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DW Blackjack MINI Limitations

Updated

Blackjack® MINI™ Limitations

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Affected Roles:  Administrator, Owner

Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps:  DW Spectrum® IPVMS

Last Edit:  April 8, 2022

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DW Blackjack® MINI™ Server

The DW Blackjack® MINI™ (DW-BJMINIxT, DW-BJMINIxTR) differs from the rest of the DW Blackjack® series units in how it is designed to act as a headless server and runs using an ARM (Advanced RISC Machines) architecture. 

Due to these differences, it is highly recommended that the DW Blackjack® MINI™ only be used as a DW Spectrum® Server with other DW Blackjack® MINI™ units.

This article will outline the limits of the DW Blackjack MINI when compared to standard DW Spectrum® Servers.

 

**NOTE:  The DW Blackjack MINI uses DW Spectrum Edge (ARM), which is specially designed to use . When applied as the “primary server”, will not support the MEGApix IVA/IVA+ analytic features due to the difference in plugin compatibility.

**NOTE:  The DW Blackjack MINI does not support HTTPS. For the creation of self-signed SSL certificates through DW Spectrum IPVMS, a DW Spectrum Server using a compatible Windows OS or Ubuntu OS must be used.

**NOTE:  The DW Blackjack MINI does not support DW Spectrum version 5.1 and is limited to version 5.0.0.36529 or older.

 

Supported/Affected Devices:

  • DW Blackjack® MINI™

 

DW Blackjack® MINI™ and Standard DW Spectrum® Servers

The standard DW Spectrum® IPVMS platform is typically comprised of a Server and a Client, either running on a dedicated computer.  The Server is responsible for storing video recordings and facilitating system activity, while the Client is responsible for allowing users to view camera video and manage the devices within the system.

In comparison, each DW Blackjack® MINI™ unit acting as a Server has its own operating firmware and version of DW Spectrum® IPVMS ARM.  As a result, DW Blackjack® MINI™ units are recommended to be used solely with other DW Blackjack® MINI™ units only.

 

**NOTE:  A “standard DW Spectrum® Server” is defined as any computer (WinOS, Ubuntu/Linux, Macintosh) that hosts the DW Spectrum® Server software and stores database information and media for the associated DW Spectrum® System.

 

DW Blackjack® MINI™ and Merging Systems

DW Spectrum® Servers can be virtually merged together into a single DW Spectrum® System through network connections and can be managed with an instance of the DW Spectrum® Client software.  Similarly, DW Blackjack® MINI™ Servers can be merged with each other to create a single system.

However, please be aware that DW Blackjack® MINI™ units should not be merged with regular DW Spectrum Servers as when Servers are integrated into a System, they take on the shared work of the System overall.  Problems will arise from integrating a DW Blackjack® MINI™ into a System that is comprised of standard Servers.

 

**NOTE:  Use of the DW Spectrum® Client software to view and manage merged Systems of DW Blackjack® MINI™ units from a computer is permissible as long as the DW Blackjack® MINI™ units are part of a DW Spectrum® System that only contains DW Blackjack® MINI™ units and no standard DW Spectrum® Servers.

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