March Networks Command Client 1.6: User Guide

March Networks
Command Client 1.6

User Guide
Copyright © 2008-2013. March Networks Corporation (An Infinova Company). All rights reserved.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. MARCH NETWORKS, March
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Part Number
28845 Rev1.0 June 2013
Contents
Chapter 1: Welcome to the Command Client ............................... 6
Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Components of the Command Solution................................................................................. 11
Chapter 2: Accessing Command Client........................................ 13

Accessing Command Client ..................................................................................................... 14
Setting Command Client Preferences..................................................................................... 17
Saving Log Files........................................................................................................................ 18
Setting the Command Client Plug-in Options........................................................................ 19
Chapter 3: Understanding the Command Client

User Interface ................................................................................ 21
Overview ................................................................................................................................... 22
Main Toolbar ............................................................................................................................. 23
Navigation Panel ...................................................................................................................... 24
Navigation Resource Area ................................................................................................................... 25
Navigation Panel Resources ................................................................................................................ 26
Workspace................................................................................................................................. 27
Opening Camera Video Streams in the Workspace ........................................................................... 28
Tab Toolbar........................................................................................................................................... 28
Media Area........................................................................................................................................... 29
Media Controls..................................................................................................................................... 29
Dashboard................................................................................................................................. 33
Chapter 4: Managing Resources .................................................. 34

Navigation Panel Resources .................................................................................................... 35
Filtering in the Navigation Panel ........................................................................................................ 36
Sorting and Filtering Columns ............................................................................................................ 36
Working with Devices .............................................................................................................. 38
Viewing the System Device Overview................................................................................................. 38
Changing Device Settings (Live Streaming Buffer) ............................................................................ 41
Editing Device Addresses..................................................................................................................... 42
Command Client 1.6 User Guide 3

Contents
Copying, or Cutting and Pasting Resources............................................................................43

Moving Resources in the Personal Tree...................................................................................44
Deleting Resources from the Personal Tree ............................................................................44
Renaming Folders and Views in the Personal Tree.................................................................45
Working with Folders ...............................................................................................................45
Creating Folders................................................................................................................................... 45
Opening Folders in the Workspace .................................................................................................... 46
Working with Views..................................................................................................................47
Creating Views ..................................................................................................................................... 47
Opening Views in the Workspace....................................................................................................... 49
Changing the Grid Layout in View Tabs ............................................................................................. 50
Working with Cameras .............................................................................................................51
Opening Camera Streams in Single Tabs............................................................................................ 52
Changing the Layout of Camera Streams .......................................................................................... 53
Opening Cameras in View Tabs .......................................................................................................... 54
Converting Camera Channels to Views .............................................................................................. 54
Adjusting Options for Viewing Camera Video Streams .................................................................... 55
Managing Camera Streams in Grid Layouts....................................................................................... 55
Working with Alarm Resources................................................................................................56
Alarm Resources in the Navigation Panel .......................................................................................... 56
Opening an Alarm Resource to View Associated Camera Video Streams........................................ 57
Manually Setting Alarm Resources On and Off ................................................................................. 59
Working with Switch Resources ..............................................................................................60
Manually Setting Switch Resources On or Off ................................................................................... 61
Resetting Switches to Auto Mode ...................................................................................................... 61
Working with Talk Channel Resources.....................................................................................62
Manually Turn Talk Channel Resources On or Off ............................................................................. 63
Chapter 5: Viewing Camera Video Streams ................................ 64

Overview....................................................................................................................................65
Opening a Camera Video Stream in a Single Tab ...................................................................65
Opening a Camera Video Stream in a View Tab .....................................................................66
Identifying Live or Archive (Pre-Recorded) Camera Video ....................................................67
Recording and Playback Indicators..........................................................................................68
Audio Indicator .................................................................................................................................... 69
Synchronizing Video .................................................................................................................69
Instant Replay Options .............................................................................................................71
Adjusting Video Sharpness, Brightness, and Contrast ..........................................................71
Configuring and Displaying Text Overlay ...............................................................................72
Zooming In on a Camera ..........................................................................................................74
Controlling PTZ Cameras ..........................................................................................................77
Adjusting the field of view for PTZ Cameras ..................................................................................... 77
Moving a PTZ Camera to a Preset View ............................................................................................. 79
Moving a PTZ Camera on a Tour......................................................................................................... 80
Showing Perimeter Views ........................................................................................................81
Changing the Resolution of Camera Streams.........................................................................83
Changing the Resolution of Camera Streams in View Tabs .............................................................. 83

Contents
Chapter 6: Managing Recorded Video Evidence......................... 84

Overview....................................................................................................................................85
Viewing the Most Recent Recorded Evidence ........................................................................85
Searching for Video Evidence ..................................................................................................85
Using the Timeline to Search for Video...................................................................................86
Using Thumbnail Images to Search for Video.........................................................................88
Using the Date and Time to Search for Video.........................................................................89
Exporting Recorded Video Evidence........................................................................................90
Verifying Exported Video Evidence .................................................................................................... 92
Saving Snapshots of Video Cells..............................................................................................94
Monitoring the System Health Status.....................................................................................95
Chapter 7: Monitoring Alarms ..................................................... 96

Alarm Overview ........................................................................................................................97
ALARMS Panel Attributes.................................................................................................................... 97
Viewing Active Alarms .............................................................................................................98
Viewing Associated Camera Resources for Active Alarms ....................................................99
Acknowledging Alarms ..........................................................................................................101
Searching for Archived Alarms in the Alarm History Tab ....................................................102
Viewing Associated Camera Resources for Archived Alarms..............................................103
Glossary ...................................................................................... 105

Chapter 1
Welcome to the Command Client

The Command Client application allows you to view live video of the cameras added to a Command
Recording Server, a 7532 Hybrid NVR, and Command Lite. It also allows you to review and export
recorded video evidence.
Important: The alarm management sections are not applicable for a Command Lite system.
This chapter contains the following topics:
• “Overview” on page 7
• “Components of the Command Solution” on page 11

Overview
Command Client allows you to:
• Access a system-wide status of devices connected to a CRS, Command Lite, or a 7532 Hybrid NVR.
• Customize the system navigation using Personal folders.
• View video streams coming from CRSs, Command Lite, and 7532 Hybrid NVRs.
• Arrange video streams in View grids.
• Dynamic archive search using the Visual Finder.
• Retrieve and playback recorded video evidence from CRSs, Command Lite, and 7532 Hybrid
NVRs.
• Fully control PTZ cameras using the mouse.
• Manage and acknowledge system alarms.
Note: The majority of the screenshots in this guide were taken on machines running Windows.
Command works almost identically on both Windows and Mac OS X platforms, however, separate
procedures are included where there are notable differences.
Command Client Plug-In

The Command Client Plug-In is a tool required to access the Command Client. The plug-in must be
installed on every computer that accesses the two interfaces.
Other Available Publications

Additional Command solution publications are available in PDF on your March Networks Software
CD, or can be downloaded from the March Networks Partner Portal. If you do not have access to the
Partner Portal, contact your March Networks representative.

Command Solution Diagram

The following diagram illustrates the Command solution.

Command Professional and Command Lite Solution Diagram

The following illustration identifies the components of Command Professional and Command Lite.
Command Professional and Command Lite Component Legend

1 Command Recording Server
2 Redundant Command Recording Server (not available for Command Lite)
3 Web-Based Command Client and Command Config
4 Optional SiteManager Software
5 IP Edge Devices (Encoders and IP Cameras)

Command Enterprise Solution Diagram

The following illustration identifies the components of Command Enterprise.
Command Enterprise Component Legend

1 Enterprise Server Software (including SQL Server)
2 Command Recording Server (Primary)
3 Command Recording Server (Failover/Redundant)
4 March Networks Hybrid Network Video Recorder (NVR) with Analog Cameras
• 7532 Hybrid NVR powered by Command
• R 5.5.1 or later 3000/4000 C Series Recorders
• R 5.5.2 or later next-generation 4000 C Series Recorders
5 Web-based Command Client and Command Config
6 Optional SiteManager software
7 IP Edge Devices (Encoders and IP Cameras)

Components of the Command Solution

The following table describes the main components of the Command solution.
Component Description
Command Enterprise Command Enterprise Server (CES) Software is the center of the Command
Server (CES) Software Solution.
The CES stores the surveillance system’s configuration in a relational database,
either on the management server computer itself or on the customer’s existing
SQL Server on the network. The Enterprise Server also handles global user
authentication, user rights, and hosts the web services for Command’s web-
client. The Enterprise Server software can run on most commercial-off-the-shelf
(COTS) servers from top server manufacturers, or it can run in a VMware® Virtual
Machine.
Command Recording Command Recording Server (CRS) Software is the primary archive engine for the
Server (CRS) Software Command Enterprise and Command Professional (standalone) solutions.
The recording server software is the primary archiving component of the
Command Enterprise solution. The recording server software is designed to run
separately from the Enterprise Server software. It can be installed directly on any
COTS servers or can be purchased from March Networks running on Dell®
Platforms. Another option for the recording server software is to run it on a
VMware virtual machine (VM). Each recording server can support up to 128
cameras. Command Enterprise can support up to 128,000 cameras over various
recorders, and mix matched with Hybrid NVR's and R5 DVRs. The maximum
number of recorders/recording servers in a single system is 10,000.
The two types of recording server include:
• Primary Recording Server - the primary archiving component of the CRS
architecture.
• Redundant Recording Server - the redundant/failover archiving component
of the CRS architecture.
Command Lite Command Lite is a limited, free version of Command Professional. It can be
Software installed either on standard servers or compatible PCs with Windows 7®.
Command Lite allows you to:
• Add up to six IP cameras
• Configure continuous and programmed recording
• Retain the video archive for up to 7 days
• Configure user accounts and permissions
• Configure and manage storage

Component Description
Web-based Command Client is the primary browser-based client user interface for
Command Client Command.
Command Client offers an intuitive user interface that allows administrators and
users alike to manage their Command video surveillance network. The user
interface is the unified client tool that can be opened on any Windows (XP® or
7) browser or Mac® OS X® browser interface. In the Command Enterprise
environment, the Command Client is hosted from the Enterprise Server.
Command Client can display video from R5 DVRs, 7532 Hybrid NVRs, and
Command Recording Servers.
Command Config Command Config is a browser-based server administration client for

configuration and management.
Command Config is hosted on Command Recording Servers and is a 100%
browser-based management console for Command Recording Servers. This
allows users to manage servers, add cameras, create storage, and do other
important actions related to a specific recording server.
March Networks Networked Video Recorder, powered by Command Professional:

Hybrid Network • Video Intelligence R5.5.1 or later 3000/4000 series recorders
Video Recorder (NVR)
• March Networks 7532 Hybrid NVR
Devices that capture, retain, and stream audio, video, and text data from
connected peripherals. Analog cameras are connected to NVRs or encoders using
BNC connection. The 7532 Hybrid NVR is also able to record, store, and manage
video evidence streamed by IP cameras, encoders, and other NVRs.
(Optional) SiteManager is Command’s thick-client software option for video management

SiteManager control. Although not a required component of Command Enterprise, it does
software offer some functionality that the Web-client does not offer today, such as
Decode Station VX control, video analytics, LPR, mapping, and other items to be
added later in the Command Client.
SiteManager works with Command Recording Servers and 7532 Hybrid NVRs,
however, it does not directly interface with Command Enterprise Server.
SiteManager is not part of the Command Lite solution.

Chapter 2
Accessing Command Client

Command Client is the browser-based interface that allows you to review and export recorded video
evidence, and to view video from cameras connected to a Command Recording Server, a Command
Lite system, or a 7532 Hybrid NVR.
You can set the interface language, the time format, save system and devices logs, and view
information about the recorder software. You can also access the Command Client Plug-in options to
set the destination folders for snapshot and exported video evidence, and apply de-interlacing and
interpolation algorithms to improve the video quality.
Important: An identification certificate, included on a USB token or smartcard, may be required to
log on to the Command Client interface and/or access the video archive. For more information, see
the documentation accompanying your recording platform. Identification certificates are not
supported on Command Lite systems.
• “Accessing Command Client” on page 14
• “Setting Command Client Preferences” on page 17
• “Saving Log Files” on page 18
• “Setting the Command Client Plug-in Options” on page 19


You can access Command Client by typing the IP address or host name of the Command Recording
Server, Command Lite, or the 7532 Hybrid NVR in the address bar of your internet browser.
Note: If more than one user is logged on a Windows system (Switch User option), the Command
Client Plug-in may not work properly. We recommend that you disconnect the other users before
logging on to Windows.
Installing the Command Client Plug-in and Certificate

The first time you start the Command Client, you must download and install the Command Client
plug-in. The plug-in is a one-time installation procedure and is required to allow viewing of live and
archive video, video export, and snapshots.
March Networks uses a hierarchical certificate distribution to authenticate all devices. The March
Networks Certificate Authority distributes and authenticates certificates for all devices. If you do not
have a valid SSL certificate, you are prompted to install a certificate during the plug-in installation
procedure.
To install the Command Client Plug-in and Certificate

1 In the Address bar of a Web browser, enter:
http://<serverhostname>/
where <serverhostname> is the server host name or IP address of the computer where Command
is installed.
Note: If you have not installed Microsoft Silverlight, you are prompted to install it. Follow the
prompts provided by the Silverlight installer.
2 On the login page, one of the following prompts appears:

• If this is the first time you are starting the Command Client, you must install the Command
Client plug-in.

• If you have an older version of the Command Client plug-in or if you are upgrading to a
newer version of Command, you must update the version.
3 Click the Download Plug-in button and follow the online instructions for the Command Client
Plug-in Setup Wizard.
4 To complete the plug-in download, click Finish.
5 (Optional) If you are prompted to import the certificate, click Install Certificate on the login
page and follow the online instructions.
Note: You must have local administrator rights to install the certificate. Depending on the
browser you are using (IE, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari), you may be required to follow a different
series of steps.
6 After the download is complete, click Reload Page on the Command Enterprise page to restart
your browser.
The Command Client Plug-in icon appears in the taskbar.

