Milestone VMS Camera Control

Introduction

This section covers the options for allowing camera telemetry (PTZ - Pan–Tilt–Zoom) via Milestone and the associated configuration to allow PTZ control via SDK in Milestone. This offers the operator the ability to override Witness automatic camera control when they take manual control of a camera through Siveillance Video.

The configuration in Witness AdvanceGuard® is also included.

Enable PTZ Control

For ONVIF cameras you need to ensure that PTZ is enabled as Absolute in the server settings:

Configuring PTZ Control via SDK in Milestone

A "Basic User” needs to be configured:

This new Basic User requires a security role (in this example it’s called “WitnessRole”), with the at least the Read, View Live, Aux Commands and PTZ Camera permissions selected:

The PTZ priority must be enabled the on the camera group:

Witness VMS Camera Control Configuration

In order to control the cameras within Milestone via the AdvanceGuard® UI, you will need to configure the same user for both in AdvanceGuard®:

In the Configuration Tree in the Live screen, select the Milestone Plugin which is under Integration Configurations. This will display the Milestone Plugin information on the right-hand-side. Click Edit:
Then ensure that the Milestone Plugin is enabled, and that the Milestone Server IP address is correctly entered, and the User Name is the same as entered into the Milestone services. Save the configuration:
Next select the VMS Camera Control branch and click New:
Then select Milestone Configuration:
This will open the Create New Milestone Configuration wizard. Select Finish:
Enter the Milestone Server IP Address, along with the same User Name as in step 2, and click Save:
Then configure a camera to use Milestone Camera Control; there is a drop down option to select Direct Control (ONVIF) or the Milestone connection:
Select the Milestone option. There is a Link Camera option. The Link Camera icon button will be displayed in red as no camera have yet been linked:
Selecting the Link Camera option opens a list of cameras on the Milestone system. Select a camera on the list to assign the camera in AdvanceGuard®:
Once the camera has been linked, the Link Camera button turns white:
Once the configuration has been saved, the External ID will be displayed in the Advanced tab: