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Affected Roles: All Users
Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps: DW Spectrum® IPVMS
Complexity: Low to Medium
Software Version: DW Spectrum v4.2 or higher
Last Edit: February 10, 2022
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While supported ONVIF cameras with motorized varifocal lenses can only zoom in and out, DW Spectrum also allows users to easily control connected PTZ cameras through the DW Spectrum Client without having to use an external joystick.
This article will show where you can manage the local PTZ settings in the DW Spectrum Client and outline the PTZ controls that are available.
**NOTE: The Extended PTZ features require that the camera supports ONVIF Absolute Move and custom product integration to work with the DW Spectrum IPVMS software controls.
When using a PTZ camera, the local client settings can be configured to affect how the user’s PTZ control interface will display and PTZ configuration presets will be used by the system.
By default, PTZ control will automatically be available for supported PTZ cameras in the DW Spectrum Client and will use the camera’s Native PTZ setting presets (manufacturer configured). Considering this, DW Spectrum will determine if the system should use the camera’s presets or if it will use the DW Spectrum System’s preferred presets, depending on its assigned settings. These presets can be used to tell the PTZ camera to perform specific maneuvers, tours, etc.
You can find this setting in the DW Spectrum Client under the PTZ section. To get there, right-click on the camera and select “Camera Settings”. In the resulting Camera Settings window, select the “Expert” tab.
In the PTZ section of the menu, select one of the following:
By default, the DW Spectrum Client will utilize a user interface (UI) that follows simple click-and-drag controls, which minimizes the need to display controls for the PTZ camera, which some users feel can take up a fair portion of the screen. However, other users may prefer to have an overlay display as it offers clear and simple controls by which to control the camera.
To show an aim overlay (HUD), navigate to Main Menu > Local Settings > Look and Feel menu in the desktop client.
Locate the “Show aim overlay for PTZ cameras” setting.
Enabling this setting will affect how the PTZ control interface will display in the client by directly overlaying the camera’s FOV and how the user interacts with the PTZ features.
When DW Spectrum detects that a compatible PTZ camera has been added to the system, the PTZ icon will display in the camera’s viewing window.
To activate the DW Spectrum’s PTZ controls, click the PTZ icon that appears at the top of the camera’s window. Click the PTZ icon again to hide the PTZ controls.
How the PTZ controls interface displays will vary, depending on whether or not the “Show aim overlay for PTZ cameras” setting has been enabled.
If a camera uses a motorized, varifocal lens to zoom (T/W), but does not feature the ability to pan or tilt the camera, only the zoom controls (+ and –) will be available regardless of enabling/disabling the aim overlay setting.
This feature is represented by a set of plus (+) and minus (-) buttons that allow users to zoom the camera lens in or out through the DW Spectrum interface. Alternatively, users may use the mouse-wheel to zoom-in or zoom-out.
When the Aim Overlay setting is DISABLED, the PTZ control features are represented in the following ways:
While holding the Shift key:
When the Aim Overlay setting is ENABLED, the PTZ control features are represented in the following ways:
**NOTE: The user does not need to hold the Shift key down when using the Extended PTZ features, so long as the “Show aim overlay for PTZ cameras” setting is enabled.
Camera models that support the advanced PTZ features (Regular PTZ and Extended PTZ) can be found using the DW Spectrum Supported Device List.
When troubleshooting ONVIF camera issues, such as PTZ control problems, it is recommended to download and install ONVIF Device Manager on the same computer as your DW Spectrum Server. If you cannot install the ONVIF Device Manager (ODM), because you are using an Ubuntu/Linux or Macintosh operating system, install ODM on a Windows PC that shares the same LAN as your troubled camera.