the stream in the Frame Rate Limit field
  • Move the Quality slider to the left (to decrease) or to the right (to increase) the image quality
  • Enter the desired value in kilobits per second in the Bitrate Limit field to limit the data transfer rate for the stream

Stream profile settings with the Dahua driver allow to:

• Click the desired profile name to view stream details, including:
  • Stream URL
  • Profile name and token
  • Video source name and token
• Configure the stream parameters in the profile:
  • Select the required codec type from the Encoding drop-down list
  • Select the desired stream resolution from the drop-down list
  • Select the bitrate type from the drop-down list:
    • VBR (Variable Bitrate), which allows the bitrate to vary depending on the complexity of the video content
    • CBR (Constant Bitrate), which maintains a consistent bitrate regardless of the video content's complexity
  • If the VBR option is selected, adjust the video quality level by moving the Quality slider:
    • To a higher value, increasing the quality, but also increasing the average bitrate
    • To a lower value, decreasing the quality, but saving more bandwidth
  • Enter the desired number of frames for the GOP length from 25 to 150
  • Enter the required number of frames per second for the stream in the Frame Rate Limit field
  • Select the bitrate mode from the drop-down list:
    • 2048
    • 8192
    • Custom
  • If the Custom option is selected for the Bitrate Mode, enter the desired value in kilobits per second in the Bitrate Limit field to limit the data transfer rate for the stream
  • Select the H.264 profiling method from the Profile drop-down list:
    • High
    • Main
    • Baseline

Stream profile settings with the Hikvision driver allow to:

• Click the desired profile name to view stream details, including:
  • Stream URL
  • Profile name and token
  • Video source name and token
• Configure the stream parameters in the profile:
  • Select the required codec type from the Encoding drop-down list
  • Select the desired stream resolution from the Resolution drop-down list
  • Select the required number of frames per second for the stream from the Frame Rate Limit drop-down list
  • Enter the desired value in kilobits per second in the Bitrate Limit field to limit the data transfer rate for the stream
  • Select the bitrate type from the drop-down list:
    • VBR (Variable Bitrate), which allows the bitrate to vary depending on the complexity of the video content
    • CBR (Constant Bitrate), which maintains a consistent bitrate regardless of the video content's complexity
  • Move the Quality slider to the left (to decrease) or to the right (to increase) the image quality
  • Move the I-Frame Interval slider to set the intervals in which the I-frames will be coded
  • Select the H.264/H.265 profiling method from the Profile drop-down list

Stream profile settings with the Bosch driver allow to:

• Click the desired profile name to view stream details, including:
  • Stream URL
  • Profile name and token
  • Video source name and token
• Configure the stream parameters in the profile:
  • Select the required codec type from the Encoding drop-down list
  • Select the desired video mode from the drop-down list
  • Select the required bitrate optimization support setting from the drop-down list:
    • Off: Bitrate optimization support is disabled
    • Maximum Quality
    • High Quality
    • Medium
    • Low Bitrate
    • Minimum Bitrate
  • Select the desired frame rate for the video stream from the drop-down list
  • Select the required structure for the group of pictures from the GOP Mode drop-down list, depending on whether you place greater priority on having the lowest possible delay (IP frames only) or using as little bandwidth as possible:
    • IP
    • IBP
    • IBBP
  • Enter the maximum bitrate value in kilobits per second. The value in this field must be at least 10% higher than the value entered in the Target Bitrate field. If the maximum bitrate value is too low, it will be adjusted automatically.
  • Enter the target bitrate value in kilobits per second. For complex images or frequent changes of image content due to frequent movements, this limit can temporarily be exceeded up to the value entered in the Maximum Bitrate field.
  • Select the appropriate averaging period as a means of stabilizing the long-term bitrate
  • Move the I/P-Frame Delta QP slider to set the ratio of the I-frame quantization (QP) to the P-frame quantization (QP). For example, you can set a lower value for I-frames by moving the slider to a negative value. Thus, the quality of the I-frames relative to the P-frames is improved. The total data load will increase, but only by the portion of I-frames
  • Move the I-Frame Distance slider to set the intervals in which the I-frames will be coded
  • Move the Min. P-Frame QP slider to adjust the image quality of the P-frame and to define the lower limit for the quantization of the P-frames, and thus the maximum achievable quality of the P-frames

To obtain the highest quality at the lowest bandwidth, even in the case of increased movement in the picture, configure the quality settings as follows:

1. Observe the coverage area during normal movement in the preview images.
2. Set the value for Min. P-Frame QP to the highest value at which the image quality still meets your needs.
3. Set the value for I/P-Frame Delta QP to the lowest possible value.

This is how to save bandwidth and memory in normal scenes. The image quality is retained even in the case of increased movement since the bandwidth is then filled up to the value that is entered under Maximum Bitrate.

Stream profile settings with the Hanwha driver allow to:

