Viso12 - Reference Manual

Introduction

Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Noldus Information Technology bv. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement.
The software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

Viso is a registered trademark of Noldus Information Technology bv. Other product names are trademarks of their respective companies.
Documentation: Olga Krips, Viktor Kovacs, Leanne Loijens


February 2024

Noldus Information Technology bv
International headquarters
Wageningen, The Netherlands
Phone +31-317-473300
Fax +31-317-424496
E-mail info@noldus.nl 
For addresses of our other offices and support, please see our website www.noldus.com 

Welcome to Viso

Welcome to Viso

Welcome to Viso

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Main topics

Welcome to Viso

How to use this Help


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TIP  If you do not see the table of contents, enlarge the Help window or zoom out the characters (Ctrl+mouse wheel, or Ctrl+-).

TIP  To search for two or more adjacent words (e.g. review session), use quotes (“review session”).

Welcome to Viso

Introduction

Viso® is a powerful tool to record video and audio in multiple independent locations. Record with up to four Pan-Tilt-Zoom  cameras in each room. Control session recording from any computer in your local network, so that the persons under study are not disturbed by the recordings. Annotate the behaviors of the observed persons. Play the recorded sessions back for debriefing. And invite others to view the sessions with you. 

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Viso modules

Viso is modular, which means that you can make the setup entirely to your needs.

Base module

The Viso Base Module allows you to record sessions in a number of locations with up to four cameras in each location. The number of locations is determined by your license. User management ensures that session viewing, recording, or management can only be done by those whose user role allows it.

See User management for an overview of the rights of each user role.

Annotation Module

With the Annotation Module you can mark events that are of interest in your session and enter free text as remarks. When debriefing the session, you can easily jump to an episode using the scored markers and remarks.

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The sessions can be exported to the annotation software The Observer XT, for further analysis.

Scheduler Module

With this module you can schedule sessions in advance. The Scheduler has several options to customize the view entirely to your needs.

Welcome to Viso

Important definitions

IMPORTANT The terminology in this Help may differ from what you see in Viso, since your colleague who manages the Setup account may have changed it in the program. Locations may, for example, be called Rooms and Sessions Recordings. Also markers, subjects and user roles may have different names. Contact your colleague if you have questions on the terminology.

Location

A location is an area with cameras, for example an observation room, or a usability test room.

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, those with a Technician account can select the option to start recording in multiple locations simultaneously.

Multiple-location sessions

Ask your colleague with the Technician account whether selecting multiple locations for simultaneous recordings is possible in your Viso setup. If this is the case, there are two options:

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.

Subject

If your Viso license includes The Annotation Module, you can annotate sessions. Subjects are the individuals that show the behavior you are interested in. Examples of subjects are, Test participant 1, Mother, Father, Child, Doctor, Patient. Since the subjects are likely to vary between sessions, you define roles rather than names or identities as Subjects. So Mother and Child rather than Mrs Sanchez and Joanna.

Marker

If 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 counseling session, or a usability test. Markers have no duration, they mark a moment in time.

Codes list

Subjects and Markers are organized in Codes Lists.

Remarks

If your Viso license includes The Annotation Module, you can enter remarks in your sessions in case something unexpected happens that you did not define as a marker. For example if a visitor enters the room. Like markers, remarks have no duration.

Welcome to Viso

User Management


Viso has five user roles that differ in rights to work with the program. This ensures that actions in Viso, like managing users and locations, session recording, and session viewing, can only be done by those whose user role allows it. Users that have rights to create sessions can invite others to view them.

Your colleague who manages the Viso set-up specifies the user role of each user. The Viso Setup Manual contains a full description of the rights per user role. The table below summarizes the rights of the different user roles.

Setup

Technician

Administrator

Trainer

Trainee

Manage terminology*

  

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Manage session recording options*

  

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Upgrade Viso license*

  

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Manage users*

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Manage locations*

  

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Force-stop recording*

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Manage departments*

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Define groups*

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Create Codes list a

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Record sessions

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Schedule sessions b

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View and review sessions

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**

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***

Manage sessions *

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**

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Log in via Viso Web App

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Start and stop recording with Viso Web App*

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Make an audit report

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* This information is present in the Viso Help.

a With the Annotation Module 

b With the Scheduler Module

** Sessions that the Trainer has recorded, sessions of which he/she received session ownership, sessions for which he/she received annotator rights and sessions for which he/she has been invited.

*** Sessions of which the Trainee received ownership, sessions for which he/she received annotator rights and sessions for which he/she has been invited.

NOTE Trainees do not have the rights to schedule or record sessions and create codes lists. Therefore the tabs Locations, Scheduler, and Codes are not present for a Trainee.

Welcome to Viso

What's new in Viso 11?

Allocate locations to departments

In Viso 11 we introduce the concept of departments. Your colleague who maintains the Viso set-up can assign locations to departments. Each location can be assigned to one department. The users (Administrators, Trainers and Trainees) that belong to a department can be linked to that Viso department. For instance, your school may have purchased a Viso system to train students in the field of nursing and students that study skin therapy. By assigning each student to one of the two departments he/she has access to the locations and sessions that belong to that department but not to the locations/sessions of the other department.

Group users

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. Groups can either be public or private.

Auto delete sessions

Your colleague who maintains the Viso set-up can set a time after which your sessions will be auto deleted. This is a GDPR/HIPAA requirement. You can secure sessions that you want to retain. These sessions will not be auto deleted.

Picture-by-picture view in Viso Web App

In Viso 10.7 you can view the cameras in a location simultaneously, in a picture-by picture view in the Viso Web App. In Viso 11 you can also view the videos of a session in a picture-by-picture view.

PTZ control in the Viso Web App

If your Viso set-up includes PTZ cameras you can now not only control them in the regular Viso software but also in the Viso Web App, including zooming in and out.

Transfer session ownership

Session owners can manage sessions (delete and rename sessions, etc.). You can give another user (for instance, your colleague) the right to manage your session.

Change session annotator

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.

Upgrading Viso easier

When your colleague who maintains the Viso set-up upgrades Viso from version 10.7 the Viso database is backed up automatically. The installation of Viso 11 consists of two steps, one step less than for older versions of the software.

Control Viso from The Observer XT or by using a programmable button

Session recording in Viso 11 can be started and stopped from The Observer XT, our tool for manual annotation and data integration. You can also use a programmable button to control Viso.

Secure RabbitMQ connection

Viso versions 11.0.8620 and higher allow the use of security certificates to secure RabbitMQ messages. RabbitMQ is a core item used in N-Linx, Noldus’ network communication protocol. It controls the message traffic between Viso Services, Viso Recorder and Viso Viewer. For information on how to set up a secure connection see ‘Install Viso Services with a secure connection.

Welcome to Viso

What's new in Viso 12?

Software based licensing fully integrated in Viso

You can activate or deactive your software license from the Viso application directly.

The license key needs to be able to check its validity online at least every 90 days. The 90 days check counter is reset after a successful license check. If the license check has not been successful after 90 days, your license becomes suspended. Please contact support when this happens.

Highlight videos

In the Annotation module, you can now create highlight videos which summarise the most interesting point events of your sessions to be used e.g. in presentations or lectures. To these highlight videos, you may add your markers and remarks as subtitles.

The right to manage recording options moved to Technicians 

Those with a Technician account can now enable multiple location recording, including composite and separate sessions.

Allocate groups to departments

When creating groups, now the department where the group belongs can also be provided.

Data Transparency Policy

When a new user logs in, a pop-up window will appear, informing the user about Noldus's Data Transparency Policy.

