AXIS M5525-E PTZ Network Camera

This example explains how to connect a microphone to the camera using an audio extension cable.

• Required hardware

• AXIS T8351 Mk ll Microphone 3.5 mm

• AXIS Audio Extension Cable B

1. Connect the cables

2. Keep the 3.5 mm jack and cut the audio extension cable.

3. Strip the outer cable insulation.

4. Strip the inner wire insulation.

5. Twist the audio wires (with insulation) together.

6. Twist the grounding wires (without insulation) together.

7. Connect the audio wires to the AUDIO IN pin on the camera. See Product overview.

8. Connect the grounding wires to the GND AUDIO IN pin on the camera.

9. Connect the microphone to the jack of the audio extension cable.

10. Turn on audio and adjust other audio settings in the camera's webpage.

To find Axis devices on the network and assign them IP addresses in Windows®, use AXIS IP Utility or AXIS Device Manager. Both applications are free and can be downloaded from axis.com/support.

For more information about how to find and assign IP addresses, go to How to assign an IP address and access your device.

1. Open a browser and enter the IP address or host name of the Axis device.

   If you do not know the IP address, use AXIS IP Utility or AXIS Device Manager to find the device on the network.

2. Enter the username and password. If you access the device for the first time, you must set the root password. See Set a new password for the root account.

3. The live view page opens in your browser.

The device password is the primary protection for your data and services. Axis devices do not impose a password policy as they may be used in various types of installations.

To protect your data we strongly recommend that you:

• Use a password with at least 8 characters, preferably created by a password generator.

• Don’t expose the password.

• Change the password at a recurring interval, at least once a year.

1. Type a password. Follow the instructions about secure passwords. See Secure passwords.

2. Retype the password to confirm the spelling.

3. Click Create login. The password has now been configured.

You can access the built-in help from the device’s webpage. The help provides more detailed information on the device’s features and their settings.

There are different exposure mode options in the camera that adjusts aperture, shutter speed, and gain to improve image quality for specific surveillance scenes. Go to Settings > Image > Exposure and select between the following exposure modes:

• For most use cases, select Automatic exposure.

• For environments with certain artificial lighting, for example fluorescent lighting, select Flicker-free.

  Select the same frequency as the power line frequency.

• For environments with certain artificial light and bright light, for example outdoors with fluorescent lighting at night and sun during daytime, select Flicker-reduced.

  Select the same frequency as the power line frequency.

• To lock the current exposure settings, select Hold current.

Your camera uses visible light to deliver color images during the day. As the available light diminishes, you can set the camera to automatically shift to night mode, in which the camera uses both visible light and near-infrared light to deliver black-and-white images. Since the camera uses more of the available light it can deliver brighter, more detailed, images.

1. Go to Settings > Image > Day and night, and make sure that the IR cut filter is set to Auto.

Dynamic range is the difference in light levels in an image. In some cases the difference between the darkest and the brightest areas can be significant. The result is often an image where either the dark or the bright areas are visible. Wide dynamic range (WDR) makes both dark and bright areas of the image visible.

1. Go to Settings > Image > Wide dynamic range.

2. Turn on WDR.

3. Use the Local contrast slider to adjust the amount of WDR.

4. If you still have problems, go to Exposure and adjust the Exposure zone to cover the area of interest.

Find out more about WDR and how to use it at axis.com/web-articles/wdr.

To verify that a defined part of the image contains enough pixels to, for example, recognize the face of a person, you can use the pixel counter.

1. Go to Settings > System > Orientation.

2. Click .

3. In the camera’s live view, adjust the size and position of the rectangle around the area of interest, for example where you expect faces to appear.

   You can see the number of pixels for each of the rectangle’s sides (X and Y), and decide if the values are enough for your needs.

A privacy mask is a user-defined area that prevents users from viewing a part of the monitored area. In the video stream, privacy masks appear as blocks of solid color.

The privacy mask is relative to the pan, tilt, and zoom coordinates, so regardless of where you point the camera, the privacy mask covers the same place or object.