• Right-click the desired profile name in the list to:
  • Rename the stream profile
  • Delete the stream profile
• Left-click the desired profile name in the list to view stream details, including:
  • Stream URL
  • Profile name and token
  • Video source name and token
• Configure the stream parameters in the profile:
  • Select the required codec type from the Encoding drop-down list:
    • MJPEG
    • H.264
    • H.265
  • Select the desired stream resolution from the Resolution drop-down list
  • Enter the required number of frames per second for the stream in the Frame Rate Limit field
  • Enter the desired value in kilobits per second in the Bitrate Limit field to limit the data transfer rate for the stream
  • Select the bitrate control type from the drop-down list:
    • CBR (Constant Bitrate), which maintains a consistent bitrate regardless of the video content's complexity
    • VBR (Variable Bitrate), which allows the bitrate to vary depending on the complexity of the video content
  • Choose the desired encoding priority from the drop-down list:
    • Frame rate
    • Bitrate
    • Compression
  • Select the H.264 profiling method from the Profile drop-down list:
    • High
    • Main
    • Baseline
  • Select the Entropy Coding mode in H.264 with the High or Main profile method to reduce the possible compression loss due to encoding:
    • CABAC
    • CAVLC
  • Move the Video Compression slider to the left (to decrease) or to the right (to increase) video compression
  • Select the Smart Codec mode from the drop-down list when the bitrate control value is CBR
  • Move the GOV Length slider to set the distance (in terms of the number of frames) between two consecutive I-Frames in a video sequence when H.264/H.265 codec is selected
  • Enable the Dynamic GOV Mode to make the GOV length automatically change to the set value of the maximum dynamic GOV when the bitrate control is VBR in H.264/H.265 codec
  • Move the Dynamic GOV slider to set the value of the maximum dynamic GOV when Dynamic GOV is enabled
  • Enable the Dynamic FPS Mode to automatically change the setting of the FPS value to the minimum dynamic value when the bitrate control is VBR in H.264/H.265 codec
  • Move the Minimum FPS slider to set the minimum dynamic value when Dynamic FPS is enabled

Stream profile settings with the Uniview driver allow to:

• Click the desired profile name to view stream details, including:
  • Stream URL
  • Profile name and token
  • Video source name and token
• Configure the stream parameters in the profile:
  • Select a video compression standard for your camera from the Encoding drop-down list:
    • MJPEG
    • H.264
    • H.265
  • Select the desired stream resolution from the Resolution drop-down list. The higher the resolution, the clearer the image.
  • Enter the desired frame rate for the video stream.
  • Set the bitrate limit for the stream.
  • Select the bitrate control mode from the drop-down list:
    • VBR (Variable Bitrate): The camera keeps the quality of video streams as constant as possible by varying the bitrate.
    • CBR (Constant Bitrate): The camera keeps a specific bitrate by varying the quality of video streams.
  • When VBR is selected, move the Quality slider to adjust the image quality.
  • Set the I-Frame Interval for the number of frames between I-frames. A shorter interval presents better image quality but consumes more bandwidth and storage.
  • Enter the desired number of frames for GOP to define the basic pattern of the video stream encoded with I and P frames.
  • Move the Smoothness slider to choose whether smoothness or clarity precedes the video stream.
  • Select the SVC (Scalable Video Coding) mode:
    • On: Enables a video stream to be broken into multiple layers of resolution, quality, and frame rate, reducing bandwidth consumption without compromising the image quality.
    • Off: Disables the SVC mode
  • Select the U-Code mode:
    • Basic Mode: The bitrate is reduced by about 25%.
    • Advanced Mode: The bitrate is reduced by about 50%.

Stream profile settings with the Vivotek driver allow to:

• Click the desired profile name to view stream details, including:
  • Stream URL
  • Profile name and token
  • Video source name and token
• Configure the stream parameters in the profile:
  • Select a video compression standard for your camera from the Encoding drop-down list:
    • MJPEG
    • H.264
    • H.265
  • Select the desired stream resolution from the Resolution drop-down list. The higher the resolution, the clearer the image.
  • Enter the desired frame rate in the Frame Rate Limit field to limit the maximum refresh frame rate per second. Set the frame rate higher for smoother video quality and for recognizing moving objects in the field of view.
  • Select the desired intra frame period in seconds from the drop-down list to determine how often for firmware to plant an I frame. The shorter the duration, the more likely you will get better video quality, but at the cost of higher network bandwidth consumption.
  • Enable Dynamic Intra Frame Period to optimize bandwidth usage by dynamically adjusting I-frame insertion intervals, especially effective with high-efficiency codecs like H.265. In static or low-motion scenes, this feature can save up to 53% of bandwidth, and up to 80% when combined with Smart Stream, compared to using H.264 without such features. This ensures efficient streaming without compromising image quality, even in varying scene conditions.
  • Enable the Smart FPS feature to optimize resource usage by reducing computing efforts and bandwidth in static scenes. It queues old frames when no motion is detected and resumes normal real-time streaming when motion occurs, ensuring compliance with frame rate requirements while saving resources.
  • Move the Quality slider to the left (to decrease) or to the right (to increase) the video quality
  • Enter the maximum bitrate value in kilobits per second in the Bitrate Limit field to control the size of video streams for bandwidth and storage concerns. The bitrate ranges from 20kbps to a maximum of 80Mbps.
  • Select the bitrate control mode from the drop-down list:
    • VBR (Variable Bitrate): The camera keeps the quality of video streams as constant as possible by varying the bitrate.
    • CBR (Constant Bitrate): The camera keeps a specific bitrate by varying the quality of video streams.
  • When CBR mode is selected, configure additional parameters:
    • Select the Policy mode from the drop-down list:
      • Frame Rate, to maintain the frame rate per second performance, while the image quality will be compromised. 
      • Quality, to drop some video frames in order to maintain image quality. 
    • Enable Smart Q to reduce frame size and bitrate consumption through the following:
      • Dynamically adjusting the image quality for scenes in different luminosities in low light frames. Less noises means less of the bandwidth consumed.
      • Endorsing different qualities for the I frames and P frames, and hence reduces the frame size.
      • Dividing a single frame into different sections, and giving these sections different qualities. For a highly complex area, such as an area with dense vegetation, screen windows, or repeated patterns (complex textiles patterns like wall paper), having a lower quality value actually poses little effects on human eyes.
      • Unnecessary quality is unrecognized by human eyes and wastes the bitrate.