Cannot watch live video in Security Desk - Security Center 5.8 - 5.12

If you cannot view live video in Security Desk, you can troubleshoot the issue.

1. Wait to see if the camera connects.
2. If the problem persists for more than 10 seconds, click Show diagnosis in the tile, or press Ctrl+Shift+D.
   In the video stream information that is displayed, click the drop down to view diagnostic information about the video stream. Save these details for reference.

   The Media Player states are useful while investigating where the callup time latency is coming from. You can retrieve the breakdown between each state from the "MediaPlayer Initialization" logger.

   Information about the video stream is displayed. The current process is highlighted:

   

   Initializing

   The media player is preparing the required resources to display the video stream.

   Connecting to Media Router

   The media player is establishing a connection with the Media Router to obtain the network location of the stream.

   Ensure that you open the correct communication and video ports to prevent failed stream requests.

   A bad network configuration or a slow Media Router are possible reasons for time spent in this state.

   At this step a camera that is federated, might require the Media Router to reach out to the federated Media Router to retrieve information.

   Connecting to Archiver and redirector

   The media player is establishing connection with the Archiver and the redirector to request video.

   Ensure that you open the correct communication and video ports to prevent failed stream requests.

   While the Archiver is connecting there is communication with the Media Router to prepare the necessary redirectors. Utilizing additional redirectors impacts the call-up-time as each of the redirectors must process the stream request.

   NOTE: A failure at this step means there is a problem with either the Role or the server. See Impossible to establish video session with the server error, for more information.

   Requesting live stream

   The connection is established between the Archiver and the Media Player. The Media Player requests for the live stream.

   If a live stream is not received in 15 seconds the Media Player resets and reattempts the connection. Ensure that the stream is not blocked by a firewall, a slow network, or any third-party software.

   A camera that has not been requested or recorded yet might cause a delay.

   Analyzing the stream

   The client workstation requested and received the stream. The media player analyzes the stream to detect the video format and the presence of key frames. After the stream is validated, the video is decoded.

   If a camera is unresponsive during the analysis, check if the camera supports the key frame requests on demand. Unsupported requests may cause a delay as the Media Player waits for the next key frame.

   Requesting security information

   Media Player checks if the requested stream is encrypted. If it is, the Media Player requests for the encryption keys required to decrypt the stream.

   Decoding stream

   The first key frame has been received and the stream is ready to be decoded. The media player sends the first frame to a decoder such as AvCodec, Intel, Nvidia or so on and waits for the decoded data to be rendered.

   The decoding process is usually fast, but codec configurations like H.264, MJPEG, and HEVC may affect it. If needed, adjust the anti-jitter buffer in Security Desk to decrease latency and initiate the live stream display.

   Streaming

   The stream has been decoded, and now you can see the video frames on the tile.

   Tip: Click the Help link for a list of things that you can do to troubleshoot the issue.
3. Confirm that the unit is online.
   If the unit is red in the Video task in Config Tool, then troubleshoot why the video unit is offline.
4. Verify that you can ping the unit:
   1. In the Config Tool Video task, select the red video unit.
   2. At the bottom of the Video task, click Unit > Ping ().
   If there is no reply, the unit is offline (broken, unplugged, and so on), or there is a problem with your network.
5. Make sure you can connect to the unit, and then click Unit > Unit’s web page.
   Tip: You can also determine if you have the correct credentials for the unit.
6. Verify that Security Center supports the unit, and that the unit is running the certified firmware.
   For a list of video units supported by Security Center, see our Supported Device List.
7. Change the video unit’s connection type to the Archiver:
   1. In the Config Tool Video task, select the red camera.
   2. Click the Video tab.
   3. From the Connection type list in the Network settings section, select a different connection type.
   4. Click Apply.
8. Try viewing playback video from the camera:
   1. In the Security Desk Archives task, select the camera.
   2. Select the most recent video archive available and click Generate report.
   3. After the report is generated, try to view the video from the archive.
      • If you can view the video, continue with the next troubleshooting step.
      • If you cannot view any video, contact the Genetec™ Technical Assistance Center.
9. If you have an expansion server on your system running the Archiver role, try to view video from the expansion server:
   1. Open Security Desk on the expansion server.
   2. In the Monitoring task, drag the camera from the Area view to a tile in the canvas.
      • If you can view video, it might be a problem with the redirection from the Media Router to your Security Desk. Continue with the next troubleshooting step.
      • If you cannot view any video, contact Genetec Technical Assistance Center.
10. Make sure the correct ports are open on your network so that there is no firewall blocking the video stream.
11. Verify that each network on your system is configured properly:
    1. From the Config Tool homepage, open the Network view task.
    2. Select a network, click the Properties tab, and make sure all the settings are correct (IP prefix, subnet mask, routes, network capabilities, and so on).
    3. If required, change the network settings and click Apply.
    For more information, see About networks.
12. Force Security Desk to use a different connection type:
    1. From the Security Desk homepage, click Options > General.
    2. In the Network options section, next to the Network option, select Specific.
    3. From the drop-down, select a different network and click Save.
    4. Restart Security Desk.
    5. If changing the network connection does not work, repeat the steps to test using other networks.
13. If you still cannot view video, click Show video stream status in the tile, and then troubleshoot the video stream.
14. If the issue persists, contact the Genetec Technical Assistance Center.