Prepare session recording

Prepare session recording

Locations and Sessions

By default, a session is a recording with all cameras in one location. To create sessions, your user role must allow session recording.

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Main topics

Prepare session recording

Pan, Tilt, and Zoom

aim 

Pan, Tilt and Zoom the camera to obtain a proper view of the subjects under study.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Open the location.
    See Select locations for recording
  2. Hover with your mouse over the camera image. The toolbar appears at the bottom of the image.image.png
  3. Click the PTZ button to enable or disable PTZ control.

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  4. PTZ control appears in the middle of the image and your mouse pointer becomes a small point. Click the camera image and keep your left mouse button pressed to control the camera. The camera image moves in the direction of the point. The further away from the PTZ control you click, the faster the camera moves.

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  5. Zoom in and out with your mouse wheel.

See also Save PTZ presets

NOTE See Record sessions in Keyboard shortcuts how to manage the PTZ menu with your keyboard.

Prepare session recording

Save PTZ presets

aim

To save the new camera view so that you can return to it easily.

prerequisites

nYour user role allows session recording (Technician, Administrator, or Trainer).

nYou have opened a location.

See Select locations for recording

nThe camera can Pan, Tilt, and Zoom. Ask your colleague who manages the Viso set-up whether this is the case.

See Select locations for recording

procedure

  1. Hover with your mouse over the camera image and click the PTZ button on the toolbar.
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    This opens the PTZ preset menu. The buttons shown below appear.

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  2. To save a camera position, click one of the save buttons.

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To return to a PTZ preset

Click one of the arrows to return to a PTZ preset.

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NOTE The PTZ presets are stored per location. So if you or another user opens a location with Viso on another computer, the same pr esets are present. You can store four presets per location.

NOTE See Record sessions in Keyboard shortcuts how to manage the PTZ menu with your keyboard.

Prepare session recording

Video layout

aim

To choose the position of your videos on your screen.

IMPORTANT  The changes do not affect the recordings. The cameras and video resolutions are selected by your colleague who manages the Viso set-up. All available cameras will always be used for recording.

prerequisites

procedure

First, open the location.

Select locations for recording

To change the order of videos

Drag and drop videos to change their position on your screen.

To show one video full size

Do one of the following:

To display the previously shown videos again, do one of the following:

To show/hide videos and to change the distribution of the videos on your screen

  1. Click the settings wheel on the toolbar to open the View Settings pane. Here you can change the way the videos are displayed.

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  2. If the location has more than one camera, the video numbers are superimposed on the video images when you open the View settings pane. Optionally click a video number in the View settings pane to hide a video. This does not disable recording that video. Click the video number once more to show it again.

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  3. Optionally, change the layout of the videos on your screen. You have the following options:

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    The space where videos are displayed divided in equal parts.

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    One large video with the other ones displayed smaller at the right-hand side.

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    One large video with the other ones displayed smaller at the bottom.

  4. By default all videos are zoomed to fill the available space completely. To disable this, deselect Zoom to fill.


NOTE By default Viso divides the space where videos are shown in equal parts. If you have one video, it uses the full available space. If you have two videos, the available space is divided in two halves next to each other. if you have three or four videos, the available space is divided in four equal parts.

NOTE The size of the displayed videos depends on whether you selected Zoom to fill and also on the video resolution set by your colleague who manages the Viso set-up. If the video resolution differs between videos, and you did not select Zoom to fill, they may not have equal size in the video layout.
Zoom to fill may cause the sides of the video to disappear. These sides are recorded, but in the Zoom to fill these disappear. If you want to see the sides, deselect Zoom to fill.

Prepare session recording

Change Audio source and volume in preview

aim

To select which audio source to hear in Viso and to adjust the volume. By default you hear only the audio from the first camera.

IMPORTANT The changes do not affect the recordings. Microphones and audio volumes for the recordings are selected by your colleague who manages the Viso set-up. All available audio sources will always be recorded.

prerequisites

See Select locations for recording

procedure

  1. Open the location.
    See Select locations for recording
  2. Hover over a camera image. A toolbar appears at the bottom of the camera image.

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  3. Click the speaker symbol under a camera number inset_901208.jpg to mute or unmute the audio from that source. Move the slider to adjust the volume.


NOTE If no speaker symbol or volume slider appear, your colleague who manages the Viso set-up did not select audio for this video source.

NOTE If the same audio source is selected for all cameras, mute/unmute will apply to all of them together.

Prepare session recording

Talk to people in location

aim

To talk to the people in the location through the camera speaker. This is, for example, useful if you want to tell the test participants where to be seated, or when to start the test.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Open the location.
    See Select locations for recording
  2. Hover with your mouse over a camera image. The toolbar appears at the bottom of the image. It contains the push-to-talk button if the camera has a speaker and allows push-to-talk.

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  3. Click and hold the push-to-talk button and speak through the microphone. The persons in the location should now hear you. Keep the button pressed while you speak.
Prepare session recording

Specify a default session name

aim

To set a default name for your sessions. Your sessions will be saved with the default name, followed by a consecutive number.

prerequisite

procedure

  1. Click the Menu button at the top of the Viso window and choose Settings > Default Session name.

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  2. Select Save session with a default name and enter a name in the Default name field.

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  3. Optionally, select Edit default name before the session is saved. This way you can give the session another name than the default one with a consecutive number. This is, for example, useful if you want to add the name of the subject to the session name.
Prepare session recording

Create and edit groups

aim

To give groups of users identical rights, for instance, permission to view your session live or to review it after it has been recorded. As a Trainer you can, for instance, create groups of students (Trainees).

prerequisites

Your user role (Technician, Administrator, Trainer) allows creating groups.

procedure

  1. Click the menu button and choose Groups.
  2. If you wish to create a new group, click Add group and enter a name for the group of users. If you wish to edit an existing group, click on the editing icon in its row.add edit group.jpg
  3. Select whether the group is private or not. If you want, for instance, Trainer B to see your groups, make the groups public (leave the Private group checkbox unselected) and make Trainer B a group member. Trainer B can then invite your groups to view his/her sessions.
  4. Select the Department where your group will belong.
  5. From the list of users within the chosen Department, select the ones you want to add to the group, using the checkboxes. For multiple selection, use the Ctrl or the Shift key the usual way and then press the space key. It will change the status of the checkboxes of all the selected users. When you wish to remove users from a group, follow the same steps and uncheck the relevant boxes. Please note the following:
    •  As an Administrator or Trainer, you will only see the users of your own department
    •  As an Administrator, you will not be able to add yourself to a public group; however, you can remove yourself from such groups, if you have been previously added. If you wish to be added to a public group, you will need to ask a Technician. Please note, however, that Technicians can only add users to a public group from the same department. 
  6. Click Save.group department.jpg

NOTE To give other users rights, for instance, to view your session live or to review it afterwards, you have to invite them, please see Invite participants.

NOTE As a Trainer, you cannot edit the public groups created by other users; however, you can use these.

Prepare session recording

Invite participants

aim

To give other users permission to view your session live and to review it afterwards.

prerequisite

Your user role allows session recording (Technician, Administrator, or Trainer).

procedure

  1. To invite a participant or group of participants to view a session while it is recorded, select the location or locations.
    See Select locations for recording. Continue with step 2.
    To invite a participant or group of participants to view a recorded session, open the Sessions tab. Double-click the session. Continue with step 2.
  2. Open the Participants pane at the bottom-left of your window.
  3. Click the checkbox next to a participant name or group name to send an invitation.

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To open a session upon an invitation

The invited participants receive an invitation message with which the session can be opened. The dashboard of the invited users also lists the session. A participant that is invited to view a session recording can also review it afterwards.

