SNR Playback Viewer SNR Version 1.9.7

User Manual SNR Playback Viewer SNR Version 1.9.7 Modular Network Video Recorder

Note: To ensure proper operation, please read this manual thoroughly before using the product and retain the information for future reference. Copyright 2013 Siqura B.V. All rights reserved. SNR Playback Viewer 1.9.7 User Manual v8 (110203-9) AIT55MW10 Nothing from this publication may be copied, translated, reproduced, and/or published by means of printing, photocopying, or by any other means without the prior written permission of Siqura. Siqura reserves the right to modify specifications stated in this manual. Brand names Any brand names mentioned in this manual are registered trademarks of their respective owners. Liability Siqura accepts no liability for claims from third parties arising from improper use other than that stated in this manual. Although considerable care has been taken to ensure a correct and suitably comprehensive description of all relevant product components, this manual may nonetheless contain errors and inaccuracies. We invite you to offer your suggestions and comments by email via t.writing@tkhsecurity.com. Your feedback will help us to further improve our documentation. More information If you have any comments or queries concerning any aspect related to the product, do not hesitate to contact: Siqura B.V. Zuidelijk Halfrond 4 2801 DD Gouda The Netherlands General : +31 182 592 333 Fax : +31 182 592 123 E-mail : sales.nl@tkhsecurity.com WWW : www.siqura.com Page 2

Contents 1 ABOUT THIS MANUAL... 5 2 DISCOVERING SNR PLAYBACK VIEWER... 7 2.1 STARTING SNR PLAYBACK VIEWER... 7 2.2 LOGGING IN... 8 2.3 USER INTERFACE... 9 2.3.1 Customising the user interface... 10 3 WORKING WITH THE VIEWPORTS... 11 3.1 MAKING CONNECTIONS... 11 3.2 DIGITAL ZOOM... 12 3.3 VIEWPORT TITLE BAR... 14 3.4 VIEWPORT CONTEXT MENU... 15 3.4.1 Video Settings... 16 4 WORKING WITH THE SEARCH PANE... 19 4.1 SEARCH PANE LAYOUT... 19 4.2 SEARCHING FOR EVENT RECORDINGS... 20 4.3 SEARCHING FOR PROTECTED RECORDINGS... 21 4.4 CAMERA LIST... 22 5 WORKING WITH THE CONTROL PANE... 23 5.1 RETRIEVING RECORDINGS WITH THE TRACK BAR... 23 5.2 USING THE PLAYBACK CONTROLS... 24 6 PRESERVING RECORDINGS FOR FUTURE USE... 27 6.1 EXPORTING RECORDINGS... 28 6.2 BURNING RECORDINGS TO CD OR DVD... 31 6.3 MEDIA EXPORT VALIDATION... 32 6.4 PROTECTING RECORDINGS... 33 Page 3

C h a p t e r 1 1 About This Manual Document scope This manual applies to version 1.9.7 of SNR Playback Viewer, the video playback application that is supplied with Siqura Network Recorder. It offers detailed information on: Utilising the video playback interface Searching, retrieving, viewing, and exporting recordings For information on how to use SNR Live Viewer or how to configure Siqura Network Recorder, consult the relevant manual. Intended audience This manual is aimed at operators and administrators working with Siqura Network Recorder. Assumed skills and know-how This manual assumes the following knowledge and skills. Basic keyboard and mouse skills Basic knowledge of computers Working with basic graphical user interface elements Basic understanding of camera technologies Specifications The information given in this manual was current when published. Siqura reserves the right to revise and improve its products. All specifications are subject to change without notice. Important information Before proceeding, please read and observe all instructions and warnings in this manual. Retain this manual with the original bill of sale for future reference and, if necessary, warranty service. When unpacking your product, check for missing or damaged items. If any item is missing, or if damage is evident, do not install or operate this product. Contact your supplier for assistance. We like to hear from you! At Siqura, customer satisfaction is our first priority. We welcome and value your opinion about our products and services. Should you detect errors or inaccuracies in this manual, we would be grateful if you would inform us. We invite you to offer your suggestions and comments by email via t.writing@tkhsecurity.com. Your feedback will help us to further improve our documentation. Page 5

