Set camera fields of view

Last modified: Thursday January 27, 2022.

Setting representative fields of view (FoV) for your cameras in Map view allows Alta Video to accurately place people and vehicles onto the maps, so that your operators get a better understanding of your sites.

There are two methods of setting camera FoV: basic fields of view cones, and Advanced FoV.

With the basic fields of view cones, adjust the angle of view, and the depth to match the image shown in the camera thumbnail.

For the Advanced FoV, you define a number of points on both your camera view and on the relevant map, before allowing Alta Video to calculate the best field of view for that camera. This enables more accurate positioning for people and vehicle dots on Map view.

Prerequisites

• Ensure you have uploaded your site maps, and that the maps are linked to the correct site. See Upload site maps to Map view.
• Place the icons for each camera onto the maps in Map view. See Add camera positions to your site maps

Task — Set a basic field of view cone for a camera

1. Choose Tools > Map view.
2. Select the map of interest.
3. Toggle Map view into edit mode:
4. Click the relevant camera icon.
   

   The editable camera icon is shown in blue, and a thumbnail of the view from the camera is shown in the top-right of the screen.

5. Click the arrowhead indicating camera direction. Drag the arrowhead until it represents the direction and range of the camera, as shown in the camera thumbnail.
6. Click one of the circle field of view indicators. Drag it until the field of view cone represents the view shown in the camera thumbnail.

   To represent a panoramic camera, you can move the field of view indicators until they create a circular view around the camera.

7. If needed, make small adjustments to the arrowhead and circle indicators to better match the view shown in the camera thumbnail.
8. Repeat this step for all cameras on the current map.

Task — Set Advanced FoV for a camera

1. Select the map of interest.
2. Toggle Map view into edit mode:
3. Click the relevant camera icon.
   

   For Avigilon Ava cameras only:

   These sub-steps are required if you are setting up directional sound detection with Avigilon Ava Dome or Avigilon Ava 360 cameras.
   

   1. Click the Avigilon Ava cameras Orientation controls button.
   2. Choose either Avigilon Ava cameras Ceiling mounted, or Avigilon Ava cameras Wall mounted to match your installation.
   3. Move the arrow to best match the position of the Avigilon Alta logo on the camera.
   4. Close the dialog by clicking Close dialog button.

4. Click Advanced FoV.
   The Advanced Field of View settings dialog opens.

   If an example screen is shown, view it, and then click Close.

5. On the view from your camera, click to mark a point on the ground plane of the view that you can easily match with the corresponding point on the map.
   
6. Mark the corresponding point on the map.
7. Repeat these steps until you have sufficient matching points on both the video feed and the corresponding map.

   A minimum of three points are required before Alta Video can calculate the field of view. Depending on your floorplan, adding more points might improve the field of view calculation.

8. Click Calculate Field of View.
   Alta Video uses your defined points on the video feed and the map to calculate the field of view for the selected camera.
9. If you want to improve the calculated Field of View, add additional points to both the video and the map, and again click Calculate Field of View.
10. When you are happy with the calculated Field of View, click Update.
    If prompted about Updating Advanced Field of View, click Ok to overwrite the previous settings.