7 (Optional) To view the status, log files, settings, and software version information, right-click the
Command Client Plug-in icon in the Windows taskbar, or click the icon in the MAC OS X
taskbar and click Status.
To start the Command Client

1 In the Address bar of a Web browser, enter:
http://<recorderhostname>/
where <recorderhostname> is the server host name or IP address of the Command Recording
Server, Command Lite, or the 7532 Hybrid NVR.

The Client Login page appears.
2 Enter a User Name and Password.

3 Click Log In.
By default, the Command Client application opens in browser mode. You can change to a full
screen mode on any page by clicking the Full Screen button. When in full screen mode, you
do not have keyboard access. Click ESC to exit full screen mode and return to browser mode.
Note: A breadcrumb navigation path is displayed in the toolbar to show the path you have
taken to arrive at a specific page.
4 To log out of Command Client, click the Log Out button on the Main toolbar.

Setting Command Client Preferences

All users can view information about the version of their Command software and can modify the
language, set the time zone source, save the application layout, and set the number of minutes
before talk channels are released for the Command Client interface.
To view the software version information

5 On the Main toolbar, click the About button.
The About tab opens to display information about the software version.
To set Command Client preferences

1 On the Main toolbar, click the Open Preferences button.
The Preferences tab opens.
To set your preferences, you can:

• Click the Language box and select the interface language from the list.
Tip: If you select Autodetect, the Command Client interface automatically applies the
language based on the operating system configuration.
• Click the Time Zone Settings box and select the time zone source from the list.
This sets where you want time zone data to come from.
If you select Device Time Zone, time values displayed are specific to the time zone of each
device that Command manages, for example a CRS, or an NVR. Thus the time values can be
different if the device is in a different time zone. An alert from the device is displayed in the
device’s time zone, as opposed to the time zone of the computer where Command Client is
running. The time line for a camera video stream from the device displays the time zone of
that device.
If you select Client Time Zone, all time values displayed are specific to the time zone of the
computer where Command Client is running. The device displays the same time zone - that
of Command Client.
If you select Universal Time, all time values displayed are specific to Coordinated Universal
Time (UTC).

• Beside Save Application Layout, select the Enabled check box to save the Command
Client layout (open tabs, Navigation panel, and Dashboard dimension) after you log out of
the interface.
The next time you log on, the layout appears the same as when you logged out.
• Beside Auto-Release Talk Channels After, enter the number of minutes that you want a
Talk Channel to remain in use and transmitting audio after you turn it On. After the number
of minutes you enter, the talk channel is automatically released (turned Off) so that audio is
no longer transmitted and other Command Client applications can use the channel. You can
also turn off a talk channel manually. For more information about talk channels, see
“Working with Talk Channel Resources” on page 62.
Note: If you turn another talk channel On before the auto-release time has expired for the
previous talk channel that is On, the auto-release of the previous channel is reset to match
the latest channel turned On. This occurs each time you turn on another talk channel.
For example, assuming that the auto-release time out is set to 5 minutes:
- You turn on Talk Channel A at 8:00 (auto-release at 8:05)
- You turn on Talk Channel B at 8:02 (auto-release at 8:07)
- When you turn on Talk Channel B, the auto-release time of Talk Channel A is reset to
8:07 instead of 8:05.
- If you turn on Talk Channel C at 8:03, the auto-release time of both Talk Channel A
and Talk Channel B is reset to 8:08.
Saving Log Files

In order to troubleshoot the system, you must first save a copy of two log files to your computer.
After you save the log files, you can provide them to the March Networks Technical Support group
to troubleshoot your Command system.
To save client log files

1 On the Main toolbar, click the Save the Client Logs on Local System button to save the
Command Client log files.
2 In the Save As dialog box, type a file name and location for the ZIP file.
Command saves the Command Client log files so that they are available for analysis.
To save device log files

3 On the Main toolbar, click the Save the Device Logs on Local System button to save the
log files from the recorder (CRS, NVR, or Command Lite).
4 In the Save As dialog box, type a file name and location for the ZIP file.
Command saves the device log files so that they are available for analysis.

Setting the Command Client Plug-in Options

The Command Client Plug-in options allow you to view the status of the Plug-in, set the destination
folders for snapshots and exported video evidence, and specify the visualization of the Command
Client video streams.
To configure the Command Client Plug-in options

1 Right-click the Command Client Plug-in icon in the Windows task bar or in the MAC OS X
taskbar, and click Status.
The Command Client Plug-in dialog box displays the status of the plug-in.
2 Click the Settings tab.
3 To specify the destination folder for the snapshots saved by Command Client, do one of the
following:
• In the Snapshot Saving Path box, specify an existing folder path for saving snapshots.
• To select an existing folder, click the Choose Path button.
Tip: To revert the folder selection to the default path, click the Use Default button.

4 To specify the destination folder for the archived video evidence exported from the recorder, do
one of the following:
• In the Video Exportation Saving Path box, specify an existing folder path for saving video
segments.
• To select an existing folder, click the Choose Folder button.
Tip: To revert the folder selection to the default path, click the Use Default button.
5 To use interpolation and de-interlacing algorithms on the streams, select them from the
Interpolation Method and De-Interlacing Method lists.
Note: Interpolation and de-interlacing algorithms allow you to improve the quality of the
images streamed from the recorder, at the cost of an increased CPU workload.
6 Click Save to confirm the changes.
7 Close the dialog box.
Important: If you exit the plug-in, you cannot start the Command Client until you restart the plug-
in. To restart the plug-in, click the Start button, and click All Programs > March Networks >
Command Client Plug-in.

Chapter 3
Understanding the Command Client

User Interface
This chapter gives an overview of the Command Client user interface. It contains the following
topics:
• “Main Toolbar” on page 23
• “Navigation Panel” on page 24
• “Workspace” on page 27
• “Dashboard” on page 33

Understanding the Command Client User Interface
Overview
The following illustration shows the Command Client user interface.
Navigation Panel Main toolbar Workspace
Dashboard
The Command Client offers a browser-based client interface that is divided into four main graphical
areas.
1 Main toolbar — Located at the top of the screen, displays the user interface buttons.
See "Main Toolbar" on page 23.
2 Navigation panel — Located on the left under the Main toolbar, manage devices, folders, views,
camera streams, and alarms.
See "Navigation Panel" on page 24.
3 Workspace — Located on the right under the Main toolbar, the appearance of the workspace
depends on the folders you have open in it. The workspace is where you view camera video
streams and details of the system.
See "Workspace" on page 27.
4 Dashboard — Located at the bottom of the screen, contains three panels with health, alarm,
and export information.
See "Dashboard" on page 33.

Main Toolbar
The Main toolbar is positioned at the top of the screen and displays the user interface buttons
specific to the current internal workspace view, the user name, and Log out button.
The following table describes the buttons available on the Main toolbar.
Toolbar Button Tooltip Description
About Opens the About dialog box where you can view the
installed client and server versions.
For more information, see "Setting Command Client
Preferences" on page 17.
Open Preferences Opens the Preferences dialog box where you can
specify your language, time format, and layout
preferences.
For more information, see "Setting Command Client
Preferences" on page 17.
Save the Client Logs on Saves a read-only copy of the logs generated by errors
Local System in the system and events performed on the Command
Client.
For more information, see "Saving Log Files" on
page 18.
Save the Server Logs on Saves a read-only copy of the logs generated by errors
Local System in the system and events performed on the Enterprise
server.
For more information, see "Saving Log Files" on
page 18.
Health Alerts Indicates the presence of active health alerts.
Opens the HEALTH panel.
For more information, see "Monitoring the System
Health Status" on page 95.
Alarms Indicates the presence of active alarms.
Opens the ALARMS panel.
For more information, see “Monitoring Alarms” on
page 96.
Log Out Logs the user out of Command Client.
Open Client Help Opens the Command Client Online Help.

Navigation Panel
The NAVIGATION panel is positioned on the left under the Main toolbar. In the NAVIGATION panel,
you can manage devices, folders, views, camera streams, and alarms.
At the top of the NAVIGATION panel there are buttons for the available functions. The following
table describes the buttons available on the NAVIGATION panel.
Button Tooltip Description
Add Resource Add a Resource.

See “Managing Resources” on page 34.
Delete Resource Delete a Resource.
See “Managing Resources” on page 34.
Open Recorder Configure an individual device in either the Command Config tool
Configuration or in the Camera Setup tool.
Open in Tab Open a resource in the Workspace.
See "Workspace" on page 27.
Filter by Text Text Filter a resource by entering text criteria.
See “Filtering in the Navigation Panel” on page 36.
Filter by Resource Filter a resource by resource type (video channel, view, or alarm
Type source).
See “Filtering in the Navigation Panel” on page 36.

Navigation Resource Area

In the NAVIGATION panel, the available resources are graphically represented in tree layouts.You
can select a resource from one of the trees, and open a workspace tab which contains information
about the resource. The two tree layouts are the System tree and the Personal tree:
System tree
The System tree shows the video channels added to your recording
platform and the alarms configured on the CRS/NVR.
Personal tree
The Personal tree contains personal folders, views, cameras, and alarms (if
available). A personal folder is a grouping of resources from the System
tree. A view is a grouping of video streams. Both folders and views are
created on the client-side in the Personal tree and are used to organize
the physical resources available on the CRS, Command Lite, and NVR. On
the Personal tree, users can create their own folders, adding the cameras
and alarms they are monitoring, and creating customize views.
Note: The Personal tree is only visible to and managed by the user
(owner) of the resource.

Navigation Panel Resources

The following resource icons appear in the NAVIGATION panel:
Icon Description Icon Description
System Tree Alarm - Cut
Personal Tree Switch - On Auto
View Switch - Off Auto
Personal Folder Switch - On Manual
Recording Server Switch - Off Manual
NVR/DVR Switch - Disconnected
Camera Talk - On
Camera - Disconnected Talk - Off
PTZ camera Talk - Busy
PTZ camera - Disconnected Talk - Disconnected
Alarm - On Talk - Disabled
Alarm - Off

Workspace
The Workspace is positioned on the right under the Main toolbar. The appearance of the workspace
depends on the folders you have open in it. When nothing is open, the workspace is empty.
Empty Workspace
You can open multiple folders in tabbed format in the workspace. For example, you can open the
System and Personal trees in the workspace by selecting them in the NAVIGATION panel and
clicking the Open in Tab button. Click the tab to access the folder you want to view.
Empty Workspace
When you open a resource in the workspace (such as a view or a camera), the name of the resource
appears on a tab. In the tab, the full path and name is visible in a breadcrumb navigation bar.
You can open the following components of Command Client in the workspace area:
• System and Personal trees
• About and Preferences pages
• Device overview
• Alarm views
• Single camera video streams or Views (which contain multiple camera video streams)

Opening Camera Video Streams in the Workspace

All camera stream media tabs open in the Workspace are divided into three sections: the tab
toolbar, the media area, and the media controls area.
Tab Toolbar
The tab toolbar contains tools to control the tab and available media.
The following table describes the buttons available on the tab toolbar.
Button Tooltip Description
Save View Saves the changes on a Personal view.
Save As Save the current view as a new Personal view.
Convert Camera Change a camera stream in a single camera channel tab to a 2 x 2

Channel to View cell grid layout (default) in a view tab. This closes the single camera
tab.
Grid Size Changes the layout of a view.
Stretch Video to Fit Change the size of the camera video stream in the media cell so
that the video fits the size of the media cell and no black bars
show. Click the button again to return the video to its previous
size.
Text Area Settings Selects the text insertion area.
Change Resolution Change the resolution of a single live camera stream cell or of
every live video cell in a view.
Video Information Display the frame rate and data rate on the camera stream cell.
Show/Hide Media Cell Removes the camera stream name, recording indicator status, and
Title Bars date/time indicator on the stream media cell title bar.
Full Screen Displays a single camera stream cell or a view in full screen mode.

Media Area
The Media area is where you can edit and view camera streams (media controls, play controls, PTZ
controls, and timeline controls) and resources including views, folders, and device information. In
the Media area, you can also change the media cell grid layout.
Media Controls
The Media Controls area is where you manage the available media using the Media, Play, Timeline,
PTZ, and Video Enhancement toolbars.
Note: The Timeline toolbar is hidden at startup. To display the timeline, click the Show/Hide
Timeline button.
Media Toolbar
The media toolbar contains buttons that allow you to control the settings for viewing camera video streams.
Note: The graphic also shows the PTZ toolbar and the Play toolbar in the unavailable state.
The following table describes the buttons in the media toolbar.
Show/Hide Timeline Shows or hides the timeline.
Enable Digital Zoom Activates digital zoom controls.
Select Area To Zoom Selects the area you want to zoom in.
Move Zoom Area Moves the zoom area. (Pan zoom.)

Real Image Size Refreshes the image to show the original image size.
Fit To Window Fits the image to window size.
Video Enhancements Allows you to adjust the sharpness, brightness, and

contrast of the video picture.
Synchronize Grid Allows you to synchronize the video from multiple
cameras.
Sector Selects the recording sector.
Timeline Find Opens the date/time search panel.
Export Video Exports the selected video evidence.
Take Snapshot Takes a snapshot of the current image.
Adjust Volume Opens the audio slider.
Play Toolbar
The Play toolbar is part of the media toolbar and contains buttons that allow you to control camera video.
The following table describes the buttons in the play toolbar.
Jump Back 10 Seconds Activates instant replay.

This button allows you to jump 10 seconds back in the
video, whether you are in live or playback mode. In
live mode the button also enables playback mode.
You can also use the Instant Replay menu options to
jump back 20 seconds, one minute, or five minutes
(see "Instant Replay Options" on page 71).
Go To Start Goes to the beginning of the recorded video.

Play Backwards • When in archive mode, rewinds the video.

Note: Click multiple times to increase the speed.
Click the Play Forward button to decrease the
speed.
• When the playback is paused, jumps to the
previous frame (frame-by-frame mode).
Pause Pauses video playback.
Play Plays the video.
Play Forward • When in archive mode, fast forwards the video.

Note: Click multiple times to increase the speed.
Click the Play Backwards button to decrease
the speed.
• When the playback is paused, jumps to the
following frame (frame-by-frame mode).
Go To End Goes to the end of the recorded video.
Go To Live Returns to live mode.
PTZ Toolbar
The PTZ toolbar is part of the media toolbar and contains buttons that allow you to control a PTZ camera.
The following table describes the buttons in the PTZ toolbar.
PTZ Presets Moves a PTZ camera toward a configured preset view.
PTZ Tours Moves a PTZ camera on a configured preset tour (a

series of preset views).
PTZ Controls Shows/hides the PTZ controls.