SNR Playback Viewer Typographical conventions Before you start using this guide, it is important to understand the typographical conventions used in the documentation. The following kinds of formatting in the text identify special information. Formatting convention Numbered list Special Bold Emphasis CAPITALS KEY+KEY Type of Information Step-by-step procedures. You can follow these instructions to complete a specific task. Items you must select, such as menu options, command buttons, or items in a list. Used to emphasize the importance of a point or for variable expressions such as parameters. Names of keys on the keyboard. for example, SHIFT, CTRL, or ALT. Key combinations for which the user must press and hold down one key and then press another, for example, CTRL+P, or ALT+F4. Page 6

C h a p t e r 2 2 Discovering SNR Playback Viewer This chapter describes how to start SNR Playback Viewer and presents a tour of the user interface. In This Chapter Starting SNR Playback Viewer... 7 Logging In... 8 User Interface... 9 2.1 Starting SNR Playback Viewer SNR Playback Viewer can be started by any of the following actions. Double-click the SNR Playback Viewer shortcut on your Windows desktop On the Windows Start menu, point to All Programs, select Siqura Network Recorder, and then select SNR Playback Viewer. SNR Playback Viewer shortcut Page 7

SNR Playback Viewer 2.2 Logging In To work with SNR Playback Viewer, users must log on to the SNR Configuration Server service. SNR Playback Viewer login box (Advanced button pressed) To log in 1. Enter your user name and password (supplied by your system administrator). 2. If the Configuration Server is running on a non-default computer, press Advanced to expand the login box, and then supply the name or IP address of the server running the Configuration Server. If in doubt, consult your system administrator. 3. Click Login. On successful login, SNR Playback Viewer starts up. Page 8

Discovering SNR Playback Viewer 2.3 User Interface When the splash screen fades out, SNR Playback Viewer is fully operational. The viewports are blank initially, until the user makes one or more connections. For more information, see Making Connections (on page 11). SNR Playback Viewer user interface The following elements make up the SNR Playback Viewer user interface. Element Standard toolbar Viewports pane Search pane Control pane Description Collection of buttons under the title bar enabling the user to exit SNR Playback Viewer, hide window panes, access the Snapshots folder, select a Viewports pane layout, and open the 'About' dialog box. Up to 4 video displays in selectable layouts for viewing recorded video. Playback of video streams in the viewports is synchronised if the streams originate from one recorder. Enables users to search for event-triggered recordings and protected recordings, and provides access to the Camera list. This pane is made up of the Track Bar and the Media Control toolbar. The Track Bar presents a temporal overview of recordings playing in the viewports and makes it possible to specify a segment or swiftly navigate through the recordings. The Media Control toolbar has buttons for playback control, exporting and protecting recordings, audio volume, and date and time setting for video playback. Page 9

SNR Playback Viewer 2.3.1 Customising the user interface The Standard toolbar at the top of SNR Playback Viewer allows you to select a Viewports pane layout, hide panes, access the Snapshots folder, open the 'About' dialog box, and exit the program. Standard toolbar This Button Shortcut Does This ALT + F4 Closes SNR Playback Viewer. ALT + T ALT + L Opens/closes a separate window for the Search pane. Expands/restores the other panes. Hides/shows the Search pane. Expands/restores the other panes. ALT + B ALT + F Hides/shows the Control pane. Expands/restores the Viewports pane. Opens the folder in which snapshots are saved. Default location: Windows XP %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Siqura\Playback Viewer\Footage Windows 7 %PROGRAMDATA\Siqura\Playback Viewer\Footage Applies the associated layout to the Viewports pane Opens the 'About' dialog box with information about SNR Playback Viewer and hyperlinks to Support and the Siqura Web site Page 10