You’ll see the privacy mask on all snapshots, recorded video, and live streams.

You can use the VAPIX® application programming interface (API) to hide the privacy masks.

You can create several privacy masks. Each mask can have 3 to 10 anchor points.

You can create one or several privacy masks to hide parts of the image.

1. Go to Settings > Privacy mask.

2. Click New.

3. Adjust the size, color, and name of the privacy mask according to your needs.

Overlays are superimposed over the video stream. They are used to provide extra information during recordings, such as a timestamp, or during product installation and configuration. You can add either text or an image.

This example explains how to display the text “Motion detected” when the device detects motion.

Make sure that AXIS Video Motion Detection is running:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > AXIS Video Motion Detection.

2. Start the application if it is not already running.

3. Make sure you have set up the application according to your needs. If you need help, see the user manual for AXIS Video Motion Detection 4.

4. Add the overlay text:

5. Go to Settings > Overlay.

6. Select Create overlay and select Text overlay.

7. Enter #D in the text field.

8. Choose text size and appearance.

9. To position the text overlay, choose Custom or one of the presets.

10. Create an action rule:

11. Go to Settings > System > Events > Action rules.

12. Create an action rule with AXIS Video Motion Detection as trigger.

13. From the list of actions, select Overlay text.

14. Type “Motion detected”.

15. Set the duration.

If there are parts of the scene that you don’t want the camera to reach, you can limit the pan, tilt, and zoom movements. For example, you want to protect the privacy of residents in an apartment building, which is located close to a parking lot that you intend to monitor. To limit the movements, go to Settings > PTZ > Limits.

Decide which compression method to use based on your viewing requirements, and on the properties of your network. The available options are:

Motion JPEG

Motion JPEG, or MJPEG, is a digital video sequence that is made up of a series of individual JPEG images. These images are then displayed and updated at a rate sufficient to create a stream that shows constantly updated motion. For the viewer to perceive motion video the rate must be at least 16 image frames per second. Full motion video is perceived at 30 (NTSC) or 25 (PAL) frames per second.

The Motion JPEG stream uses considerable amounts of bandwidth, but provides excellent image quality and access to every image contained in the stream.

H.264 or MPEG-4 Part 10/AVC

H.264 can, without compromising image quality, reduce the size of a digital video file by more than 80% compared to the Motion JPEG format and by as much as 50% compared to older MPEG formats. This means that less network bandwidth and storage space are required for a video file. Or seen another way, higher video quality can be achieved for a given bitrate.

1. Go to live view and select H.264.

2. Go to Settings > Stream.

3. Do one or more of the following:

4. • Turn on dynamic GOP and set a high GOP length value.

   • Increase the compression.

   • Turn on dynamic FPS.

1. To store recordings on the network, you need to set up your network storage.

2. Go to Settings > System > Storage.

3. Click Setup under Network storage.

4. Enter the IP address of the host server.

5. Enter the name of the shared location on the host server.

6. Move the switch if the share requires a login, and enter username and password.

7. Click Connect.

1. Turn on audio:

2. Go to Settings > Audio and turn on Allow audio.

3. Go to Input > Type and select your audio source.

4. Edit the stream profile which is used for the recording:

5. Go to Settings > Stream and click Stream profiles.

6. Select the stream profile and click Audio.

7. Select the checkbox and select Include.

8. Click Save.

9. Click Close.

You can create rules to make your device perform an action when certain events occur. A rule consists of conditions and actions. The conditions can be used to trigger the actions. For example, the device can start a recording or send an email when it detects motion, or show an overlay text while the device is recording.

To learn more, check out our guide Get started with rules for events.

This example explains how to set up the camera to go to a preset position when it detects motion in the image.

1. Make sure that AXIS Video Motion Detection is running:

2. Go to Settings > Apps > AXIS Video Motion Detection.

3. Start the application if it is not already running.

4. Make sure you have set up the application according to your needs. If you need help, see the user manual for AXIS Video Motion Detection 4.

Add a preset position:

Go to Settings > PTZ and set where you want the camera to be directed by creating a preset position.

