VIAAS FAQs
Q) VIAAS uses the Internet, is this secure?
A) VIAAS is extremely secure. The cameras connect to the service and authenticate themselves. Nothing connects to your network, so you don't have to change any network configuration. This outbound connection model prevents a huge class of security issues faced by facilities based solutions where end users connect directly to your video archive.
VIAAS cameras encrypt and digitally sign video and images, right when they are created. They are encrypted when being sent over the Internet and they remain encrypted in the VideoVault . For compatibility, they are decrypted before being sent to the user interface, but even that can be done over HTTPS if you choose. Your privacy is extremely well protected.
Q) How much bandwidth does a VIAAS Camera need?
A) During normal operation VIAAS records video data in small, short spurts, and only when important activity occurs in that location. Without Bandwidth Shaping, or when you are live streaming, this data is immediately transmitted over the broadband connection. VIAAS Camera One video is less than 380kbps, so the minimum required bandwidth to support streaming is 380kilobits/second.
With Bandwidth Shaping (which needs an microSD Card installed), the small video segments are uploaded slowly at a low target bandwidth. In almost every video monitoring situation there is a whole lot of nothing going on. The average bandwidth a camera needs is REALLY low - we set the cameras up at 30kbps (yes, 30 kilobits per second) and they rarely have to go above that in normal operation.
A single Camera One needs 380kbps minimum, which it will use occasionally. With Bandwidth Shaping, the same connection will support 8 to 12 cameras (if you are dedicating the link to the cameras).
Q) How much bandwidth does the application need?
A) The VIAAS application needs enough bandwidth to smoothly stream video - 380kbps. For best experience, you should have greater than 1mbps of download bandwidth.
Q) What is Bandwidth Shaping?
A) Bandwidth Shaping stores video and images on an onboard SD card at high speed, then slowly sends them to the service as bandwidth allows. This smooths the bandwidth needs of the camera, enabling installation of several VIAAS Cameras on you existing Internet connection in most cases. For a more in depth discussion see How VIAAS Works.
Bandwidth Shaping allows most cameras to use less than 30kbps of uplink bandwidth. You can further configure Bandwidth Shaping to match your network needs. For example, if you have significant network usage during the day for normal business, but your network is generally idle at night, schedule different target bitrates for the different timeframes. As long as the MicroSD Card has enough storage, VIAAS cameras will timeshift data to the period with enough bandwidth.
Q) What do I need for Bandwidth Shaping?
A) Shaping requires you install a Micro SD card in the camera. A 1GByte card will provide you about 12 hours of “time shifting”. You also need have it enabled in the SETTINGs for the camera.
Q) What happens if my camera Internet connection goes down?
A) VIAAS Cameras with Bandwidth Shaping will continue recording video and images even if the Internet connection goes down. When connectivity is restored recorded events will be uploaded to VIAAS. The cameras are somewhat brittle in this condition, for example if they loose power they cannot record new video until they have communicated with VIAAS.
If you have video or media shaped onto the MicroSD card - stored but not yet uploaded to VIAAS - you will be able to navigate the user interface normally, but when you try to access the video or images you will get an error. As soon as connectivity is restored you will be able to access the data as usual.
If you are not using Bandwidth Shaping, your VIAAS Cameras will not be able to record video or images.
In all cases, your VIAAS Camera will automatically recover from the outage when connectivity is restored, no action required on your part.
If it is an extended outage (> 10 minutes) you will get an alert from VIAAS, telling you we have lost connection with your cameras. The period of the outage will be noted in your SAVED EVENTS.