C h a p t e r 3 3 Working with the Viewports SNR Playback Viewer can display up to four recorded streams at a time in its viewports. Layouts for the Viewports pane can be selected using the Standard toolbar (see "Customising the user interface" on page 10). This chapter describes how to get the best picture in each viewport for your particular application. In This Chapter Making Connections... 11 Digital Zoom... 12 Viewport Title Bar... 14 Viewport Context Menu... 15 3.1 Making Connections To view recorded video in a viewport, a connection must be established. To establish a connection using the standard Windows drag-and-drop method 1. In the Search pane, select the camera you wish to monitor. 2. Drag the camera to the Viewports pane. A grey rectangular outline and plus (+) symbol appear on the pointer as you move the camera over a viewport. A circle with a line through it appears if the connection cannot be made. 3. Drop the camera on the viewport in which you wish to display recorded video from this source. A connection attempt is started. Pointer during drag-and-drop operation When a valid connection is established, recorded video from the selected camera appears in the viewport. The camera name is displayed in the title bar of the viewport and the Track Bar, where the recording is also represented temporally. Failed connections are reported by means of a warning. Page 11

SNR Playback Viewer 3.2 Digital Zoom In Digital Zoom mode you can zoom in on the image in a viewport. This is especially useful for megapixel cameras since it allows you to use the available resolution optimally. When zoomed in, you can pan and tilt the image within the viewport. To enter digital zoom mode In the view panel, press the Digital zoom mode button. The icon on the button changes and the Zoom to true pixel button appears. Digital zoom button Digital zoom mode icon and Zoom to true pixel button To zoom in/out on an image In Digital Zoom mode, position the pointer on the viewport, and then turn the scroll wheel on your mouse. An icon in the viewport displays the zoom direction. You zoom in or out on the image each notch the scroll wheel is turned. Digital zoom mode; zooming in on video in viewport Page 12

Working with the Viewports To pan or tilt the image within the viewport In Digital Zoom mode, position the pointer on the viewport, press the left mouse button, and then drag the pointer left or right for panning, up or down for tilting. The pointer icon in the viewport changes according to the pan/tilt direction. Digital zoom mode; panning image within viewport True pixel With video images displayed at a high resolution (D1 or megapixel, for example) in a small viewport, it may be convenient to zoom the images to true pixel and then pan/tilt the image within the viewport to observe particular details. To set a viewport to true pixel display 1. Enter Digital Zoom mode. 2. In the view panel, press the Zoom to true pixel button. Digital zoom mode; image zoomed to true pixel Note: Snapshots of a viewport in digital zoom mode will return the full picture. Page 13

SNR Playback Viewer 3.3 Viewport Title Bar The title bar, located at the top of the viewport, has the following items. Viewport title bar Item Digital zoom button Camera name Time display Snapshot button Description Opens digital zoom mode Identifies the camera from which the images were recorded Shows the time of recording Takes a snapshot of the image in the viewport and saves this to the configured storage folder. Default location: Windows XP %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Siqura\Playback Viewer\Footage Windows 7 %PROGRAMDATA\Siqura\Playback Viewer\Footage Page 14

Working with the Viewports 3.4 Viewport Context Menu Right-clicking a viewport opens the viewport context menu which can be used to adjust settings for that viewport. Viewport context menu This Option Disconnect Select Profile Video Settings Panning Export Video Protect Video Does This Closes the connection between the viewport and the recording Opens a submenu which can be used to select a recording type for playback in the viewport. Options: Background Recording, Motion Recording, Event Recording, and Custom Recording. Only profiles which have been set for the specific camera can be selected. Opens a submenu with options for tailoring a particular stream to your image requirements, including, but not limited to, deinterlacing and aspect ratio adjustment options. For more information, see Video Settings (on page 16). Opens a submenu with options which enable you to horizontally or vertically shift the recorded image within the viewport to show parts not shown in the display area (the video image is centred in the viewport by default). Opens the Export Video dialog box which enables you to export recordings to a designated location. For more information, see Exporting Recordings (on page 28). Opens the Protect Video dialog box which allows you to protect video on Siqura Network Recorder from regularly scheduled deletion. For more information, see Protecting Recordings (on page 33). Page 15

