AXIS F9111 Main Unit

When you connect a sensor unit to a main unit, we recommend that you make the connection before you power up the main unit. If you disconnect a sensor unit and connect a different one, you must restart the main unit.

To shorten the cable follow these steps:

1. Cut the cable to the desired length. Measure from the sensor unit.

2. Strip the plastic outer coating from the end of the cable.

3. Put the small insulator sleeve on the inner conductor of the cable and weld or crimp the center pin on the inner wire of the cable.

4. Put the heat-shrinkable tube and copper tube on the cable.

5. Insert the cable into the connector.

6. Push the copper tube onto the connector and then Hex. Use a crimping tool to fasten the copper tube on the connector.

7. Heat the heat-shrinkable tube.

For more information, see the Connector Kit FAKRA Installation Guide.

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.

You can use the device with the following browsers:

✓: Recommended
*: Supported with limitations

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.

1. To make sure that the device has its original Axis firmware, or to take full control of the device after a security attack:

2. Reset to factory default settings. See Reset to factory default settings.

   After the reset, secure boot guarantees the state of the device.

3. Configure and install the device.

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.

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.

This video gives you an overview of the device’s web interface.

Preview mode is ideal for installers when fine tuning the camera view during the installation. No login is required to access the camera view in preview mode. It is available only in factory defaulted state for a limited time from powering up the device.

This section includes instructions about configuring your device. If you want to learn more about how certain features work, go to Learn more.

1. To adjust the view in relation to a reference area or an object, use the level grid in combination with a mechanical adjustment of the camera.

2. Go to Video > Image > and click .

3. Click to show the level grid.

4. Adjust the camera mechanically until the position of the reference area or the object is aligned with the level grid.

You can optimize the image processing time of your live stream by turning on low latency mode. The latency in your live stream is reduced to a minimum. When you use low latency mode, the image quality is lower than usual.

1. Go to System > Plain config.

2. Select ImageSource from the drop-down list.

3. Go to ImageSource/I0/Sensor > Low latency mode and select On.

4. Click Save.

To improve image quality for specific surveillance scenes, use exposure modes. Exposure modes lets you control aperture, shutter speed, and gain. Go to Video > 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.

To reduce noise in low-light conditions, you can adjust one or more of the following settings:

• Adjust the trade-off between noise and motion blur. Go to Video > Image > Exposure and move the Blur-noise trade-off slider toward Low noise.

• Set the exposure mode to automatic.

• Note

  A high max shutter value can result in motion blur.

• To slow down the shutter speed, set max shutter to the highest possible value.

• If there is an Aperture slider, move it towards Open.

• To reduce motion blur in low-light conditions, adjust one or more of the following settings in Video > Image > Exposure:
• Note

  When you increase the gain, image noise also increases.

• Set Max shutter to a shorter time, and Max gain to a higher value.

• If you still have problems with motion blur:

• Increase the light level in the scene.

• Mount the camera so that objects move toward it or away from it rather than sideways.

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 Video > 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.

Use corridor format to better utilize the full field of view in a long and narrow area, for example a staircase, hallway, road, or tunnel.

1. Depending on your device, turn the camera or the 3-axis lens in the camera 90° or 270°.

2. If the device doesn’t have automatic rotation of the view, go to Video > Installation.

3. Rotate the view 90° or 270°.

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

1. Go to Video > Privacy masks.

2. Click .

3. Click the new mask and type a name.

4. Adjust the size and placement of the privacy mask according to your needs.

5. To change the color for all privacy masks, click Privacy masks and select a color.

See also Privacy masks

You can add an image as an overlay in the video stream.

1. Go to Video > Overlays.

2. Click Manage images.

3. Upload or drag and drop an image.

4. Click Upload.

5. Select Image from the drop-down list and click .

6. Select the image and a position. You can also drag the overlay image in the live view to change the position.

This section includes instructions about configuring your device. To learn more about how streaming and storage works, go to Streaming and storage.

