Axis 215PTZ-E [8/56] Video and audio streams

AXIS 215 PTZ/AXIS 215 PTZ-E - Video and Audio Streams

Video and Audio Streams

The AXIS 215 PTZ/AXIS 215 PTZ-E provides several different image and video formats. Your requirements and

the properties of your network will determine which one you choose.

Unicasting is communication between a single sender and a single receiver over a network. This means that the

video stream goes independently to each user, and each user gets their own stream.

Multicast is bandwidth-conserving technology that reduces bandwidth usage by simultaneously delivering a

single stream of information to multiple network users.

The Live View page in the AXIS 215 PTZ/AXIS 215 PTZ-E provides access to Motion JPEG and MPEG-4 video

streams, as well as to single JPEG images. Other applications and clients can also access these video and audio

streams/images directly, without going via the Live View page.

Note: AXIS 215 PTZ-E Network Camera does not support audio.

Video Stream Types

Motion JPEG

This format uses standard JPEG still images in the video stream. These images are then displayed and updated at

a rate sufficient to create a stream that shows constantly updated motion.

The Motion JPEG stream uses considerable amounts of bandwidth, but also provides excellent image quality and

access to each and every individual image contained in the stream.

Note also that multiple clients accessing Motion JPEG streams can use different image settings.

MPEG-4

This is a video compression standard that makes good use of bandwidth, providing high-quality video streams

at less than 1 Mbit/s.

The MPEG-4 standard provides scope for a large range of different coding tools for use by various applications

in different situations, and the AXIS 215 PTZ/AXIS 215 PTZ-E provides certain subsets of these tools. These are

represented as Video object types, which are selected for use with different viewing clients. The supported video

object types are:

• Simple - sets the coding type to H.263, as used by e.g. QuickTime™.

• Advanced Simple - sets the coding type to MPEG-4 Part 2, as used by AMC (AXIS Media Control)

When using MPEG-4 it is also possible to control the bit rate, which in turn allows the amount of bandwidth

usage to be controlled. CBR (constant bit rate) is used to achieve a specific bit rate by varying the quality of the

MPEG-4 stream. When using VBR (variable bit rate), the quality of the video stream is kept as constant as

possible, at the cost of a varying bit rate.

Notes:

• MPEG-4 is licensed technology. The AXIS 215 PTZ/AXIS 215 PTZ-E includes one viewing client license. Installing additional unlicensed copies of

the viewing client is prohibited. To purchase additional licenses, contact your Axis reseller.

• All clients viewing the MPEG-4 stream must use the same image settings.