DW Spectrum Camera Identifiers

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Affected Roles:  Owner, Administrator

Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps:  DW Spectrum IPVMS

Last Edit:  August 22, 2024

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What Are Camera Identifiers?

Camera identifiers, also known as a “Camera ID”, are important for performing tasks involving the cameras in a DW Spectrum System. For example, when using API requests or for creating any integration that utilizes the cameras in the System. These identifiers include the camera Physical ID (MAC Address), Camera ID (system designated UUID), and Logical ID (a simplified version of the Camera ID).

This article will describe the different types of camera identifiers that are utilized by the DW Spectrum Server program and how to obtain them.

 

Defining Camera Identifiers

• Physical ID – typically the same as the camera’s MAC address. This can be used for utilizing live or recorded video from the camera(s) in your DW Spectrum System. However, this is not the preferred method of doing so. The video archive (located in storage) is also organized by a camera’s Physical ID.
• Camera ID – this is the UUID that the System has assigned to each camera. This format will usually appear like below. The Camera ID is preferred when performing API calls. It is also used for “devices” such as virtual camera instances, encoders, I/O units, etc.

 

• Logical ID – this is a simplified device identification when integrating with third-party systems. It is necessary for environments with input fields that are not capable of entering the full Camera ID due to a limitation in the maximum number of characters. A Logical ID also simplifies the process of replacing one camera with another, without changing the identifiers in the integration. The Logical ID can be used in API calls (such as getting RTSP streams, etc.) to address cameras.

 

How to Obtain Physical ID and Camera ID

Using the DW Spectrum Desktop Client

1. Right-click on a camera and select the “Camera Settings” menu.
2. In the General tab, select the “More Info” arrow located below “Vendor” and “Model”. You will find the Physical ID and Camera ID in this location.

 

**NOTE:  The camera’s MAC address is also the Physical ID.

 

Using an API Request (current method)

As of DW Spectrum Version 4.3, the API received an update that changed the method for performing certain requests. For finding the Camera ID, the request below will be used.

 

An example format of a basic request for viewing the response in the browser is the following request below. In this example, we set the response format type to XML and sort the list by the device names.

 

The Camera ID is found above the device name in the tag (<id>).

The Physical ID is found below the Camera ID in the MAC tag (<mac>).

 

Use these extra parameters to meet your requirements. For example, when incorporating device-checking in an integration and receiving the response in a specific format.

• _format – enter the response format type; by default, JSON is used.
• _with – enter a comma-separated list of field names, where only objects which have at least one field from this list will be included in the response.
• filter – this is a family of parameters rather than a fixed-name parameter. Any number of response object fields can be specified as parameters,  with the desired field values as parameter values.
• _keepDefault – if false or unspecified, the Server will not omit fields that have values equal to their default values. Otherwise, such fields will be omitted.
• _orderBy – choose your preferred sort order. This can be by name, id, server, etc.

An example using the “_with” parameter to limit the objects in the response to what is specified is below. In this example, only the “<id>”, “<mac>”, and “<model>” tags are shown.

 

Using an API Request (old method)

The following method is now depreciated/outdated and is used for older versions of the API.

1. In the web browser, enter the following HTTP request.

Replace “<server_IP>” with the IP address or URL of the DW Spectrum Server that you are requesting information from.

Replace “<server_port>” with the port of that the System is using (default is 7001).

For example, an API call to DW Spectrum could look like:

 

2. In the results, search the page (CTRL + F) and enter the camera name or IP address of the camera that you are searching for.

For example, if the camera is named “Kitchen”:

 

 

3. Below the camera name, you will notice a parameter called “physicalId”. This represents the Physical ID (MAC) of the camera.
4. To find the Camera ID, locate the parameeter called “physicalId”. This attribute value should be used when making different API calls (PTZ, HLS, RTSP, etc.). The Value should be used without quotation marks.

 

How to Set Up the Logical ID

Assigning a Logical ID

1. Right-click on a camera and select the “Camera Settings” menu.
2. Navigate to the “Expert” tab.
3. Look for the “Logical ID” field in the menu and enter a number into the “Logical ID” field.
4. Click “Apply” to save the settings.

 

**NOTE:  If you are already using 1~3 identifiers, use the “Generate” button to discover and display the smallest number that is not already in use.

 

Removing a Logical ID

1. Right-click on a camera and select the “Camera Settings” menu.
2. Navigate to the “Expert” tab.
3. Look for the “Logical ID” field in the menu and click the “Reset” button. This will set the Logical ID to zero, which the API equates to having no Logical ID.

 

 

 

For More Information or Technical Support

DW Technical Support:  866.446.3595 (option 4)

https://www.digital-watchdog.com/contact-tech-support/

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DW Sales:  866.446.3595                   [email protected]        www.digital-watchdog.com