PTZ Lock Locks the PTZ controls for other users.
Zoom Out Zooms out on the image (Optical zoom).
Zoom In Zooms in on the image (Optical zoom).
Open Iris Opens a PTZ camera’s iris.
Close Iris Closes a PTZ camera’s iris.
Far Focus Adjusts focus on the far image.
Near Focus Adjusts focus on the near image.
Timeline Toolbar
The Timeline toolbar is above the media toolbar and contains buttons that allow you to control the timeline.
The following table describes the buttons in the timeline toolbar.
Show/Hide Thumbnails Shows/hides the thumbnails above the timeline.
Timeline Scroll Left/Shift Moves the timeline or the visual finder left.
Left
Timeline Scroll Right/ Moves the timeline or the visual finder right.
Shift Right
Timeline Scale Opens the timeline scale slider.
Previous Scale Returns to the previous timeline scale.

Refine Scale Automatically adjusts the timeline scale according to

the selection.
Dashboard
The Dashboard contains three panels related to the Command health, alarms, and export functions.
Health Panel
The HEALTH panel monitors the connection and health details (including alerts) of the recorder to
ensure the system is functioning properly. For more information, see “Monitoring the System Health
Status” on page 95.
Alarm Panel
The ALARM panel monitors shows the status of the system alarms. The panel also allows
acknowledging triggered alarms. For more information, see “Viewing Active Alarms” on page 98.
Note: The ALARM panel is not available on Command Lite systems.
Export Panel
The EXPORT panel shows the status of the current set of exported video files. The panel includes
details such as the filename/file path, the source stream from which the video/image is being
exported, and the progress of the export. For more information, see “Exporting Recorded Video
Evidence” on page 90.

Chapter 4
Managing Resources
Using Command Client you can manage all of the resources connected to a CRS, 7532 Hybrid NVR, or
Command Lite.
• "Navigation Panel Resources" on page 35
• "Working with Devices" on page 38
• "Copying, or Cutting and Pasting Resources" on page 43
• "Moving Resources in the Personal Tree" on page 44
• "Deleting Resources from the Personal Tree" on page 44
• "Renaming Folders and Views in the Personal Tree" on page 45
• "Working with Folders" on page 45
• "Working with Views" on page 47
• "Working with Cameras" on page 51
• "Working with Alarm Resources" on page 56
• "Working with Switch Resources" on page 60
• "Working with Talk Channel Resources" on page 62

Managing Resources
Navigation Panel Resources

The NAVIGATION panel is located on the left under the Main toolbar.
In the NAVIGATION panel, there are two tree layouts containing a specific set of resources that you
can access. These are the System tree and the Personal tree.
• The System tree contains the video inputs added to your recording platform, and the alarms,
switches, and talk channels configured on the CRS/NVR. Any changes made to the System tree
are viewed globally by users with the appropriate user rights.
• The Personal tree is only visible to its owner — only you can see and manage the resources in
your Personal tree. You can move cameras, alarms, switches, and talk channels to your Personal
tree. You can also add folders (to contain and organize resources) and views (a group of camera
video streams).

Managing Resources
Filtering in the Navigation Panel

You can filter cameras, folders, and views in the NAVIGATION panel by text or by resource type.
To filter the navigation panel by text

1 On the Navigation toolbar, type the filter criteria in the text box.
The System and Personal trees refresh to display only the cameras and views that correspond
to the filter criteria.
2 Click the Clear search field button to remove the filter.
To filter the navigation panel by resource

1 On the Navigation toolbar, click the Filter by Resource Type button.
The Filter dialog box appears.
2 To choose the filter criteria, select the check box corresponding to the resource type.
The System and Personal trees refresh to display only those resources that correspond to the
filter criteria.
3 To remove the filter, open the Filter dialog box and clear the resource check box.
Sorting and Filtering Columns

You can sort and filter data in all column lists displayed on tabs, subtabs, and panels.
Sorting in Columns
You can alphabetically or numerically sort a column list (depending on the content of the list).
To sort in a column
1 Click on a column header to show the Sort icon.

Managing Resources
2 Click the Sort icon to automatically sort the elements in the column list in ascending or
descending alphabetical or numerical order.
Note: Click on the Sort icon again to change the order from ascending to descending or from
descending to ascending.
Filtering in Columns
You can filter device data in a column list to show only specified list values.
To filter in a column
1 Select a column header and click the Filter icon.
The filter dialog box appears.
2 To choose the filter criteria, do one of the following:

• Click one or more check boxes.
• Click the Select all box to select all column elements.
As you select a check box, the column automatically refreshes with the selected criteria.
3 To configure a text filter, click the Show rows with value that drop-down list and select a
filter expression.
4 Enter a filter criteria in the text box.

5 Do one of the following:
• To change the selected filter criteria, click Clear Filter and start a new filter operation.
• To accept the selected filter criteria, click Filter.
The column list displays only those device details that match the specified filter criteria.
Note: To remove all existing filters from a selected list column, open the Filter dialog box and
click Clear Filter, or click the Remove Filter button on the tab toolbar.

Managing Resources
Working with Devices

In the Command Client, you can perform the following actions on device elements:
• "Viewing the System Device Overview" on page 38
• "Changing Device Settings (Live Streaming Buffer)" on page 41
• "Editing Device Addresses" on page 42
Viewing the System Device Overview

When you open a device from the system tree in the workspace, you can view all the cameras added
to the device. The page provides information about the system and the status of each camera.
To view the system device overview

1 In the System tree, select the CRS, NVR or Command Lite.
2 On the Navigation toolbar, click the Open in Tab button.
Tip: You can also drag the recorder icon from the System tree to the Workspace to open a tab.
A System device tab opens in the Workspace. At the top of the page is a table with information
about the status of each camera (connection, recording, and health).
The following table lists the attributes of the cameras connected to the device.
Attribute Description
Name Specifies the name of the camera.

IP/Hostname Specifies the camera’s IP address/hostname.

Managing Resources
Status Specifies the overall status of the camera.

Note: The Status field dynamically updates to show the current activity
of a health issue and is also updated at regular intervals (every five
minutes).
Stream Shows the status of incoming video streams.
Configuration Shows the configuration status of the camera.
Recording Reports the recording status of all channels according their individual
recording schedules.
Channel Data Rate Indicates the amount of incoming data bandwidth.
Data Recording Indicates the amount of data being recorded.
Last 24 Hour A representation of the timeline for the camera in the last 24 hours.
Recordings
3 Below the camera information is information about the system (your CRS, NVR or Command
Lite). To view full details of a field value, move the mouse pointer over the value.
4 Click the Open Recorder Configuration button to access the Command Config interface.
5 Select a camera in the list and click the Open Edge Device Configuration button to access
the Camera Setup page.
Tip: You can also access the Camera Setup page by:
• Right-clicking a camera in the list and clicking Open Edge Device Configuration.
• Right-clicking in a media cell with video (to display the shortcut menu) and clicking Open
Edge Device Configuration.
6 Click the Save the Device Logs on Local System button to download the logs for the
recorder in ZIP format.
Changing the Camera List View in the Device Overview Tab

You can modify the layout of the camera list in the device overview tab.
By default, the camera list tab opens in the Workspace in a Details column format. You can change
the layout of the information displayed in the tab from the details to a list showing the thumbnail
field of view for each camera.

Managing Resources
To change the layout

1 In the system device tab, click the Change View button.
The Change View dialog box appears.
2 Select List to switch to the List view.

The cameras are displayed with thumbnail icons representing their current field of view.
3 Click the Refresh Thumbnail List button to refresh the camera stream thumbnail.

Managing Resources
Changing Device Settings (Live Streaming Buffer)

You can set the duration of the live video streaming buffer for all the video channels on your device.
This buffer controls the trade-off between latency and smoothness, when live video is displayed in
the client. Adding duration to the buffer helps the video remain smooth despite underlying network
fluctuations.
A separate value for PTZ cameras is available, to allow greater control over PTZ camera latency. PTZ
cameras are harder to control when high buffering values are applied, so you may want to apply a
lower buffer duration for your PTZ cameras. The live video from the PTZ cameras may not be as
smooth, but the cameras will be easier to control.
To edit the live streaming buffer

1 In the System tree, select a CRS or an NVR.
Note: Older recording devices may not have this feature enabled.
A device tab opens in the Workspace with the name of the selected device.
3 Click the Device Settings button.

The Device Settings dialog box appears.
4 In the Live Streaming Buffer box, enter the value (in milliseconds) for the duration of the
extra buffering added to live video streams. (This value applies to all non-PTZ cameras.)
5 In the Live Streaming Buffer (PTZ) box, enter the value (in milliseconds) for the duration of
the extra buffering added to live video streams for all PTZ cameras.
6 Click OK.

Managing Resources
Editing Device Addresses

You can configure alternative addresses and ports to access a device (for port forwarding, for
example).
To edit a device address

1 In the System tree, select the CRS, NVR, or Command Lite.
A device tab opens in the Workspace with the name of the selected device.
3 Click the Edit Addresses button.

The Registered Address dialog box appears.
The Registered Address for the device appears at the top of the dialog box, and a list of
address zones appears below it.
There are two types of address zone in the list: Local and User.
• Local: Each device has only one local address zone, defined by the device itself. You cannot
remove this local zone or add a new one. The local zone may have additional addresses
defined. If so, these additional addresses appear when you move the mouse pointer over the
Address field.
You can edit the HTTP Port and the HTTPS Port for the existing local zone by selecting the
local zone in the list. The HTTP Port and the HTTPS Port fields below the list become
available for editing.
• User: These are address zones defined by the user. You can add, edit, and remove User
address zones. For example, you might add a user defined address zone when a public
address and a set of ports is provided by a router as an interface to the device (port
forwarding).

Managing Resources
4 Click the Add Zone button to add a new User address zone to the list.
A new User zone appears in the list, and the fields at the bottom of the list become editable.
5 Enter a Name, Address, HTTP Port, and HTTPS Port in the fields provided.
When a valid address is entered, the Save button at the top left of the dialog box becomes
available.
6 Click the Save button.
Notes:
• To remove a User address zone, select the zone in the list and click the Delete Zone
button.
• To revert any changes you made, click the Cancel Change button.
7 Click Close.
Copying, or Cutting and Pasting Resources

In the Navigation panel, you can copy and paste or cut and paste the following resources: folders,
views, cameras, alarms, switches and talk channels.
You can copy and paste a camera, alarm, switch, or talk channel resource from the System tree to
the Personal tree. (There are no folder or view resources in the System tree.)
Note: You cannot copy any resources from the Personal tree to the System tree.
You can copy and paste OR cut and paste a camera, alarm, switch, talk channel, folder, or view
resource from one level in the Personal tree to another level within the same tree.
Tips:
• You can also drag a resource to a new location in the Personal tree. The resource is copied to
the new location.
• To copy a resource within the same level of the Personal tree, right-click a resource and click
Duplicate.
Note: When you copy a folder resource, all of the folders and resources within it are also copied.
To copy and paste a resource

1 Select a resource in the System or Personal tree.
2 Right-click the resource icon and click Copy.
3 Right-click on a folder in the new location and click Paste.
The resource icon appears in the new location and the old location.

Managing Resources
To cut and paste a resource

1 Select a resource in the Personal tree. (You cannot cut a resource from the System tree.)
2 Right-click the resource icon and click Cut.
3 Right-click on a folder in the new location and click Paste.
The resource icon is removed from the old location and appears in the new location.
Moving Resources in the Personal Tree

In the Navigation panel, you can move a resource from one level in the Personal tree to another level
in the Personal tree. You cannot move resources in the System tree.
Note: When you move a folder resource, all of the folders and resources within it are also moved.
To move a resource
1 Select a resource in the Personal tree.
Note: You cannot move resources in the System tree.
2 Drag the resource icon to a new position within the Personal tree.
The resource icon is moved to the new location.
Deleting Resources from the Personal Tree

You can delete a folder, view, camera, alarm, switch, or talk channel resource from the Personal tree.
You cannot delete resources from the System tree.
To delete a resource
1 In the Personal tree, select the resource you want to delete.
2 On the Navigation toolbar, click the Delete Resource button.
The Delete <Resource> dialog box appears (where <Resource> is the type of resource you are
deleting, for example, Delete Folder).
Tip: You can also right-click the resource and click Delete.
3 Click Yes.
The resource is removed.
Note: When you delete a folder resource, all of the folders and resources within it are also
deleted.

Managing Resources
Renaming Folders and Views in the Personal Tree

In the Personal tree, you can rename folders and views.
Note: You cannot change the name of camera, alarm, switch or talk channel resources. These
names are defined during initial configuration in the Command Recording Server and in the
Command Config application. For more information, see the Command Recording Server User
Guide.
To rename a folder or view

1 In the Personal tree, right-click a folder or view and click Rename.
2 Type a new name and press Enter.
The folder or view in the Personal tree refreshes with the new name. If the folder or view is
open as a tab in the Workspace, the new name is also applied to the tab.
Working with Folders

You can perform the following actions on folder elements:
• "Creating Folders" on page 45
• "Opening Folders in the Workspace" on page 46
Creating Folders
You can create a new folder in the Personal tree or directly in the Workspace.
To create a folder in the NAVIGATION panel

1 In the NAVIGATION panel, click the Personal tree root or an existing folder.
2 On the Navigation toolbar, click the Add Resource button and click Personal Folder.
Tip: You can also right-click a folder and click Add > Personal Folder.
A new folder opens in the tree with the default name New Folder selected.
3 Type a name for the new folder, and press ENTER.

You can now open and manage the folder in the Workspace. For more information, see
"Opening Folders in the Workspace" on page 46.

Managing Resources
To create a folder in the Workspace

1 On the Workspace toolbar, click the Add Resource button.
The Add Resource menu appears.
2 Click Personal Folder.

The Save Resource dialog box appears. The breadcrumb navigation shows the tree location of
the new folder and the default name New Folder is selected.
3 (Optional) To select the folder destination, double-click an existing folder, if possible.