1. Create an action rule:

2. Go to Settings > System > Events > Action rules and add an action rule.

3. Type a name for the action rule.

4. From the list of triggers, select Applications and then select AXIS Video Motion Detection (VMD).

5. From the list of actions, select PTZ Control and then select Preset Position.

6. Select the preset position you want the camera to go to.

7. Click Ok.

This example explains how to connect an Axis PIR detector to the camera, and set up the camera to start recording when the detector senses motion.

• Required hardware

• 3-wire cable (ground, power, I/O)

• Axis PIR detector

1. Connect the wires to the camera’s I/O connector
2. Note

   For information on the I/O connector, see Connectors.

3. Connect the ground wire to pin 1 (GND/-).

4. Connect the power wire to pin 2 (12V DC output).

5. Connect the I/O wire to pin 3 (I/O input).

1. Connect the wires to the PIR detector’s I/O connector
2. 

3. Connect the other end of the ground wire to pin 1 (GND/-).

4. Connect the other end of the power wire to pin 2 (DC input/+).

5. Connect the other end of the I/O wire to pin 3 (I/O output).

1. Configure the I/O port in the camera’s webpage

2. Go to Settings > System > I/O ports.

3. Select Input in the Port 1 drop-down list.

4. Give the input module a descriptive name.

5. To make the PIR detector send a signal to the camera when it senses motion, select Closed circuit in the drop-down list.

To trigger the camera to start recording when it receives a signal from the PIR detector, you need to create an action rule in the camera’s webpage.

This example explains how to connect a speaker to the camera and set it up to play a warning message when the camera detects motion in a restricted area.

• Required hardware

• Active speaker with built-in amplifier and connecting wires

1. Physical connection

2. Connect the audio wire from the speaker to the AUDIO OUT pin on the camera. See Product overview.

3. Connect the grounding wire from the speaker to the GND AUDIO OUT pin on the camera. See Product overview.

1. Add audio clip to the camera

2. Go to Settings > Audio > Output and click to add your audio clip.

3. Click Add.

4. Select Upload under Add Audio Clip Options.

5. Browse to locate the audio clip and click Upload.

To trigger the camera to play the audio clip when it detects motion, create an action rule in the camera’s webpage.

This example explains how to direct the camera and open a gate when someone wants to enter during daytime. This is done by connecting a PIR detector to the product’s input port and a switch relay to the product’s output port.

Required hardware

• Mounted PIR detector

• Switch relay connected to the gate lock, in this case the switch is normally closed (NC)

• Connecting wires

Physical connection

1. Connect the wires from the PIR detector to the input pin, see I/O connector.

2. Connect the wires from the switch to the output pin, see I/O connector

You need to connect the switch relay to the camera from the camera’s webpage. First, configure the I/O ports:

Set the PIR detector to an input port

1. Go to System > I/O ports.

2. Select Input in the Port 1 drop-down list.

3. Give the input module a descriptive name, for example “PIR detector”.

4. To trigger an event whenever the PIR detector senses motion, select Open circuit in the drop-down list.

Set the switch relay to an output port

1. Go to System > I/O ports.

2. Select Output in the Port 2 drop-down list.

3. Give the output module a descriptive name, for example “Gate switch”.

4. To open the gate whenever an event is triggered, select Closed circuit in the drop-down list.

For the camera to open the gate when the PIR detector senses someone nearby, you need to create a rule in the camera:

1. Go to System > Events > Action rules.

2. Click Add.

3. Give the action rule a name, for example “Open gate”.

4. In the Trigger drop-down menu, select Input signal.

5. Select Digital input signal.

6. Select ”PIR detector”, in this example connected to port 1.

7. Under Actions, select Output port from the Type drop-down menu.

8. In the Port drop-down menu, select “Gate switch”.

9. Click Ok.

10. Create another action rule with the name “Direct the camera to the gate".

11. Select the same input signal as before, but as action select the previously created “Gate entrance” preset position.

12. Click Ok.

With applications, you can get more out of your Axis device. AXIS Camera Application Platform (ACAP) is an open platform that makes it possible for third parties to develop analytics and other applications for Axis devices. Applications can be preinstalled on the device, available for download for free, or for a license fee.

