Is Your Mobotix Camera Sending Too Many False Alarms?
Mobotix cameras are renowned for their German engineering, robustness, and powerful, decentralised processing capabilities. A key feature is the highly intelligent MxActivitySensor, a next-generation motion detection system designed to minimise false alarms. However, if not configured correctly for your specific environment, even this advanced system can become overly sensitive.
If you are being inundated with notifications from trivial events like moving shadows, rain, or swaying trees, this guide will provide you with the expert knowledge to fine-tune your Mobotix camera for precise, reliable motion detection.
Understanding Mobotix Motion Detection: MxActivitySensor vs. VMD
Before diving into the solution, it's important to understand the technology. Mobotix offers two main types of motion detection:
- Video Motion Detection (VMD): This is a traditional method where the camera detects changes in pixels within defined windows. It's simple but highly susceptible to false alarms from rain, snow, and lighting changes.
- MxActivitySensor: This is a software-based, intelligent sensor that detects motion by analysing the "disturbance" of image content over consecutive frames. It automatically learns to ignore repetitive environmental movements (like a swaying flag) and is much more reliable. For almost all scenarios, MxActivitySensor is the superior choice.
How to Calibrate MxActivitySensor to Reduce False Alarms
The key to accurate motion detection lies in correctly configuring the MxActivitySensor through the camera's browser-based interface.
1. Accessing Your Camera's Web Interface
- Open a web browser (like Chrome or Firefox) on a computer on the same network as your camera.
- Enter the camera's IP address into the address bar.
- Log in using your administrator credentials. You should see the live view of your camera.
2. Navigating to Event Settings
- Click on the "Setup Menu" on the left-hand side (you may need to click "Show Entire Menu" if it's hidden).
- In the full menu, go to "Event Control" and then click on "Event Settings".
3. Configuring MxActivitySensor
This is where you will do the main configuration work.
- In the "Event Settings" menu, click on the "Message" for an existing event, or create a new one. The most common one is named "ActivitySensor" by default.
- Ensure that the "Event selection" is set to "AS (ActivitySensor)".
- Now, click the "Edit" button next to the AS profile. This opens the MxActivitySensor configuration window.
- Adjust the Sensitivity: You'll see a slider for sensitivity. If you're getting too many alerts, reduce the sensitivity. Make small adjustments, save, and then test.
- Define the Detection Area: By default, the entire screen is analysed. You can draw a polygon to select only the areas of interest (e.g., your doorway) and exclude others (e.g., the public street). Use the "Define included/excluded area" tools.
- Set Motion Direction: A powerful feature is the ability to define the direction of travel. You can set it to only trigger an alert if something moves towards your door, or from left-to-right, ignoring other movements. This is excellent for filtering out passing traffic.
- Save your settings by clicking "Set" and then "Close". Remember to save the main configuration by clicking "Set" at the bottom of the Event Settings page.
General Best Practices for Mobotix Cameras
- Secure Mounting: Ensure the camera is mounted securely. Vibrations from wind can be interpreted as motion.
- Keep the Lens Dome Clean: A clean lens dome prevents false alerts from insects, cobwebs, or water droplets.
- Update Camera Firmware: Regularly check for and install the latest firmware from the Mobotix website. Each update brings refinements to the MxActivitySensor's logic.
By taking the time to properly configure the advanced features of the MxActivitySensor, you can eliminate the vast majority of false alarms and turn your Mobotix camera into the intelligent and reliable security device it was designed to be.