SmartCow Sphinx Web Preview Camera User Manual

SmartCow Sphinx Web Preview Camera

Specifications

• Model: Sphinx WebPreview
• Copyright: October 2023
• Compliance: CE, FCC
• RoHS Compliance: Yes
• Warranty Period: 2 years
• IP Rating: IP65

Product Usage Instructions

About Sphinx
The Sphinx camera is designed for outdoor deployment with a robust construction and an IP65 rating for protection against dust and rain. It features M12 connectors for reliable equipment connection.

Using the WebPreview Application
The WebPreview application allows users to remotely preview the camera feed. Follow these steps to use the application:

1. Download and install the WebPreview application on your device.
2. Launch the application and log in with your credentials.
3. Select the Sphinx camera from the list of available devices.
4. You can now view the live feed from the camera, adjust settings, and capture images or videos.

FAQ

• Q: Is the Sphinx camera suitable for indoor use?
  A: The Sphinx camera is designed for outdoor deployment due to its robust construction and IP65 rating. It may not be suitable for indoor use.

• Q: How can I claim warranty service for my Sphinx camera?
  A: If your Sphinx camera is proven defective during the warranty period, contact SmartCow for a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) and free of charge warranty coverage.

Sphinx WebPreview
User’s Manual
October 2023

Copyright and legal statement

• ©2023 SmartCow AI Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.
• No part of this document may be reproduced, translated, modified, published, distributed, transmitted, or displayed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission from SmartCow AI Technologies Ltd. SmartCow® is a registered trademark of SmartCow AI Technologies Ltd. Otherwise, you will be responsible for any infringement of copyright law.
• All other product names, brands, or logos used herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. All such material is used with the permission of the owners. The content of this document is furnished confidential, privileged and for informational and instructional use only. It is subject to change without notice, and should not be construed as a commitment by SmartCow. SmartCow acts in good faith and attempts to ensure that content is accurate, complete or reliable, but it does not represent it to be error-free. SmartCow, its subsidiaries, the directors, employees, and agents assume no responsibility or liability for any inaccuracies, omissions, or errors that may appear in the content of this document.

Disclaimer
The information in this document is subject to change without prior notice and does not represent commitment from SmartCow AI Technologies Ltd. However, users may update their knowledge of any product in use by constantly checking its manual posted on our website: http://www.smartcow.ai . SmartCow shall not be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use of any product, nor for any infringements upon the rights of third parties, which may result from such use. Any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose is also disclaimed.

Acknowledgements

• All other products’ names or trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
  • NVIDIA®, the NVIDIA logo, Jetson™, Jetson Orin™, and JetPack™ are trademarks of the NVIDIA Corporation.
  • Arm® and Arm®v8-M architecture are registered trademarks of Arm Limited.
  • Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.
  • Ubuntu is a registered trademark of Canonical.
• All other product names or trademarks are properties of their respective owners. No ownership is implied or assumed for products, names or trademarks not herein listed by the publisher of this document.

Declaration of conformity

FCC
This equipment has been tested and verified to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area (domestic environment) is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case the user will be required to correct the interference (take adequate measures) at their own expense.

CE
The product described in this manual complies with all applicable European Union (CE) directives if it has a CE marking. For computer systems to remain CE compliant, only CE-compliant parts may be used. Maintaining CE compliance also requires proper cable and cabling techniques.

SmartCow RoHS environmental policy

• SmartCow is a global citizen for building digital infrastructure. We are committed to providing green products and services, which are compliant with European Union RoHS (Restriction on Use of Hazardous Substance in Electronic Equipment) directive 2011/65/EU and 2015/863, to be your trusted green partner and to protect our environment.
• RoHS restricts the use of Lead (Pb) < 0.1% or 1,000ppm, Mercury (Hg) < 0.1% or 1,000ppm, Cadmium (Cd) < 0.01% or 100 ppm, Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+) < 0.1% or 1,000ppm, Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) < 0.1% or 1,000ppm, and Polybrominated diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) < 0.1% or 1,000ppm.
• In order to meet the RoHS compliant directives, SmartCow has established an engineering and manufacturing task force to implement the introduction of green products. The task force will ensure that we follow the standard SmartCow development procedure and that all the new RoHS components and new manufacturing processes maintain the highest industry quality levels for which SmartCow is renowned.
• The model selection criteria will be based on market demand. Vendors and suppliers will ensure that all designed components will be RoHS compliant.

