Knowledge Base

Introduction

Viso Setup Manual

The manual you are reading now is meant for the person that maintains the Viso system. It contains all information how to set up and manage Viso. You can download this manual via your MyNoldus account. Click on Downloads and then Documentation.

This manual contains the following information:

• Background information on Viso.
• Connections between computers, cameras, and other hardware.
• Set up the computers in the Viso network.
• Set up the cameras for use in a Viso network.
• Set up the Epiphan Pearl Nano or VGADVI broadcaster, if applicable.
• Set up the network switch.
• Install Viso components.
• Manage users.
• Set up locations with cameras and microphones.
• Manage Viso terminology.
• Manage session recording options.
• Manage sessions.
• Manage the database.

Many of these steps are carried out by Noldus IT when they install Viso in your lab. The information on how to do so is in this manual as well. This way you know how the system was set up and what to do if anything needs to be changed.

Other Documentation

Viso comes with the following other documentation:

• Viso Help – This is the information meant for those who use Viso. It contains information on how to record sessions and how to review and manage them. You access Viso Help by pressing F1 in Viso. There is also a shortcut to it on the desktop of the Viso computer. In addition to this, you can download it via your MyNoldus account. Click on Downloads and then Documentation.
• Viso Quick Start Guide – A concise manual for those who record and view sessions with Viso. You receive a printed copy with your Viso system.

Terminology

The following terminology is used in the Viso Setup Manual. Please note that you can change the terminology in the program (see Change Terminology).

Viso Interface

• Location – A Location is an area with a number of cameras and microphones. In a typical set-up this number of cameras varies between one and four. The number of locations and cameras per location depends on your Viso license. With the Base Module, you can record in up to four locations with up to four cameras each simultaneously. If your user role is Technician you can create departments and assign locations to each department. In this way users belonging to department A do have access to location A but not to location B if the latter has been assigned to another department.
• Session – By default, a Session is one recording with all cameras in one location. With the default settings, you obtain two or more sessions if you record with all cameras in two or more locations. However, you can select the option to start recording in multiple locations simultaneously. You can then choose to create one composite session of all locations, or separate sessions for each location. If your license includes the Annotation Module, a session also contains annotations.
• Department – A group of users who work together, using the same locations for recording. They can invite each other to watch live tests or recorded sessions. Users of a department only have access to the locations that have been assigned to that department. Users of different departments do not see each other in the software and cannot interact.
• Group – By defining groups you can easily assign identical rights to a number of users, for instance, the right to view a session live or the right to review it after it has been recorded.
• Subjects – When your Viso license includes the Annotation Module, you can annotate sessions with Subjects, Markers and Remarks. Subjects are the persons or animals your markers apply to. Examples of subjects are: Test participant 1, Mother, Father, Child, Doctor, Patient, Male bird, Female bird, Prey, Predator.
• Markers – When your Viso license includes the Annotation Module, you can score Markers in your sessions. Markers are used to annotate events of interest, for example the start of a surgery session or a usability test. Markers have no duration; they mark a moment in time.
• Remarks – When your Viso license includes the Annotation Module, you can enter Remarks in your sessions when something unexpected happens that you did not define as a marker. For example, when a visitor enters the room. Like markers, remarks have no duration.
• Annotator – The person who has the right to annotate a session. By default, the annotator is the person who recorded the session. This person can assign the role of annotator to a colleague or a student, or reclaim the role of annotator. The annotator can make his or her own Codes list or use an existing Codes list. Trainees can only use existing Codes lists.
• Highlight Video – When your Viso license includes the Annotation Module, you can export sections of your sessions with point events of special interest, potentially adding subtitles created from Markers or Remarks. You may export these point events of special interest individually or merged into a single video file, creating Highlight videos.

User Accounts

There are five types of user accounts. Each type of user has specific rights to work with Viso. Please note that you can change the names of the user types (see Change Terminology).

• Setup
• Technician
• Administrator
• Trainer
• Trainee

User accounts are also categorized as follows:

• Local Users – Local users are users that you enter manually in Viso.
• Global Users – Global users are users imported from your domain.

