The Axis Communications P8221 Network I/O Audio Module is a compact solution to provide or supplement network surveillance systems with input and output ports along with audio coverage.
I/O capabilities are provided by 8 digital ports on the unit, which can be customized to act as input or output ports. This lets a wide range of sensors to be connected to the unit while simultaneously allowing the unit to communicate with relays and other devices. Older devices and sensors operating with a RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485 port can also be connected to the unit, thus reducing the need for expensive hardware upgrades.
In addition to the I/O ports, the P8221 offers 2-way audio capabilities to the surveillance system. High-quality audio can be encoded in AAC format with 32 kHz sampling at bitrates of up to 128 kbit/s. The unit can provide phantom power to balanced microphones, thus eliminating the need for clumsy auxiliary power cables. High-quality audio recording is facilitated by the built-in preamp and adjustable gain control in the unit. A speaker output is also provided, which provides 0.5W RMS of power.
The P8221 features an open Application Programming Interface (API), which allows easy integration into most existing network surveillance systems. The unit's I/O ports can be managed with Internet Explorer and audio streams can be recorded or played remotely. Custom alarms can also be set up, which will respond to audio detection, bootup, or external input by sending email, playing an audio clip or by using an external output port.
A host of security features protect the unit from unauthorized access at local and remote levels. Password protection and a user access log allow you to monitor local access to the unit while HTTPS encryption, IP filtering, and digest authentication prevent unauthorized remote network access.
The audio module usually requires 8-34 VDC or 20-24 VAC to function, and the Power over Ethernet (PoE) feature allows the unit to be powered via a standard network cable.
