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XProtect VMS Camera Control

XProtect VMS Camera Control

Introduction

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

The configuration in Witness is also included.

Contents

Enable PTZ Control

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

    image-20260203-093250.png

Configuring PTZ Control via SDK in XProtect

  1. A Basic User needs to be configured:

     

  2. 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:

    image-20260203-093401.png

     

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

Witness VMS Camera Control Configuration

In order to control the cameras within XProtect via the Witness UI™, you will need to configure the same user for both:

  1. In the Configuration Tree in the Live screen, select the XProtect Plugin which is under Integration Configurations. This will display the XProtect Plugin information on the right-hand-side. Click Edit:

     

  2. Then ensure that the XProtect Plugin is enabled, and that the XProtect Server IP address is correctly entered, and the Username is the same as entered into the XProtect services. Save the configuration:

     

  3. Next select the VMS Camera Control branch and click New:

     

  4. Then select XProtect Configuration:

     

  5. This will open the Create New XProtect Configuration wizard. Select Finish:

    image-20260113-145455.png

     

  6. Enter the XProtect Server IP Address, along with the same User Name as in step 2, and click Save:

    image-20260113-145541.png

     

  7. Then configure a camera to use XProtect Camera Control; there is a drop down option to select Direct Control (ONVIF) or the XProtect connection:

     

  8. ​Select the XProtect option. There is a Link Camera option. The Link Camera icon button will be displayed in red as no camera have yet been linked:

    image-20260113-145640.png

     

  9. Selecting the Link Camera option opens a list of cameras on the XProtect system. Select a camera on the list to assign the camera in AdvanceGuard®:

    image-20260113-145729.png

     

  10. Once the camera has been linked, the Link Camera button turns white:

    image-20260113-145845.png

     

  11. Once the configuration has been saved, the External ID will be displayed in the Advanced tab:

    image-20260113-145934.png

     

If the camera is not assigned to a controller or the camera controller is not running the link will not show any cameras.

Video

Related Information

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