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Invitations for multiple-location sessions

How participants are invited and what they can view differs between separate sessions and composite sessions.

Separate sessions

Each location results in a separate session. Therefore, a session invitation gives access to one location only. It is possible to invite different participants in different locations. The invited participants can view only that location, also if the user that records the session closes it and opens another one.

Composite sessions

The recordings in all locations are combined in one session. An invitation for a composite session gives access to all locations in that session.

During session recording, invited participants see the location that is open on the screen of the user that records the session. If the user that records the session switches locations, the invited participants will also see the new location.

During session playback, the invited participant can browse through all the locations of the composite session with the carousel control.

Notes

The Viso interface

The Viso interface

Log in

aim

To start working with Viso you need to log in with the login name and password that you received from your colleague who manages the Viso set-up.

procedure

  1. Start Viso.
  2. Enter the login details supplied by your colleague who manages the Viso set-up.

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Notes

The Viso interface

Tabs

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The Viso interface has the following tabs:

Viso modules and user roles

The interface depends on your Viso license and your user role. The Scheduler tab is present when you have the Scheduler Module, the Codes tab when you have the Annotation Module. The Locations tab is present when your user role allows session recording.

The Viso interface

Dashboard

Viso opens with the dashboard which includes a calendar and a sessions list. Days in bold indicate when sessions that you created or received an invitation for were recorded. Click on a date in the calendar to view these sessions. A session that is being recorded or has been recorded has a link to open it.

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Session color coding

Recorded sessions are marked with a color in the Dashboard and in the Scheduler. The following colors are used.

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The Viso interface

Locations

The Locations tab is present for those whose user role allows session recording. It contains a list of the locations that are set up by your colleague who manages the Viso set-up.

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Double-click a location to open it and start recording.

See Sessions

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Location status

Locations can have the following status:

 

NOTE For Technicians, the Locations tab contains an Edit locations button. Technicians can add and edit locations. See the Viso Setup Manual for details.

The Viso interface

Sessions

The Sessions tab contains the list with recorded sessions that you are entitled to review. For Technicians and Administrators, the Session tab lists all recorded sessions. For Trainers, only the sessions that they created themselves, received session ownership of, were assigned as annotator for or received an invitation for are listed. For Trainees, the list contains the sessions they received ownership of, were assigned as annotator for or received an invitation for.

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Double-click a session to open it for review.

See Review sessions

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The Viso interface

Scheduler

The Scheduler tab is available if you have the Scheduler Module. In this tab you can schedule your session recordings in advance.

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The Viso interface

Codes

The Codes tab is available if you have the Annotation Module. In the Codes tab you can create Codes lists with Subjects and Markers. This can be done by Technicians, Administrators and Trainers.

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Use the codes list to annotate your sessions.

See Annotations


The Viso interface

Select locations for recording

What do you want to do?

If you have the Scheduler Module, see also Schedule Session Recording.

The Viso interface

Select one location and record a session

aim

To select one location for a single session recording.

prerequisite

Your user role allows session recording (Technician, Administrator, or Trainer).

procedure

1. In the Locations tab, double-click the name of the location in which you want to start recording.

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2. A preview of the cameras in the location appears. The toolbar displays the location name.

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3. Continue with the third chapter of the Reference (Prepare session recording)

NOTE The location is locked for recording by others at the moment you select it in the Locations list.

NOTE You can also record a single session with the Viso Web App, see The Viso Web App

The Viso interface

Select multiple locations to record separate sessions for each location

aim

To select multiple locations for simultaneous session recording. Each location results in a separate session.

Prerequisites

procedure

  1. In the Locations tab, select the locations.
  2. Click the Separate sessions button on the toolbar.

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  3. A preview of the cameras in the location that you selected first appears. The toolbar displays the carousel control.


The location you selected first is displayed in the middle of the carousel control.

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The location displayed on the right is the location you selected second.

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The location displayed on the left is the location you selected last.

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To open locations with the carousel control

Do one of the following:

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To set up the locations

See the third chapter of this Reference (Prepare session recording) for the procedure. Follow the procedure for each location.

NOTE If you selected only two locations, the second is displayed on the left as well as on the right in the carousel control.

NOTE The Separate Sessions button is enabled once you selected multiple locations. Separate session recording is supported with a maximum number of eight locations with two cameras each.

The Viso interface

Select multiple locations to record a composite session

aim

To select multiple locations for simultaneous recording. All recordings are combined in one session.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. In the Locations tab, select the locations.
  2. Click the Composite session button on the toolbar.

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A preview of the cameras in the location that you selected first appears. The toolbar displays the carousel control.

See The carousel control and To open locations with the carousel control control to set up the locations

See the third chapter of this Reference (Prepare session recording) for the procedure. Follow the procedure for each location.

NOTE The Composite Session button is enabled once you selected multiple locations.

NOTE Composite session recording is supported with a maximum number of eight locations with two cameras each.

Sessions

Sessions

Record sessions

aim

To create recordings with all cameras in the selected locations.

Important

Do not log in with a browser to a camera, while recording with Viso. This may lead to malfunctioning of the Viso system.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. If your license includes the The Annotation Module, optionally select a Codes list.
  2. Click the record button at the bottom of your window.

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    Next to the button the text Recording appears and the recording duration is shown.

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    TIP It is also possible to View locations and start and stop recording with a web browser. See the The Viso Web App.
  3. Optionally, score events and make remarks (If you have The Annotation Module)
  4. Optionally, talk to the people in the location with the Talk to people in location functionality.
  5. To start recording in other locations, click the Back button at the top of the window to return to the Viso start window. Repeat the steps above to start recording in other locations.

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  6. To stop recording, open the location if it is not already open.
    Then click the stop recording button.

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    note  If you selected multiple locations for separate or composite session recording, pressing the stop recording button in one location, stops recording in all locations.
  7. A question appears whether you want to stop the session. Click Yes. The following steps depend on whether you recorded a single session, selected multiple locations for separate sessions, or selected multiple locations for a composite session.

If you recorded a single session

See also Specify a default session name

If you started recording in multiple locations manually

You must stop recording in each location separately. After stopping a session, click the back button on the toolbar and open the next location to stop recording there.

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See If you recorded a single session how session naming is done.

If you selected multiple locations for separate session recording

See Select multiple locations to record separate sessions for each location

If you selected multiple locations for a composite session recording

The result of your recording is a single session. See If you recorded a single session how session naming is done.

See Select multiple locations to record a composite session

Notes

Sessions

Review sessions

aim

To play back recorded sessions. If your license includes the Annotation Module you can also play back the scored markers and events.

prerequisites

You either have rights to review the session (Technician, Administrator), you created the session (Trainer), you have received ownership or annotator rights or you are invited to view the session.

procedure

  1. Open the Sessions tab for a list of all the sessions.

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  2. Double-click a row to open a session.

  3. Click the play button to play it back.

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To review an event

If you want to play back a specific event, set a pre-roll interval to start playing a few seconds prior to the event.

  1. Click the menu button, choose Settings and then Playback settings.
  2. Set the duration of the pre-roll interval and click OK.

By default the pre-roll interval is set to 5 seconds. The maximum duration you can set is 15 seconds. If you do not want to have a pre-roll, set the value to 0.

To review a composite session

If your session consists of multiple locations, use the carousel control to view the different locations.

See To open locations with the carousel control

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The Timeline shows when a location change takes place.

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Use the carousel to view the video in the next location, for instance when following a participant from one room to another. 

To change the video layout

Optionally, change the video layout in the same way as with recording sessions.

See Video layout

To change the audio

Optionally, change the playback audio in the same way as with recording sessions.