Warranty and RMA

• Warranty Period
  SmartCow warrants that products will be free from defects in material and workmanship for 2 years (24 months), beginning on the date of invoice by SmartCow. SmartCow will provide free of charge warranty coverage to all the products manufactured and sold in case the purchased product is proven defective in material or workmanship under normal use during the warranty period.

• Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA)

  • Customers can claim RMA service by requesting “SmartCow RMA Service Form” from the account manager. After filling out the form, the account manager will reply with a corresponding RMA number.

  • Customers must collect all the information about the problems encountered and note anything abnormal or,
    print out any on-screen messages, and describe the problems on the “SmartCow RMA Service Form” for the RMA number application process.

  • Customers shall return the RMA to SmartCow within 7 working days after the RMA number was generated and enclose the “SmartCow RMA Service Form” with the returned packages.

  • SmartCow has the right to refuse providing repair services for products no longer in warranty. If SmartCow chooses to provide repair services, the customer will be charged for the repair fees and component fees. Additionally, the needed repairing time depends on component acquisition.

  • Any products returned by SmartCow to other locations besides the customers’ site will bear an extra charge and will be billed to the customer.

Safety precautions

Please read the following safety instructions carefully. It is advised that you keep this manual for future references.

• All cautions and warnings on the device should be noted.
• All cables and adapters supplied by SmartCow are certified and in accordance with the material safety laws and regulations of the country of sale. Do not use any cables or adapters not supplied by SmartCow to prevent system malfunction or fires.
• Make sure the power source matches the power rating of the device.
• Position the power cord so that people cannot step on it. Do not place anything over the power cord.
• Always completely disconnect the power before working on the system’s hardware.
• No connections should be made when the system is powered as a sudden rush of power may damage sensitive electronic components.
• If the device is not to be used for a long time, disconnect it from the power supply to avoid damage by transient over-voltage.
• Always disconnect this device from any AC supply before cleaning.
• While cleaning, use a damp cloth instead of liquid or spray detergents.
• Make sure the device is installed near a power outlet and is easily accessible.
• Keep this device away from humidity.
• Place the device on a solid surface during installation to prevent falls.
• Do not cover the openings on the device to ensure optimal heat dissipation.
• Watch out for high temperatures when the system is running.
• Do not touch the heat sink or heat spreader when the system is running.
• Never pour any liquid into the openings. This could cause fire or electric shock.
• As most electronic components are sensitive to static electrical charge, be sure to ground yourself to prevent static charge when installing the internal components. Use a grounding wrist strap and contain all electronic components in any static-shielded containers.
• If any of the following situations arises, please contact our service personnel:
• Damaged power cord or plug
• Liquid intrusion to the device
• Exposure to moisture
• Device is not working as expected or in a manner as described in this manual
• The device is dropped or damaged
• Any obvious signs of damage displayed on the device
• Do not leave this device in an uncontrolled environment with temperatures beyond the device’s permitted environment with temperatures (see specification) to prevent damage.
• RTC battery warnings:
• Use replacement batteries that comply with the recommended battery safeguards, especially for certain types of lithium batteries.
• Do not dispose of batteries into a fire or oven, or crush them, as this can lead to an explosion.
• Do not leave batteries in extremely hot environments, as this can cause flammable liquids or gases to leak and ignite.
• Do not subject batteries to extremely low air pressures, as this may cause flammable liquids or gases to leak, resulting in an explosion.

About Sphinx

• Sphinx is a self-contained, ruggedized AI camera with dual image sensors that deliver outstanding low-light performance and built-in IR illumination. The camera offers a reliable solution for AI applications, including automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), public safety, and intelligent traffic management systems (ITMS). Its open modular connector enables operators to enhance their capabilities by integrating external sensors, such as air-quality sensors, LiDAR, and radar. Sphinx has Gigabit Ethernet and 5G connectivity, ensuring seamless operations even in challenging environments.
• The camera is ideal for outdoor deployment due to its robust and durable construction, with an IP65 rating that guarantees protection against dust and rain. In addition, Sphinx incorporates M12 connectors to provide a reliable connection between equipment.
• This manual provides instructions for using the WebPreview application. The document is intended to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the device by the operating personnel.

About the WebPreview application

Topics:

• Running the SmartCam Discovery Tool
• Logging into the WebPreview application
• Changing the default password
• Adjusting the application time zone setting

The WebPreview application offers real-time video feed access from the camera and enables operators to adjust the settings, including brightness, contrast, white balance, exposure, and zoom level, and to create and schedule custom camera presets, including tailored settings for daytime and nighttime scenarios. Important: While the WebPreview application is open in the browser, the video devices (/dev/video0 and /dev/video1) will be busy. To free the video devices and use them in your custom application, ensure that you close the browser sessions.