The new folder is created as a sub-folder.
4 Type a name for the new folder, and click Save.
The new folder tab opens in the Workspace and a folder icon appears in the Personal tree.
Opening Folders in the Workspace

You can open an existing folder from the Personal tree as a new tab in the Workspace.
To open a folder in the Workspace

1 In the Personal tree, select a folder.
A folder tab opens in the Workspace with the name of the selected folder.
Tip: You can also select and drag a folder from the NAVIGATION panel to the Workspace
toolbar. This opens the selected folder as a workspace tab.

Managing Resources
3 (Optional) Click the Change View button, and select a new folder layout (List or Details).
Working with Views

You can create views to group the camera streams that are connected to the CRS, 7532 Hybrid NVR,
or Command Lite. For example, you can create a view that contains all cameras monitoring the
entrances and doors.
You can perform the following actions on view resources:
• "Creating Views" on page 47
• "Opening Views in the Workspace" on page 49
• "Changing the Grid Layout in View Tabs" on page 50
Creating Views
You can create a new view in the Personal tree or directly in the Workspace.
A view allows you to save a selected group of camera video streams so that you can quickly open the
view in the Workspace and check the video from the selected cameras again and again.
To create a view in Personal tree

1 In the NAVIGATION panel, click the Personal tree root or an existing folder in the Personal tree.
2 On the Navigation toolbar, click the Add Resource button and click Personal View.
Tip: You can also right-click a folder and click Add > Personal View.
A new view opens in the tree with the default name New View selected.
3 Type a name for the new view and press Enter.

Managing Resources
4 Double-click the name of the new view to open it in the Workspace.

When the new view opens, it is in the default cell grid size (2 x 2) and the media cells are all empty.
5 Your new view now requires camera video streams. In the NAVIGATION panel, select a camera
and drag it into an empty cell.
The camera stream opens in the selected cell.
You can alter the grid size of the view, and add more camera streams to customize the view to
your needs. Once you save the view with the camera streams, you can open it again to see the
same group of camera video streams.
To create a view in the Workspace

1 On the Workspace toolbar, click the Add Resource button.
The Add Resource dialog box appears.
2 Click Personal View.

A New View tab opens in the Workspace in unsaved mode.

Managing Resources
3 On the view toolbar, click the Save As button.

The Save Resource dialog box appears.
The breadcrumb navigation shows the tree location of the new view and the default name New
View is selected.
4 Type a name for the new view and click Save.
The view tab refreshes with the new name in the Workspace, and a view icon appears in the
Personal tree.
5 Your new view now requires camera video streams. In the NAVIGATION panel, select a camera
and drag it into an empty cell.
You can alter the grid size of the view, and add more camera streams to customize the view to
your needs. Once you save the view with the camera streams, you can open it again to see the
same group of camera video streams.
Opening Views in the Workspace

You can open an existing view as a new tab in the Workspace.
To open a view in the Workspace

1 In the Personal tree, select a view.
Tip: You can also double-click the name of the view.

Managing Resources
A view tab opens in the Workspace in a cell grid layout with the name of the selected view. At
the top of each cell is a title bar, a button to set the selected single media cell to full screen size,
a button to change the resolution of the video stream, and a close button.
You can also select and drag a view from the Personal tree to an empty position on the
Workspace toolbar. This opens the selected view as a workspace tab.
Changing the Grid Layout in View Tabs

By default, a new view tab opens in the Workspace in a 2x2 media cell grid layout. You can change
the grid layout to increase or decrease the number of streams you can monitor at one time. You can
choose layouts where all the media cells are the same size, or where there are some media cells
larger than the others.
To change the layout of a view

1 In a view tab, click the Grid Size button.
The Grid Size menu appears.
2 Select a new grid size.

The view refreshes to show the new grid layout.
3 Click the Save View button in the View toolbar to save and apply changes, or click the Save
As button to save a new view in the Personal folder.

Managing Resources
Working with Cameras

Command supports live and archive camera streaming from any device connected to the CRS, 7532
Hybrid NVR, or Command Lite.
You can monitor a camera stream in two ways:
1 To view a stream from one camera only, open the camera in a camera tab. A camera tab occupies
the entire media area in the Workspace and contains a breadcrumb navigation bar.
Note: You can convert a stream tab to a view tab by applying a grid to the media area. For
more information, see "Adjusting Options for Viewing Camera Video Streams" on page 55.
2 To view multiple camera streams as individual cells in a grid layout, open a view tab.
You can perform the following actions on view resources:
• "Opening Camera Streams in Single Tabs" on page 52
• "Changing the Layout of Camera Streams" on page 53
• "Opening Cameras in View Tabs" on page 54
• "Converting Camera Channels to Views" on page 54
• "Adjusting Options for Viewing Camera Video Streams" on page 55
• "Managing Camera Streams in Grid Layouts" on page 55
Camera resources have 4 visual states in Command Client, as described in the following table.
State Description
Camera
Camera - Disconnected
PTZ camera
PTZ camera - Disconnected

Managing Resources
Opening Camera Streams in Single Tabs

You can view a stream from a camera resource in a Stream tab in the Workspace area.
To open a camera in a single tab

1 In the NAVIGATION panel, select a camera.
Tip: You can select multiple cameras by pressing the CTRL or SHIFT keys.
2 Do any of the following:
• Right-click and click Open.
• Drag the camera to the tab bar at the top of the Workspace.
• Double-click the camera.
• Click the Open in Tab button on the Navigation toolbar.
The camera stream tab opens in the Workspace as a single 1 x 1 media cell layout. The cell
border is blue which indicates that the video is live, not pre-recorded. If you selected multiple
cameras, they open in separate tabs.

Managing Resources
Changing the Layout of Camera Streams

You can modify the layout of how you view your camera stream in a camera tab.
To change the layout of a camera stream

1 Open a camera stream in a camera tab.
2 To display the camera stream in full screen, double-click the camera stream or click the Full
Screen button.
When you are in full screen, the timeline and media controls disappear. To access the timeline
and playback functions, hover the mouse pointer over the bottom of the screen so that the
media controls appear.
Click the Show/Hide Timeline button. To return to the original screen layout do one of the
following:
• Double-click the video stream.
• Press ESC.
• Hover the mouse pointer over the top right corner of the screen and click the Full Screen
button again.
3 To show or remove the camera stream name, recording indicator status, and date/time indicator
on the stream media cell title bar, click the Show/Hide Media Cell Title Bars button.
4 To display the frame rate and data rate on the camera stream cell, click the Video Information
button.
5 To change the size of the camera video stream in the media cell so that the video fits the size of
the media cell and no black bars show, click the Stretch Video to Fit button.
6 To close a camera video stream, click the (X) icon that appears in the upper right corner of the
stream or view tab.

Managing Resources
Opening Cameras in View Tabs

You can display a camera stream in the grid layout of a new view tab or an existing view tab.
To open a camera in a view tab

1 Display a view in the Workspace area. For more information, see “Opening Views in the
Workspace” on page 49.
2 In the NAVIGATION panel, select a camera from the System tree or the Personal tree.
3 Drag the camera stream to an empty cell in the view tab.
4 Add additional camera streams to the view, as required.

Note: You can select multiple camera streams by pressing the CTRL or SHIFT keys. If the media
cells are not empty, the new camera streams replace the existing streams.
Converting Camera Channels to Views

You can convert a single camera tab to a grid view tab.
To convert a single camera tab to a view tab

1 Open a camera stream in the Workspace area.
2 Click the Convert Camera Channel to View button.
A dialog box appears.
3 Click Yes to switch to the default 2x2 cell grid layout.

The camera stream is placed in the upper-left media cell of the new view grid.

Managing Resources
Adjusting Options for Viewing Camera Video Streams

You can modify how you view your camera stream in a view tab.
To adjust the options for viewing a camera video stream

1 Open a camera stream in a view.
2 To display the view in full screen, click the Full Screen button in the View toolbar.
Tip: To display a single media cell in full screen from a view, double-click the video stream or
click the Full Screen button in the media cell title bar.
When you are in full screen, the timeline and media controls disappear. To access the timeline
and playback functions, hover the mouse pointer over the bottom of the screen so that the
media controls appear.
Click the Show/Hide Timeline button. To return to the original screen layout do one of the
following:
• Double-click the video stream.
• Press ESC.
• Hover the mouse pointer over the top right corner of the screen and click the Full Screen
button again.
3 To show or remove the camera stream name, recording indicator status, and date/time indicator
on the stream media cell title bar, click the Show/Hide Media Cell Title Bars button in the
View toolbar. This setting is applied to every camera stream in the view.
4 To display the frame rate and data rate on the cameras stream cell, click the Video Information
button in the View toolbar. This setting is applied to every camera stream in the view.
5 To change the size of the camera video stream in the media cell so that the video fits the size of
the media cell and no black bars show, click the Stretch Video to Fit button.
6 To close a view, click the (X) icon that appears in the upper right corner of the view tab.
Managing Camera Streams in Grid Layouts

You can move, copy, and switch the positions of camera cells in the media grid.
To change the position of a camera stream in a grid layout

1 In the camera grid media area, click the video cell title bar of the camera stream you want to
reposition.
• To move a camera to an empty cell, drag the title bar to an empty cell. The stream appears in
the selected cell.
• To copy a camera into a new cell, press and hold the CTRL button and drag the title bar to a
new cell. Both cells have identical camera streams running in them.

Managing Resources
• To switch the cell position of two camera streams, drag the title bar of an existing camera
stream to a different cell with an existing camera. The two camera streams exchange cell
positions in the grid layout.
• To remove a camera stream from a grid layout, click the Clear Video button on the cell
title bar. The cell appears empty.
Decreasing the Number of Media Cells Displayed in Grid Layouts

You can change your grid display from a large number of media cells (such as 6 x 6) to a smaller
number of media cells (such as 2 x 2). When you decrease the media cells in a grid layout, Command
Client selects which media cells to keep in the layout based on the following rules:
• Empty media cells are automatically removed.
• Filled media cells are displayed from the top left to right and continue on the next lines from top
left to bottom right.
Working with Alarm Resources

Important: This section is not applicable for Command Lite systems.
You can perform the following actions on alarm resources:
• "Alarm Resources in the Navigation Panel" on page 56
• "Opening an Alarm Resource to View Associated Camera Video Streams" on page 57
• "Manually Setting Alarm Resources On and Off" on page 59
Alarm Resources in the Navigation Panel

Alarms are represented in the NAVIGATION panel as resources associated with the CRS or the 7532
Hybrid NVR. You can open the alarm to view the associated camera video streams in an alarm view
tab (if there are associated cameras), you can manually set the alarm to on or off, and you can copy
the alarm from the System tree to the Personal tree.
Alarm resources have 3 visual states in the Command Client Navigation panel, as described in the
following table.

Managing Resources
Note: Alarms can also be in the disabled state, but disabled alarms are not shown in the Navigation
panel, only in the Alarms panel (see “Alarm Overview” on page 97).
State Description
On — The alarm is in the triggered state.
Off — The alarm is not in the triggered state.
Cut — The alarm has been physically disconnected. This may indicate a problem.
Note: The alarm resource icons in the NAVIGATION panel show when an alarm has been set up on a
recorder. The alarm resource icons do not show active alarm instances, they only show the current
status of the alarm (On, Off, or Cut). When an alarm is triggered and becomes active, an instance of
the alarm appears in the ALARMS panel. For more information, see "Viewing Active Alarms" on
page 98.
Opening an Alarm Resource to View Associated Camera Video Streams

You can open an alarm resource from the NAVIGATION panel to view any camera video streams
that have been associated with that alarm.
Note: If no cameras are associated to the alarm, an empty Alarm View tab with the default cell
grid size (2 x 2) opens.
To open an alarm view

1 In the NAVIGATION panel, select an alarm.
Tip: You can select multiple alarms by pressing the CTRL or SHIFT keys.
• Right-click and click Open.
• Drag the alarm to the tab bar at the top of the Workspace.
• Double-click the alarm.

Managing Resources
• Click the Open in Tab button on the Navigation toolbar.

An Alarm View tab opens in the workspace.
When you open an alarm view from the NAVIGATION panel, any available video is live. The
timeline shows the previous hour by default.
Red shading on the timeline indicates where an instance of the alarm occurred (if the alarm has
been triggered recently).
Note: When the timeline scale is too large and/or a large number of alarm entries exists,
multiple alarms are indicated by red striping.
When you hover your mouse pointer over the red shading on the timeline, Command Client
displays the start date and time, the end date and time, and the number of alarm instances.
Single Alarm Instance
Multiple Alarm Instance
You can resize the timeline to show only the segment where the alarm instances occurred, as
described in “Resizing the Alarm Segment” on page 100.
3 With the exception of saving the alarm view, you can manage the video in an alarm view the
same way as you would an ordinary view.
For more information on managing video, see "Viewing Camera Video Streams" on page 64.

Managing Resources
Manually Setting Alarm Resources On and Off

If the alarm has been configured to allow it, you can manually set an alarm resource in the
NAVIGATION panel to On or Off. This allows you to test the alarm effectiveness, or to override the
alarm state if desired.
Important: You can only set alarms with the Allow Manual Use check box selected in the
Command Config interface.
To manually set an alarm to on or off

1 In the NAVIGATION panel, right-click an alarm resource to open its menu.
2 Click Set Alarm On or Set Alarm Off, depending on your desired result and the current state
of the alarm.
The alarm icon changes to indicate its new status.
If the alarm was Off and you set it to On, a new entry for the alarm appears in the ALARMS
panel. For more information, see "Viewing Active Alarms" on page 98.