SNR Playback Viewer 3.4.1 Video Settings Right-click a viewport to access the Video Settings menu. The table below describes the options. Option Deinterlacing Description PAL and NTSC devices stream an interlaced signal. To improve the viewing quality of streaming video on a computer monitor, the signal should be deinterlaced. The optimal deinterlacing method depends on the actual video content. Overscan None Safe area (10%) Overscan set by default for PAL and NTSC has the video image exceed the size of the viewport. This prevents undefined areas from appearing at the edges of the video 20% picture. The overscan percentage, set to Safe area (10%) by default, determines the border area of video that is cropped. 30% Decoding mode Improving video picture quality, video stream latency, and smoothness is subject to trade-offs. Many aspects of picture and stream quality are governed by a number of compression and signal parameters, which may work favourably on one aspect while adversely affecting another. Please consult appropriate literature on MPEG-4/MJPEG/H.264 video streams and applications for a more thorough explanation. Normal Low latency High quality I-Frame Only Default setting. To be selected if you need to keep the time delay between the SNR and SNR Playback Viewer as short as possible. The software does not compensate for irregularities, such as jarring or stuttering effects in the video, caused by erratic transmission delays. Consequently, image quality may vary. To be selected if high image quality is a requirement. Additional buffering space is used to reduce the occurrence of missing frames, giving more latency. To be selected if you wish to reduce CPU load. However, since the frequency with which frames are updated becomes very low, the perceived video quality is negatively affected by I-frame filtering, causing images to flicker or stutter in the viewport. Scaling mode Allows you to select in which scale to display the video stream. Inside Outside Fill Horizontal Fill Vertical Resizes the video to just fill the viewport so that there is no blank border and without hiding any part of the camera scene. Resizes the video to just fill the viewport so that there is no blank border. This may cause part of the camera scene to become invisible. Resizes the video to just fill the viewport in the horizontal direction so that there is no blank border. Resizes the video to just fill the viewport in the vertical direction so that there is no blank border. 1:1 Displays video as specified by the video stream ratio. If the aspect ratio of the viewport is very different from that of the video stream, blank areas will appear around the video. Page 16

Working with the Viewports Option Aspect ratio Description Since different cameras may stream differing television standards, the aspect ratio may need to be adjusted so that the images display optimally in a given viewport. Auto Stretch Automatically adapts the aspect ratio of displayed video to match the viewport aspect ratio. The image is stretched to completely fill the width of the viewport. Square Pixel Pixels in a digital video signal are non-square, so that a 100 pixel vertical line may be longer or shorter than a 100 pixel horizontal line, depending on the video standard. Pixel aspect ratio for square pixel is 1/1. A 100 pixel vertical line is as long as a 100 pixel horizontal line. 4:3 Ratio used in conventional displays: 4 units of width for every 3 units of height. 16:9 Ratio used for wide-screen displays: 16 units of width for every 9 units of height. Page 17

C h a p t e r 4 4 Working with the Search Pane SNR Playback Viewer simplifies and enhances your ability to search for and retrieve recorded video. This chapter outlines the search tools available to you and explains how to effectively recover specific recordings. In This Chapter Search Pane Layout... 19 Searching for Event Recordings... 20 Searching for Protected Recordings... 21 Camera List... 22 4.1 Search Pane Layout The Search pane is located on the left side of the user interface and allows users to search for recorded video. It is laid out in three tabs. This Tab Events Protection Cameras Enables You to Search for video recordings initiated by configured Digital I/O, Video Motion Detection (VMD), and Custom events. video recordings which have been protected from deletion video recordings from a specific camera The Search pane can also be opened in a separate window, as described in Customising the user interface (on page 10). Page 19

SNR Playback Viewer 4.2 Searching for Event Recordings On the Events tab, users can search for video recordings triggered by Digital I/O, Video Motion Detection (VMD), and Custom events. The default options will search for events without any restrictions. To apply a search filter 1. Use the From and To selectors to set a time span to restrict the search. 2. To select cameras from which to retrieve recordings, click Select. 3. To specify event types to be included in the search, select an event type on the Specific Event Type list. Options include: All, Digital Input, Motion, and Custom Event. 4. If you are searching for a custom event, enter the Event Category and Event ID, if necessary. These parameters help to filter the discovered items. An asterisk (*) in these fields indicates that no filter will be applied to the custom events found by SNR Playback Viewer. To start a search 1. Click Search. Search results are listed in the bottom half of the Search pane. An event may be associated to recordings from more than one camera. 2. To see the list of cameras associated with an event, click the + icon in the first column. Events tab in the Search pane Page 20

