What is ONVIF?
ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) is a global and open industry forum with the goal of facilitating the development and use of a global open standard for the interface of physical IP-based security products. ONVIF creates a standard for how IP products within video surveillance and other physical security areas can communicate with each other. ONVIF is an organization started in 2008 by Axis Communications, Bosch Security Systems and Sony.
It was officially incorporated as a non-profit, 501(c)6 Delaware corporation on November 25, 2008. ONVIF membership is open to manufacturers, software developers, consultants, system integrators, end users and other interest groups that wish to participate in the activities of ONVIF. The ONVIF specification aims to achieve interoperability between network video products regardless of manufacturer.
ONVIF concerns itself with standardization of communication between IP-based physical security products to achieve open interoperability between equipment from different manufacturers.
The upgraded Tonmind IP Speaker support ONVIF, which can be compatible with VMS. We tested Tonmind SIP Speaker to be integrated perfectly with Millestone software and later we will add full integration with other VMS such as NX Witness. It broadcasts clear pre-recorded messages or live announcement for IP Camera.
ONVIF Profiles
ONVIF profiles make it easy to recognize how ONVIF conformant devices and clients are compatible with one another. An ONVIF profile has a fixed set of features that must be supported by a conformant device and client. It ensures that a client that conforms to Profile S, for example, will work with a device that also conforms to Profile S. There are also conditional features, which are features that shall be implemented by an ONVIF device or ONVIF client if it supports that feature in any way, including any proprietary way. The underlying functions of the features included in a profile are defined in the ONVIF Network Interface Specifications.
Clients and devices can support more than one ONVIF profile; for instance, a network camera with local storage can conform to both Profile S and G.
Conformance to profiles is the only way that ensures compatibility between ONVIF conformant products; therefore, only registered products with conformance to a profile are considered to be ONVIF conformant.
Access control systems can make use of Profiles A, C, D and M. Video systems can make use of D, G, M, Q, S, and T.
To ensure effective interoperability of IP-based physical security products, ONVIF provides specifications referencing state-of-the-art cybersecurity standards. Compliance to regulations, however, are outside the scope of ONVIF.
Manufacturers, system architects and/or integrators are responsible for checking regulatory and other local requirements, ensuring solid product and system design, and implementing the appropriate security level for the use case.
The ONVIF profile symbols can only be used by ONVIF and its members to communicate an ONVIF conformant product.
Profile S is designed for IP-based video systems. A Profile S device (e.g., an IP network camera or video encoder) is one that can send video data over an IP network to a Profile S client. A Profile S client (e.g., a video management software) is one that can configure, request, and control video streaming over an IP network from a Profile S device. Profile S also covers ONVIF specifications for PTZ control, audio in, multicasting and relay outputs for conformant devices and clients that support such features.
Profile T is designed for IP-based video systems. Profile T supports video streaming features such as the use of H.264 and H.265 encoding formats, imaging settings, and alarm events such as motion and tampering detection. Mandatory features for devices also include onscreen display and metadata streaming, while mandatory features for clients also include PTZ control. Profile T also covers ONVIF specifications for HTTPS streaming, PTZ configuration, motion region configuration, digital inputs and relay outputs, and bidirectional audio for conformant devices and clients that support such features.
Tonmind IP PA System management software Tonmind PA System Lite and Tonmind PA System Pro will also add the function of connecting ONVIF Camera, thus it will realize video and audio linkage. Customer can use our software for control both IP Speaker and IP Camera.
ONVIF Add-on
ONVIF has introduced the add-on concept to enable greater flexibility and speed in marketing feature interoperability. An add-on enables an ONVIF profile conformant device or client to conform to additional, and thus optional, capabilities outside of profiles. Because add-on features are limited in scope compared with profile feature sets, the development and release of add-on specifications and test tools can potentially be easier and quicker than with a profile.
An ONVIF add-on consists of at least one or more features that solve one use case. An add-on, by itself, is not comprehensive enough to qualify as a profile. Features of an add-on cannot already be covered in an existing, non-deprecated profile. Specifications for add-ons cannot include optional requirements for devices/clients or conditional requirements for devices. Add-ons are adaptable to changing technology/specification requirements due to version handling. New features can be added, and existing ones removed from an add-on if there is sufficient market motivation.
Devices and clients that want to claim conformance to add-ons must pass add-on conformance tests, as well as conform to an ONVIF profile. Once add-ons are available, they will be listed on the ONVIF Conformant Products web page. No add-on is available to date.
In conclusion, with application of ONVIF, Tonmind IP Audio and Audio Management Software can expand Video Management System (VMS) with clear announcements and enhance the security system via one-to-one broadcasting to IP Camera.
