About Central_Support

AI Alarm Verification Service The AI* Alarm Verification service available today uses deep learning technology to verify camera alarms for moving persons and vehicles. This allows the suppression of unwanted alarms resulting from disturbances.  AI Alarm Verification is applicable to Bosch Remote Portal cameras and 3rd party cameras**, for sites in Alarm Management which support alarm clip upload.  Config Agents and Integrators can configure the suppression of alarms in the service settings.  In any case, every alarm is stored in the event history for the respective retention time set in your Alarm Management instance (default: 30 days)   *   AI = Artificial Intelligence ** Supported 3rd party camera brands and models please see compatibility list.   Please follow below steps to set up a AI Alarm Verification service.   Step-by-step guide   1. Configure the AI Alarm Verification Service as Integrator or Config Agent:   To configure the AI Alarm Verification service perform the following steps:   1.1 Add the camera to a Site   1. Open Alarm Management Configuration website (/config), log on as Integrator or Config Agent. 2. Enter the related Account - or create a new Account for the customer. 3. Enter the related Site - or create new Site.   4. Enable 'Video Clip Upload'. (Note: The alarm video clip is required to verify the alarm by AI). 5. Click '+' button to add the camera to this Site. 6. Please follow the related article to add a camera to Alarm Management: Add Remote Portal cameras to Bosch Alarm Management Add a 3rd party camera Note: Not all below options are available for 3rd party cameras. 7. Rename the device (camera) and click 'Save Changes'. 8. Select the required trouble and tamper warnings, which should be sent to the Monitoring Center and click 'Save Changes'. 9. Click tab 'Channels' and set a Reference Image.   10. Rename the channel. 11. Select the device on which the microphone and loudspeaker are connected to (Associated Audio Device).   (Note: An audio device different form ‘Same Device’ is currently not supported for 3rd party cameras.) 12. Configure Audio Options for the Operator Interface (Investigation Mode):     a. 'Activate Audio Verification' allows the operator to listen to audio from the site.     b. 'Activate Audio Intervention' allows the operator to speak through the loudspeaker into the site. 13. Optional configure Video Options for the Operator Interface (Investigation Mode). 14. Click 'Save Changes'.   1.2 Configure Motion Detection (if not yet done by the Installer)   Please follow the related article to configure Motion Detection. Add Remote Portal cameras to Bosch Alarm Management Add a 3rd party camera   1.3 Configure Schedules   1. Open Alarm Management Configuration website (/config), log in as Integrator or Config Agent. 2. Enter the related Account. 3. Click tab 'Schedules' and modify the standard schedules 'Day', 'Night' and 'Weekend' if needed, or add new schedules.   Note: Blue cells mark active time periods. Cells can be altered by drawing the mouse.   1.4 Configure the Service Scenario   Note: A Service Scenario combines multiple cameras, triggers and alarm channels into one alarm. 1. Open Alarm Management Configuration website (/config), log in as Integrator or Config Agent. 2. Enter the related Account. 3. Click tab 'Services'. 4. Click '+' button to add a Service. 5. Select Service Type 'AI Alarm Verification' and give the Service a descriptive name (mission). 6. Select the Site 7. Select the Triggering Device (camera) and then select the Triggering Event:         1. MOTION+ camera or 3rd party camera: "Channel 1 - Motion Triggered"         2. Intelligent Video Analysis (IVA) or Essential Video Analytics (EVA):             a. "Channel 1 - VCA Event1" to "Channel 1 - VCA Event8" (each VCA Event is triggered by the related activated 'Surveillance Task' 1 to 8 in VCA configuration)             b. "Channel 1 - Motion Triggered" (merging motion trigger for all activated VCA Events) 8. Select the Alarm Channel    Notes: The Alarm Channel is used as the default video input channel for the alarm agent and uploads the alarm video clip (if available and configured for the camera and the service). If the trigger already implies an alarm channel (e.g. motion, VCA), the alarm channel is fixed and cannot be changed. In all other cases the alarm channel can configured to any channel of this site. 9. Optional add further triggers. The Service Scenario is triggered if any of the configured triggering events becomes activated.   10. Configure the AI Threshold for moving persons or vehicles   Notes: The AI Alarm Verification threshold is pre-configured to 20%. Please set the right threshold depending on the actual visual representation of objects in the camera image especially at nighttime: The higher the threshold the more objects are detected; The lower the threshold, the more ‘false’ alarms will be suppressed, and fewer objects are recognized as persons or vehicles. 11. Configure to show or to hide rejected AI Alarm Verification events to the operator   12. Optional increase the Trigger Debounce Time (= minimum time between 2 alarms) if you want to get less alarms from this service.   13. Select the Arming Period (standard schedule, self-defined schedule, always). 14. Optional enter a Service Identifier.   This identifier can be used in the alarm management software to link the service scenario to a live intervention scenario from the same area. 15. Optional add Automatic Actions, which are executed automatically when the event is processed.   