Running the SmartCam Discovery Tool
Before you can use the WebPreview application, use the SmartCam Discovery Tool to scan and discover all cameras within the network’s local IP range.

On Windows

1. Download the SmartCam Discovery Tool.

2. Install and configure SmartCam Discovery tool.

3. Extract SmartCamDiscoveryInstaller.exe from the downloaded ZIP file.

4. Run the installer.
   By default, a desktop shortcut is created, and the system prompts you for firewall access when you launch the tool for the first time. You can use the tool for discovery after allowing firewall access.
   Note: If you are prompted with a warning window, select More Info and click on Run Anyway. Then, proceed with the rest of the installation steps.

5. Run the SmartCam Discovery tool on your computer to get a list of cameras on your local network.
   Double-click the shortcut icon pointing to the executable file that is available at the default installation folder.
   C:\Program Files\SmartCow Discovery Tool
   You can view the camera’s name and IP address as shown in the following figure.

On Ubuntu

1. Download the SmartCam Discovery Tool.

2. Install and configure SmartCam Discovery tool.
   To install the smartcam-discovery package, run the following command.
   sudo apt install [path/to/.deb file] For example: sudo apt install smartcam-discovery_0.0.1-bionic_amd64.deb

3. Run the SmartCam Discovery tool on your computer to get a list of cameras on your local network by running the following command.
   smartcam-discovery-gtk
   You can view the camera’s name and IP address as shown in the following figure.

Logging into the WebPreview application
All Sphinx cameras come pre-installed with the WebPreview application, which enables you to preview captured video feeds and adjust the camera’s position and angle as needed.

Before you begin

• Ensure that Sphinx has a discoverable public IP address and within the same network as the WebPreview application.
• Supported browsers: Google Chrome

Procedure

1. Type the IP address of Sphinx on your browser to check the camera feed preview.
   http://
   The WebPreview application is displayed.

2. In the Username box, type the default user name, which is admin.

3. In the Password box, type the default password, which is admin.

4. Click Sign in.
   When you first launch the WebPreview application, the web preview of both sensors appears on the left side. Sensor 1 is on top, and Sensor 2 is on the bottom.

Changing the default password
After you log into the WebPreview application, it is recommended that you change the default password to one that better suits your preferences and security needs. To change the password, click the Person icon in the top-right corner of the web page and then click Update Password as shown in the following figure.

Adjusting the application time zone setting

• The application is initially set to Auto(GPS) for the time zone by default. This means that, if there is proper GPS reception, the application automatically detects the correct time zone from the GPS. After logging into the application, navigate to the Application Time Zone Page to ensure that the detected time zone is accurate.
• If the time zone detected automatically is incorrect, you can manually select the correct time zone. Alternatively, if you have a stable GPS reception, you can select Auto (GPS) from the drop-down menu and attempt to automatically re-acquire the correct location.
• Important: Ensure that you have set the correct timezone to have a precise presets schedule.

General UI information

Topics:

• Switching between sensors
• Viewing in full screen
• Viewing sensor information
• Grouped sensor controls
• Changing camera controls

After you log into the WebPreview application, the left side of the interface displays the live video streams for both sensors. Sensor 1 is selected by default, indicated by the yellow border around the video stream. Its camera parameters are displayed on the right side of the interface.

1. Switching between sensors
   You can toggle between controls for each stream by either clicking on the Sensor 1 or Sensor 2 tabs or directly clicking on the respective stream. When you switch, the corresponding controls are displayed.

2. Viewing in full screen
   To see a larger version of a specific stream, click the button in the bottom- right corner of the stream view. This action expands the stream and displays the controls associated with that stream. Click the same icon to collapse and view both streams simultaneously.

3. Viewing sensor information
   To view more information about a particular sensor, hover over the info button on the sensor tab.

4. Grouped sensor controls
   Controls for each sensor are logically grouped into appropriate sections such as image adjustment, lens adjustment, exposure settings, and so on. Expand these sections to view controls specific to that section, such as exposure controls shown in the following figure. Note that some controls are dependent on the state of others. You can switch between the Automatic and Manual exposure tabs to view the controls associated with each.

5. Changing camera controls

6. The camera control settings can be easily changed to meet your needs. You can use the sliders or type the values directly into the corresponding box for a control.

