1. WHAT IS "ABOX" ?
A-box is an open platform video verification device that allows the user to connect from your AMS ( Alarm Management Software ) Platform back to a site on which the A-box is installed to remotely view live streaming video from site.
2. HOW DOES IT WORK ?
On receipt of an alarm activation on your AMS stack, the controller is able to click on a video link button that opens a chrome browser on the controllers second monitor which will display the cameras live stream. No wiring connection is required on site between the A-Box device and your local alarm system.
3. WHAT CAN I VIEW ?
The A-box device's offer both live stream and playback of the last 10 minutes worth of video.
4. WHAT CAMERAS AND RECORDERS DO I NEED ?
Any camera system ( Cameras, DVR's , NVR's ) that is capable of providing an RTSP Stream (Real Time Streaming Protocol)
is compatible with the A-box.
A-box is an open platform solution which means it is capable of connecting to any mainstream brand or reputable manufacturer's equipment that conforms to industry standards.
5. DO I NEED INTERNET ON SITE ?
Yes , Internet is required for the A-box to stream the video off site.
Ideally, an internet connection of 5mbps Upload and Download is recommended but, a minimum of 2 Mbps will suffice.
6. ARE THERE ANY LICENSE OR SUBSCRIPTION FEED ATTACHED TO ABOX ?
No license fees or subscriptions are applicable when using A-box, the device is a once off purchase for the AMS User.
7. HOW IS ABOX INSTALLED ?
The A-box requires a 220VAC power point to receive power and a RJ45 Network point that is connected to the same network as the customers cameras system for communication and camera stream analysis.
The A-box is then configured to analyze the dvr streams by connecting to the rtsp url of the camera system.
The A-ox requires the DVR IP address, authorized Username and Password to start analyzing the streams.
8. HOW DO I SETUP MY ABOX ?
The A-box has a web GUI ( Graphical User Interface ).
To access the GUI, enter the device's IP Address in a new chrome browser session.
This can be performed either on site or remotely via a pc or the unit can be setup prior to installation at your office.
The IP Address will be provided on purchasing of the A-box.
Once the user has successfully connected to the device's GUI , simply add the RTSP Url's for the cameras that you would like to remotely access and click save.
9. IS THERE ACCESS TO RECORDED FOOTAGE ON THE ABOX ?
The A-box is available in two versions.
Version 1 : The device provides remote access to live view for up to 16 channels per device and does not offer recording functionality.
Version 2 : The device provides remote access to both live and recoded footage for up to 10 Channels per device.
The A-box is a verification tool which means it allows the user to view the live stream and 10 Minutes worth of recording to verify an incident that is happening in real time. A-box is not a forensic investigation and evidence retrieval tool but purely used for verification purposes.
10. ARE THERE ANY DIAGNOSTICS AVAILABLE ON THE ABOX ?
Yes, The A-box provides a number of maintenance signals that it will communicate to the control room.
These include :
Stream Timeout ( Camera connection lost )
Stream Restore ( Camera connection restored )
Test ( Programmable Periodic Test signal to ensure that the device is online and accessible )
These Signals are communicated to the control on both Telegram software application and directly into AMS via the Avlytics TCP/IP Base station.
11. CAN I REMOTELY TRIGGER ON-BOARD RELAYS ?
Yes, you have access to four on-board dry contact relays that you can remotely operate. These are generally utilized in the case of the control SOP requiring a siren to be triggered , gas or smoke release , switch on lights or open a vehicle access point.
12. IS ACCESS TO THE ABOX SECURE ?
Yes, the device connects to our secure VPN via TLS ( This is preconfigured on each device ).
The streaming is provided via our VPN which means the streams are encrypted and only accessible by an authorized user.
You do not require any DNS accounts or port forwarding on the clients router to access the A-box from the control room AMS.
