# Setting Up Motion Detection

Navigation: Working with Nx Witness > Device Management (Cameras, Encoders and I/O Modules) > Setting Up Cameras and Devices > # Setting Up Motion Detection |

For devices that support dual-streaming, the Nx Witness server automatically analyzes the secondary stream to detect motion. (The secondary stream is used by default, but if the primary stream is 480p or less, it may be used for motion detection instead.) Such software motion detection provides much better and more flexible motion detection than other types, and makes it possible to establish very precisely controlled regions of motion detection, with a range of sensitivity levels. It is also possible to define a motion mask where motion detection is completely disabled.

Nx Witness also provides motion detection indicators. This feature is especially useful for highlighting motion that humans tend to filter out - trees moving in the wind, the motion of shadows, changes in light level - that cameras do not.

IMPORTANT: If the secondary stream is high-resolution, motion decoding may consume most or all of the server CPU. See "Forcing Motion Detection to a Specific Stream" to adjust for this issue.

For cameras that perform in-device motion detection, Nx Witness does not implement software motion detection. With such hardware motion detection, a motion mask may be applied, but no other sensitivity levels. In some cases it may be possible to use the Camera Settings -> Advanced tab to configure additional parameters (see "Configuring Proprietary Device Parameters").

Note: Arecont Vision devices are set to hardware detection mode automatically.

To configure m otion detection

1.Open Camera Settings and go to the Motion tab.

IMPORTANT: Cells in the motion detection grid are briefly highlighted in red when motion is detected. The brighter these red indicators, the higher the level of motion.

2.Click the Motion Detection button to enable detection (green) for the device.

3.Click on a number in the Sensitivity section, where 0 is no sensitivity to motion (motion mask), 1 is minimal sensitivity, and 9 is maximum sensitivity.

4.The motion detection grid is 42 x 32 cells. Use the following to apply the selected sensitivity to cells:

•Click and Drag to select a rectangular area

•Click within an area to fill it

5.The sensitivity level remains active until a new one is selected. Continue to select and apply sensitivity levels as desired. If necessary, you can use Reset to return the entire field to the default level of 5.

6.Click Apply or OK when finished. To discard changes, click Cancel.

For example

The above image contains the following motion detection regions:

•Grey (un-numbered) is motion mask

•Blue (1) has very low sensitivity to motion

•Green (5) will capture motion with moderate sensitivity (5 is the default setting)

•Orange (7) will be highly sensitive to motion, red (9) offers the maximum sensitivity

You can also see some of the red indicators on the left side of the image.