Adding Plugins to a DW Spectrum Server

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Affected Roles:  Owner, Administrator

Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps:  DW Spectrum IPVMS

Software Version:  DW Spectrum Version 5.1

Last Edit:  August 21, 2024

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Additional Plugins

While DW Spectrum will come with plugins pre-installed for DWs most popular devices, you may periodically need to add or replace plugins to allow your DW Spectrum Server to support certain devices or services.

This article will outline how to add a plugin to a DW Spectrum Server.

 

**IMPORTANT:  If a plugin is being applied to a merged DW Spectrum System, you will need to add the plugin to each server that is part of the merged array.

 

Adding the Plugin

 

Download the Plugin: First, you will need to download the plugin file to the desktop of your server. The plugin file can be found and downloaded from DW Spectrum® IPVMS product page under the Software tab.

 

 

To install/add a plugin to a DW Spectrum Server:

1. Stop the DW Spectrum Media Server program.
   1. Windows

Right-click on the DW Spectrum Tray Assistant icon in the Windows Service Tray and select Stop Server.

 

1. 2. Ubuntu Linux

• Open the Command Terminal (CTRL+ALT+T)
•  In the Terminal, switch to super user by using the following command  : 

  sudo su    

•   When prompted, enter the root password of: “Dw5pectrum”

  **NOTE:  For older DW Blackjack units that were purchased before June 18, 2021, the previously utilized default Linux OS login was "admin/admin".

 

• Next, stop the DW Spectrum® mediaserver process by using the following command: 

  sudo service digitalwatchdog-mediaserver stop

2. After stopping the media service, copy the plugin into the plugin directory.

 

**NOTE:  If the plugin came in a compressed folder (.zip), unzip/unpackage the files before transferring them to the DW Spectrum plugins folder.

 

1. 1. Windows
      • Place the plugin file into the following directory 

        C:\Program Files\Digital Watchdog\DW Spectrum\MediaServer\plugins

 

 

 

1. 2. Ubuntu Linux
      • Open the Command Terminal (CTRL+ALT+T)
      • After stopping the mediaserver, navigate to the desktop by using the following command:  

        cd Desktop  

      • copy the plugin file to the folder of the mediaserver by using the following command: 

        cp (plugin_file_name) /opt/digitalwatchdog/mediaserver/bin/plugins

2.  

 

3. Close the plugin directory and restart the DW Spectrum Media Server program.
   1. Windows

Right-click on the DW Spectrum Tray Assistant icon in the Windows Service Tray and select Start Server.

 

1. 2. Ubuntu Linux

• Open the Command Terminal (CTRL+ALT+T) and start  DW Spectrum® mediaserver process by using the following command:   

  sudo service digitalwatchdog-mediaserver star

 

4. To check that the plugin has been added, open the Camera Settings in the DW Spectrum Client desktop application and select the “Plugins” tab.

Enable the plugin and apply the setting changes.

Depending on the purpose of the plugin and the related software feature, additional configuration may need to be performed within the camera’s web viewer client through a web browser.

 

 

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