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Management

This guide covers the day-to-day management tasks for cameras in the Arvist platform.

Adding Cameras​

The Arvist platform allows you to add multiple cameras in a single session using a staged workflow:

Step 1: Open the Add Camera Dialog​

  1. Navigate to the Cameras page
  2. Click the Add new camera button
  3. The Add Camera dialog will appear

Step 2: Fill in Camera Details​

Enter the following information for your camera:

  • Camera name: Unique identifier (e.g., "Warehouse_Dock_1")
    • Must be unique across all cameras
    • Will be automatically formatted (spaces converted to underscores)
    • System will warn if name already exists
  • Main stream: Primary RTSP URL for high-quality recording
    • Format: rtsp://<user>:<password>@<ip>:554/<stream>/media.smp
    • Required field
  • Sub stream: Secondary RTSP URL for detection (optional)
    • Typically lower resolution for efficient processing
    • Format: rtsp://username:password@camera-ip:554/substream
  • Camera height: Camera vertical resolution (e.g., 1080). Defaults to 720
  • Camera width: Camera horizontal resolution (e.g., 1920). Defaults to 1280

Step 3: Submit Camera​

Click Submit to add the camera to the pending changes list.

Camera Naming Convention

Use a consistent naming convention that includes location and purpose, such as:

  • Location_Purpose_Number (e.g., "Dock_Safety_01")
  • Building_Floor_Area_Number (e.g., "WH1_Floor2_Aisle5_01")

Note: Spaces in camera names are automatically converted to underscores.

Step 4: Add More Cameras (Optional)​

  • Click Add new camera again to add another camera
  • Repeat steps 2-3 for each camera
  • All cameras will be added to the "Pending Changes" section

Step 5: Review Pending Changes​

Before saving, review the Pending Changes section which shows:

  • All cameras waiting to be added
  • Number of unsaved changes
  • Options to edit or delete pending cameras

Step 6: Save All Changes​

  1. Click Save changes (X) button (where X is the number of pending changes)
  2. The system will:
    • Save all camera configurations to the NVR
    • Create camera records in the database
    • Update the system configuration
  3. You'll see a progress overlay showing the saving steps
  4. When complete, a restart modal will appear
  5. The NVR service will restart to apply the new camera configurations
Batch Operations

All pending cameras are saved together in a single operation. This ensures consistent configuration and requires only one service restart.

Editing Cameras​

You can edit both pending (not yet saved) and saved (existing) cameras:

Editing a Pending Camera​

If you haven't saved the camera yet:

  1. Locate the camera in the Pending Changes section
  2. Click the Edit icon next to the camera
  3. Modify the fields in the dialog
  4. Click Save to update the pending camera
  5. Click Save changes to apply all pending changes

Editing a Saved Camera​

To modify an existing camera configuration:

  1. Locate the camera in the camera list
  2. Click the Edit icon (pencil) next to the camera name
  3. The Edit Camera dialog will appear with current values
  4. Modify the fields as needed:
    • Camera name (must remain unique)
    • Main stream URL
    • Sub stream URL
    • Camera dimensions
  5. Click Save to stage the edit
  6. The camera will appear in "Pending Changes"
  7. Click Save changes to apply all modifications
Service Restart Required

After saving camera changes, the NVR service will restart to apply the new configuration. This is necessary for the cameras to function properly with the updated settings.

Deleting a Camera​

To remove a camera from the system:

  1. Locate the camera in the camera list
  2. Click the Delete icon (trash can) next to the camera name
  3. Click Save changes to apply all modifications
Data Loss Warning

Deleting a camera will remove all associated configuration, including zone definitions and historical associations. Recorded footage will be retained according to your retention policy.

Camera Status Indicators​

The system displays real-time status for each camera using color-coded indicators:

StatusIndicatorDescription
Online🟢 GreenCamera is connected and streaming normally
Offline🔴 RedCamera is not reachable or stream is unavailable

Monitoring Camera Health​

Health Dashboard​

The camera health dashboard provides an overview of all cameras displayed as cards:

  • Camera Name: Formatted camera identifier
  • Status Badge: Shows count of online and offline cameras
  • Edit/Delete Actions: Pencil icon to edit, trash icon to mark for deletion

Camera Health Cards​

Each camera displays the following metrics:

  • Camera FPS: Current frames per second being received
    • Color-coded: Green (good), Yellow (degraded), Red (poor)
  • FFmpeg PID: Process ID of the FFmpeg process handling the stream
    • Shows "N/A" with alert icon if process is not running
  • Status Badge: Online (green) or Offline (red)
  • Deletion Status: Shows "Marked for deletion" badge if camera is pending deletion

Best Practices​

Regular Maintenance​

  • Weekly: Review camera status dashboard for offline or degraded cameras
  • Monthly: Test all camera connections and verify stream quality
  • Quarterly: Review and update camera firmware
  • Annually: Audit camera coverage and placement

Documentation​

Maintain documentation for:

  • Camera locations with physical maps
  • Credentials in a secure password manager
  • Network topology showing camera connections
  • Maintenance history and configuration changes

Security​

  • Change default passwords: Never use manufacturer default credentials
  • Use strong passwords: Minimum 12 characters with mixed case, numbers, and symbols
  • Segregate camera network: Use a dedicated VLAN for camera traffic
  • Regular updates: Keep camera firmware updated for security patches
  • Monitor access: Review access logs periodically

Performance Optimization​

  • Monitor bandwidth: Ensure adequate network capacity
  • Use sub streams: Enable and use lower-resolution sub streams for detection
  • Adjust quality settings: Balance quality with network and storage constraints
  • Limit motion areas: Configure motion detection zones to reduce false triggers

Troubleshooting Common Management Issues​

Camera Won't Save​

  • Verify all required fields are filled
  • Ensure camera name is unique
  • Check RTSP URL format

Status Not Updating​

  • Refresh the page
  • Check network connectivity
  • Verify services are running: docker compose ps
  • Review logs: docker compose logs

For more detailed troubleshooting, see the Troubleshooting guide.

Integration with Other Features​

Camera Views​

View live feeds from configured cameras in the Camera Views page.

Zone Configuration​

Define detection zones for cameras in Zone Configuration.

Module Configuration​

Use cameras in detection modules via Module Configuration.

Quality Stations​

Assign cameras to quality stations for inspection workflows in Quality Stations.