AXIS 2420 Network Camera
Questions & Answers

Topics covered below:
Applications
Features
Bandwidth & frame rate
Connection
Network cameras vs. Web cameras
Accessories
Technical
General

Applications

Q: What software do I need in order to use an Axis network camera?
A: All the necessary software is included in the network camera. To configure the camera and view the images, you only need a standard Web browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. For easy video management and recording, see Axis software. Axis' Application Development Partners provide a wide range of sophisticated software.

Q: I need to set up some cameras for outdoor use. What do I need?
A: The AXIS 211, 2110, 2120 and 2420 Network Cameras are all equipped with lenses for bright light conditions. Note that you will need a weatherproof enclosure, such as the 290A or 290B Outdoor Housing. See also Using the camera outdoors.

Q: I have a camera that thousands of people would like to access. How do I do that?
A: On high hit Web sites, you will need to buffer the images on an intermediate ftp server.

Q: How can I store images for playback?
A: The network camera can be programmed to automatically send images to a file server using FTP. You can also use Axis software to record images and create AVI movies.

Q: How can I use the motion detection function of your cameras?
A: You can use the motion detection feature to generate an alarm whenever movement occurs within a defined motion detection window.  If an alarm is triggered, a buffered image stream can be uploaded to a target server and an optional e-mail notification be sent.

Q: I will need to Pan, Tilt & Zoom. What solution do you suggest?
A: The AXIS 2130 PTZ Network Camera ideal for zooming in on details and monitoring large areas from different angles.

Q: Can I restrict access to the camera?
A: To prevent any unauthorized use, the camera supports multi-user password protection and access is restricted to defined users only. The administrator has exclusive access to the Administration Tools and can determine the registration and access rights for all users.

Q: Can I use an Axis network camera for video conferencing?
A: For images transmitted across a LAN, Axis network cameras are ideal. You can add the AXIS 2191 Audio Module for remote meeting applications. Keep in mind that the high quality images of Axis network cameras can have a severe impact on low-bandwidth links. If you need two-way video communication, a video conferencing system using H.323 would be a better choice. However, if you connect an Axis network camera and use regular phone as well as a PC browser on each end, you will have an easy-to-use video conference system with better performance than, for example, two Webcams and NetMeeting.

Features

Q: Does the Axis network camera have its own IP address?
A: Yes, it acts as a standalone Web server, including some limited memory space reserved for customer applications.

Q: Which are the main features?
A: There are several:

• Image quality. Axis network cameras offer very high image quality and high sensitivity in dark light conditions.
• Price/performance ratio. The AXIS 2100 list price of less than $500 in the US (Euro 499 in Europe), yet offering 10 frames/second, is probably unique!
• Built-in motion detection (depending on model)
• Vari-focal DC-iris lens for optimal image quality in even extreme light conditions, protecting the CCD from damage by over exposure (depending on model)
• Built-in applications and modem support that works with local ISPs.

Q: Do Axis network cameras support audio?
A: If you connect an AXIS 2191 Audio Module to the serial port of your Axis network camera, you'll have access to real-time images, as well as two-way audio communication from any Internet Explorer Web browser. The AXIS 2191 Audio Module is compatible with the AXIS 2100, 2110,  2120 and 2420 Network Cameras and the AXIS 2400/2401 Video Servers.

Bandwidth & frame rate

Q: How much bandwidth does an Axis network camera require?
A: This depends on the number of users and the image quality you have decided to use. An Axis network camera has configurable bandwidth usage, which gives you complete control of how much bandwidth you want to use. If you have a local network, it will use around 600 Kbps (kilo bits per second) for 10 frames/second of the 320x240 image. This is 6% of a 10 MBit network or 0.6% of a 100 MBit network.

Q: Can I configure the camera to only use a certain amount of bandwidth?
A: Yes, you can. This is a configurable setting in the camera. You can also set the image refresh rate to low values if you do not require a high frame rate. Image size and compression level will also strongly influence the use of network bandwidth.

Q: How large is an image in Kbytes?
A: Typically a normal-sized image (320 x 240) is only 4-10 Kbytes.

Q: Why does the frame rate slow down in dark conditions?
A: Axis network cameras are using an algorithm just like a film-based camera with increased exposure time when there is limited light. This method gives significantly better low-light performance than cameras based on video signals (which have a maximum exposure time of 20 ms).

Q: Can an Axis network camera transmit only the changes between two pictures in order to reduce bandwidth?
A: No. As the Axis network cameras are compatible with standard Web browsers which have no support for such a format, this is not possible. This also ensures high quality on every single still image.

Connection

Q: How can I connect the network camera? Can I use a wireless connection?
A: You can connect the network video device to a LAN, modem, DSL, cell phone or wireless adapter.

Q: I have a DSL line with only one IP address. How can I connect several cameras?
A: See description on how to map port numbers in technical note. 

Q: My ISP only provides a dynamic IP address to my network. What can I do to be able to access the camera from outside without having to use a new IP address every time it has changed?
A: You can register for a personalized domain name for your camera using e.g. the DYN DNS service  www.dyndns.org which offers a free basic service.

Network cameras vs. Web cameras

Q: I have seen Web cams at $50 USD. Your network cameras are 10 times more expensive. Why?
A: Axis network cameras are not Web cams. A Web cam requires a PC to operate; an Axis network camera does not. As it does not need a PC or any additional software, it provides a total networked camera solution at a significantly lower cost then a Web cam would.

Accessories

Q: Can I replace the standard lens with another lens?
A: Yes. The lens supplied with your camera can be replaced by any standard C or CS type lens. Note that a C type lens must be installed with a CS-C adaptor.

Q: Where can I find accessories such as replacement lens, zoom-lenses, autofocus/autoiris or pan/tilt devices?
A: Please visit the Accessories page for more information.

Technical

Q: Why is it running Linux, and how can I see it?
A: The fact that the unit is running Linux is something that is not visible from the outside. But some of the benefits of running Linux include:

• Well-known and well-documented and reliable OS, easy to employ new developers and they will get up to speed very quickly.
• Small footprint system: it does not take a lot of flash or ram memory.
• Longer term decentralized development, which Axis, as a multinational company, will benefit from.
• Much functionality available for "free".
• The source code for Linux is freely available to everyone. Axis posts source at developer.axis.com
• Developed under the GNU General Public License.
• Our future OEMs will have faster and easier development. Instead of Axis doing all the work, we will be able to focus on assisting them during their development.

Q: I don't understand the principle for how the images are being sent. Single-cast or can they be multicasted and/or do I have to request each image from a browser?
A: Axis network cameras are sending streams of JPEG images (called Motion JPEG). This method has native support in Netscape or Internet Explorer for Mac. Using Internet Explorer on Windows requires an ActiveX component or a Java applet (both automatically downloaded by IE from the Axis network camera). The transmission method is single-cast, but we do support up to 20 simultaneous clients.

General

Q: Is Axis a well-known player for network cameras?
A: Research firm Frost & Sullivan awarded Axis the 2001 Market Engineering Leadership Award for the global network camera market.