See Change Audio source and volume in preview 

To review the last time fragment

Click the quick review button to let the video jump back and replay the episode. Click it multiple times to replay a longer episode.

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By default, the video jumps back five seconds. To select another time interval, click the Menu button at the top of the Viso window and choose Settings > Playback settings. Next, specify the interval. You can also control here if you want to pause after quick review or continue the playback.

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Session sorting options

Click one of the column headers to sort the sessions, by name, date, location, the person that owns the session or the person that has been assigned as the annotator.

To group sessions, for example by the user that created them, drag that column header (Created by in this example) to the top of the table.


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Unfold a group to see the individual sessions. Click the red cross to remove grouping.

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You can drag multiple column headers to the top of the table to make groups and subgroups of sessions.

Sessions

Present sessions

aim

To present a session full screen on another screen, for example with a beamer or on a large monitor in a debriefing room.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Open a Session.
    See Review sessions
  2. If you have a Composite session, select the location to display.
    See To open locations with the carousel control
  3. Optionally, change the Video layout or Change Audio source and volume in preview
  4. Click the settings button on the toolbar to open the View Settings pane.

    image.png

  5. Choose the display from the Presentation display list.

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NOTE Markers and remarks that are scored with The Annotation Module are not shown on the second display. This way you can debrief the session while the audience cannot see your annotations. This is especially useful if the markers and remarks are confidential, or if you debrief a session with students and do not want them to see your annotations about them.

NOTE If you connect a display while Viso is open, close and restart the program. The new display is now visible in Viso.

Sessions

Manage sessions

aim

To rename or delete sessions, change the annotator or the owner of a session, import videos, or export videos for external use.

prerequisites

Rename sessions

Right-click a session and select Rename.

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Delete sessions

Right-click a session and select Delete. Please note that this also deletes all videos from a session.

Secure/unsecure sessions

Sessions will be auto deleted, by default after 90 days, if your colleague who maintains the Viso set-up selected this option in the settings. To retain a session, right-click it in the Sessions list and select Secure/unsecure. The Retention column in the Sessions list shows whether a session has been secured.

Change the annotator

In the session list under Annotator you can see who has been assigned the role of annotator. Right-click a session and select Change annotator to assign the right to annotate the session to another user. 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.

Change the owner of a session

Session owners can manage sessions (delete and rename sessions, etc.). In the session list under Owner you can see who is the session owner. Right-click a session and select Change owner to give another user the right to manage the session. If you transfer the ownership of a session to, for instance, your colleague, he/she will automatically be assigned as the annotator of the session.

Export videos

  1. To export videos, for example, to use them in a presentation, right-click the session and select Export videos.export1.jpg
  2. Specify the destination folder where to export the videos.
  3. Choose if you want to export separate videos or combine all videos into one  picture-by-picture video per location.

    export2.jpg

  4. Press Export.

Import videos

To import a video, right-click anywhere in the session list and select Import videos. Alternatively, click the Menu button at the top of the Viso windows and choose Import videos.

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The selected videos will be added to a new session, and the files are copied to one of the available video locations used by Viso.

 

On the Import video dialog, the name of the videos to import, the newly created session name, and the Location needs to be specified. (Beforehand you need to define at least one Location to be able to import videos)

The imported session name by default will take the title of the first video, but it can be modified after the video selection.

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The video files will be copied to one of the available video locations used by Viso. The preferred choice is the folder used for moving sessions to (a user with the user role Technician is able to set this up). Alternatively, the video folder of the Viso Recorder Manager can be used as a destination for the imported videos. There must be enough space on those file locations for the newly imported video files.

Up to 4 videos can be selected at once, which all will be added to the same new session. It is assumed that the videos are all created at the same time, they must have the same start date and time, a maximum of 5 second deviance is allowed. There is no separate synchronization option.

Currently it is not possible to create composite sessions through importing videos, or adding videos to existing sessions.

The imported videos must be .mp4 files or .mov files with H264 encoding and AAC audio. In the case of mov files they are converted to mp4 on import.

Creating H264 Videos on new Apple devices

Some newer Apple devices create MOV files using the HEVC (H265) format. This format is not recognised on Windows 10 and Windows 11 by default, and is not supported in Viso. You can set these devices to capture media using the older formats, which are more broadly compatible with other devices and operating systems:

Annotations

Annotations

The Annotation Module

If your Viso license includes the Annotation Module, you can mark events that are of interest for your study. For example, in a classroom, the onset of the Instruction phase, and Group work phase. Optionally, link markers to subjects, for example to mark a question by the teacher and the answer by a student. Markers specify a moment, and have no duration.

Mark events during session recording, or while reviewing it. To annotate, first enter the key code of the subject and then the one of the marker. Use the scored markers to jump to an episode of interest. This is especially useful to debrief certain episodes.

Optionally, you can assign the role of annotator to a colleague or one of your students.

The Annotation Module also allows you to enter free text as remarks while the session is being recorded. This is useful if something happens during the observation that you did not define as a marker beforehand. For example, if another teacher enters a classroom while you record group work by the pupils.

Using the Annotation Module, you can also create highlight videos which summarise the most interesting point events of your sessions to be used e.g. in presentations or lectures. To these highlight videos, you may add your markers and remarks as subtitles.

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Viso in combination with The Observer XT

Videos from sessions recorded with Viso can be opened in the annotation software The Observer XT. Scored subjects, markers and remarks can be imported into The Observer XT to further analyze the session. Of course it is also possible to create a coding scheme and further annotate the sessions for more advanced analyses.

See Viso with The Observer XT.

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Annotations

Annotation Module, important terms

Subjects

Subjects are the individuals in your study. Define subjects if you are interested in different behaviors for different persons or animals. For example if you observe teaching skills for teachers and work attitude for students.

Since it is likely that you study different individuals in each session, do not define the names or identities as subjects, but define the roles. So define Teacher and Student instead of Mr. Jones and Mark.

You do not have to score subjects. If you mark only episodes and general events in your test, for example Test 1, Test 2, or Instruction Phase and Test phase, do not define subjects. Also do not define subjects if you observe only one individual in each session. You cannot score subjects only.

Markers

With Markers you can mark events that are of interest for your study. Markers mark a moment in time and have no duration. Use a marker to mark the start of a phase in your study, or the start of a behavior of your test persons or animals. Examples or markers are start of Open question by a therapist and Answer by a client, or Instruction by the teacher and Work in parallel for students. Examples of markers without subjects are Start of test 1, or Start of counseling session

Remarks

With a remark you can enter information as free text if something unexpected happens that you did not define as a marker beforehand. Like with markers, you can only enter a remark if you are logged in.Your user account must include the rights to enter remarks (Technician, Administrator, Trainer). Remarks are not connected to a subject. If you want to connect the unexpected event to a subject, add a marker instead.

Codes list

Subjects and markers are organized in codes lists. This makes it easy to select the correct codes for your specific session. For example you can make two different codes lists for a parent-child observation and for a classroom observation. A codes list can contain maximally 36 subjects and 36 markers, so for each category you can use all letters and numbers on your keyboard. You can make as many codes lists as you want, but you can only use one codes list per session.

You can only create codes lists and annotate if you are logged in.Your user account must include the rights to create codes lists (Technician, Administrator, Trainer).

Event log

The Event log is your record of the scored Subjects, Markers and Remarks in your Session.

Timeline

In the Timeline the scored events and remarks are plotted against time.

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. If you transfer the ownership of a session to, for instance, your colleague, he/she will automatically be assigned as the annotator of the session. Changing the annotator of a session does not automatically change the owner.

Highlight video

When creating Highlight Videos, 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.

