Eagle Eye Networks enhances mobile apps for security and bitrate video

Eagle Eye Network announced a major upgrade to the “Eagle Eye Viewer” mobile app for the Eagle Eye Security Camera Video Management System (VMS). The new release includes dynamically changing video bit rates, new security measures such as fingerprint logins and re-authentication, and user interface enhancements including deep links and momentum scrolling.

“We are committed to staying current on mobile platforms, and are using the absolute best practices for our mobile application,” said Dean Drako, President and CEO, Eagle Eye Networks. “Additionally, security continues to be a top priority for Eagle Eye Networks, as we offer options such as fingerprint login to ensure only authorized personnel get access to the video.”

Current Eagle Eye Networks customers have immediate access to all the new mobile app features, which work on iOS and Android devices. Executives and integrators can view live and historical footage for any number of cameras and sites across multiple premises -- scaling their businesses and staying productive when away from the office or facility. The new features are listed below.

Eagle Eye Networks delivers adaptive bitrate video
The bandwidth between a mobile phone and the server is constantly changing, so a one-size-fits-all fixed bit rate setting approach can limit users to mediocre quality. They can also result in stalled loading bandwidth restrictions occur, so that user must manually adjust their video settings when they only have a couple of bars of service.

Eagle Eye Networks eliminates these drawbacks by using HTTP Live Streaming (M3U8) for its live and historical video streaming. It detects the client’s bandwidth, then automatically adjusts the bit rate of the transmitted video.

With adaptive bitrate video, as the bandwidth allowance goes up, Eagle Eye Viewer users can enjoy the higher quality video. If the bandwidth goes down, the video bit rate will adjust accordingly for continuous smooth access.

Increased mobile app security for VMS access and network security
Nearly 9 in 10 employees have mobile devices connected to their corporate networks. Eagle Eye Networks offers the top level of cyber-security protection, to prevent video surveillance systems from being used as an attack vector to your network.

The cloud-based Eagle Eye Security Camera System VMS has already implemented security measures such as no open ports, no on-site operating system, and HTTPs encryption for all transactions -- just as web browsers use HTTPS for banking and stock trading.

Eagle Eye Networks continues to enhance its security. The newer features include:

1. iOS fingerprint login: The user has the option to deploy Apple Touch ID fingerprint biometrics, to minimize the chance of a third party observing the user entering in a password, and additionally, to make login more secure and convenient. The mechanism utilizes the iOS Keychain Password storage hardware-based crypto-module, where the password is stored in keychain, that the fingerprint triggers pulling in the information.
2. Re-authentication option: The user can require re-authentication when launching the app from an unlocked phone.
3. Audit log: All user actions are recorded in the administration log. An administrator can see who made specific configuration changes to various devices, and can also identify which videos each user has viewed or downloaded.

Eagle Eye Viewer user interface continuing improvements
To make the Eagle Eye Viewer app highly intuitive, its user interface utilizes native iOS and Android gestures, which are already familiar to users. Examples of this are pinch-spread and double tap control zooming. Newer features are:

1. Deep linking to event-triggers alerts: When users receive an email with a motion alert it will include a deep link. The deep link will automatically take the user to the camera and a time stamp of the event. The user can then tap “play” to view the video recording at that point in time.
2. Momentum scrolling: The mobile app also allows ‘momentum scrolling’, where users can scroll through a video timeline with one finger, accelerating the time progression by increasing the frequency of swiping. They can also immediately stop the scrolling with one finger.
3. View tapping: Tapping on the view will center PTZ cameras to that location. Swipe gestures can finely position PTZ cameras.
4. Camera Maps: Camera locations and orientation can be viewed on a world map, with building boundaries and interior walls displayed when available. The user is free to scroll and zoom to different locations. Additionally, the camera icon colors show camera status: green indicates the camera is active, while red indicates an inactive state.