1. Go to Video > Stream.

2. Click in the live view.

3. Select Video format AV1 if your device supports it. Otherwise select H.264.

4. Go to Video > Stream > General and increase Compression.

5. Go to Video > Stream > Zipstream and do one or more of the following:

6. • Note

     The Zipstream settings are used for all video encodings except MJPEG.

   • Select the Zipstream Strength that you want to use.

   • Turn on Optimize for storage. This can only be used if the video management software supports B-frames.

   • Turn on Dynamic FPS.

   • Turn on Dynamic GOP and set a high Upper limit GOP length value.

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

2. Go to System > Storage.

3. Click Add network storage under Network storage.

4. Type the IP address of the host server.

5. Type the name of the shared location on the host server under Network share.

6. Type the username and password.

7. Select the SMB version or leave it on Auto.

8. Select Add share without testing if you experience temporary connection issues, or if the share is not yet configured.

9. Click Add.

1. Record video directly from the camera

2. Go to Video > Stream.

3. To start a recording, click .

   If you haven’t set up any storage, click and . For instructions on how to set up network storage, see Set up network storage

4. To stop recording, click again.

1. Watch video

2. Go to Recordings.

3. Click for your recording in the list.

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, see Get started with rules for events.

1. Go to System > Events and add a rule. The rule defines when the device will perform certain actions. You can set up rules as scheduled, recurring, or manually triggered.

2. Enter a Name.

3. Select the Condition that must be met to trigger the action. If you specify more than one condition for the rule, all of the conditions must be met to trigger the action.

4. Select which Action to perform when the conditions are met.

This example explains how to set up the camera to start recording to the SD card when the camera detects an object. The recording will include five seconds before detection and one minute after detection ends.

Before you start:

• Make sure you have an SD card installed.

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

2. Make sure you have set up the application according to your needs.

1. Create a rule:

2. Go to System > Events and add a rule.

3. Type a name for the rule.

4. In the list of actions, under Recordings, select Record video while the rule is active.

5. In the list of storage options, select SD_DISK.

6. Select a camera and a stream profile.

7. Set the prebuffer time to 5 seconds.

8. Set the postbuffer time to 1 minute.

9. Click Save.

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

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

2. Make sure you have set up the application according to your needs.

1. Add the overlay text:

2. Go to Video > Overlays.

3. Under Overlays, select Text and click .

4. Enter #D in the text field.

5. Choose text size and appearance.

6. To position the text overlay, click and select an option.

1. Create a rule:

2. Go to System > Events and add a rule.

3. Type a name for the rule.

4. In the list of actions, under Overlay text, select Use overlay text.

5. Select a video channel.

6. In Text, type “Motion detected”.

7. Set the duration.

8. Click Save.

This example explains how to set up the camera to start recording to the SD card five seconds before it detects loud noise and to stop two minutes after.

1. Turn on audio:

2. Set up the stream profile to include audio, see Add audio to your recording.

1. Turn on audio detection:

2. Go to System > Detectors > Audio detection.

3. Adjust the sound level according to your needs.

1. Create a rule:

2. Go to System > Events and add a rule.

3. Type a name for the rule.

4. In the list of conditions, under Audio, select Audio Detection.

5. In the list of actions, under Recordings, select Record video.

6. In the list of storage options, select SD_DISK.

7. Select the stream profile where audio has been turned on.

8. Set the prebuffer time to 5 seconds.

9. Set the postbuffer time to 2 minutes.

10. Click Save.

Before you start

• Connect the intrusion alarm switch to pin 1 (ground) and pin 3 (digital I/O) of the camera’s I/O connector.

Configure the input port:

1. Go to System > Accessories > I/O ports.

2. For Port 1:

3. 1. Select Input.