Managing Resources
Working with Switch Resources

A switch resource allows you to control external switches connected to supported servers and IP
edge devices. You can view and control switch resources from CRSs. The CRS hosts available switch
resources from “on board” switches, supported extension boards, and connected IP edge devices.
Switches are represented in the Navigation panel as resources associated with a CRS or recorder. If
the switch has been configured to allow manual use (in the Command Config application), you can
set it to on or off, and you can copy the switch from the System tree to the Personal tree.
Switch resources have 5 visual states in Command Client, as described in the following table.
State Description
On Auto
Switch is set to On, in auto mode. Auto mode means that the switch is triggered in
response to a schedule or an event.
Off Auto
Switch is set to Off, in auto mode. Auto mode means that the switch is triggered in
response to a schedule or an event.
On Manual
Switch is set to On, in manual mode. Manual mode means that a user has manually
turned the switch on.
Off Manual
Switch is set to Off, in manual mode. Manual mode means that a user has manually
turned the switch off.
Disconnected
Switch is not available. The disconnected state raises a health alert.
Note: The switch resource icons in the Navigation panel show when a switch has been set up on a
device such as a a CRS or a recorder. The switch resource icons show the current status of the switch.
Disabled switches do not show in the Navigation panel.

Managing Resources
Manually Setting Switch Resources On or Off

If the switch has been configured to allow it, you can manually set a switch resource in the
Navigation panel to On or Off. This allows you to test the switch effectiveness, or to override the
switch state.
Note: The switch must be configured to allow manual use in the Command Config application (see
the Command Recording Server User Guide). When configured for manual use, switches can be
manually turned on and off in the Command Config application and the Command Client
application by different users. For example, user A can turn a switch on in Command Config, and
user B can turn the same switch off in Command Client.
To manually set a switch to on or off

1 In the Navigation panel, right-click a switch resource to open its menu.
2 Click Set Switch On or Set Switch Off (depending on your desired result and the current state of
the switch).
3 The switch icon changes to indicate its new status.
Resetting Switches to Auto Mode

If the switch has been manually turned on or off, you can reset the switch back to auto mode.
Auto mode allows the status of the switch to be controlled by automatic schedules or events
associated with the switch. The switch can be reset to auto mode even if there are no schedules or
events currently associated to it.
To reset a switch
1 In the Navigation panel, right-click a switch resource in manual mode to open its menu.
2 Click Switch Reset.

The switch icon changes to indicate its new auto mode state.

Managing Resources
Working with Talk Channel Resources

A talk channel resource (audio output) allows you to send audio from a microphone connected to a
the computer where your Command Client is installed, to an output connected to speakers on a 7532
NVR or supported cameras connected to a CRS or a 7532 NVR. You can view and control the talk
channel resources from the Command Client.
Note: Talk channel resources are only supported on a Windows system (not Mac OS X).
Talk channels are represented in the Navigation panel as resources associated with:
• a 7532 NVR (each 7532 NVR has two talk channels)
• a CRS with an audio output board installed
• a camera that supports audio output connected to a CRS or a 7532 NVR
You can set the talk channel on or off, and you can copy it from the System tree to the Personal tree.
Talk channel resources have 5 visual states in Command Client, as described in the following table.
State Description
On
Talk channel is active. When any talk channel is on, a Turn Off All Talk Channels button/
indicator appears at the top of the interface beside the Health Alerts and Alarms Total
Count buttons. When you click the button to turn off all talk channels, the button/indicator
disappears, indicating that no talk channels are on.
You can talk into a microphone connected to the computer where Command Client is installed,
and the audio is transmitted to speakers attached to a supported device (a 7532 NVR or a
supported camera connected to a CRS or a 7532 NVR).
Note: A talk channel is automatically released (turned off) after a certain number of minutes,
set in the preferences (see "Setting Command Client Preferences" on page 17).
Off
Talk channel is available, but not active.
Busy
Talk channel is busy (in use by another Command Client application).
Disconnected
Talk channel is disconnected and not available for use.
Disabled
Talk channel is disabled as there is no audio capture device (microphone) available on the
computer where Command Client is installed.
Note: Command uses the operating system’s default audio recording device.

Managing Resources
Manually Turn Talk Channel Resources On or Off

If the talk channel is not in the busy state, you can manually turn on a talk channel resource in the
Navigation panel. This allows you to talk into a microphone attached to the Command Client
computer so that other users hear you through speakers connected to a supported device (a 7532
NVR or a supported camera connected to a CRS or a 7532 NVR).
When you are finished talking, you can turn the talk channel off.
To manually turn a talk channel on or off

1 In the Navigation panel, right-click a talk channel resource to open its menu.
You can use the CTRL or SHIFT key to select multiple talk channels and turn them all on or off.
2 Click Set Talk Channel On or Set Talk Channel Off (depending on your desired result and the
current state of the talk channel).
Note: You can also double-click the talk channel resource icon to turn it on and off.
3 The talk channel icon changes to indicate its new status.
Note: If you have the talk channels open in a workspace folder, you can also right-click to access
the menu and turn one or more channels on and off (or double-click).
To manually turn all talk channels off

1 When one or more talk channels are on, a Turn Off All Talk Channels button/indicator
appears at the top of the interface beside the Health Alerts and Alarms Total Count buttons.
2 Click the Turn Off All Talk Channels button to turn off all the talk channels.
The Turn Off All Talk Channels button disappears.

Chapter 5
Viewing Camera Video Streams

This chapter describes how to access and view camera video streams. It contains the following topics:
• “Opening a Camera Video Stream in a Single Tab” on page 65
• “Opening a Camera Video Stream in a View Tab” on page 66
• “Identifying Live or Archive (Pre-Recorded) Camera Video” on page 67
• “Recording and Playback Indicators” on page 68
• “Synchronizing Video” on page 69
• “Instant Replay Options” on page 71
• “Adjusting Video Sharpness, Brightness, and Contrast” on page 71
• “Configuring and Displaying Text Overlay” on page 72
• “Zooming In on a Camera” on page 74
• “Controlling PTZ Cameras” on page 77
• “Showing Perimeter Views” on page 81
• “Changing the Resolution of Camera Streams” on page 83

Overview
Command Client allows you to view live video of the cameras added to a Command Recording
Server, a 7532 Hybrid NVR, or Command Lite.
In Command Client, you can view one live camera stream in a single tab layout or multiple live streams
displayed in a grid layout (view tab). For more information, see “Opening a Camera Video Stream in a
Single Tab” on page 65 and “Opening a Camera Video Stream in a View Tab” on page 66.
Command Client also supports PTZ camera functionality. You can control the camera’s movement
(including zoom and pan features) by “on screen point and click” actions, send pre-defined custom
preset views to the camera, and launch PTZ tours (a series of saved pan, tilt, and zoom movements).
Important: Depending on your individual access rights, you may not be able to view all of the functionality
documented in this chapter. An identification certificate, included on a USB token or smartcard, may be
required to access the video archive. For more information, see the documentation for your recording platform.
Identification certificates are not supported on Command Lite.
Opening a Camera Video Stream in a Single Tab

You can view a stream from a camera in a single camera tab in the Workspace.
To open a camera stream in a single tab

1 In the NAVIGATION panel, select a camera.
Tip: You can select multiple cameras by pressing the CTRL key.
• On the Navigation toolbar, click the Open in Tab button.
• Right-click the camera and click Open.
• Drag the camera to an empty position on the Workspace toolbar.
The camera stream opens in the Workspace as a single 1 x 1 media cell layout. The cell border is blue
which indicates live video. If you selected multiple cameras, they are opened as separate tabs.

Opening a Camera Video Stream in a View Tab

You can display a camera video stream in a grid layout in either a new view tab or an existing view
tab. You can also drag multiple cameras into an existing view tab.
To open a camera in a new view tab

1 Create a new view tab and open it in the Workspace in the default 2 x 2 cell grid layout.
For more information, see "Creating Views" on page 47.
2 In the NAVIGATION panel, select a camera and drag it into a media cell.
Note: If the cell already contains a camera, the new camera stream replaces the previous
camera.
To open a camera in an existing view tab

1 In the NAVIGATION panel, open a view containing one or more camera streams in the
Workspace.
For more information, see "Opening Views in the Workspace" on page 100.
The view appears as a view tab with the camera stream displayed in a media cell grid layout.
2 You can change the grid layout. For more information, see "Changing the Grid Layout in View
Tabs" on page 101.
Note: You can drag a single cameras from the NAVIGATION panel to a cell in an existing view in
the Workspace.
To drag multiple cameras into an existing view tab

1 In the NAVIGATION panel, select multiple cameras within the same Navigation tree.

2 Do either of the following:

• Drag the selected cameras into an empty media cell.
The new cameras appear in the empty cells but do not replace existing camera streams. If there
are more cameras dragged into the grid layout than empty cells available, the extra cameras are
dropped and an error message appears indicating that some camera streams are not displayed.
• Drag the selected cameras into a filled media cell.

The filled media cell and the following cells (filled or empty) are replaced with the selected cameras.
Identifying Live or Archive (Pre-Recorded) Camera Video

When you open a camera stream in a camera tab or view a grid tab in the Media area, you can
determine the type of video you are viewing by the color of the cell border.
Blue Border - Live Video

If the grid cell is selected and the media cell border is blue, you are viewing live video.
Orange Border - Archive (Pre-recorded) Video

If the grid cell is selected and the media cell border is orange, you are viewing archive (pre-recorded)
video playback.
Important: Viewing archive recording does not automatically export and save the footage locally.
The data shown is streamed from the device and is still subject to the storage retention of the
recorder. To save the video locally, see“Exporting Recorded Video Evidence” on page 90.

Recording and Playback Indicators

Symbols on the media cell title bar indicate whether the video is in recording or playback mode. A
red circle indicates recording, and an orange triangle indicates playback.
Recording Indicator
The Recording indicator (red circle) on the media cell title bar is a live recording indicator and
always shows the current time, as indicated on your local PC. A red circle means that the recording
device (camera) is currently recording. It is important to note that the indicator is visible only if the
display is showing live video. The indicator is shown when the device is currently recording.
Recording Indicator
Example
There are two cameras in your system: Front Door and Parking Lot. In the Command Config
application, you have configured a specific daily recording schedule for each camera. The Front Door
camera records from 08.00 hours to 17.00 hours and the Parking Lot camera records from 17.00
hours to 08.00 hours.
If you open both cameras in a cell grid at 16.30 hours local time, you see the following:
• The Recording indicator on the Front Door cell title bar. This shows because you were currently
viewing live video (with a blue border). This indicates that the camera is in recording mode at
the present timestamp, as indicated on your local PC. If you continued to monitor the camera,
you see the Recording indicator disappear from the media cell title bar at 17.00 hours, which is
after the camera’s scheduled recording period.
• The Recording indicator does not appear on the Parking Lot cell title bar because the camera
was not scheduled to record at 16.30 hours. If you continue to monitor the camera, you see the
Recording indicator appear on the cell title bar at 17.00 hours, which is the start of the camera’s
scheduled recording period.

Playback Indicator
The Playback indicator (orange play symbol) on the media cell title shows that the Command
Client is currently playing back recorded evidence for that camera. The indicator changes to
reflect the current playback state (such as whether the playback is paused or in fast-forward
mode).
Playback Indicator
Audio Indicator
The Audio indicator on the camera icon displayed on the media cell title means that the selected
camera has an enabled input audio channel.
Audio Audio
Indictor Slider
To modify the audio volume or mute the channel, click the Adjust Volume button on the
timeline toolbar. You can use the Audio slider to modify the volume or click the button below
the slider to mute the channel.
Synchronizing Video
Using the Command Client, you can synchronize the video of multiple cameras. This is useful if you
have adjusted video from one camera, and want to play video from the same starting point for all
cameras simultaneously.
To synchronize the video for multiple cameras

1 In a view tab, select the video media cell that you want to synchronize the rest of the media cells
with. The cell that you select is the one with the time that you want all the other cells to reflect.
2 Click the Synchronize Grid button.
All video in the video media cells automatically moves to the play position of the selected video
media cell. If the selected media cell is live, all cells go to live video, if the selected cell is playing

archive video, all cells go to the archive time in the selected media cell. For example, all media
cells in the following screen shot are synchronized to show video from December 19 at 13:43:46.
The video in the media cells may take a few seconds to completely synchronize.
Note: If you are synchronizing archived video, and there is a gap in video from one of the
cameras (video was not recorded at that time) the cell displays the video in sepia tone to indicate
that video is not available (the text “waiting...” is also displayed over the video). Video returns to
normal appearance when recorded video is available again.
3 When the cells are all synchronized (the Synchronize Grid button appears selected to indicate
synchronization), you can control the video in all the cells by:
• Clicking any of the buttons on the Play toolbar (see “Play Toolbar” on page 30)
• Using the instant replay menu options (see "Instant Replay Options" on page 71)
• Clicking on the timeline to reposition all the videos (see "Using the Timeline to Search for
Video" on page 86)
For example, If you click the Jump Back 10 Seconds button, all the videos jump back 10
seconds. If you click the Play Backwards button, all the videos play in reverse.
4 Click the Synchronize Grid button again to release the video media cells from synchronization.

Instant Replay Options

There is a button on the Play toolbar that allows you to jump back 10 seconds (see "Play Toolbar" on
page 30). You can also use the instant replay menu as a shortcut to jump back and replay 20 seconds,
one minute, or five minutes of video.
To instantly replay video

1 In a media cell with video, right-click to display the shortcut menu.
2 Select Instant Replay, then select from the options:
• Jump Back 20 seconds
• Jump Back 1 minute
• Jump Back 5 minutes
The video jumps back for the selected time interval, and you can review the selected replay. If
the video is in live mode, it switches to playback mode.
Adjusting Video Sharpness, Brightness, and Contrast

Command Client allows you to instantly adjust the sharpness, brightness, and contrast of the video
picture. These settings are local and are applied to the Command Client and Command Config
interfaces, but not to the recorder or the cameras.
Note: Changes to these settings are not permanent. When you close the video stream (in a single
camera stream or in a view), the sharpness, brightness, and contrast return to their default values.
To adjust the video settings

1 With video open, click the Video Enhancements button.
The Video Enhancements menu appears.
2 Move the sliders for delicate modifications to the image Sharpness, Brightness, and Contrast
levels.
The modifications are instantly applied to the image.

3 Click outside the Video Enhancements menu to close it.

Tip: To reset sharpness, brightness, and contrast to the default values, click the Reset button.
(When you close the video stream, the effects are automatically reset to their default values.)
Configuring and Displaying Text Overlay

Command Client allows you to display and configure superimposed text from external devices such
as barcode readers, POS, and ATM teller machines.
The text overlay is configurable to best suit your needs. You can change the size and placement of
the text area, the font size, and how long the text stays in the media cell.
Note: By default, if text overlay is available, it appears. You can choose to hide it.
To configure and display text overlay

1 Open a camera stream with text overlay enabled or select it inside a view.
2 To configure the text area, click the Text Area Settings button on the tab toolbar.
The Text Area indicator appears on the image.
3 To move the text area, do the following:

• Place the mouse pointer in the center of the area.