16. Optional add Intervention Actions, which can be manually executed by the operator in the Investigation Mode, e.g. play sound, send e-mail, etc. 17. Click 'Create'.   1.5 Configure the Site's Map   1. Open Alarm Management Configuration website (/config), log in as Integrator or Config Agent. 2. Enter the related Account. 3. Enter the related Site. 4. Click tab 'Map' 5. Drag and draw all cameras of this site into the map and turn the camera icons' arrow in the correct direction.     6. Click 'Save Changes'.   2. Verify the AI Alarm Verification event as Alarm Agent   To verify the AI Alarm Verification service perform the following steps: 1. Open Alarm Management Event list website (/eventmonitor), log in as Alarm Agent. 2. Ask customer to trigger the alarm (for example walk in front of the camera). 3. Click the new line appearing in the event list, the Operator Interface opens. 4. Verify the AI Alarm Verification event:     a. Verification Mode:         i. AI Alarm Verification Status (Verified by AI, Unverified by AI, optional Rejected by AI)         ii. Alarm image and video clip         iii. Provide AI event feedback The Verification Mode provides the operator with an "AI event feedback" field for every AI Alarm Verification event. The operator is requested to use these buttons to confirm the AI Alarm Verification status and therefore to improve the AI Alarm Verification Service for this camera in the future. The operator's feedback is logged and used to improve the verification algorithm.   Please click this button to confirm that the verification is done correctly.  Please click this button to confirm that the verification is not done correctly.  With "Undo" you can revert your choice.   Notes: For "Verified by AI" and "Unverified by AI", the verification is correct if a moving person or vehicle is in the alarm clip. For "Rejected by AI", the verification is correct, if no moving person or vehicle is in the alarm clip.        b. Investigation Mode:             i. Live video             ii. Test Audio Verification (listen to site) and Audio Intervention (click microphone button to speak to the site).             iii. Optional perform Intervention Actions in 'Actions' field.   5. For 3rd party cameras and Remote Portal cameras with Cloud Storage enabled, the HTML5 Video Control provides the following functionality for live video and playback in the Investigation Mode:   Live mode details: 4: Enable Audio Verification from the camera and control the volume.  5: Enable and confirm audio-back to perform Audio Intervention. Audio Intervention disabled: Audio Intervention enabled: > allow audio-back:   9: Settings:   Preferred format: WebRTC: low delay (UDP) - for audio and PTZ control - might be not available in corporate network HLS: bit-rate adaptive streaming (TCP) - no audio, no PTZ control JPEG: JPEG polling Dewarping Off On (e.g. for fisheye camera) 11: Display in-window PTZ control   Playback mode details: 1: Calendar: Days with recordings are displayed in a circle Click to select the date 4: Enable audio playback from the recordings and control the volume.  7: Select pre- and post alarm recording to be exported.   9: Settings: Speed: Replay speed   Note that a AI Alarm Verification event is only forwarded to the Alarm Management Event list and to the Monitoring Center when the site is armed and the arming schedule is active. If "Save directly to Event History" is selected for rejected AI alarms, the event does not appear in Event list but in Event History only. An AI Alarm Verification event is not processed when the Maintenance Mode is enabled for the related Site.   Good to know: In case of Bosch cameras, the sensitive area of the camera IVA/EVA is 'taken over' by the AI service. For 3rd party or legacy (non-IVA/EVA) cameras, the entire camera scene is analyzed. Bosch recommends a minimum object size of 20 pixel for Full HD cameras (according to IEC 62676-4 'monitor' level in the MDORII scale). The AI Alarm Verification service performs better with higher contrast of the object against the environment. Bosch therefore recommends to cover closer camera areas with the AI Alarm Verification service in the case of long perimeters and/or low-contrast scenes. The following default timeouts apply to the AI Alarm Verification service (customizable for each partner Alarm Management instance): 10s timeout after successful alarm clip upload for the AI detector analysis > otherwise an 'Unverified by AI' is returned 60s timeout for downloading the clip from the camera > otherwise an 'Unverified by AI' is returned Note: Please take care that the clip upload is not delayed (e.g. by default more than 60s), to avoid that an 'Unverified by AI' is raised. In case of mobile camera connections, please make sure that sufficient bandwidth is available. Alternatively contact the administrators of your dedicated partner cloud instance to change the default timeouts. Known restriction: Alarm Management Diagnose does not show AI alarms or AI dashboards. This will follow in another release. To activate the AI Alarm Verification in Alarm Management, the AI Alarm Verification service needs to be activated in Bosch Remote Portal. License: AI Alarm Verification Demo: CBS-AIAV-DEMO > available through PM and MKR in the “preview phase”. Prerequisite: AI Alarm Verification requires Alarm Management service activated additionally.     See also the article Troubleshooting Alarm Notification in Operator Interface if no alarm appears in the event list.  ... View more