   2. Select Circuit closed.

4. Add an email recipient:

5. Go to System > Events > Recipients and click Add recipient.

6. Type a name for the recipient.

7. Select Email as the notification type.

8. Type the recipient’s email address.

9. Type the email address that you want the camera to send notifications from.

10. Provide the login details for the sending email account, along with the SMTP hostname and port number.

11. To test your email setup, click Test.

12. Click Save.

13. Create a rule:

14. Go to System > Events > Rules and add a rule.

15. Type a name for the rule.

16. In the list of conditions, under I/O, select Digital input.

17. In the list of ports, select Port 1.

18. In the list of actions, under Notifications, select Send notification to email.

19. Select a recipient from the list or go to Recipients to create a new recipient.

    To create a new recipient, click . To copy an existing recipient, click .

20. Type a subject line and message for the email.

21. Click Save.

This example explains how to set up an email notification when the camera lens gets either spray painted, covered, or blurred.

1. Activate the tampering detection:

2. Go to System > Detectors > Camera tampering.

3. Set a value for Trigger delay. The value indicates the time that must pass before an email is sent.

4. Turn on Trigger on dark images to detect if the lens is sprayed, covered, or rendered severely out of focus.

5. Add an email recipient:

6. Go to System > Events > Recipients and add a recipient.

7. Type a name for the recipient.

8. Select Email as the notification type.

9. Type the recipient’s email address.

10. Type the email address that you want the camera to send notifications from.

11. Provide the login details for the sending email account, along with the SMTP hostname and port number.

12. To test your email setup, click Test.

13. Click Save.

14. Create a rule:

15. Go to System > Events > Rules and add a rule.

16. Type a name for the rule.

17. In the list of conditions, under Video, select Tampering.

18. In the list of actions, under Notifications, select Send notification to email and then select the recipient from the list.

19. Type a subject line and message for the email.

20. Click Save.

1. Turn on audio:

2. Go to Video > Stream > Audio and include audio.

3. If the device has more than one input source, select the correct one in Source.

4. Go to Audio > Device settings and turn on the correct input source.

5. If you make any changes to the input source, click Apply changes.

6. Edit the stream profile that is used for the recording:

7. Go to System > Stream profiles and select the stream profile.

8. Select Include audio and turn it on.

9. Click Save.

To read about all the features and settings available in the web interface of devices with AXIS OS, go to AXIS OS web interface help.

Which capture mode to choose depends on the requirements of frame rate and resolution for the specific surveillance setup. For specifications about available capture modes, see the product’s datasheet at axis.com.

A privacy mask is a user-defined area that covers a part of the monitored area. In the video stream, privacy masks appear either as blocks of solid color or with a mosaic pattern.

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.

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.

H.265 or MPEG-H Part 2/HEVC

H.265 can, without compromising image quality, reduce the size of a digital video file by more than 25% compared to H.264.

The Image tab contains camera settings that affect all video streams from the product. If you change something in this tab, it immediately affects all video streams and recordings.

The Stream tab contains settings for video streams. You get these settings if you request a video stream from the product and don’t specify for example resolution, or frame rate. When you change the settings in the Stream tab, it doesn’t affect ongoing streams, but it will take effect when you start a new stream.

The Stream profiles settings override the settings from the Stream tab. If you request a stream with a specific stream profile, the stream contains the settings of that profile. If you request a stream without specifying a stream profile, or request a stream profile that doesn't exist in the product, the stream contains the settings from the Stream tab.

Bitrate control helps you to manage the bandwidth consumption of your video stream.

Variable bitrate (VBR)
Variable bitrate allows the bandwidth consumption to vary depending on the level of activity in the scene. The more activity, the more bandwidth you need. With variable bitrate you are guaranteed constant image quality, but you need to make sure you have storage margins.

Maximum bitrate (MBR)
Maximum bitrate lets you set a target bitrate to handle bitrate limitations in your system. You might see a decline in image quality or frame rate as the instantaneous bitrate is kept below the specified target bitrate. You can choose to prioritize either image quality or frame rate. We recommend that you configure the target bitrate to a higher value than the expected bitrate. This gives you a margin in case there is a high level of activity in the scene.

With analytics and apps 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 apps for Axis devices. Apps can be preinstalled on the device, available for download for free, or for a license fee.