To find the user manuals for Axis applications, go to help.axis.com.

To reset the product to the factory default settings:

1. Disconnect power from the product.

2. Press and hold the control button while reconnecting power. See Product overview.

3. Keep the control button pressed for 15–30 seconds until the status LED indicator flashes amber.

4. Release the control button. The process is complete when the status LED indicator turns green. The product has been reset to the factory default settings. If no DHCP server is available on the network, the default IP address is 192.168.0.90.

5. Use the installation and management software tools to assign an IP address, set the password, and access the video stream.

   The installation and management software tools are available from the support pages on axis.com/support.

It is also possible to reset parameters to factory default through the web interface. Go to Settings > System > Maintenance and click Default.

Firmware is the software that determines the functionality of network devices. One of your first actions when troubleshooting a problem should be to check the current firmware version. The latest version may contain a correction that fixes your particular problem.

To check the current firmware:

1. Go to the product’s webpage.

2. Click the help menu .

3. Click About.

AXIS Device Manager can be used for multiple upgrades. Find out more at axis.com/products/axis-device-manager.

1. Download the firmware file to your computer, available free of charge at axis.com/support/firmware.

2. Log in to the product as an administrator.

3. Go to Settings > System > Maintenance. Follow the instructions on the page. When the upgrade has finished, the product restarts automatically.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, try the troubleshooting section at axis.com/support.

When setting up your system, it is important to consider how various settings and situations affect the performance. Some factors affect the amount of bandwidth (the bitrate) required, others can affect the frame rate, and some affect both. If the load on the CPU reaches its maximum, this also affects the frame rate.

The following factors are the most important to consider:

• High image resolution or lower compression levels result in images containing more data which in turn affects the bandwidth.

• Rotating the image in the GUI can increase the product's CPU load.

• Access by large numbers of Motion JPEG or unicast H.264 clients affects the bandwidth.

• Simultaneous viewing of different streams (resolution, compression) by different clients affects both frame rate and bandwidth.

  Use identical streams wherever possible to maintain a high frame rate. Stream profiles can be used to ensure that streams are identical.

• Accessing Motion JPEG and H.264 video streams simultaneously affects both frame rate and bandwidth.

• Heavy usage of event settings affects the product’s CPU load which in turn affects the frame rate.

• Using HTTPS may reduce frame rate, in particular if streaming Motion JPEG.

• Heavy network utilization due to poor infrastructure affects the bandwidth.

• Viewing on poorly performing client computers lowers perceived performance and affects frame rate.

• Running multiple AXIS Camera Application Platform (ACAP) applications simultaneously may affect the frame rate and the general performance.

This device supports microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC cards.

For SD card recommendations, see axis.com.

microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC Logos are trademarks of SD-3C LLC. microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC are trademarks or registered trademarks of SD-3C, LLC in the United States, other countries or both.

• The control button is used for:

• Resetting the product to factory default settings. See Reset to factory default settings.

RJ45 Ethernet connector with Power over Ethernet (PoE).

4-pin terminal block for audio input and output. See Product overview.

For audio in, the left channel is used from a stereo signal.

Use the I/O connector with external devices in combination with, for example, motion detection, event triggering, and alarm notifications. In addition to the 0 V DC reference point and power (12 V DC output), the I/O connector provides the interface to:

Digital input

For connecting devices that can toggle between an open and closed circuit, for example PIR sensors, door/window contacts, and glass break detectors.

Digital output

For connecting external devices such as relays and LEDs. Connected devices can be activated by the VAPIX® Application Programming Interface, through an event or from the device’s web interface.

6–pin terminal block. See Product overview.

2-pin terminal block for DC power input. Use a Safety Extra Low Voltage (SELV) compliant limited power source (LPS) with either a rated output power limited to ≤100 W or a rated output current limited to ≤5 A.