Support: Live Video Streaming with VSS

This guide will walk you through the process of watching live streamed video from your vehicles using the BrickHouse VisTrack system. You’ll learn how to view video, control the display, and manage data consumption.

1. Access the Live Video Streaming Tab:

  1. Open a New Tab in Your Browser:
    • Open a new browser tab and go to your VSS (Video Safety System) bookmark.
  2. Go to the Live Tab:
    • Once on the VSS dashboard, click on the Live tab to start streaming live video.
  3. Expand Your Fleet:
    • On the far left side of the screen, click the small arrow to expand your fleet and view the available vehicles.
  4. Sort Vehicles (Optional):
    • You can sort the vehicles based on various criteria such as online status, alphabetically, or other options.

2. Choose and View Live Video:

  1. Click on the Video Icon:
    • On the far right of each vehicle, there’s a video icon. Click on it to start streaming the live video from that vehicle’s cameras.
  2. Choose the Number of Video Windows:
    • After clicking the video icon, you can choose how many video windows you want to display:
      • Single Window – Displays one camera feed.
      • Four Windows – Displays four camera feeds.
      • Six Windows – One large video with five smaller windows.
      • Nine or Sixteen Windows – View up to 16 camera feeds at once.
    • You can also make any of these windows full-screen.
  3. Stop All Videos:
    • If you want to stop all video streams at once, use the Stop All button.

3. Customizing the Video Display:

  1. Viewing Multiple Cameras:
    • The system allows you to stream video from multiple cameras across different vehicles simultaneously. For example, you could watch the front camera from 16 different vehicles.
  2. Adjusting Video Windows:
    • If you prefer a smaller view, you can toggle between four windows or one large window based on your needs. After choosing the layout, the video icon will automatically hide the window selection menu, but it will reappear when you start streaming live video again.
  3. Choosing Specific Cameras:
    • You can also double-click on a specific camera to view just that one camera's feed, such as the front camera of a particular vehicle.
    • Master Video Icon: If you want to view all cameras for a specific vehicle, click the Master Video icon at the top of that vehicle’s list of cameras. This will stream all cameras from that vehicle at once.

4. Controlling and Interacting with the Live Video:

  1. Stopping Individual Video Feeds:
    • To stop a specific camera feed, click the stop button on the bottom left of the video window.
  2. Taking a Snapshot:
    • While viewing a camera feed, click the camera icon at the bottom of the video window to take a snapshot. The image will be saved to your computer's download folder.
  3. Making a Video Full-Screen:
    • Click the Full Screen button to view the live video in full-screen mode. Press the Escape key to return to the normal view.
  4. Switching Between Cameras:
    • You can switch between different cameras for the same vehicle or from different vehicles by double-clicking on the desired camera or vehicle.

5. Data Efficiency Tips:

  1. Live Video vs. Substream Video:
    • The BrickHouse system uses H.265 compression, which is much more efficient than the older H.264 standard used by competitors. This allows you to stream live video while using less data.
    • Substream Video: When streaming live video, the system streams lower quality video (substream), which uses 14 times less data than normal video. However, the camera is always recording in high quality (e.g., 1080p).
  2. Switching to HD Quality:
    • If you need higher video quality (e.g., for reading license plates), click the HD symbol at the bottom of the video window. Keep in mind that this increases data usage by 14 times.
    • Always make sure to toggle back to normal streaming (with the HD symbol crossed out) after viewing in HD to avoid excessive data use.
  3. Data Consumption Awareness:
    • Be mindful of the data usage limits for your system:
      • The system provides 500 MB of data per vehicle per month.
      • 500 MB can be consumed quickly, especially when downloading videos or streaming in HD. Live streaming for long periods or downloading high-resolution footage can use up significant data.

6. Managing Data Consumption:

  1. Monitor Data Usage:
    • You can track data usage through the Data Consumption Report in the system’s report menu. This report provides insight into how much data is being used by live video streaming and other activities.
  2. Be Efficient with Data:
    • To conserve data, limit streaming to necessary situations. For example, use snapshots instead of live video when you only need to check a vehicle's status.
    • When reviewing video for an event like an accident, download only the necessary footage (e.g., 30-60 seconds). You don't need to download entire videos if only a brief moment is relevant.

Conclusion:

Using live video streaming with the BrickHouse VisTrack system is an efficient way to monitor your fleet in real-time. By following the steps outlined above, you can control how many video feeds you view, optimize your data usage, and maintain a balance between quality and efficiency.

For more advanced features like downloading video footage during an accident, be sure to check out the next training video!

This guide should help you make the most out of your live streaming experience while keeping data usage in mind.

Here's a tutorial video for live video streaming using the BrickHouse System with your VizTrack Dash Cam Solution.

In this last video, we’ll walk you through the steps of recovering video evidence from your vehicle’s camera system, focusing on how to retrieve footage after a vehicle accident. 

Mar 1st 2024

!