To find the user manuals for Axis analytics and apps, go to help.axis.com.

AXIS Object Analytics is an analytic application that comes preinstalled on the camera. It detects objects that move in the scene and classifies them as, for example, humans or vehicles. You can set up the application to send alarms for different types of objects. To find out more about how the application works, see AXIS Object Analytics user manual.

Analytics metadata is available for moving objects in the scene. Supported object classes are visualized in the video stream through a bounding box surrounding the object, along with information about the object type and confidence level of the classification. To learn more about how to configure and consume analytics metadata, see AXIS Scene Metadata integration guide.

For product-specific information about cybersecurity, see the product's datasheet at axis.com.

For in-depth information about cybersecurity in AXIS OS, read the AXIS OS Hardening guide.

The TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a component that provides cryptographic features to protect information from unauthorized access. It is always activated and there are no settings you can change.

With Delayed shutdown you can turn off the device after a set delay time and reduce the power consumption when not in use. This feature is useful for devices installed in vehicles and connected to the vehicle battery. When the ignition is on, the device starts. When the ignition is off, the device is powered by the battery and turns off after a set delay time.

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).

• Audio in – 3.5 mm input for a mono microphone, or a line-in mono signal (left channel is used from a stereo signal).

• Audio in – 3.5 mm input for a digital microphone, an analog mono microphone, or a line-in mono signal (left channel is used from a stereo signal).

Audio input

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 VDC 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

Example

1. DC ground
2. DC output 12 V, max 50 mA
3. I/O configured as input
4. I/O configured as output
5. Configurable I/O
6. Configurable I/O

3-pin terminal block for 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.

DC power input:

Delayed shutdown

1. Connect to ignition control on the 3-pin terminal block.

2. Go to the device’s web interface.

3. Go to System > Power settings and turn on Delayed shutdown.

4. Set a delay time between 1 and 60 minutes.

5-pin terminal block for the RS232/RS485 serial interface used to control auxiliary equipment. In order to use the RS232/RS485 port you need a third-party application for AXIS Camera Application Platform. The port can be used in the following modes:

• 2TX/2RX RS232 interface (TXD, RTS, GND, CTS, RXD)

• Bidirectional RS485 half-duplex port for data transmission using two wires, one combined RX/TX pair.

• Bidirectional RS485 full-duplex port for data transmission using four wires, one RX pair and one TX pair.

The FAKRA connector is used for connecting the sensor unit to the main unit.

For information on how to shorten the sensor unit cable see Shorten the sensor unit cable.

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. If no DHCP server is available on the network, the device IP address will default to one of the following:

5. • Devices with AXIS OS 12.0 and later: Obtained from the link-local address subnet (169.254.0.0/16)

   • Devices with AXIS OS 11.11 and earlier: 192.168.0.90/24

6. Use the installation and management software tools to assign an IP address, set the password, and access the device.

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

You can also reset parameters to factory default through the device’s web interface. Go to Maintenance > Factory default and click Default.

Axis offers device software management according to either the active track or the long-term support (LTS) tracks. Being on the active track means continuously getting access to all the latest product features, while the LTS tracks provide a fixed platform with periodic releases focused mainly on bug fixes and security updates.

Using AXIS OS from the active track is recommended if you want to access the newest features, or if you use Axis end-to-end system offerings. The LTS tracks are recommended if you use third-party integrations, which are not continuously validated against the latest active track. With LTS, the products can maintain cybersecurity without introducing any significant functional changes or affecting any existing integrations. For more detailed information about Axis device software strategy, go to axis.com/support/device-software.

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.

Problems with the image

Problems with the device turning itself off

When you set up your system, it’s important to consider how different settings and situations affect performance. Some factors affect bandwidth (bitrate), others affect frame rate, and some affect both.

The most important factors 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 clients or unicast H.264/H.265/AV1 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 video streams with different codecs simultaneously affects both frame rate and bandwidth. For optimal performance, use streams with the same codec.

• 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.

If you need more help, go to axis.com/support.