• Click and drag the area to a new location.
4 To resize the text area, do the following:

• Place the mouse pointer over one of the borders or edges, until it becomes a double-edged
arrow.
• With your mouse pointer over the arrow, click and drag to resize the area.
5 To configure the text size and the text display time, click the Text Overlay Options button.
The Text Overlay Options menu appears.
6 In the Font Size section, click an available option to configure the superimposed text size.
The Text Area font in the upper left of the rectangle changes to show you the new size.

7 In the Display Time section, select one of the following options:

• Keep Until Next: The superimposed text is displayed on the image until a new text string is
sent to the camera.
• Keep for: The superimposed text is displayed on the image for the amount of seconds
specified in the text box, regardless of new strings sent to the camera.
8 You can apply the settings from one media cell to the entire grid. This includes the size of the
text area, its position, the font size, and the display time.
a Repeat steps 5-7 to configure the text size and the text display time.
b Click the Apply to Grid button. A dialog box appears, asking if you want to apply the
settings to the whole grid.
c Click Yes.
9 To save and apply changes, do one of the following:
• For a view, click the Save View button in the View toolbar to save and apply changes, or
click the Save As button to save a new view in the Personal folder.
• For a single camera, click the Save As button to save the camera as a 1x1 view in the
Personal folder.
Note: Changes to the text insertion area cannot be saved in the System folder.
10 To temporarily hide the superimposed text on the video cell, right-click the video cell and
deselect the Show Text Area button.
Zooming In on a Camera
You can use Command Client’s built-in digital zooming capabilities to zoom in on an object within
the camera’s field of view.
You can also set a default zoom level and picture position for a camera stream or view. This allows
you to save zoomed views. For example, you can save a 2x2 View grid with same camera video
stream in all four cells zoomed on different portions of the video picture.
WARNING: Zooming in digitally results in a loss of video definition.
To zoom in on video
1 With video open, ensure that the Digital Zoom button on the Media toolbar is selected to
enable digital zooming.
To enable digital zooming on a video stream in a view, click a media cell in the grid, then ensure
that the Digital Zoom button on the Media toolbar is selected.
Note: Digital Zoom is enabled by default unless the camera is a PTZ camera.

2 Click the Select Area To Zoom button.

3 To select the area you want to zoom in on, click and drag.
Command Client zooms to the selected area.
Original Image
Zoomed Area
4 To zoom in and out, roll the mouse wheel up and down.

Note: Since the area you are zooming in on is just a portion of the camera’s field of view, you
can adjust the area of interest by doing one of the following:
• Click the Move Zoom Area button, hold the left mouse button down on the image and
move the mouse to navigate within the image. Press the SHIFT button to toggle to the
Select Area To Zoom mode.
• Hold the left mouse button down on the image, press the SHIFT button and move the mouse
to navigate within the image.
• Click once on the image to center the image again.
The mouse moves the image’s field of view, similar to a PTZ camera.

5 To view the level of zoom in the media cell, move the mouse pointer over the Zoom icon at
the top of the media cell. The text displays the exact level of zoom.
6 To automatically zoom in on the image to view a portion of the image with its actual resolution,
click the Real Image Size button.
To set the default zoom level

1 Use the Digital Zoom button, the Select Area to Zoom button and the Move Zoom Area
button to set the level of zoom and the area of the picture that you want to zoom in on, as
described in the procedure above ("To zoom in on video" on page 74).
2 To set the level of zoom as the default, in the media cell with the zoom level you want, right-
click to display the shortcut menu.
3 Select Zoom Level -> Set Current as Default.
The zoom level and the area of the picture that are currently in the media cell are set as the
default.
4 To save your default zoom level settings, click Save in the camera stream or view.
5 To restore your default zoom level after it has been altered, select Zoom Level -> Restore
Default from the shortcut menu.

Controlling PTZ Cameras

You can use the built-in software controls to adjust the field of view of a PTZ camera or to move to a
preset view of a particular location.
Note: Before you can control a PTZ camera, you must configure it using the Command Config
application. For more information, see the Command Recording Server User Guide, available from
the March Networks Partner Portal.
Adjusting the field of view for PTZ Cameras

You can use the software controls and the mouse pointer to move a PTZ camera’s field of view. You
can also use the software controls to make the camera zoom in and out, open and close the iris,
change the focus to near or far, and lock the PTZ controls so that other users cannot control the
camera.
Note: Not all PTZ cameras support all of these features.
To control a PTZ camera

1 Open a PTZ camera stream.
A PTZ camera is shown with a PTZ Camera icon in the NAVIGATION panel.
Tip: To control a PTZ camera in a View, click the media cell with the PTZ camera video stream in
the grid.
2 Move the mouse pointer over the image and hold the left mouse button down.
The pointer changes shape.

3 To move the camera, hold the left mouse button down and move the mouse. The pointer
changes to an arrow.
The PTZ camera point of view follows the mouse movement and speed and the Controlling PTZ
icon appears on the media cell title toolbar.
Note: You cannot move a PTZ camera if another user is controlling it and the PTZ in Use
icon appears on the media cell title bar, unless you have a higher PTZ priority than the other
user. PTZ priority is configured in the user profiles in the Command Config application. For more
information, see the Command Recording Server User Guide, available from the March Networks
Partner Portal.
4 To access PTZ controls, click the PTZ Control button.
The PTZ controls toolbar appears.
5 To zoom in or out using optical zoom, roll the mouse wheel up and down, or click the Zoom In
and the Zoom Out buttons on the PTZ control toolbar.
Tip: In addition to moving the camera’s field of view, you can also zoom in to an area of interest
using the integrated digital zooming functionality. For more information, see “Zooming In on a
Camera” on page 74.
6 To modify the aperture of the camera’s diaphragm (iris), click the Open Iris and the Close
Iris buttons, if supported by the camera.
7 Click the Far Focus and the Near Focus buttons to set the focus on the image, if
supported by the camera.
8 To lock the camera so that other users cannot control it, even when you are not moving the
camera, click the PTZ Lock button.
The lock remains active for a default period of 5 seconds.
Note: The default time period for the lock can be changed using Command Config.
When you click the PTZ Lock button, other users see the Not Authorized icon.
Note: If another user has a higher PTZ priority than you, they can gain control of the PTZ
camera even if you have clicked the PTZ Lock button. PTZ priority is configured in the user
profiles in Command Config.
For more information on Command Config, see the Command Recording Server User Guide,
available from the March Networks Partner Portal.

Moving a PTZ Camera to a Preset View

You can use the software controls to move a PTZ camera to a preset view. Preset views are a
combination of a camera’s position, optical zoom, and focus. The settings are saved on the camera so
that you can instantly send the camera back to a specific view.
Preset views are set using the Command Config application. For more information on Command
Config and setting up preset views, see the see the Command Recording Server User Guide, available for
download from the March Networks Partner Portal.
To move a PTZ camera to a preset view

1 To select a preset view (configured in the Command Config tool), click the PTZ Presets
button.
The PTZ Presets panel opens.
If preferred presets have been set up in Command Config, they are available for selection from
the panel
2 Either select a preset view number from the panel and click Go, or click a preferred preset.
Note: You mark a preset as preferred in Command Config. For more information, see the
Command Recording Server User Guide.
The PTZ camera moves toward the preset view.
Note: The PTZ Lock button does not stop the camera after it has been set to move to a preset
view, even if the user who clicks the PTZ Lock button has a higher PTZ priority than the user
who initiates the move to preset view.

Moving a PTZ Camera on a Tour

You can use the software controls to move a PTZ camera on a tour. A tour allows you to quickly
monitor various different areas of a scene with one camera.
Tours are set up using the Command Config application. You can set up two types of tour on
Command Config:
• Camera tour: A series of pan, tilt, and zoom movements that are recorded and saved on the
camera so that they can be instantly launched.
• Preset tour: A sequence of configured preset views that are saved on the CRS or NVR so that they
can be instantly launched. The sequence moves to the next view within a configured time interval.
For more information on Command Config and setting up tours, see the see the Command Recording
Server User Guide, available for download from the March Networks Partner Portal.
To move a PTZ camera on a tour

1 To select a tour (configured in the Command Config tool), click the PTZ Tours button.
The PTZ Tours panel opens.
You can select a tour number from the list. This list contains camera tours (a series of pan, tilt,
and zoom movements).
Depending on how the tours have been configured in Command Config, there may also be
camera tours marked as favorites and preset tours (a sequence of preset views) available from
quick launch buttons.
Quick launch buttons
2 Either select a tour number from the list and click Go, or select a quick launch tour button.
The PTZ camera moves on the tour.
Note: The PTZ Lock button does not stop the camera after it has been set to move on a tour,
even if the user who clicks the PTZ Lock button has a higher PTZ priority than the user who
initiates the tour.
To stop a tour
User actions such as moving the PTZ camera, clicking a PTZ preset view button, or launching a new
tour all cause the current tour to stop. Any tour can be stopped not only by the user that launched
the tour, but also by other system users with PTZ rights on the camera, by simply moving the PTZ
camera, clicking a PTZ preset view button, or launching a new tour.

Showing Perimeter Views

Certain virtual PTZ cameras support perimeter views. When you select the perimeter option, the
view changes to show either one or two 180 degree views, depending on where the camera is
mounted.
If the camera is mounted vertically, with the lens pointing up or down (for example, on the ceiling),
the perimeter option shows two 180 degree views. The two views together show the full 360 degree
view around the camera.
If the camera is mounted horizontally, with the lens pointing to the side (for example, on a wall), the
perimeter option shows one 180 degree view. This view shows the scene in front of the lens.
For more information on configuring supported cameras, see the Command Recording Server
Configuration Guide, available for download from the March Networks Partner Portal.
Note: The virtual PTZ effect is obtained by using cameras that mount specific enhanced lenses. For
more information, consult the documentation accompanying your camera.
To show a perimeter view

1 On a media cell with an image from a camera that supports perimeter views, right-click to
display the shortcut menu.

2 Select Enable Perimeter View.

The Command Client shows the perimeter view or views of the area.
If the camera is mounted vertically, with the lens pointing up or down (for example, on the
ceiling), it shows two 180 degree views, that together form the entire 360 degree view around
the camera.
Camera Mounted Vertically (in this case, lens pointing up):
180° view on one

side of the camera
180° view on other

side of the camera
If the camera is mounted horizontally, with the lens pointing to the side (for example, on a wall),
it shows one 180 degree view, that shows the scene in front of the camera.
Camera Mounted Horizontally (lens pointing to the side):
180° view in front

of the camera

Changing the Resolution of Camera Streams

You can change the resolution of a live camera stream, if the encoding profile is correctly configured
on the recorder. The encoding profile is configured in the Command Config interface.
To change the resolution of a camera stream

1 Open a camera stream in a camera view or tab.
2 On the stream media cell title bar, click the Change Resolution button.
The Change Resolution menu appears.
3 Select High, Medium, or Low to change the camera stream to the corresponding resolution.
The new resolution is applied to the selected cell.
Changing the Resolution of Camera Streams in View Tabs

You can change the resolution of every camera stream in a view, if the encoding profile is
configured on the recorder. The encoding profile is configured in the Command Config interface.
To change the resolution of camera streams in a view tab

1 Open a view.
2 On the View toolbar, click the Change Resolution button.
The Change Resolution menu appears.
3 Select a resolution for every camera stream, if available.

This resolution applies to live video only.
You can also change the resolution of a single camera stream in the view. For more information,
see “Changing the Resolution of Camera Streams” on page 83.
When you select a different resolution for one of the camera streams in a grid view (so that not
all camera streams in the view have the same resolution), the overall resolution of the grid view
displays Custom in the Change Resolution menu on the view toolbar.

Chapter 6
Managing Recorded Video Evidence

This chapter describes how to access, view and export recorded evidence (archive media).
Important: Depending on your individual access rights, you may not be able to view all of the functionality
documented in this chapter. An identification certificate, included on a USB token or smartcard, may be
required to access the video archive. For more information, see the documentation for your recording platform.
Identification certificates are not supported on Command Lite.
• “Viewing the Most Recent Recorded Evidence” on page 85
• “Searching for Video Evidence” on page 85
• “Using the Timeline to Search for Video” on page 86
• “Using Thumbnail Images to Search for Video” on page 88
• “Using the Date and Time to Search for Video” on page 89
• “Exporting Recorded Video Evidence” on page 90
• “Saving Snapshots of Video Cells” on page 94
• “Monitoring the System Health Status” on page 95

Overview
There are two ways you can view recorded evidence:
• View the most recent recorded evidence. For more information, see “Viewing the Most Recent
Recorded Evidence” on page 85.
• Search for recorded evidence. For more information, see “Searching for Video Evidence” on
page 85.
After locating the video evidence, you can play it using controls located on the Play toolbar. For
more information, see "Play Toolbar" on page 30.
Viewing the Most Recent Recorded Evidence

You can view the last recorded evidence by using the Play toolbar to select the recording sector you
want to access.
To view the most recent recorded evidence

1 Open a camera stream or select it inside a view.
Note: The playback controls (Play, Pause, Go to Start buttons) are enabled if the camera
recording is available.
2 (Optional) On the Media toolbar, click the Sector control and select the recording sector
you want to access.
Note: If there is only one recording sector available for the camera, this control is unavailable.
3 Click the Play button.
The video starts playing from the beginning of the last recorded file.
4 Adjust the playback controls as required. For more information, see "Play Toolbar" on page 30.
Searching for Video Evidence

By default, the timeline only shows the last hour of available video. You can move backward and
forward to view the video recorded before and after the camera opened.
To locate recorded evidence, you can search using different methods:
• Timeline search. The timeline shows where recorded evidence exists. Click within the timeline
to go to a specific time and date of interest. See “Using the Timeline to Search for Video” on
page 86.
• Thumbnail Search. Display and click one of the video thumbnails to go to a specific time and
date of interest. See “Using Thumbnail Images to Search for Video” on page 88.
• Date and time search. Search for evidence based on the date and time the evidence was
captured. See “Using the Date and Time to Search for Video” on page 89.