7. The reset option enables you to revert changes to their default value. To reset a single control, click .

8. To reset all controls for a particular sensor, use the Reset button located at the bottom action bar.

9. Tip: These settings are not applied unless you save them to the current preset using the Save > Save changes. For more information about presets, see About presets on page 17.

About presets

Topics:

• What is the default preset?
• Creating a new preset
• Creating a new preset using an existing preset
• Scheduling presets
• Configuring the daytime mode
• Configuring the nighttime mode

Custom camera presets are groups of customized settings that you can save on your camera, such as shutter speed, gain, white balance, exposure, zoom level, and so on. The presets enable you to quickly change the look of each of your video feeds without having to adjust each setting manually every time. For example, you can create a preset for different environmental conditions such as a sunny day or a night scene. These can be applied to your preview manually with a single click or automatically using the scheduling feature. For more information about scheduling presets, see Scheduling presets on page 19.
Tip: Each sensor has its own set of presets.

The camera comes with the following five presets by default.
Note: Please be advised that these camera presets are preliminary and must be fine-tuned after on-site deployment.

• starter_preset: contains the default sensor parameters and serves as the default preset for each sensor.
• day_manual: optimizes for daytime conditions by using manual exposure and gain controls.
• day_auto: optimizes for daytime conditions by using auto controls for exposure and gain.
• night_manual: optimizes for nighttime conditions by using manual exposure and gain controls to reduce noise and blur for fast moving objects.
• night_auto: optimizes for nighttime conditions by using auto exposure and gain controls to reduce noise and blur for fast moving objects.

You can check which preset is currently active on your sensor from the label at the top right of the video feed.

What is the default preset?

• The default preset is the preset selected in the following cases.
  • When no scheduled preset is active
  • After the device restarts
• To save a preset as the default, use the Set as default button in the bottom action bar.

Creating a new preset

Procedure

1. On the sensor control tab for which you want to create a preset, click the Edit Preset drop-down list.
2. Click Create preset.
3. Change the controls to your desired values.
4. To save the changes for the preset, click Save > Save changes.

Creating a new preset using an existing preset

About this task
Follow these steps if you want to use an existing preset as a starting point for a new preset.

Procedure

1. On the sensor control tab for which you want to create a preset, click the Edit Preset drop-down list.
2. Click the preset that serves as your preferred starting point for creating a new preset.
3. Change the controls to your desired values.
4. Click Save > Save as new preset.
5. Specify a meaningful name for the preset.
6. Click Save.

Scheduling presets

• To activate the scheduling feature, toggle the Schedule Presets switch to the ON position. After enabling, any changes to presets is restricted while the schedule is active.
• You can schedule the presets to be applied at a specific time, by clicking the Edit Schedule button.
• The green circle indicator visually signifies the currently applied scheduled preset.
• Scheduled presets operate in accordance with the Application Time Zone. To prevent scheduling errors, verify that this setting corresponds to the camera’s location.
• Tip: Each sensor has its own independent scheduler.

Configuring the daytime mode

Procedure

1. From the Edit Preset drop-down list, select the day_auto or day_manual preset.
   Note: Please be advised that day_auto or day_manual camera presets are preliminary and must be fine-tuned after on-site deployment.

2. Adjust the Exposure Shutter and Gain values to ensure that the camera feed is clear.

3. Under Sensor 2 > Lens Adjustment, adjust the zoom level for sensor 2 using the slide bar to achieve desired/proper field of view.

4. Under Sensor 2 > Lens Adjustment, use the Lens Single Auto Focus Trigger button or use the Manual Focus slider to adjust the camera focus to ensure clear reads.

5. Click Save > Save changes.

Configuring the nighttime mode

Procedure

1. From the Edit Preset drop-down list, select the night_auto or night_manual preset.
   Note: Please be advised that night_auto or night_manual camera presets are preliminary and must be fine-tuned after on-site deployment.

2. Adjust the values for Exposure Shutter and Gain to ensure that the camera feed is clear.
   Note: These settings are especially important at night because they are required to capture fast moving objects clearly.

3. Under Sensor 2 > Lens Adjustment, adjust the zoom level using the slide bar to achieve desired/proper field of view.

4. Under Sensor 2 > Lens Adjustment, use the Lens Single Auto Focus Trigger button or use the Manual Focus slider to adjust the camera focus to ensure clear reads.

5. Click Save > Save changes.

Document control

References

• SmartCow - An Artificial Intelligence Company

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)  >>

Download This Manual (PDF format)

Download this manual  >>