Encrypting Edge Storage and Bosch IP Cameras   Overview: All Bosch IP cameras that are equipped with a Micro SD can record at the edge. While video recorded via Bosch’s proprietary iSCSI format is none readable, many sites require any type of recorded video to be encrypted. Bosch video devices configured with firmware 7.70 and higher, provide AES-XTS block-based encryption. This encryption function is leveraged utilizing the device’s private AES encryption key. In devices up to CPP 7.3, this key is housed in the device’s Crypto Coprocessor. In newer CPP13 and 14 devices, the key is housed in the device’s Secure Element.     Since the media, or blocks, are encrypted with a private key, the camera is the only mechanism that can access encrypted data. This means all playbacks of the recoded video on the Camera’s Micro SD card must be accessed via the camera. Note: Older devices provided “whole disk” encryption utilizing the same key process.   Prior to Starting: This document will focus on the “Block-based” encryption utilizing the following: o FLEXIDOME IP Starlight 8000i (CPP7.3) configured with firmware 7.85.0016 120 GB Class 10 MSD Card • Bosch Configuration Manager 7.60 • Playback Testing: Bosch Video Security Client 3.3.3.44 (Local and Remote connections) • Remote Playback Testing: Bosch Remote Portal and Video Security Client This guide is intended for Bosch Certified Video technicians, or technicians who are familiar with Bosch Cameras, and Bosch Configuration Manager Note: On CPP13 devices up to 7.3, it is recommended to utilize firmware 7.85.0016 or higher.   Step-by-step guide   Crypto Coprocessor and Certificates: Initial certificate selection for edge encryption can vary based on the CPP of the camera, and the Crypto Coprocessor (CCP) or Secure Element the device is equipped with. Most newer devices manufactured with CCP version 6 or higher contain a “LunEncryptionKey” that will be displayed in Configuration Manager as “Internal Use Only” by default.   Older Devices with a CCP3 will not be equipped with the LunEncryptionKey Certificate-Key pair. This means you will need to generate a self-signed certificate (1024 or 2048)   To configure a CCP 6 and higher device, utilizing the “Service and Certificates” submenu in Configuration Manager, simply select the “InternalUseOnly” certificate in the devices certificate store. In the “Usage” drop down menu select “Prim Record Encryption”. Save your work!   To configure a CCP 3 device, select the “Generate self-signed certificate” option • Select RSA 2048bit • Select “Create” Once the certificate has been created, select the “Prim Record Encryption” option as shown above. Save your work!   Camera Recording Settings and SD Card: To configure a camera to utilize a new MSD card for recording, use the “Recording and Recording Management” submenu in Configuration Manager. • In the “Preferred storage target type” dropdown menu, select the “SD card” option   New SD cards require formatting in order to configure them for iSCSI recording • Select the “Format” icon (gear) to start the formatting process   After the formatting process is complete, select the “Start” arrow to begin the recording process • Once the recording process has started, highlighting the red status indicator will display that the recording is encrypted via “padlock icon” next to “Recording 1”   The camera’s “Recording Status” web page will also indicate that the recording is encrypted via a “padlock” icon   Edge Encryption Playback: Video Security Client VSC can be utilized in several deployment scenarios; Local, remote, remote via the Cloud. As stated previously the default communications for software interaction is set to HTTPS / TLS 1.2. Depending on the Camera Platform (CPP) and firmware loaded on that platform, in combination with the deployment scenario, playback of encrypted video maybe slow to start, or fail. This can be caused by several factors • Network connectivity to the device: This effects the HTTPS certificate handshake time and the device loading the initial encrypted I-Frame to start playback • The device’s Resolution, base frame rate, and FPS of the recorded video vs connected bandwidth, if connecting remotely • The I-Frame Distance in the device’s encoder profile assigned to recording. Some devices are set to 255 by default, adjusting this to 60 or 30 can resolve issues. • GOP Structure: This should always be set to “IP” If dealing with UHD or MP cameras with high frame rates and bit rates, reducing the I-frame distance to 25 or lower can help resolve delayed playback issues based on the camera’s behavior   If reducing the above configurations does not resolve delayed or failing playback, the “Device Access” settings can be changed to RCP+. • This effects how applications communicate and negotiate with the device for services such as playback • Base communications and live video will still be via HTTPS TLS 1.2, as seen in the Wireshark capture below After Encryption has been configured and the recording process has been started, playback should be possible utilizing Video Security Client (VSC).   Edge Encryption Playback: Camera Web Interface When utilizing the device’s web interface to playback encrypted video on a “Locked Down” device, there are additional steps that must be taken in order to view playback • Default communications on all devices is set to HTTPS. This means the device’s HTTPS certificate must be added to the Windows Certificate store in order to be trusted The simplest option is to utilize the Bosch Configuration Manager Micro CA, and create a Root certificate for the camera system. This process is detailed in the 2019 Lockdown guide and includes: • Creating a Certificate Signing Request on the video devices • Signing the CSR with the Root Certificate • Assigning the role of “HTTPS Server” to new certificate. The base result is a trusted relationship between the camera and the workstation.   ... View more