Working with the Search Pane 4.3 Searching for Protected Recordings On the Protection tab, users can search for recorded video which has been protected from deletion. The default options will search for protected video recordings without any restrictions. To apply a search filter 1. Use the From and To selectors to set a time span to restrict the search. 2. To select cameras from which to retrieve protected recordings, click Select. To start a search Click Search. Search results are listed in the bottom half of the Search pane. Protection tab in the Search pane Page 21

SNR Playback Viewer 4.4 Camera List On the Cameras tab, users get an overview of all cameras added to Siqura Network Recorder. Cameras tab in the Search Pane To connect a camera to a viewport Drag the camera from the list on the Cameras tab, and then drop it on a viewport, as described in Making Connections (on page 11). If the connection attempt is successful, a near-live connection is established and the camera is added to the list in the Track Bar. Using the Track Bar, you can swiftly find and play back video recorded from this camera, as explained in Working with the Control Pane (on page 23). Page 22

C h a p t e r 5 5 Working with the Control Pane The Control pane, located in the lower-right corner of the SNR Playback Viewer window, is made up by the Track Bar and the Media Control toolbar. Together, the two bars enable you to control the playback of recordings, quickly find segments of interest, and perform various other tasks. In This Chapter Retrieving Recordings with the Track Bar... 23 Using the Playback Controls... 24 5.1 Retrieving Recordings with the Track Bar When a video recording is connected to a viewport, a camera entry is added to the Track Bar. Video clips can be identified by the camera name and are represented by time lines in different colours to indicate the various recording types. Time Line Recording Type Background recording Motion recording Event recording Custom recording Time lines in faded colours represent recording types available for display but currently not selected as the video profile for the viewport. You can navigate through a video recording by dragging the Track Bar from left to right relative to the vertical yellow line and vice versa. Track Bar With the Track Bar buttons you can specify a segment to review or swiftly navigate through recorded video. Page 23

SNR Playback Viewer This Button Does This Sets the start flag for selecting a specific segment of a recording to view, export, or protect. Sets the end flag for selecting a specific segment of a recording to view, export, or protect. Zooms in on the Track Bar to increase the detail in the Track Bar. Zooms out on the Track Bar to decrease the detail in the Track Bar. 5.2 Using the Playback Controls The Media Control toolbar is located under the Track Bar. Media Control toolbar The toolbar buttons enable you to: Manage the playback of a recording Export clips Protect video recordings from automatic deletion Control audio volume Select a date and time to view (including the current time) This Button Does This Reduces playback speed by half Steps back one I-frame (MPEG/H.264 playback) Steps back one frame (MJPEG playback) Reverses playback at the original speed (I-frame only for MPEG/H.264 playback) Pauses playback Plays back at the original speed Steps forward one frame Page 24

Working with the Control Pane This Button Does This Doubles playback speed Activates the repeat function. Continues to play and replay the video segment marked by the start and end flags in the Track Bar. Opens the Export Video dialog box. For details, see Exporting Recordings (on page 28). Opens the Export and Burn dialog box. For details, see Burning recordings to CD or DVD (on page 31). Opens the Protect Video dialog box. For details, see Protecting Recordings (on page 33). Enables you to adjust audio volume when playing back recordings with audio. Opens the Time dialog box which allows you to specify a starting point for video playback in the viewports or alternatively, to activate near-live viewing. In near-live mode, you can view the most recently recorded video - that is, as close as possible to real-time viewing. Note: With the repeat function activated, reverse playback is not possible. Page 25

C h a p t e r 6 6 Preserving Recordings for Future Use Siqura Network Recorder provides two methods for preserving recordings: Export and Protect. This chapter describes how to export recordings, burn them to a disc, verify their authenticity, and protect recordings from deletion on the recorder. In This Chapter Exporting Recordings... 28 Burning Recordings to CD or DVD... 31 Media Export Validation... 32 Protecting Recordings... 33 Page 27

SNR Playback Viewer 6.1 Exporting Recordings Video recordings can be exported to a designated folder in three ways. Via a viewport which is playing back a recording From the Event Search result list Through the Export button in the Media Control toolbar To export a recording using customisable settings 1. Right-click a viewport which is playing back a recording, and then click Export Video. - or, alternatively - In the Media Control toolbar, click the Export button. 2. In the Export Video dialog box, select the camera(s) with recordings you would like to export. 3. In the From and To lists, select the start and end point for the recording(s). If markers are not set, the default time range is five minutes before and after the current playback time on the video clip(s). 4. Next, in the Recording type and Export type lists, select the required settings. 5. If necessary, click Browse to select a different target folder for the exported video clip(s). 6. Click Export. Export Video dialog box Export progress is shown in the Export and Burn dialog box. Page 28