Using the Timeline to Search for Video

When you perform a visual search, you select the playback starting point by clicking on the timeline
or by displaying and clicking the video thumbnails. By using the Visual Finder, you can easily select
the timeline scale in a few clicks. The timeline and the Visual Finder are interactive tools that
automatically update each other when a time period is selected.
Note: If an identification certificate is required to access video archive, the timeline is empty until
the USB token/smartcard containing the certificate is plugged into the client.
To use the timeline to search for video

you want to access.
3 To display the timeline, click the Show/Hide Timeline button.
The timeline, the Visual Finder, and the timeline buttons appear.
Timeline
Visual Finder
The timeline is shaded in blue to indicate where recorded video exists. Where the timeline is
grey, no recorded video exists.
The Visual Finder is a bar with a scale.
The timeline and the visual finder alter their appearance to show minutes, hours, days, months
or years, depending on how they are configured using the Timeline Scale buttons.
4 To change the timeline scale on the Visual Finder, do one of the following:
• Click the up or down arrows next to the Timeline Scale button to change the scale’s
unit of measure from minutes (smallest unit) to years (largest unit).
The timeline scale units are: minute, hour, day, month, and year.
• Click the Timeline Scale button to display the timeline slider, and select the timeline
scale’s unit by moving the cursor on the slider. Click the Timeline Scale button again to
hide the slider.

5 Click on the Visual Finder and click a single time cell or drag left or right to select a time period.
The timeline is automatically updated to show the selected time period.
6 To adjust the time period, do any of the following:

• To refine the timeline scale, hover the mouse pointer over the lower part of the timeline.
When the cursor changes to a hand, move the mouse wheel up and down.
• To move the timeline to the required position, click the Timeline Scroll Left and
Timeline Scroll Right buttons.
Tip: You can also click on the lower part of the timeline. The cursor changes to a hand and
you can drag the timeline left or right as required.
• Click on the upper part of the timeline, drag the cursor left or right to select the time period
and click the Refine button to automatically update the timeline and the Visual Finder.
• To undo the last action performed on the timeline and return to the previous time period,
click the Previous Scale button.
7 To select the start time, click the desired start time on the timeline.
The Playback cursor appears.
Tip: To see the current video timestamp of the indicator, hover over the playback cursor. To
refine the search, double-click to open the Timeline Find panel.

The video starts playing from the selected timestamp.
9 Adjust the playback controls as required.

Using Thumbnail Images to Search for Video

The Command Client can display thumbnail versions of video to help you search for specific incidents
or a specific time frame in your video.
To use thumbnail images to search for video

2 (Optional) On the Media toolbar, click Sector and select the recording sector.
3 Click the Show/Hide Timeline button to display the timeline.
The timeline appears.
4 Click the Show/Hide Thumbnails button to display the video thumbnails.
The thumbnails appear over the timeline. Each thumbnail represents a different time position.
When you hover your mouse pointer over the thumbnails, two of the thumbnails are
highlighted in blue and enlarged so that you can see the detail in the pictures. Each enlarged
thumbnail displays the date and time at the bottom. An orange line appears on the timeline to
indicate the time frame of the enlarged thumbnails.
5 If you single-click on a thumbnail, the playback cursor moves to the beginning of the time frame
for that thumbnail.
If the video is in live mode, no playback occurs. You can click the play button to start playback.
If the video is in playback mode, the video is refreshed and plays from the new position on the timeline.

6 If you double-click on a thumbnail, the timeline scale refreshes to display the time frame of the
two enlarged (highlighted in blue) thumbnails.
For more information, see "Play Toolbar" on page 30.
Using the Date and Time to Search for Video

The date and time search allows you to manually specify the playback starting point.
To perform a date and time search

you want to access.
3 To display the timeline, click the Show/Hide Timeline button.
4 Click the Timeline Find button.

The Timeline Find panel opens.
5 In the date and time fields, type or select the playback start date and time.
Tip: Click the Calendar button to open the calendar and select a date.
6 Click Find.
The playback cursor moves to the selected timestamp on the timeline.
The video starts playing from the selected date and time.
For more information, see "Play Toolbar" on page 30.

Exporting Recorded Video Evidence

Using the Command Client, you can export video evidence to your local computer or to removable
media in a video file.
Note: To specify the destination folder for the archived video evidence, see “Setting the Command
Client Plug-in Options” on page 19.
To export recorded video evidence

1 Perform a search to determine the start point for the exported video (see “Searching for Video
Evidence” on page 85). You can export video from a single tab with video from one camera, or
from a view tab, with video from multiple cameras. If you are exporting from a view tab, you can
choose which cameras you want to export video from.
2 (Optional) You can click on the upper part of the timeline and drag the cursor left or right to
select the end point for the exported video.
Tip: You do not have to use the timeline - you can set the start and end point for the exported
video after you click the Export Video button.
The portion of the bar that you select appears in a different shade of blue.
Tip: To clear the selection, right-click on the blue portion of the bar, and select Clear.
3 On the Timeline toolbar, click the Export Video button.
The Export dialog box appears. If you are exporting from a single tab, only one camera appears
in the Export dialog box. If you are exporting from a view tab, all cameras in the tab appear in
the list at the top of the Export dialog box.
4 In the list at the top, select the camera or cameras you want to export video from.
Note: By default, the file name uses the following format: Camera-Rec.IP Address-Clip Start
Date.Time - Clip End Date.Time.

5 Modify the Start and End time, as required.
This is the start and end time of the video you are exporting. When you export from multiple
cameras, all the videos have the same start and end time. The Interval field shows the length of
the video with the selected start and end times.
6 In the Format section:
a Select a Codec type for your exported video from the drop-down list.
• MP4: This is a universal format which can be played anywhere, but it is slower to export
(the media is transcoded to H264/AAC, then copied to an MP4 container).
• Multicodec (AVI): This format is only available for a Windows system, but it is faster to
export (the media is copied directly to an AVI container). To export or play this format, you
must have the March Networks MultiCodec installed (this codec is installed with
SiteManager or available for download from the March Networks Partner Portal web page).
b Select from Auto, Landscape, or Portrait.
• The Auto option retains the aspect ratio and resolution of the original video stream. The
Resolution field is set to Auto Detect and cannot be edited.
• The Landscape option allows you to alter the Resolution field. A Resolution drop-
down list appears with a list of aspect ratios in landscape format.
• The Portrait option allows you to alter the Resolution field. A Resolution drop-down
list appears with a list of aspect ratios in portrait format
c (Optional) Select the Downscale video... check box to automatically downscale the video
resolution to a resolution equal or lower than full HD, depending on the aspect ratio. This is
useful to view the exported video on media players that are not able to play back multi-
megapixel videos.
d If you have selected the Landscape or Portrait option, select the video Resolution from the list.
Note: You must select a resolution in the same format (for example, 16x9 or 3x4) as the
original camera to prevent the video from being stretched.
e (Optional) From the Bitrate (kb/s) list, select a bitrate for the video.
This determines the size and quality of the video. A video with a higher bitrate (for example,
2048 kb/s) is better quality than a lower bitrate video (for example, 256 kb/s) but the higher
bitrate video will be a much larger file.
The bitrate is a target that assumes a frame rate of 30 ips (images per second). If the video
was recorded at a lower frame rate, the bitrate of the exported video will also be lower.
Note: In extreme cases, when the bitrate you request is either much greater or much less
than the bitrate of the video when it was recorded, the exported video may not be able to
reach the target you set. For example, if the bitrate target you set is very high (8192 kb/s),
but the bitrate when the video was recorded was very low (64 kb/s), there is not enough data
in the recorded video for the system to produce exported video of the bitrate you requested.
The video will be exported at the maximum bitrate that the system is able to produce under
the circumstances.
f (Optional) If you want to include text overlay with the exported video (if available, see
“Configuring and Displaying Text Overlay” on page 72), select the Add text data to
exported video check box.

7 In the Destination section, select from:

• The exported video destination folder (set in the Plug-in options, see “Setting the Command
Client Plug-in Options” on page 19).
• Removable Media: If you select this option, a drop-down menu allows you to select the
destination device (USB stick or a USB external disk) to save the video on. I
Note: You cannot export to Removable Media on a Mac OS X platform.

8 Click Export.
The video is saved in the file format determined by the codec you selected (for example, MP4).
The file is displayed in the EXPORT panel in the Dashboard. The Status column shows the
progress of the export. If you are exporting videos from multiple cameras, the progress of each
video file is shown.
Tip: To stop the export process while it is still in progress, click the Cancel Export Video
button.
9 After the video clip is saved on your computer, click the Close Export Video button to
remove the entry from the Dashboard.
Note: Entries in the EXPORT panel are cleared when you log out of Command Client.
Verifying Exported Video Evidence

After you export a recorded video file, a March Networks seal is placed on the file.
You can verify the seal is in place and the exported video has not been tampered with using the
Command Authentication Tool, which is available with the software accompanying your product or
available for download from the March Networks Partner Portal web page.
To verify the exported video evidence

1 Depending on whether you are using the install CD or you are downloading the Tool from the
Partner Portal, either:
• Insert your Command Software CD into the server’s CD-ROM drive and when the Command
Installer appears, on the Software page, click Command Authentication Tool.
Note: If the installer does not automatically appear, double-click the Command.exe file on
the CD.

• Download the CommandAuthenticationTool.exe file from the March Networks Partner

Portal web page and double-click the file to open it.
The Installer Language dialog box appears.
2 Select a language and click OK.

The Command Authentication Tool Setup Wizard appears.
3 Follow the installation wizard prompts to install the application.
4 When the software has finished installing, from your computer’s Start menu, click All Programs
> March Networks > Command Authentication Tool.
The Authentication Tool appears.
5 Click Open and browse to select the exported video file from the video destination folder.
The file appears in the File field and the Verification field indicates the status of the file.
The status of the file can be one of the following:
• Verifying (Authentication in progress)
• Successful
• Failed: Seal Tampered
• Failed: Seal Missing
The following graphic shows the Authentication Tool with a video file that has been successfully
verified.

Saving Snapshots of Video Cells

In Command Client, you can take a screen capture of an image in one video cell and save it as a
snapshot on your local computer.
Note: To specify the destination folder for the snapshot, see “Setting the Command Client Plug-in
Options” on page 19.
To save a snapshot of a video cell

2 On the Media toolbar, click the Take Snapshot button.
The Take Snapshot dialog box appears.
3 In the Snapshot Name box, type a descriptive name for the image.
Note: By default, the file name uses the following format: Camera Name-Recording Device IP
Address-Image Date.Time.
4 If you want to include text overlay with the exported video (if available, see “Configuring and
Displaying Text Overlay” on page 72), select the Add text data to exported video check box.
5 In the Destination section, select from:
• The snapshot destination folder (set in the Plug-in options, see “Setting the Command Client
Plug-in Options” on page 19).
• Removable Media: If you select this option, a drop-down menu allows you to select the
destination device (USB stick or a USB external disk) to save the image on.
Note: You cannot export to Removable Media on a Mac OS X platform.
6 Click Save.
The image is saved in a JPG file format in the destination you specified. Command Client
automatically adds a superimposed timestamp on the bottom right-side of the image.

Monitoring the System Health Status

The HEALTH panel allows you to monitor the system status for your recorder and to directly access
the Command Config interface to solve issues. Command Client can automatically notify you if
cameras added to the recorder become disconnected or if recording has failed on one or more
cameras through the Health Alerts button on the Main Toolbar.
Indicates that there are no active health alerts.
Indicates that there are active health alerts (connection and/or recording issues). When you
move your mouse pointer over the button, the number of active health alerts displays in
the following format: Health Alerts: Total Count # (Active: #, Resolved: #).
To manage the system health alerts

1 Click the Health Alerts button on the Main Toolbar.
The HEALTH panel opens in the Dashboard area. The Active icon in the Status column
indicates that there is at least one unresolved issue.
2 Select an alert from the list to investigate.
3 Click the Open Recorder Configuration button to configure the device in the Command
Config application.
After the issue is resolved, the Resolved icon appears in the Status column of the alert.
4 Click the Close Alert button to clear the entry.

Chapter 7
Monitoring Alarms
Important: This chapter is not applicable for Command Lite systems.
This chapter describes how to monitor the alarms configured on a CRS or an NVR. You can view
active alarms, or archived (resolved and closed) alarms.
Note: Only users with the Read Alarms right can view active alarms on the ALARMS panel, search
for alarms on the Alarm History panel, and view alarms on the timeline.
• “Alarm Overview” on page 97
• “Viewing Active Alarms” on page 98
• “Viewing Associated Camera Resources for Active Alarms” on page 99
• “Acknowledging Alarms” on page 101
• “Searching for Archived Alarms in the Alarm History Tab” on page 102
• “Viewing Associated Camera Resources for Archived Alarms” on page 103

Monitoring Alarms
Alarm Overview
The Alarms button on the Main toolbar displays the total number of active alarms on the system:
Indicates that there are no active alarms.
Indicates that there are active alarms. When you move your mouse pointer over the
button, the number of active alarms displays in the following format:
Alarms: Total Count # (On: #, Off: #, Cut: #, Disabled: #).
The ALARMS panel provides a visual representation of the active alarms (alarms that have been
triggered) on the CRS or the NVR, regardless of their current connection status. By default, the
alarms are ordered in descending time in a list view. As new alarms are detected by the system, they
are added to the top of the list.
The ALARMS panel displays a total of 1000 active alarm entries. If there are more than 1000 active
alarms, the oldest alarm entries are not shown to make room for the most recent entries. When you
acknowledge some of the alarms in the panel (removing them), the older alarms are shown in the
ALARMS panel again.
Note: The ALARMS panel only shows active alarms that have been triggered. If you want to view all
the alarm resources that have been set up on the CRS or NVR, you can view the alarm resource icons
in the NAVIGATION panel. The NAVIGATION panel shows all the alarm resources and their current
status: On, Off, or Cut (the NAVIGATION panel does not show disabled alarms).
ALARMS Panel Attributes

The following table lists the attributes displayed in the ALARMS panel.
Status The status of the alarm: On, Off, Cut, or Disabled.

