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VMAX - Audio Setup for A1 Plus and A1 G4

Updated

Audio Setup for VMAX A1 Plus and VMAX A1 G4

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Affected Roles:  Administrator, Owner

Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps:  C3™ CMS, VMAX Web Viewer

Firmware Version:  VMAX A1 Plus v1.0.1.64, VMAX A1 G4 v1.0.9.0

Last Edit:  August 1, 2024

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Audio In/Out (I/O) Setup

The VMAX A1 Plus (5 MP) and VMAX A1 G4 (4K) DVRs feature Audio-In and Audio-Out (I/O) support, which enables users with the ability to individually monitor audio input for up to four (4) cameras and/or emit audio through one (1) camera (requires connecting an external speaker).

This article will outline how to enable audio recording and configure which cameras are assigned for Audio-In with the VMAX A1 Plus or VMAX A1 G4.

 

Supported/Affected Devices:

  • VMAX® A1 Plus™ Series
  • VMAX® A1 G4™ Series

 

CMS Limitations

When using the DW Mobile Plus™ mobile application, C3™ CMS, or VMAX® Web Viewer to manage the VMAX A1 Plus, audio support is limited to computers only.

  • DW Mobile Plus™ – only supports Audio-In from the camera and cannot be used to send Audio-Out from connected speakers.
  • C3™ CMS – supports both Audio-In and Audio-Out.
  • VMAX® Web Viewer – supports both Audio-In and Audio-Out.  Currently limited to Internet Explorer only for video viewing support.

 

Setting Up Audio

To set up the DVR for Audio (I/O) support:

  1. If the camera does not have a built-in microphone, an external microphone will need to be connected to either the DVR or to the camera (varies by model). Consider the following when selecting hardware:
    • Omni-directional microphone – capable of detecting sounds equally from all directions
    • Directional microphone – capable of detecting sounds from a single direction only

When installing an external microphone, avoid orienting the microphone in such a way that nearby surfaces that can bounce sounds into the microphone input.  Directing a microphone at a wall or ceiling may cause an echo.

You can connect an RCA microphone or RCA speaker to an available AUDIO IN port, located in the rear panel of the recorder.

 

  1. Once the camera and/or microphone has been powered and connected to the DVR, the recorder must be configured to use the audio function.

At the DVR, log in as the of the Administrator.

 

  1. Once logged-in as the Administrator, right-click with the mouse and select Menu.

The Setup Menu will display.  Click on Device, then select Audio.

Next, from the Audio menu, configure the following:

  • Audio ON/OFF – set this to ON to specify which Audio-In (RCA) port(s) to activate (e.g. Audio1 = Audio-In RCA Port 1)
  • Use 2-Way Audio – enable this setting to allow two-way audio for connected devices.
  • LIVE – set this to ON to allow live audio while viewing an audio-assigned camera through the DVR or remote viewing.

After enabling the desired audio settings, click the Save button to apply the settings.

 

**NOTE:  The Audio-In (RCA) ports on the rear panel are numbered for system reference purposes.

 

  1. Next, the audio channel must be assigned to a camera.

In the Setup Menu, open the Record menu and select the Camera tab.

The Record>Camera menu will display.

Locate the Audio column and assign the associated audio channel (i.e., Audio1, Audio2, etc.) to the associated camera.

Click the Save button to apply the settings.

 

  1. After assigning the primary audio stream to a camera channel for live monitoring, the Secondary Stream must also be configured to utilize audio in order to capture audio recordings.

Click the Second Stream tab and locate the Audio column.

Assign each associated audio channel (i.e., Audio1, Audio2, etc.) to the same camera channel that was assigned in Step 4 above.

Click the Save button when you are finished.

 

  1. After enabling the audio function and assigning audio channels, you will be able to monitor video and audio streams directly at the DVR (speaker required for Audio-Out), with C3™ CMS or with VMAX® Web Viewer.

When monitoring audio, you must view the desired channel using either a single-channel view or by double-clicking on the target channel for a fullscreen view.

 

**NOTE:  If live audio does not play when viewing remotely, check that the audio function on the viewing application is not muted.  Additionally, make sure that the microphone is powered-on and that the RCA connections between the microphone and the DVR are securely fastened.

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