Privacy Switch 2013-2019

Overview

From time to time an IVS customer may have the need to use one of their VALT Rooms without the capacity to view live or record. Or, they may run sessions that contain sensitive information from time to time, which they do not captured in a recording. In this case, we can configure cameras for Privacy Mode, which blankets the screen with a black video overlay and omits all audio from the stream.

The Privacy Switch is a customizable solution for placing VALT cameras in Privacy Mode - a physical button to engage this option. The instructions below will outline how to configure a privacy switch that will stay illuminated while the switch is in the OFF position. Flipping the switch to the ON position will extinguish the light and engage privacy mode. The switch and LED are independent and the behavior can be customized. See the variations section in the Manual Privacy Rules article for more information.

These instructions are written for use with a camera with 4 I/O ports (6 pin phoenix connector). Port 1 and 2 (pins 3 and 4) are reserved for use with the VALT Recording Start/Stop button.

Compatible Cameras and Wire Diagrams

The privacy switch should be usable with any AXIS camera with at least one free input and one free output. The camera must be running firmware version 5.50 or higher.

Click on the icon to see the diagram.

Axis P1364/65

Axis P3235-LVE

Axis P3245

Axis P3301

Axis P3304

Axis P3364/P3365*

Axis P3374-V/P3375-V*

Axis Q3504/05 MK II

Axis Q3518

Axis P3935-LR

Axis F41

P5414-P5415

Axis M5525

Axis P5635-E MK II

Axis P5655

Axis Q8414-LVS*

* These cameras can only be used with a single ancillary device (ie: Button or privacy switch). To use these with a camera that does not have 4 I/O ports, you will need to adjust the event rules.

Required Parts and Tools

• VALT Privacy Switch and Face Plate
• Mud Ring or Single Gang Box
• Wire Cutters/Strippers
• 22/4 solid unshielded plenum cable
• Jab Saw (used to cut hole)
• Wire fishing poles or tape

Installation Instructions

1. Determine if the button will be mounted outside the entrance of the room or at a specified location in the room.
2. Using a stud finder, scan the mounting location to ensure the device is not mounted on a stud.
3. Cut a hole into the drywall, large enough to fit the mud ring into it securely.

   

4. Run 22/4 from the camera to the hole.
5. Strip the outer insulation from both ends of the 22/4.

   

6. Strip approximately 1/4 inch of insulation off of each wire in the 22/4 on the camera side

   

7. Insert the wires into the IO connector on the camera according to the chart below. (For a camera with a 4-pin I/O phoenix connector, use pins 3 and 4 instead of 5 and 6.)

   

   Pin 1: Green

   Pin 2: Red

   Pin 5: Yellow

   Pin 6: Black

   See the chart at the end of this section for a direct mapping between the switch and I/O connector

8. Strip approximately 1/2 inch of insulation off each wire in the 22/4 on the switch side.

   

9. Splice the wires to the switch according to the chart below.

   

* Connections should be made with B connectors

1. Attach the switch to the mud ring.

Wiring Map

Privacy Switch	Lead Color	Phoenix Connector
Switch	Green	Pin 1
+	Red	Pin 2
Switch	Blue	Pin 5
-	Black	Pin 6

Configuration

Prior to configuring the cameras for use with the privacy switch, make sure that the cameras have already been set up with a valid IP address, and are configured according to VALT Specifications.

Set Privacy Rules

Load Rules

Below are instructions to load privacy rules to the camera with a config file. If you prefer to configure the camera manually please skip to the next section.

Click on the  icon to download the privacy rules for your camera. 

Axis P1365 Mk II 8.40.1.cfg

Axis P3245-LV 9.80.1.1.cfg

Axis P3365 6.50.2.3.cfg

Axis P3375-V 8.40.4.cfg

Axis Q3505 Mk II 8.30.1.cfg

Axis Q3518 9.30.1.cfg

Axis P3935-LR 9.80.1.cfg

Axis F41 6.50.2.3.cfg

Axis P5415-E 6.50.2.3.cfg

Axis M5525-E 8.30.1.cfg

Axis P5635-E Mk II 8.40.1.cfg

Axis Q8414-LVS 6.50.3.cfg

Configuration Instructions

1. Open AXIS Device Manager.

   If you do not have AXIS Device Manager go to the website and download it here.

2. Click on the Add Device from Address icon or Add Devices from IP Range.

   

3. Enter the IP address of the camera or the IP range using a * for the last quartet if adding multiple.

   

4. Click OK.
5. Enter the username and password for the camera(s).

   

6. Click OK.
7. The camera(s) should now appear in the list of devices.

   

8. Right click on the camera(s), and select Configure Devices. Configure from the menu.

   

9. Click the Configuration File button.

   

10. Browse to where configuration file is saved, and select it.

    

11. Click Open.
12. Click Next.

    

13. Click Finish.
14. When the rules have successfully loaded, a message will display at the bottom of the window.

    

Manual Set up of Privacy Rules

Please skip this section if you loaded the rules to the camera already from the instructions above.

If you are complete with this page, and you did not use a config file, continue by selecting the firmware of your camera. In the case of multiple cameras, the steps on the following pages should only be done for the main camera; the recipient cameras do not need rules built.