Annotations

Create Codes Lists

aim

To specify the events of interest for your study. Subjects and markers are organized in codes lists. Each list can contain maximally 36 subjects and 36 markers.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Open the Codes tab.
  2. Click New List.

    image.png

  3. Name the list and, optionally, add a description.

    image.png

  4. Optionally, add subjects by entering them in the Add subject field and clicking the + button, or pressing the Enter key.

    image.png

  5. Add markers by entering them in the Add marker field and clicking the + button, or pressing the Enter key.

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If you already created other codes lists, the name of similar elements appear if you enter the first letter in the Add subject or Add marker field. Select the subject or marker you want to add to the list.

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Notes

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Annotations

Annotate

aim

To score markers during session recording, or afterwards while playing the recorded session back.

prerequisites

To annotate during session recording

procedure

  1. Open a location.
    If you selected multiple locations, use the carousel control to open the location. See To open locations with the carousel control.
  2. Click on Codes in the lower-left corner of your screen to open the Codes tab.

    image.png

  3. Click this button and select the correct list. This is possible until you score the first Subject or Marker.
  4. Optionally pan, tilt, or zoom the cameras and select which microphones to hear in the preview.
    See Select locations for recording
  5. Start recording.

    image.png

  6. Annotate by clicking the subjects (optional) and markers in the Codes window or by pressing the associated keys on the keyboard.
    If you defined subjects, score the subject first and then the marker. As soon as the subject is scored, the Markers tab in the Codes window opens so you can score the marker. The moment the subject is scored is recorded as timestamp.
    To score markers without a subject, open the Markers tab manually in the Codes window, or press Ctrl + /. Then score the marker.
    If you did not define subjects, score the markers either in the Codes window, or with the keys on your keyboard.image.png

See also Annotations in a multiple-location recording

To add codes during session recording

IMPORTANT  The added subjects and markers are saved for the present session only. They are not stored in the Codes list for future sessions.

If you have a multi-location recording and selected Separate sessions, the codes are stored for the session that is open on your screen only.

procedure

How annotations appear

The scored annotations appear in the Event log and the Timeline.

Event log

To view the Event log, open the Events pane at the bottom-left side of your window.

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Timeline

In the Timeline, the events are plotted against time. Subjects are listed vertically. The markers are displayed horizontally on the Timeline. During session recording, the subjects are shown in the order they were scored, the last subject scored is shown at the top. While reviewing, the subjects are shown in the same order as in the Codes list.

If markers were scored without subject, the markers are displayed in the row No Subject in the Timeline. Remarks are also displayed in the No Subject row.

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To annotate after session recording

procedure

  1. Open a recorded session (see Review sessions) and play it. This locks the session for other users, who can now only view the session and cannot score markers.

    If you have a multiple-location recording, use the carousel control to open the location you want. See To open locations with the carousel control.

  2. Click on Codes in the lower-left corner of your screen to open the Codes tab.

    image.png

  3. If you did not select a Codes list during session recording, click this button to select one. Also use this button to change the codes list. This is possible until you score the first marker.
    image.png

  4. Annotate, following the same procedure as in Annotate.
    During session playback you can only score subjects and markers from the same list that you used during session recording. However you can add subjects and markers for this session. See To add codes during session recording

  5. To save changes before you exit the session, press Ctrl +S. The markers are also saved if you exit the session 

NOTE You can select codes lists created by others, but you can only annotate your own sessions, the sessions for which you received ownership or annotator rights.

NOTE Others cannot view scored markers and remarks when you are recording and annotating a session.

NOTE Others can view the scored markers and remarks when a recorded session is edited. To do so, open the Sessions tab and open the session. The markers and remarks appear when the person that edits the session saves it (Ctrl + S).

Annotations in a multiple-location recording

If you selected multiple locations, it depends on whether you Select multiple locations to record separate sessions for each location or Select multiple locations to record a composite session how annotations are stored. Annotations are linked to the sessions, not to the location. See below for the difference.

Separate sessions

Each session has its own annotations. This means that you can annotate the separate sessions differently. The annotations are stored for the location you have open on your screen while you are annotating. Codes you add during session recording will be added to codes list of the session that is open on your screen only.

Composite session

The composite session will have one Event log. The Event log for the different locations is the same, independent from which location is open on your screen. You can open another location and continue with the same Event log. All annotations are stored in the same Event log. Codes you add during session recording are added to the codes list of all locations.

If the user that records a composite session switches locations, a Remark is added to the Event log with the Location name. The Remark has the timestamp the new location has opened.

If you do not have the Annotation Module, no Remark is added when you change locations during recording.

Annotations

Enter a remark

aim

To mark something of interest that you did not define in the Codes list. This can be done during session recording or afterwards while playing the session back.

prerequisites

Remarks in a multiple-location recording

If you selected multiple locations, it depends on whether you Select multiple locations to record separate sessions for each location or Select multiple locations to record a composite session how annotations are stored.

Separate sessions

The remarks are added to the session that is open on your screen only.

Composite session

Since all locations have the same Event Log, the remarks are added to all locations.

 

procedure

  1. Click this button, or press Ctrl + R. 

    image.png

  2. Enter the text and click Add.

    image.png

NOTE  A remark with the location name is added when you switch locations in a composite session.

Annotations

View annotations

aim

To view the annotations from a session recorded by someone else.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Open the Sessions tab.
  2. Double-click a session to open it.
  3. Play the session.

The annotations are shown in the Event log and the Timeline 

Event log

To view the Event log, open the Events tab at the bottom of your window. To jump to an event in the Timeline and videos, click it in the Event log.

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Timeline

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Annotations

Playback events


If you want to play back a specific event, set a pre-roll interval to start playing a few seconds prior to the event.

  1. Click the menu button, choose Settings and then Playback settings.
  2. Set the duration of the pre-roll interval and click OK.

The default pre-roll interval is 5 seconds. The maximum duration you can set is 15 seconds.

 

Annotations

Edit scored subjects, markers and remarks

aim

To correct annotation errors.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Open a recorded session (see Review sessions) and play it.
  2. To make new annotations, enter them following the procedure in Annotate
    To add a remark, press Ctrl + R or click this button.

    image.png
    To delete a scored subject, marker or remark, right-click it in the Event Log and click Delete.
    To modify a scored subject or marker, right-click it and select Modify subject, or Modify marker. Then choose the correct one.

    image.png

  3. To save the session before you exit it, press Ctrl + S.

  4. When done, choose Back. Choose Save to save new edits.

    image.png

NOTE Others can view the scored markers and remarks when a recorded session is edited. To do so, open the Sessions tab and open the session. The markers and remarks appear when the person that edits the session saves it (Ctrl + S).

NOTE Scored Markers and Remarks can only be edited by the user that created the session and users that received session ownership or annotator rights. 

Annotations

Select another Codes list

aim

To choose another Codes list than the one that was used for scoring and annotate with that list.

 

IMPORTANT To choose another Codes list, you must delete all annotations from the original list first. The deleted annotations cannot be restored.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Open the session.
  2. Right-click the markers that were already scored in the Event Log and click Delete.
  3. Click this button and select another Codes list.
    image.png
Annotations

Change the annotator

aim

To assign the role of session annotator to another user, for instance, a colleague or one of your students.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Open the Sessions tab to view the list of all the sessions.
  2. Right-click the appropriate session and select Change annotator.

    image.png

  3. From the drop-down list select the name of the person who you want to assign the role of annotator to and click OK. By default, the person who recorded the session is the annotator.
Annotations

Reclaim the role of annotator

aim

To claim back the role of annotator that you gave to another user, for instance, a colleague or one of your students.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Open the Sessions tab to view the list of all the sessions.
  2. Right-click the appropriate session and select Change annotator.

    image.png

  3. Select your name and click OK.

Annotations

Customize the Session window

What do you want to do?