Preserving Recordings for Future Use To remove the export history Click Cleanup. - or, alternatively, Click Remove next to relevant items to selectively delete the export history. To open the folder where exported recordings are stored Click the Show in folder link. Important: If there are gaps due to missing footage within the selected timespan, the export for the specific camera will consist of multiple files, as shown below. Export and Burn window. Multiple files exported on encountering gaps. File names after multiple files export To export a recording from Event Search results 1. In the Search Results section of the Events tab, select one or more events. You can use CTRL+click or SHIFT+click to select multiple events. 2. Right-click the selected result(s), point to Export selected event(s), and then select a file format for the export. Export progress is shown in the Export and Burn window. Recordings are stored in the folder indicated at the bottom. Using the hyperlink, you can access the folder directly. Page 29

SNR Playback Viewer To export multiple tracks simultaneously using start and end times 1. Right-click the event. 2. Select Set Markers. 3. In the Media Control toolbar, click the Export button. The times are now set correctly. 4. In the Export Video dialog box, select all relevant cameras. By default, all playing cameras are selected. 5. Click Export. Page 30

Preserving Recordings for Future Use 6.2 Burning Recordings to CD or DVD Users can burn recordings to a CD or DVD. The Media Export Validation tool is simultaneously burned to the disc to ensure users' ability to verify the authenticity of exported recordings. For more information on the Media Export Validation tool, see Media Export Validation (on page 32). Export and Burn window with Burn to Disc button pressed To burn recordings 1. In the Export and Burn window, click the Burn to Disc button in the column on the left. 2. Ensure that there is a disc to burn the recordings onto in the CD/DVD drive. 3. If desired, select Eject on done to open the CD/DVD drive upon burn completion. 4. To search for the recording(s) you wish to burn to the disc, click Browse. 5. Select the desired recording(s), and then click OK. The files appear in the Download files section on the left. 6. Select the files to be burned, and then click the arrow button in the centre of the window. The selected clips appear in the Files to burn section. 7. Click Start Burn. Burn progress and available disc space are reported at the bottom of the dialog box. Page 31

SNR Playback Viewer 6.3 Media Export Validation The Media Export Validation tool verifies the authenticity of exported recordings. This application is automatically burned onto the disc with the recorded video. The Media Export Validation tool To check the validity of an exported media clip 1. From the CD or DVD upon which the media clips are burned, start the Media Export Validation tool. 2. In the Media Export Validation tool, click Open to browse for the video clip file. 3. Select the file you wish to verify and click Open. The tool determines if the recording has been altered since it was exported and returns either an affirmation or denial of tampering. Page 32

Preserving Recordings for Future Use 6.4 Protecting Recordings In order to preserve them from automatic deletion, recordings can be protected by marking them as Protected. The exact behaviour depends on how the system is configured. Protection of recordings has the following scenarios. A protected video clip will never be deleted from the recorder A protected clip will be deleted after a much longer retention time Protection of recordings has the advantage that the video stays where it is - that is, it is not copied to media which can be lost or misused. Additionally, the normal search and playback operations are available on these clips, which is not the case for exported recordings. On the downside, protected video takes space on the storage system. The use of the protect function must be anticipated and the expected additional storage requirements calculated and built into the system for reliable operation. There are two ways to protect recordings. To protect a video clip in a list of events 1. On the Events tab, select one or more events. Use CTRL+click or SHIFT+click to select multiple events. 2. Right-click the selected event(s), and then select Protect on the context menu. To protect a playing clip 1. Right-click a clip playing in a viewport, and then select Protect Video on the context menu. The Protect Video dialog box displays a list of cameras with available recordings in the time frame of the playing recording. Clips already in the viewports are selected. 2. Select the cameras with video to protect, and then specify the start and end dates and times. 3. Click Protect. Protect video dialog box Page 33