Axis Communications 230 MPEG-2 - Manual (Page 18)

Operating the AXIS 230 AXIS 230 18
Video Settings
The AXIS 230’s video settings, as described below, may or may not need adjustment.
• Resolution - the available video resolutions for the AXIS 230 are listed in the table below. The
exact resolution will depend on the modulation type - PAL or NTSC. See also the Technical
Specifications, on page 55.
Note: When using the resolution 2CIF, the image in Live View is rescaled to 4CIF. The image appears the
same, but uses less bandwidth than 4CIF. When saving snapshots in 2CIF, these are saved at the
original resolution of 720x240 (NTSC) / 720x288 (PAL).
• Color - Select either Color or Black & White. Black & White will provide sharper images at a
lower bandwidth than Color.
• Quality level - This setting determines the quality of the video stream, which in turn affects
the amount of bandwidth used. 1 is the lowest level and 7 the highest. See also Bandwidth, on
page 57.
• White Balance - This can be described as the reference color against which all other colors in
an image are compared. The white balancing system in the camera automatically detects
white colors in any image and uses these intelligently as a reference for other colors. Note
that the white balancing system will not operate effectively in certain situations. Problems
generally occur if the image contains no white at all, or if the dominant color is something
other than white. In these circumstances, using a fixed white balance mode is recommended.
Please see the camera’s online help for more information.
• Shutter speed - This parameter defines the exposure period for each image. Use a high shutter
speed only if the image subject is expected to be moving quickly; otherwise, Auto or a slow
speed will normally suffice.
• Brightness - Determine the brightness for your images in the range 0-15; where a low level
setting produces darker images, and a high level produces brighter images. Select Auto to set
automatic control, or set a value from 0 to 15, where 15 is the maximum brightness.
• Backlight compensation - To get good quality video of a subject in the foreground and when
the background is strongly lit, the back-lighting must be compensated for. Set this to On.
• Sharpness - Defines a level of differentiation between light and dark areas within the image.
Corresponding higher levels of sharpness provide for sharper images, but also cause the image
compression to be more complex. Consequently, the file size of a sharp image can be signifi-
cantly greater than an image that is less sharp. The setting may be made in the range 0-15.
Resolution NTSC PAL
QCIF 160x112 160x144
CIF 352x240 352x288
2CIF 720x240 720x288
4CIF 720x480 720x576