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Bandwidth and storage space calculator

 Quick Start

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Bandwidth and storage space calculator

 Quick Start

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Bandwidth and storage space calculator

 Quick Start

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1. Open the Calculator window by clicking on the Bandwidth and storage space calculator button on the Graphics window toolbar.

 

2. Click on the Import cameras button to import all or only selected cameras of the project.

 

Cameras of the working project with default parameters will appear in the table.

 

You can also import cameras from VideoCAD project file or add cameras manually.

 

3. Edit camera parameters. Check B/W field if the camera is black and white. Check Sound field if the camera produces sound traffic. Specify expected scene complexity and activity in the 5-point scale in the fields: Scene>Complexity and Scene>Activity.

 

Complexity, Activity and Noise of the scene are subjective parameters. At the same time they considerably influence calculation results. In most cases the possible error in estimation of these parameters can be compensated after installation of CCTV system by correcting Compression Level. The image quality will change too. In critical cases it is recommended to choose values of Complexity and Activity with reserve.

 

4. Open Camera Detail Panel by clicking [+] on the left of the row or by clicking on the Camera>Detail button on the Toolbar.

 

 

Calculation can be carried out for cameras that generate up to 3 simultaneous streams (Viewing, Recording, Alarm recording) with different resolution, compression, frame rate and recording time.

 

 

4.1 If the Viewing traffic must be taken into account for this camera, check the Viewing check box. Viewing traffic has an effect on the bandwidth calculation but has no effect on the storage calculation.

 

4.2 If the Recording traffic must be taken into account, check the Recording checkbox. Recording switches on and of according to a timetable. Recording traffic has an effect on the bandwidth calculation and on the storage calculation.

 

4.3 If the Alarm recording traffic must be taken into account, check the Alarm recording checkbox. Alarm Recording switches on and of by any events, motion detector, external switch, sensor etc.

Alarm recording traffic has an effect on the bandwidth calculation and on the storage calculation.

 

If this camera doesn't generate any of the three streams, clear the corresponded checkbox.

 

If the camera generates only one stream, which switches quality parameters according to timetable or by event, check necessary checkboxes as if the camera generates independent streams. Below, by clearing Sum/Max field, you can inform the program that there is only one stream.

 

4.4 For each of streams specify Numbers of pixels on Horizontal and Vertical, Compression Type and Level.

 

 

After that, see the estimated frame size in the Frame size combo box.

 

In case of choosing interframe compression (MPEG, H.264) it is average frame size value. This value depends on frame rate too.

 

If more accurate value is known, check the Fix. checkbox under the Frame size combo box then enter known value to the Frame size combo box.

If the Fix. check box is checked, specified frame size value will be used in the subsequent calculation. The font  in the Frame size box will be red, boxes on the left from the Frame size box will be disabled.

If the Fix checkbox is not checked, the Frame size box indicates intermediate calculation result, protected from editing.

 

 

4.5 Specify frame rate in the Frame rate combo box (fps).

 

 

 

After that the estimated traffic value will appear in the Traffic combo box.

 

If more accurate value is known, check the Fix checkbox under the Traffic combo box then enter known value to the Traffic combo box.

If the Fix check box is checked, specified traffic value will be used in the subsequent calculation. The font  in the Traffic box will be red, boxes on the left from the Traffic box will be disabled.

If the Fix checkbox is not checked, the Traffic box indicates intermediate calculation result, protected from editing.

 

 

4.6 When parameters of all camera streams will be specified, see the required bandwidth in the Required bandwidth combo box.

 

The method of the required bandwidth calculation is determined by the Sum/Max checkbox state.

 

 

 

If more accurate value is known, check the Fix. checkbox under the Required bandwidth combo box then enter known value to the Required bandwidth combo box.

If the Fix. check box is checked, specified bandwidth value will be used in the subsequent calculation. The font in the Required bandwidth box will be red, boxes on the left from the Required bandwidth box will be disabled.

 

 

4.7 The Sum/Max checkbox switches method of Bandwidth calculation.

 

If the Sum/Max checkbox is checked then the Required bandwidth equals to the sum of traffics of all generated streams (Viewing. Recording, Alarm recording).  If the camera generates several independent streams, the Sum/Max checkbox must be checked.

 

If the Sum/Max checkbox is not checked then the Required bandwidth equals to the maximal value of traffics of all generated streams (Viewing. Recording, Alarm recording). If the camera generates only one stream, which switches quality parameters according to timetable or by events, the Sum/Max checkbox must be not checked.

 

The Sum/Max checkbox has an effect on the bandwidth calculation but has no effect on the storage calculation. The storage traffic always equals to the sum of traffics of Recording and Alarm recording, taking into account Record time (hours/day) and Alarm time %.

 

4.8 For storage space calculation you should in addition specify: the expected Record time (hours/day) in the Recording stream, the expected Alarm time (%) in the Alarm recording stream and Storage time (days) for selected camera.

 

 

 

When all necessary parameters will be specified, see the required disk space in the Required disk space box, in Gigabytes.

 

5. Create all cameras in the project by the same way (steps.2..4).

 

By clicking on the Camera>Add button you can create new camera with default parameters.  By clicking on the Camera>Dupl button you can create a copy of the camera selected in the table.

 

 

6. When all parameters of all cameras will be specified, on the bottom of the table you can see the following aggregate parameters:

 

Viewing>Traffic>kbit/s - the sum of Viewing traffic of all cameras.

 

Recording>Traffic>kbit/s - the sum of Recording traffic of all cameras.

 

Alarm recording>Traffic>kbit/s - the sum of Alarm Recording traffic of all cameras.

 

Total>Bandwidth>Mbit/s - the sum of traffic of all streams of all cameras.

 

Storage>Space, GBytes - required disk space

 

 

7. Then you can print the obtained table or its fragments, as well as export to the following file formats: *.txt,*.csv,*.htm, *.rtf,*.xls..

 

8. You can include the table with calculation in the PDF report.

 

Please note! Obtained results depend on equipment features and on correctness in choosing scene parameters.

To get good accuracy it is necessary to use special pattern created for equipment in use.

 

See also: Patterns

 

Additional features of the Calculator:

 

1. The table offers tools to copy, paste, import cells, rows, rectangular regions within the table and in/to MS Excel.

You can find values, filter cameras by flexible criteria. For example, to estimate the load of separate network segments or equipment.

 

2. Grouping cameras in the table according to one or several parameters is possible. Under each group, the values ​​of number of cameras in the group, total traffic, average recording time, required bandwidth, average percentage of alarms, and required storage space are displayed.

 

3. At the first start of IP Camera CCTV Calculator the default table view is shown. In the default view only the most necessary fields (columns) are visible. Some columns are hidden.

You can show and hide necessary columns, change its width and height, freeze columns. Then you can save obtained table configuration as views, restore these views if needed.

 

4. IP Camera CCTV calculator can take into account characteristics of used equipment and compression features using special calculation patterns. These patterns can be created by manufactures, distributors, installers by practical measuring traffic.

 

 

Context help

 

To get more detailed information, move by mouse the input focus to component, field of the table or menu item needed and press F1.

To get detailed information about a button on the Tool bar, right click on it then choose What's this? pop-up item .