On — The alarm is in the triggered state.
Off — The alarm is not in the triggered state.
Cut — The alarm has been physically disconnected. This may indicate a problem.
Disabled — The alarm has been deliberately disabled by a user.
Note: The Status field dynamically updates to show the current activity of an alarm.
Name The name of the alarm.

Monitoring Alarms
Device The name of the device on which the alarm occurred.

Note: To view the full path of the device in the NAVIGATION panel, move the mouse
pointer over the device name field.
IP/Hostname The IP /hostname of the recorder on which the alarm occurred.
First The date and time when this alarm was first triggered (turned On).
Occurrence
Last The date and time when this alarm was last triggered (turned On).
Occurrence
Alarm Count The number of times the alarm has been triggered (instances of the alarm turning On)
from the First Occurrence to the Last Occurrence.
Note: After an alarm is acknowledged and removed from the ALARMS Panel the
count is reset. If the same alarm is triggered again, the instance count starts at
one.
Alarm Type This attribute is available on Command Enterprise only.
Viewing Active Alarms

You can use the ALARMS panel to manage active alarms.
To manage active alarms

1 On the Main toolbar, click the Alarms button.
The ALARMS panel opens in the Dashboard area.

• To scan the list of alarms, drag the scroll bar.
• To filter the ALARMS panel, click the Filter icon on a column header and choose your
filter criteria. For more information, see "Monitoring the System Health Status" on page 95.
3 From the ALARMS panel, you can manage the active alarms. See the following sections for more
information on:
• “Viewing Associated Camera Resources for Active Alarms” on page 99
• “Acknowledging Alarms” on page 101
• “Searching for Archived Alarms in the Alarm History Tab” on page 102
• “Viewing Associated Camera Resources for Archived Alarms” on page 103

Monitoring Alarms
Viewing Associated Camera Resources for Active Alarms

You can use the ALARMS panel to open a view tab of cameras that are associated to an active
alarm. This allows you to view any video associated with the alarm instance. The Alarm View is
exactly like a view that you create to monitor a group of devices.
Note: If no cameras are associated to the alarm, an empty Alarm View tab with the default cell grid
size (2 x 2) opens.
Associated Camera Changes for Active Alarms

The cameras associated to an alarm can change. If the alarm is from a CRS, the camera association
can be changed manually or a schedule may dictate different camera associations at different times.
If the alarm has an entry in the ALARMS panel when the camera associations change, and the alarm
is triggered (Alarm On) before and after the change, the Alarm View shows the associated camera
views from before the change and after the change. This ensures that you can always view the
camera that was associated with each occurrence of an alarm.
To view associated cameras for active alarms

1 In the ALARMS panel, select the alarm that you want to open resources for.
2 Right-click the alarm to open the alarm menu and select Open Associated Resources.
Note: Alternatively, you can also double-click the selected alarm.
An Alarm View tab opens.
When you open an alarm view from the ALARMS panel, any available video is live. The timeline
shows all occurrences of the alarm (from first occurrence to last occurrence) by default.
Red shading on the timeline indicates where an instance of the alarm occurred.

Monitoring Alarms
When you hover your mouse pointer over the red shading on the timeline, Command Client
displays the start date and time, the end date and time, and the number of alarm instances.
Single alarm instance
Multiple alarm instance
Note: If you add a camera to an alarm view opened from the ALARMS panel, the camera stream
it shows is live video from the timeline of the alarm.
For more information on managing video, see "Viewing Camera Video Streams" on page 64.
Resizing the Alarm Segment

In the timeline of an alarm view, you can quickly resize the timeline to see only the segment where
alarm instances occurred.
To resize an alarm segment

1 Open an alarm view from one of the three available areas:
• From the alarm source in the NAVIGATION panel - see "Opening an Alarm Resource to View
Associated Camera Video Streams" on page 57
• From the ALARMS panel - see "Viewing Associated Camera Resources for Active Alarms" on
page 99
• From the Alarm History tab - see “Viewing Associated Camera Resources for Archived
Alarms” on page 103
Depending on where you open the alarm view from, the associated video can be live or archive
video. If there are occurrences of the alarm shown on the timeline (red shading), you can resize
the timeline to show only the time when the alarm was active.
2 When you move and hold your mouse pointer over the red shading on the timeline, the shading
is highlighted (the instance count is also displayed).
Not highlighted:
Highlighted:

Monitoring Alarms
3 When the shading is highlighted, right-click to show the menu and select Resize to fit Alarm
Segment.
The timeline is resized to show only the segment where the alarm instances occurred.
Acknowledging Alarms
You can use the ALARMS panel to acknowledge alarms. When you acknowledge an alarm, you are
indicating that you are finished with it, and it is removed from the list in the ALARMS panel. An
acknowledged alarm moves to the Alarm History panel.
You can add a text note when you acknowledge an alarm if you choose. This note is stored with the
alarm in the Alarm History panel and allows you to keep a more detailed history of your alarm
instances.
To acknowledge an alarm
1 In the ALARMS panel, select the alarm that you want to acknowledge.
Note: Acknowledging the alarm removes it from the ALARMS panel for every user connected
to the recorder through the Command Client interface.
2 To acknowledge the alarm without adding a text note do any of the following:
• Click the Acknowledge Alarm button.
• Right-click the alarm and select Acknowledge Alarm.
Note: When an alarm is acknowledged it is removed from the ALARMS panel and appears on
the Alarm History tab. For more information, see "Searching for Archived Alarms in the Alarm
History Tab" on page 102.
To acknowledge an alarm with a text note

1 In the ALARMS panel, select the alarm that you want to acknowledge.
• Click the Acknowledge Alarm with Notes button.

Monitoring Alarms
• Right-click the alarm and select Acknowledge Alarm with Notes.

The Acknowledge Alarm dialog box appears.
3 Enter text into the box provided.

4 Click OK.
The alarm is removed from the ALARMS panel and appears on the Alarm History tab with the
text note you just added.
Searching for Archived Alarms in the Alarm History Tab

All acknowledged alarms are available in the Alarm History tab, available by clicking the Open Alarm
History button on the ALARMS panel. You perform a search to display alarms in the tab based on a
specified timeframe or search criteria.
Note: The alarm history is retained for a maximum of 365 days. Alarms older than 365 days are
automatically purged by Command.
The Alarm History tab displays a total of 1000 archive alarm entries. If your search produces more
than 1000 results, refine your search parameters.
The Alarm History tab allows you to search for archived alarms. You can search based on a list of
available timeframes or enter specific dates and times.
To search for an archived alarm

1 On the ALARMS panel, click the Open Alarm History button.
The Alarm History tab opens.
2 To specify the time frame of the alarms you want to view, click the Select a Historical
Timeframe button on the Alarm History toolbar.

Monitoring Alarms
3 Select a time period from the menu.
The Alarm History tab refreshes to display the selected criteria.
The Acknowledge date/time, the First Occurrence date/time, and the Last Occurrence date/
time are all included when Command performs this quick search. If any one of the dates is in the
time period, the alarm is found and returned by the search.
For example, if an alarm has an Acknowledge date/time that is out of the time period, but the
Last Occurrence date/time is in the time period, the alarm is found and returned.
Note: The Acknowledge Note section at the bottom of the alarm history tab shows a text
note associated to the selected alarm, if a note was added when the alarm was acknowledged. If
multiple alarms are selected or if the alarm does not have a note, this section is empty.
4 (Optional) If you want to search for alarms within a specific time interval, enter the date and
time information in the From and To fields and click the Search button.
The Alarm History tab refreshes to display the selected criteria.
Viewing Associated Camera Resources for Archived Alarms

You can open a view tab of resources (camera video streams) that are associated to an archived
alarm by selecting an alarm in the Alarm History tab and then clicking the Open Associated
Resources button.
The Alarm View is exactly like a view that you create to monitor a group of devices, but you cannot
save an alarm view.
Note: If no cameras are associated to the alarm, an empty Alarm View tab with the default cell grid
size (2 x 2) opens.

Monitoring Alarms
To view associated camera resources for archived alarms

1 In the Alarm History tab, select the alarm that you want to open resources for.
2 Click the Open Associated Resources button on the Alarm History toolbar.
Note: You can also double-click the selected alarm.
An Alarm View tab opens.
When you open an alarm view from the Alarm History tab, any associated video is archive video
(pre-recorded), not live. The timeline shows all occurrences of the alarm (from first occurrence to
last occurrence) by default.
Red shading on the timeline indicates where an instance of the alarm occurred.
When you move your mouse pointer over the red shading on the timeline, Command displays
the start date and time, the end date and time, and the number of alarm instances.
Single Alarm Instance
Multiple Alarm Instance
Note: If you add a camera to an alarm view opened from the Alarm History tab, the camera
stream it shows is archive video from the timeline of the alarm.
For more information on managing archived video evidence, see "Managing Recorded Video
Evidence" on page 84.

Glossary
Command Client
The browser-based interface that allows you to review and export recorded video evidence, and to
view video from cameras connected to a Command Recording Server, a Command Lite system, or a
7532 Hybrid NVR.
CRS
Command Recording Server. The recording component of Command Enterprise. A CRS supports the
recording, storage, retrieval, and management of video evidence. Evidence is streamed to the CRS by
IP cameras, encoders, and NVRs using a network connection.
Dashboard
Located at the bottom of the Command Client interface, the dashboard contains three panels with
health, alarm, and export information.
DVR
Digital Video Recorder. Devices that capture, retain, and stream audio, video, and text data from
peripherals (such as analog cameras) directly connected to the device.
Main Toolbar
Located at the top of the Command Client interface, the main toolbar displays the user interface
buttons (such as About, Open Preferences).
Navigation Panel
Located on the left of the Command Client interface, under the Main toolbar, the Navigation Panel
allows you to manage devices, folders, views, camera streams, and alarms.

Glossary
NVR
Network Video Recorder. Devices that capture, retain, and stream audio, video, and text data from
connected peripherals on the network.
PTZ
Pan, Tilt, Zoom. A PTZ camera is a closed-circuit television camera with remote directional, zoom,
and, optionally, focus and iris control.
Workspace
Located on the right of the Command Client interface, under the Main toolbar, the appearance of
the workspace depends on the folders you have open in it. The workspace is where you view camera
video streams and details of the system.

Company Overview
March Networks®, an independent subsidiary of Infinova®, is a leading provider of intelligent IP
video solutions. For more than a decade, the company has helped some of the world’s largest
commercial and government organizations transition from traditional CCTV to advanced surveillance
technologies used for security, loss prevention, risk mitigation, and operational efficiency. Its highly
scalable and easy to use Command™ video management platform incorporates a web-based client
interface to enable rapid system deployment and complete system control. It is complemented by
the company’s portfolio of high-definition IP cameras, encoders, video analytics and hybrid
recorders, as well as outstanding professional and managed services. March Networks systems are
delivered through an extensive distribution and partner network in more than 50 countries. For
more information, please visit www.marchnetworks.com.
Our Commitment to a Green Tomorrow

March Networks takes pride in its commitment to social responsibility and environmental
sustainability. Our employees, suppliers and valued partners are passionate about designing
environmentally friendly solutions for our customers and minimizing the company’s carbon
footprint.
We embrace environmental sustainability as part of our overall strategy and business values with
multiple initiatives to ensure that we do our part to create a cleaner, healthier environment for
future generations. The steps we have taken affect all aspects of our organization and involve our
senior management team, employees, suppliers, partners and customers. You can receive further
details at:
Company General: http://www.marchnetworks.com/resources/default.aspx?id=81
Product Specific: http://www.marchnetworks.com/Files/RoHS-WEEE_Compliance_EN_06-10.pdf
Customer Support and Assistance

North America
Telephone – 1 613 591 1441
Toll Free (US & Canada) – 1 800 472 0116
Fax – 1 613 591 1858
E-mail – techsupport@marchnetworks.com
EMEA
Telephone – +39 0362 17935 extension 3 (CET)
Fax – +39 0362 17935 90
E-mail – emeatechsupport@marchnetworks.com
APAC
For former March Networks Products:
Telephone – 1 613 591 1441: Fax – 1 613 591 1858
E-mail – techsupport@marchnetworks.com
For former Cieffe Products and VMS
Telephone – +39 0362 17935 extension 3 (CET); Fax – +39 0362 17935 90
E-mail – emeatechsupport@marchnetworks.com

March Networks Command Client 1.6: User Guide

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Command Client 1.6

Chapter 2: Accessing Command Client........................................ 13

Chapter 3: Understanding the Command Client

Chapter 4: Managing Resources .................................................. 34

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 3

Copying, or Cutting and Pasting Resources............................................................................43

Chapter 5: Viewing Camera Video Streams ................................ 64

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 4

Chapter 6: Managing Recorded Video Evidence......................... 84

Chapter 7: Monitoring Alarms ..................................................... 96

Glossary ...................................................................................... 105

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 5

Welcome to the Command Client

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 6

Command Client Plug-In

Other Available Publications

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 7

Command Solution Diagram

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 8

Command Professional and Command Lite Solution Diagram

Command Professional and Command Lite Component Legend

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 9

Command Enterprise Solution Diagram

Command Enterprise Component Legend

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 10

Components of the Command Solution

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 11

Command Config Command Config is a browser-based server administration client for

March Networks Networked Video Recorder, powered by Command Professional:

(Optional) SiteManager is Command’s thick-client software option for video management

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 12

Accessing Command Client

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 13

Accessing Command Client

Installing the Command Client Plug-in and Certificate

To install the Command Client Plug-in and Certificate

2 On the login page, one of the following prompts appears:

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 14

The Command Client Plug-in icon appears in the taskbar.

To start the Command Client

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 15

The Client Login page appears.

2 Enter a User Name and Password.

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 16

Setting Command Client Preferences

To view the software version information

To set Command Client preferences

To set your preferences, you can:

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 17

Saving Log Files

To save client log files

To save device log files

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 18

Setting the Command Client Plug-in Options

To configure the Command Client Plug-in options

2 Click the Settings tab.

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 19

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 20

Understanding the Command Client

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 21

Navigation Panel Main toolbar Workspace

Command Client 1.6 User Guide 22