Dock/Undock Event log or Time Line

You can undock and move the Event log and Time Line window, for example to display them on a separate monitor. To dock the windows again, drag the window to the main Viso window. Docking buttons appear. Move the window to one of these docking items. A blue rectangle now shows where the window will be positioned. Release the mouse button.

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Dock/Undock panes and tabs

You can undock the pane with the Events, Codes and Participant tabs, and the individual tabs. It can, for example, be useful to move the Codes tab to a separate monitor.

Docking/undocking of panes and tabs applies to Viso Viewer and is implemented for all users.

To undock a pane with its tabs

Click the title and drag it to a new position.

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To dock a pane again, drag it to the main Viso window. Docking buttons appear. Move the pane to one of these docking items. A blue rectangle now shows where the pane will be positioned. Release the mouse button.

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To undock a separate tab

Click the tab at the bottom of the pane and drag it to a new position.

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To dock the tab again, drag it to the main Viso window. Two types of docking buttons appear.

If you release the mouse button while it is positioned on the docking button shown in the figure below, it is re-docked in the pane.

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If you release the mouse button while it is positioned on the docking button shown in the figure below, the separate tab is docked in the Viso window.

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Display a selection of events

aim

To select a subset of events in the Event log and, optionally, in the Timeline. This can be useful to, for example, quickly display all behaviors of one subject, or a specific behavior of all subjects.

procedure

  1. Open the Events pane.
  2. Click the filter button next to Subject or Marker.

    image.png

  3. Specify the selection. The result is shown in the Event log.

    image.png

    The filter is also applied in the Timeline.

    image.png

To disable the filter in the Timeline

To see in what context the selected events took place, you may want to display all events in the Timeline, instead of only the ones specified in the Event log filter. To do so:

  1. Right-click the Timeline.
  2. Select Show all events.

    image.png

     

NOTE To restore the filter in the Timeline, right-click it and select Show filtered events only.

Collapse all subjects

aim

To quickly collapse all subjects in the Timeline, so that no markers are shown. You can then expand the subjects that you are interested in to view only their markers.

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procedure

Right-click the Timeline and select Collapse all subjects.

 

NOTE To expand all collapsed subject again, right-click the Timeline and select Expand all subjects.

Annotations

Export annotations to text file

aim

To export the annotations to a Comma Separated Value text file (CSV-file) so that you can analyze them in another application, like Excel.

prerequisites

procedure  

  1. Open the Sessions tab.
  2. Select the sessions to export.
  3. Right-click one of the sessions and select Export to CSV.
  4. Choose a location and click Export.

NOTE The export file is named after the imported session, with the location name, and the date and time the session was created added to the filename.

Annotations

Highlight videos

aim

To select specific point events of interest within sessions and create highlight videos containing these, optionally with subtitles, for further use.

prerequisites

Your license includes the Annotation Module.

The session has been recorded and you received ownership rights for the session.

procedure

  1. Open the Sessions tab.
  2. Double-click a session to open it.
  3. Right-click anywhere in the Timeline or click on the Export highlight video button in the top right corner of the Timeline.export hoghlight video button.jpg
  4. In the Highlight video window, you have two options to select the point event(s) of the session you wish to include in your highlight video. For a single event, move the Time slider to or near to the particular point event of interest and select For current time point. Continue with Step 7.for current timepoint.jpg


     If the point events of interest are associated with some or all of the markers you have specified in the Code list you used to annotate your session  (see Create Code Lists and Annotate) select For multiple markers. Continue with Step 5.for multiple markers.jpg
  5. If you have opted for For multiple markers, a window appears where you can select the point events you wish to highlight. You may select as many of these as you wish by checking the relevant boxes, or select them all using the Select all checkbox.select multiple markers.jpg
  6. If you wish to merge all your highlighted point events into a single video, use the Merge videos option.merge vdeos.jpg
  7. Use the Highlight video duration option to set the length of the section including the selected point event. By default, 3 seconds will be added before and after the highlighted point event, but you may adjust this value up to 30 seconds before and 30 seconds after the selected event. If you select an invalid duration, the box will be marked in red and you will not be offered the Export option.highlight video duration.jpghighlight video duration2.jpg                                             

NOTE The Highlight video duration set by you will also include the previously set Pre-roll value. (See Review sessions.)

NOTE If the Highlight video duration set by you exceeds the length of the session, the resulting Highlight video will include the highlighted event more than once, so it is recommended to set the duration shorter than the lenghth of the session.

8. If you wish to add subtitles, check the Add subtitles box at Options. add subtitles.jpg                                                     The Subtitles will comprise of the names of the highlighted Events and Subjects involved (see Create Code Lists) as well as any Remark you might have added (see Enter a remark).

IMPORTANT Your subtitles will be saved in a separate vtt file so that you can edit them later if you wish. When reviewing your Highlight video, you will need to select the relevant vtt file and turn on the subtitles. For the details, see Adding subtitles to your hightlight videos.

 

9. At Export to folder, select the folder where you wish to save your Highlight video. Viso offers you a default option, but you are also free to Browse.

 browse.jpg

NOTE If more than one cameras were used for recording the original session, a separate highlight video will be created for each, with the same subtitles.

NOTE Viso will create a unique default name for the highlight video for exporting which you cannot change. If you have created subtitles, the vtt file containing these will be given the same unique default name.

10. Once you have made all the necessary settings, press the Export button.export.jpg

NOTE If you wish to rename the exported highlight video file, you will need to do it later, in the folder. When doing so, it is recommended to give the highlight videos and the related vtt files with the subtiles (if you created any) the same name to facilitate the easy adding of subtitles when reviewing the videos later on.

Adding subtitles to your highlight videos

As mentioned above, your highlight videos and the related subtitles will be saved in separate files. When you wish to see the subtitles while reviewing your highlight video, you will need to select the relevant vtt file containing the subtitles and enable the subtitles function.

procedure

  1. Open your highlight video e.g. in Windows Media Player or PowerPoint.
  2. Look for the icon where you can set the languages and subtitles for your video.subtitles1.jpg
  3. You will be offered a choice of selecting the subtitles from file. Select the relevant vtt file and click Open. Now the subtitles you created will be displayed under your video. 

NOTE If you wish to edit your subtitles, you can do it by opening the vtt file in a text editor and make the desired changes.

IMPORTANT When you copy your highlight videos to a different folder, please remember to copy the related vtt files together with them.

Schedule Session Recording

Schedule Session Recording

Schedule a session

aim

To schedule session recording in advance.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Open the Scheduler tab.
  2. Double-click a time slot or press the New schedule button.
  3. Enter a Session name in the Name field if you did not Specify a default session name.
  4. Select for single, composite or separate sessions.
  5. Select the Location from the list.
    If composite session or separate session recording is selected, you can select multiple locations.
    See Select multiple locations to record a composite session
  6. Optionally, select other users or groups of users from the Participants list to invite them to the session.
    See Invite participants
  7. Optionally, edit the Start time, or End time.

    image.png

  1. Click OK. The scheduled session now appears in the Dashboard of the user that created it and the ones that are invited.

See also The Scheduler in detail

Notes

Schedule Session Recording

Manage scheduled sessions

aim

To reschedule or remove a scheduled session.

prerequisites

Modify a session

  1. Open the Scheduler tab.
  2. Double-click the scheduled session.
  3. Edit the Schedule and click OK.

Delete a session

  1. Open the Scheduler tab.
  2. Select the schedule and press the Delete key on your keyboard or the X icon.

NOTE You can only delete a scheduled session in the Scheduler. Not a session that has been recorded. To delete a recorded session, see Manage sessions.