Manually Set Up Privacy Switch Rules for 6.x Firmware

Manually Set Up Privacy Switch Rules for 8.x Firmware

Manually Set Up Privacy Switch Rules for 9.x Firmware

Set Privacy Location for PTZ Camera

If the camera is a PTZ, you need to set a Privacy Location. This can be done through the API or through the web browser of the camera.

Via API

1. Open a web browser.
2. Copy and paste the following link into the address bar. Replace ipaddress with the ip address of the camera:

   http://ipaddress/axis-cgi/com/ptzconfig.cgi?setserverpresetname=Privacy&home=yes

3. Press Enter to submit the address.

Via Web Interface

Perform these steps only if configuring the mask via API fails.

1. Open a web browser.
2. Navigate to the IP address of the camera.
3. If prompted, enter the username and password for the camera.
4. Click on Setup in the upper right hand corner of the window.

   

5. Click on PTZ.

   

6. Click on Go to to navigate to the home preset.

   

7. In "Current position", type "Privacy", then click Add.

Set Privacy Mask

This can be done through the API or through the web browser of the camera.

Via API

1. Open a web browser.
2. Copy and paste the following link into the address bar. Replace ipaddress with the ip address of the camera:

   http://ipaddress/axis-cgi/privacymask.cgi?action=add&name=mask1&width=100&height=100

3. Press Enter to submit the address.
4. The mask should now be created. This can verified by browsing to the IP address of the camera. The live view should show a black screen.

   

5. Copy and paste the following link into the address bar. Replace ipaddress with the ip address of the camera:

   http://ipaddress/axis-cgi/param.cgi?action=update&Image.I0.Overlay.MaskWindows.M0.Enabled=no

6. This should disable the mask created. This can be verified by browsing to the IP address of the camera. The live view should show a live view from the camera.

   

Via Web Interface

Perform these steps only if configuring the mask via API fails.

1. Open a web browser.
2. Navigate to the IP address of the camera.
3. If prompted, enter the username and password for the camera.
4. Click on Setup in the upper right hand corner of the window.

   

5. Click on Video & Audio.

   

6. Click on Privacy Mask.

   

7. Click Add.
8. Enter Privacy in the Mask name field.
9. Expand the box slowly using a mouse until it covers the entire image.

   

10. Click Save.
11. Click on the Privacy mask just created.

    

12. Click Enable/Disable.

Add Recipient(s)

Some of the rules point to a recipient at a specific IP address, so the camera must have a recipient set up, even for itself. In the case of a room with multiple cameras, the master camera will need a recipient set up for all other cameras in the room as well.

1. Click on Setup in the upper right hand corner of the window.

   

2. Click on Events.
3. Click on Recipients.
4. Click on Add.

   Add Self in the name field

   In Recipient, type

http://127.0.0.1/axis-cgi/param.cgi

or

http://IPADDRESS/axis-cgi/param.cgi

1. Type in the login credentials for the camera.

   Click Test.

   Click Close.

Rules for Additional Cameras

In cases where there are multiple cameras in a room, the main camera (connected to the privacy switch) will need to send commands to the other cameras to enable their privacy. The rules below should be loaded onto the main camera as many times as there are additional cameras. Change the events to have the correct recipient.

Click on the  icon to download the privacy rules for your camera. 

Axis P1365 Mk II 8.40.1.cfg

Axis P3245-LV 9.80.1.1.cfg

Axis P3365 6.50.2.3.cfg

Axis P3375-V 8.40.4.cfg

Axis Q3505 Mk II 8.30.1.cfg

Axis Q3518 9.30.1.cfg

Axis P3935-LR 9.80.1.cfg

Axis F41 6.50.2.3.cfg

Axis P5415-E 6.50.2.3.cfg

Axis M5525-E 8.30.1.cfg

Axis P5635-E Mk II 8.40.1.cfg

Axis Q8414-LVS 6.50.3.cfg

Variations

LED Lit to Show Privacy Mode Engaged

This variation can be accomplished by reversing the triggers on the output rules.

1. Configure the cameras and load the rules as outlined above.
2. Open a web browser
3. Navigate to the IP address of the primary camera.
4. If prompted enter the username and password for the camera.
5. Click on Setup in the upper right hand corner of the window.

   

6. Click on Events.

   

7. Click on the Output Active rule

   

8. Click Modify

   

9. Under trigger conditions, change Active from No to Yes
10. Click OK
11. Click on the Output Off Rule

    

12. Click Modify

    

13. Under trigger conditions, change Active from Yes to No
14. Click OK

Privacy Mode Engaged by Flipping Switch Off

This variation can be accomplished by reversing the triggers on all rules.

1. Configure the cameras and load the rules as outlined above.
2. Open a web browser
3. Navigate to the IP address of the primary camera.
4. If prompted enter the username and password for the camera.
5. Click on Setup in the upper right hand corner of the window.

   

6. Click on Events.

   

7. Click on the first rule

   

8. Click Modify

   

9. Under trigger conditions reverse the Active condition.
   1. If currently set to Yes, change to No
   2. If currently set to No, change to Yes
10. Click OK
11. Repeat this process for every rule.