Possible causes and solution(s)   Scenario:   VSG version 7.1 BVMS 10.1 build 10.1.1.12 VRM is on 2 separate machines as Primary and Failover Failover VRM is also used as iSCSI and there is another dedicated iSCSI machine.   Cameras do not record and when going to VSG and recording, it stands that: Camera 1 - ANR not configured Camera 1 - [Recording 1] Error: No more blocks available It’s the same on 2 VSG and cameras added to VSG don’t record.   Causes   There is no communication happening between the VRM and the VSG, and the VSG does not contain any information from the VRM where to record. Potential causes of this issue may be lack of basic network communication, switch or router blocking the ports, hardware or software firewalls limiting the communication, Domain Security Policies applied to the domain, users or computers. Some of these machines could be located on separate domains which could lead to a potential issue due to the security policies at the domain level that could apply and block communication.   Solution   First, please see this document and check the compatibility on page 8. If the VSG and VRM don’t match the required version as per Release Note, please perform the upgrade for them VRM 3.83.0021 (64-bit) VSG 7.2.0.44 Note: After the upgrade we recommended to refresh and update the States and capabilities in BVMS, so the Configuration Client can read the new configuration. The firewalls should be checked to allow communication   If the issue persists, please do the following, before getting in contact with the Central Technical Support team: Check live stream - provide the information if there are issues also with the live stream Enable: VSG Debug, RTP logging: The following article will help you to find out: Where can you find the "VSG debug logging" option in Configuration Client to enable/ disable it? Reproduce the issue and provide Video Streaming Gateway logs: Collect Config collector logs from the sever (article here) Collect the VSG logs using the BVIP tool à Central Technical Support team can provide you with this tool Screenshot of the Dashboard of the VRM. VSDK loggings from VSG sever — Idea please note that when you need VSDK logging from a service like (VSG, MVS, VRM etc.) you need to restart the service in order to get the data written in to the VSDK folders. The following article will help you to find out: How to collect Video SDK log files Wireshark captures on the VSG server & VRM server simultaneously if possible.   ONVIF cameras in BVMS: live and playback issues - Ticket Requirements ... View more

Possible causes and solution(s)   Causes   WD MSD-064G IP SECURITY MICROSD CARD does not support lifespan check for Bosch CPP4 cameras Lifespan status is unavailable * Sandisk and WD are within the same company   Solution   Given that the CPP4 is an old platform and was aligned with older SD Cards, the IDs and card information that is required for Life span monitoring in not aligned for the newer SD cards. There is no schedule for CPP4 to be fixed. This card is not and will not be fully supported in a CPP4   This SD card is supported in CPP6, 7 and 7.3 – you can see the lifespan percentages of the SD-card in the web browser and Configuration Manager. * SD card gets supported in Firmware 7.81.0060. ... View more

Question   How can I get a snapshot image from Bosch IP cameras by using an URL?   Answer   To get a snapshot image from your camera, you can use the following URL:  HTTP://camera_IP_address/snap.jpg For example:    The units can deliver different image sizes by providing the parameter “JpegSize” with one of the following possible values: S (small) 176 × 144/120 pixels (QCIF) M (medium) 352 × 288/240 pixels (CIF) L (large) 704 × 288/240 pixels (2CIF) XL (extra large) 704 × 576/480 pixels (4CIF) The parameter is added to the URL in a query string appended after a question mark. For example to get the largest image: HTTP://camera_IP_address/snap.jpg?JpegSize=XL Please note that all parameter names in the query string are case-sensitive.    For example:   Note: If there are cases when requesting the JPG image from Bosch IP cameras by using an URL and the image is distorted, please check to what the jpeg quality is set to. If this is set low, it could be that you are up-scaling a low image quality by defining the quality in the syntax (if this is the case) Therefore, just set this jpeg stream quality to high, and than you only need snap.jpg afterwards. Or select a stream quality with already the desired resolution for the jpeg:   Here you will find one detailed document containing info about how JPEG images can be obtained from the units via HTTP Can a stream of a Bosch camera be integrated into the end-user web page via http(s)?  Is it possible to obtain HD resolution for JPEG posting script of Bosch camera to FTP? FLEXIDOME panoramic 5100i: snapshot URL returns fisheye (round).jpg image instead of de-warped image ... View more