MEGApix® IVA/IVA+ Analytic Events Trigger Troubleshooting in DW Spectrum® IPVMS

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Affected Roles: Administrator, Owner

Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps: DW Spectrum® IPVMS

Complexity: Medium to High

Software Version: DW Spectrum® IPVMS v4.1 and newer

Last Edit: March 25, 2021

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DW Spectrum® IPVMS Analytic Triggers

In some circumstances, an IVA/IVA+™ camera may fail to trigger an Event Rule within DW Spectrum® IPVMS. Assuming that the Event Rule was created correctly through the DW Spectrum® Client, there are several troubleshooting steps that can be taken to resolve this issue.

This article will outline some steps that can be taken when a MEGApix® IVA/IVA+™ Camera do not trigger analytic events in DW Spectrum® IPVMS.

**NOTE: For DW Spectrum® IPVMS v4.2 and newer, the IVA™ plugin is included in the DW Spectrum® Server software.

**NOTE: For merged DW Spectrum Systems, you will want to add the .dll plugin to each Server in the merged array.

**NOTE: If you are using a “headless server”, such as a DW Blackjack® Mini, the DW Spectrum® ARM firmware is presently not compatible with the IVA analytics function.

Supported/Affected Devices:

DW Blackjack® Server Series
MEGApix® IVA/IVA+™ Camera Series

Basic Troubleshooting

When encountering an issue with a MEGApix® IVA/IVA+™ camera, you may try the following basic troubleshooting steps:

Check the DW Spectrum® Server Software

Confirm that the DW Spectrum® Server software is up-to-date. IVA/IVA+™ analytics are available for DW Spectrum® v4.1 and up.

Updating DW Spectrum

Confirm that the DW Spectrum® Server software is using the correct software plugin. For example, a DW Spectrum® Server (v4.1) running on Windows 10 is expected to be using the DW Spectrum® v4.1plugin (.dll) for Windows.

Check the Camera’s Analytic Rule

Confirm that the IVA/IVA+™ analytic rule is configured on the camera itself. This must be set up through the camera’s Web Client (GUI) before it can be used to trigger an Event Rule in DW Spectrum® IPVMS.

If needed, the Digital Watchdog Knowledge Base provides articles for setting up MEGApix IVA+ Analytics rules on a MEGApix® IVA/IVA+™ IP camera.

Reboot the Camera

Power-cycle the camera. Reboot the camera and allow it to restart. Power-cycling a device can often resolve most hardware and software issues.

Re-Add the Camera

If power-cycling the camera did not resolve the issue, delete then re-add the camera to the DW Spectrum® Server. After re-adding the camera, recreate the

Recreate the Event Rule

Delete then recreate the analytic Event Rule in DW Spectrum IPVMS. Make sure that the rule is assigned to the correct camera.

Creating Analytic Event Rules in DW Spectrum For MEGApix IVA/IVA+

Advanced Troubleshooting

If you have confirmed that the DW Spectrum® Server software is up-to-date, the camera has been configured to use the desired analytic rule, and the Server is using the correct software plugin, then you may need to completely re-install the DW Spectrum® IPVMS software on the Server.

Step 1: Create a Database Backup

It is highly recommended to copy the database of the DW Spectrum® Server before making any major changes to the DW Spectrum® System. The article Creating a Database Backup of DW Spectrum IPVMS outlines how to create a database backup and how to copy the raw database files of the DW Spectrum® Server. It is recommended to copy the raw database files in addition to creating a database backup.

Step 2: Uninstall DW Spectrum IPVMS

When clean re-installing the DW Spectrum® IPVMS software, you must completely remove the DW Spectrum IPVMS elements. The article DW Spectrum Clean Uninstall outlines how to completely delete the program from a Windows or Ubuntu/Linux computer.

Step 3: Reinstall DW Spectrum IPVMS

After completely removing the DW Spectrum® IPVMS software from the computer, the program must be reinstalled. Be sure to install the correct software version for the computer.

Step 4: Apply the DW Spectrum IVA Plugin

Add the correct plugin to the DW Spectrum® Server.

Step 5: Restore the System Database

Using the database backup that was created in Step 1: Create a Database Backup, restore the DW Spectrum® Server’s system database.

Use the Restoring From a Database Backup section in the article Creating a Database Backup of DW Spectrum IPVMS.

If the issue continues following the restoration of the database, reboot the camera again.

Continuing Issues

If the MEGApix® IVA/IVA+™ camera and DW Spectrum® Server still fails to respond to analytic Event Rule triggers, licensed Installers and Digital Watchdog partners may contact Digital Watchdog Technical Support for further support.

Reporting DW Spectrum Issues