Schedule Session Recording

The Scheduler in detail

What do you want to do?

Select the current day in the calendar

If you selected another day in the calendar, click the Today button to select the current day.

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Select locations to display in the calendar

Open the Locations list in the top-right corner of your window. Select the locations to display. Locations that appear offline are either having connectivity issues or simply are not selected for recording by your colleague who manages the Viso set-up. If all locations appear offline, then the Viso Recorder Manager may not be running or is disconnected.

image.png 

Select the time period to display in the calendar

Click the Day, Week, Work Week or Month button on the toolbar. By default the current day is displayed. The work week is the week from Monday till Friday. Your colleague who manages the Viso set-up can change the default work week and working hours.

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Change the date and time format

Change the date time format of the scheduler in the computer’s regional settings.

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Procedure:

  1. Type Date in the Apps window and choose Date & time settings.
  2. Click Additional data, time & regional settings in the upper-right corner of the window.
  3. Under Region, choose Change data, time, or number formats.
  4. Select a region from the Format list and click OK.
  5. Restart Viso.

NOTE The time format is also used in the calendar of the Dashboard.

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Scheduled and recorded sessions in the Scheduler

The scheduler can be viewed by anyone in the Viso network with the proper rights. However the details shown depend on the user role.

Administrators and Technicians

Administrators and Technicians are able to view all the details of each session.

Trainers

Trainers can open, edit and see all the details of their own sessions. They cannot open or edit a scheduled session they are invited to. For the sessions they are invited to, they can see the session name and the person who created it by hovering over the schedule.

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For the sessions they are not invited to, only the name of the person who created it is shown. The title of the session is hidden, only the status is indicated (Scheduled Session, Recording Session...).

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Trainees

Trainees do not have a Scheduler tab. The sessions they are invited to are listed, with the session name and the person that created the session, in their Dashboard.

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Scheduled and recorded sessions in the Dashboard

When you have the Scheduler Module, the Dashboard contains a calendar and a Session list. Days on which sessions are scheduled or have been recorded are shown in bold in the calendar.

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The Session list displays the following for the day you select in the calendar:

TIP  Click the month in the upper-left corner of the calendar to zoom out in time. Click several times to zoom out more. Then click the time slot in the calendar to zoom in. This way you can quickly access sessions that were, for example, recorded a few months or even years ago.

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Priority of scheduled and manual sessions

A scheduled session always has priority over a session that you start manually by opening a location and pressing the Start recording button. This means that you cannot open a location when it is in use in a scheduled session recording. Also, a manual session recording will be terminated when a scheduled session with the same location is about to start. You will receive a warning about this. Likewise, if a location is open for viewing, it will be closed when a scheduled session is about to start. You will receive a warning about this.

image.png

Using a programmable button or The Observer XT to start recording in Viso is similar to starting a recording by hand. A scheduled recording has priority.

Scheduled sessions and manual recordings in multiple locations

If a scheduled session is about to start with a location that is in use in a multiple location recording, the following happens:

Making an audit report

aim

To export a log file with all the activities regarding video creation, deletion and access of the users of your choice.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. Click the Menu button and choose Audit Report.
  2. Choose for what period, what user and what location you want to make a report. If, for instance, you do not select a user in the user field, the report will be made for all the users.
  3. Select a destination folder to store the report and click Export.

TIP: The log file is a *.csv file. Open it in Excel. The filename is automatically generated based on the date/time.

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Viso with The Observer XT

Viso with The Observer XT

Start and stop recording in Viso from The Observer XT

Combining your Viso recordings with other data may give you a more complete picture of the phenomena that you are studying. For instance, when testing your newly developed website, it may be interesting to record the test participant’s screen and annotate his/her verbal reactions but it may be even more intriguing to know what facial expressions your website evokes or what physiological responses. For the integration of all these data you can use The Observer XT.

You can automatically start and stop recording in Viso from The Observer XT and at the same time start facial expression analysis in, for instance, FaceReader (our tool for automatic analysis of facial expressions) and start the acquisition of physiological data. The data streams and Viso recordings can be imported into The Observer XT. You can then view the test participants’ actions, his/her facial expressions and physiological responses and calculate statistics.

  

NOTE To start and stop recording in Viso from The Observer XT the two programs can be on the same computer or on separate computers that are part of a local network.

prerequisite

If Viso and The Observer XT run on separate PCs - Security certificates need to be set up and trusted on both PCs. See Appendix G ‘Security certificates’ in the Viso Setup Manual for more information.

procedure

  1. Set up Viso to allow remote control from The Observer XT
  2. Edit the batch file
  3. Set up The Observer XT for live observation
  4. Run a test

Set up Viso to allow remote control from The Observer XT

aim

Prepare Viso to receive commands from The Observer XT.

prerequisites

Your user role allows editing locations (Technician).

procedure

  1. Open the Locations tab and click the pencil button of the location of your choice.
  2. Select Remote controlled by and click the Settings button. A window will open with a remote token. You need this token when editing the batch file (see step 3 in Edit the batch file). Click OK. Save the token in a text file in, for instance, Notepad, and press the Copy button to copy the token for use in The Observer XT PC.
  3. Select who can control the location. The drop-down list shows all users and groups of all departments and also the users that have not been assigned to a department. Select the user who will carry out the test with the test participants and click OK.

    Remote Control Token.jpg

  4. Repeat steps 1-3 to control more than one location.

  5. Log out of Viso and ask the user who is going to run the test to log in.

NOTE  You can also control Viso with a programmable button.

Edit the batch file

To start and stop recording in Viso from The Observer XT you need two scripts which you can download using your MyNoldus account. You can find the scripts in the Drivers and Tools > Scripts folder, both under Viso and The Observer XT):

Browse to my.noldus.com if you do not have a MyNoldus account yet.

procedure - 1-PC set-up

Follow the steps below if Viso and The Observer XT run on the same PC.

  1. Copy the scripts to the Viso/Observer XT PC.
  2. Open the batch file (RunPostCommand.bat) in Notepad or a similar text editor.
  3. Specify the location of the ps script.

    image.png

  4. Save the batch file.

procedure - 2-PC set-up

Follow the steps below if Viso and The Observer XT run on separate PCs.

  1. Copy the scripts to the Observer XT PC.
  2. Open the batch file (RunPostCommand.bat) in Notepad or a similar text editor.
  3. In the first Set line of the batch file
    - Change ‘http’ into ‘https’.
    - Replace ‘localhost’ with the computer name of the Viso PC.
    - Replace port number ‘5000’ in the third line of the batch file with ‘5001’.
    To find the Viso Services computer name
    Click the Windows icon and type system. Click System Information. You will find the name under System Name.
  4.  In the last line of the batch file specify the location of the ps script.

    image.png

  5. Save the batch file.

Set up The Observer XT for live observation

procedure

  1. Open The Observer XT and create a new project.
  2. Choose Setup >Project Setup and select Live Observation. The Devices window opens. If not, click the Devices button.
  3. Click Add external program. The Add External Program window opens.

    image.png

  4. In the Name field, enter ‘Control Viso’ or a similar name to indicate that these are the settings to control Viso.
    TIP: Add the Viso location name when controlling multiple locations from The Observer XT.
  5. Select the checkbox next to Start Observation.
  6. In the same row, click the ellipsis button next to the Program field and browse to the batch file (RunPostCommand.bat).
  7. Select the file and click Open.
  8. In the Command line options field enter ‘start <token generated in Viso for the location>’. This instructs Viso to start recording when you start an observation.
  9. Select the checkbox next to Stop Observation.
  10. In the same row, click the ellipsis button next to the Program field and browse to the batch file (RunPostCommand.bat).
  11. Select the file and click Open.
  12. In the Command line options field enter ‘stop <token generated in Viso for the location>’. This instructs Viso to stop recording when you stop an observation.
  13. Leave the ms. before fields of the lines Start Observation and Stop Observation empty.
  14. Click OK. The Devices list now shows a new device with the name you gave in step 4. Select the checkbox in front of it.
  15. Repeat steps 3-14 if you want to control more than one location.

