Fix Avigilon Zone Settings Not Working Issues

Troubleshooting Avigilon Zone Settings Not Working

Properly configured motion and analytic zones are fundamental to an effective Avigilon security system. When these zones fail to detect activity or generate false alarms, it compromises your surveillance. This guide provides a structured approach to troubleshooting and resolving issues with Avigilon zone settings in the Avigilon Control Center (ACC).

## Verifying Basic Camera and Zone Configuration

First, ensure the fundamentals are correct. A simple misconfiguration is often the root cause of zone-related problems.

1. Check Camera Focus and View: Ensure the camera's lens is properly focused and that its view is not obstructed by foliage, dirt, or other objects. An blurry or blocked image will prevent analytics from functioning correctly.
2. Firmware and Software Updates: Verify that both the camera's firmware and your ACC software are updated to the latest versions. Avigilon frequently releases updates that include performance improvements for their analytics engine.
3. Correct Zone Drawing: Review how the zones are drawn.
   • For pixel-based motion detection, ensure the zone covers the area of interest and that sensitivity is not set too low or too high.
   • For video analytics (classified objects), the zone should be drawn on the ground plane where the subject (person or vehicle) will be. Avoid drawing large zones that encompass the sky or distant, irrelevant scenery.

## Fine-Tuning Analytics and Motion Detection Settings

If the basic configuration is correct, the next step is to adjust the settings that govern how the zones behave.

• Sensitivity and Thresholds: In the camera's settings, navigate to the motion or analytics tab. High sensitivity can lead to false alarms from minor movements like shadows or rain. Low sensitivity might cause missed events. Adjust this setting incrementally and test the results.
• Object Size: For analytic events, configure the minimum and maximum object size parameters. This helps the system ignore irrelevant small movements (e.g., animals) or large background changes (e.g., a garage door opening).
• Lighting Conditions: Poor or complex lighting is a major challenge for video analytics.
  • Ensure the area is adequately lit during the hours you need detection.
  • If you have a camera with Wide Dynamic Range (WDR), make sure it is enabled to handle scenes with both bright highlights and dark shadows.

## Reviewing Rules and Alarms

A correctly triggered event is useless if it's not linked to the correct rule.

1. Rule Configuration: Open the Rules engine in ACC. Double-check the rule associated with your problematic zone.
2. Event Trigger: Ensure the rule is set to trigger on the correct event (e.g., Analytics Event or Motion Detected).
3. Source Device: Verify the rule is linked to the correct camera. It's easy to accidentally select the wrong device in a large system.
4. Action and Schedule: Confirm that the rule's action (e.g., Send Email, Start Recording) is configured correctly and that the schedule for the rule is active.

## Advanced Troubleshooting

If the issue persists, consider these advanced factors:

• System Load: An overloaded server can struggle to process analytics in real-time, leading to missed events. Check the CPU and memory usage of your ACC server.
• Camera Type: Be aware of the analytic capabilities of your specific camera model. Not all Avigilon cameras support the same set of advanced analytic events. Consult the camera's datasheet to confirm its features.

By methodically checking your configuration from the camera lens to the final rule, you can effectively diagnose and fix any issue with your Avigilon zone settings.