Viso Licenses

Viso has the following modules:

• Base Module – With the Base Module, you can record sessions in a number of locations that is determined by your license. Each location can contain up to four IP cameras. User Management ensures that your sessions can only be accessed by those whose user role allows it.
• Annotation Module – With the Annotation Module, you can mark episodes in the sessions. These annotations can, optionally, be exported to The Observer XT for further analysis. This module is always active.
• Scheduler Module – With the Scheduler Module you can schedule session recording. You can schedule single sessions in single and multiple locations. This module is always active.

Viso Components

Viso requires installation of four software components: Viso Services, Viso Recorder, Viso Recorder Manager (installed when you run the setup of Viso Recorder), and Viso Viewer. Viso Services, Viso Recorder, and Viso Recorder Manager run in the background. Viso Viewer is the program you actually work with. Installation is normally done by Noldus IT. Maintenance is done by the Technician.

• Viso Services – Viso Services is the heart of Viso. There is one computer with Viso Services for the entire Viso system. All computers with the Viso components are connected to the computer with Viso Services. Viso Services ensures communication between all Viso components. It also stores users, locations, camera settings, sessions, and, with the Annotation Module, subjects, markers, and remarks in the Viso database. Viso Services runs in the background.
• Viso Recorder – Viso Recorder is the recording engine. It runs in the background. Viso Recorder is installed on the same computer as Viso Services in set-ups with up to four locations. It can record from up to four locations, each with up to four cameras. Larger set-ups require more computers with Viso Recorder. However, the number of Viso Recorders you can use simultaneously is limited by your Viso license.
• Viso Recorder Manager – Viso Recorder Manager is installed together with Viso Recorder. Viso Recorder Manager runs in the system tray of the computer with Viso Recorder. Viso Recorder Manager connects Viso Recorder to Viso Services. In Viso Recorder Manager you select the folder to store video files. Viso Recorder Manager shares this folder so that it can be accessed by all computers in the Viso network. Like Viso Recorder, Viso Recorder Manager runs in the background.
• Viso Viewer – Viso Viewer is the desktop application to work with. The Technician uses Viso Viewer to set up locations with cameras, to assign the locations to departments, and to manage sessions and users. Viso Viewer is also used to create and review sessions. Viso Viewer can be installed on as many computers as you need. However, the total number of Viso Viewer instances that can run simultaneously depends on your license.

Steps To Set Up Viso

Unless agreed otherwise, Noldus IT installs your entire Viso system so that you can start working with it right away. The steps that are usually carried out by Noldus IT are in Chapters 1–7 of this manual. The steps that are carried out by the person that maintains the Viso system are in Chapters 8 and 9.

Steps Carried Out By Noldus IT

1. Connect all computers, cameras, and other hardware. See Chapter 2: Connections.
2. Configure all computers. See Chapter 3: Computer Setup.
3. Configure all cameras. See Chapter 4: IP Camera Settings.
4. If your Viso system includes an Epiphan Pearl Nano or Epiphan VGADVI broadcaster, configure them. See Chapter 5: Viso Broadcaster Settings.
5. Configure the network switch. See Chapter 6: Network Switch Settings.
6. Install all Viso components. See Chapter 7: Installation and Activation.

Steps Carried Out By The Technician

1. Optionally, change the password policy. See Change the Password Policy in Chapter 8: Set Up Viso.
2. Optionally, enable logging of the activities of the users working with the Viso system. See Enable Logging of Activities in an Audit Log in Chapter 8: Set Up Viso.
3. Add users. See Add Users in Chapter 8: Set Up Viso.
4. Add locations. See Add Locations in Chapter 8: Set Up Viso.
5. Optionally, add departments. See Add and Edit Departments in Chapter 8: Set Up Viso.
6. Optionally, set up the Viso Web App. See Set Up the Viso Web App in Chapter 8: Set Up Viso.
7. Test the setup. See Test the Setup in Chapter 8: Set Up Viso.
8. Optionally, choose your own words for terms in the interface like Location and Session. See Change Terminology in Chapter 8: Set Up Viso.
9. Optionally, enable the option to select multiple locations to start recording in them simultaneously. See Enable Multiple-Location Recording in Chapter 8: Set Up Viso.