Run a test

procedure

  1. Invite the participants to enter the test room and check that the cameras are well positioned.
  2. Create a new observation in The Observer XT.
  3. Start the observation in The Observer XT. Depending on the settings, the Independent Variable List appears.
  4. Enter the values of the independent variables and click OK.
  5. Video recording in Viso starts. Please note that video recording does not start immediately, there is a delay.
  6. Optionally - Manually annotate events in The Observer XT or in Viso. For more information about manually annotating in Viso see Chapter 6 of this Reference (Annotations). To be able to annotate events in Viso you will need the Annotation module.
  7. Stop the observation in The Observer XT. Video recording in Viso stops.
  8. In Viso enter a name for your session. If you specified a default session name, the session automatically gets a name.

notes  

Viso with The Observer XT

Import Viso sessions into The Observer XT


The videos created by Viso can be opened in the manual annotation program The Observer XT and, optionally, the annotations can be imported into an observation. All codes from the selected Codes list are imported into The Observer XT, independent of whether they were scored or not. Viso subjects are added to the coding scheme as subjects. Markers are added to the coding scheme as point events. Remarks are imported into The Observer XT as comments in the event log. You can create extra codes in The Observer XT and annotate sessions for further analysis.

There are two ways to import Viso sessions into The Observer XT:

Viso with The Observer XT

Import sessions directly

aim

To import Viso sessions in The Observer XT. This makes use of the Noldus network communication protocol N-Linx.

prerequisites

procedure

  1. In The Observer XT, choose File > Preferences.
  2. Open the tab Viso settings.

    image.png

  3. Select Use Viso services to connect with Viso.
  4. In the Services address field, enter the computer name or IP address of the Viso Services computer. Ask your colleague who manages the Viso set-up for the details.
  5. In the Services port field, leave the default port number 5672.
  6. Click Test connection. If The Observer XT computer finds the Viso Services computer, the text Connected appears. Click OK.
  7. Create a new project or open an existing one (File> New/Open Project).
  8. Choose File > Import > Viso Sessions.
  9. Enter your Viso login details.
    NOTE  If you are logged in in Viso, log out first. You can only import the sessions that you are allowed to view.

    image.png


  10. Select the sessions and click Import.

    image.png

NOTE Each session is imported as a separate observation. The videos are copied to the Video Files folder of The Observer XT. Markers are added to the coding scheme and remarks appear as comments in the Event log (see also How Viso annotations appear in The Observer XT). The observation is named after the imported session, with the location name and the date and time the session was created added to the filename.

NOTE If you have a license for The Observer XT 12.5 or earlier, you cannot import sessions directly into Viso. You must Export sessions in Viso and import them in The Observer XT.

Viso with The Observer XT

Export sessions in Viso and import them in The Observer XT

aim

To import Viso sessions in The Observer XT if the computers with Viso and The Observer XT are not in the same network, or you have an older version of The Observer XT (see Prerequisites to Import sessions directly).

prerequisites

procedure

In Viso:

  1. Open the Sessions tab.
  2. Right-click a session and select Export to The Observer XT.

    image.png

  3. Specify the destination folder that can be accessed by The Observer XT, for example its Video Files folder.

  4. 4.Select if you want to export the separate videos, or combine all videos into one picture-by-picture video per location.

  5. Click Export.

    image.png

    You will find the exported videos and the .odx file containing scored markers and comments in the destination folder.

    In The Observer XT:

  6. Create a new project or open an existing one (File> New/Open Project).
  7. Import the .odx file as a new observation. Choose File > Import > Observational data.

    image.png

  8. Select the .odx file and click Open.
  9. In the Import Observational Data window that appears, select Yes, import new coding scheme elements.
  10. A message appears whether import is successful. Click Close.

Notes

Viso with The Observer XT

How Viso annotations appear in The Observer XT

In the Coding Scheme

In The Observer XT, choose Setup > Open Coding Scheme, to open the Coding Scheme. Viso subjects appear in the Subjects panel. Viso markers are added as Point events in a Start-Stop group. Remarks are not added to the Coding Scheme.

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In the observation

Choose Observe > Observation > Open > [session name and time] to view the annotations in the Event Log. Viso Subjects are also Subjects in The Observer XT. Markers are point events and are indicated with blue dots. Remarks are imported as comments in the Event Log.   

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To jump to the video frame at which a certain marker or remark was scored, click its row in the Event Log.   

Viso with The Observer XT

Further analysis with The Observer XT

In The Observer XT you can further analyze your sessions. For example:

 

Technical Support

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Viso Menu

Viso’s menu contains the following support options:

Viso Help

Opens the Viso Help. You can search and find help topics.

Noldus Online

If your computer is connected to the Internet, choose this option to go to:

About Viso

Choose this option to see details of your Viso version, or to open the End-User License Agreement and Acknowledgments of third-party applications.

Technical Support

For questions about this or any other Noldus product, please contact the Support department. From the menu select Noldus Online and then Customer Support Center or browse to https://my.noldus.com. This brings you to the MyNoldus section on the Noldus website. Create a new account or log into your existing account. Under Get support you will find the contact details of the help desk in your region, you can view the status of your current support cases or submit a new support case.

We offer 24 hour support via several help desks in different time zones.

In order to provide adequate support, it is possible that we request you to supply us with video recordings made by your organization. Since May 25th 2018 the new GDPR rules apply to all people in the EEA (EU + Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). For this reason we need your signed consent that you agree with the fact that you have given us permission to use these video recordings. Please be aware that the persons who recognizable in the videos also have to give consent that the videos are sent to Noldus Information Technology BV and our technology partners, and that it is your responsibility to arrange this consent. More information regarding our Privacy policy can be found at: https://www.noldus.com/legal/privacy-policy

Troubleshooting

No camera view

This happens if the connection with a camera was lost. Login as Technician. After the connection with the camera is restored, click on the Select for recording checkbox for the location with that camera and click on it again five seconds later, so deselect and select the location. The camera view should now be restored.

image.png

Sound problems

If you hear no sound on your recording, this could be because:

Viso is slow

When Viso Viewer, Viso Recorder and Viso Services are all installed on one computer, the software may become very slow and the connection between the components may time out. Note that we recommend to install Viso Viewer on another computer than Viso Services and Viso Recorder.

To make sure that the software does not become slow when all components are installed on the same computer:

  1. Open the Control Panel and choose Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.
  2. Click Change Adapter Settings.
  3. Right-click the Local Area Network and select Properties.
  4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
  5. Click Advanced and open the tab WINS.
  6. Select Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP.

    image.png

    Viso may also become slow if the network cables are not connected properly, or if some cables have defects. If the system is slow, check the speed of the network cables. To do so:

Open the Control Panel and choose Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.

  1. Click Change Adapter Settings.
  2. Right-click the Ethernet connection you want to diagnose and select Status.

    image.png

  3. Check the speed in the window that appears. It should be at least 1 Gb per second.

    image.png


Keyboard shortcuts

Why use keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts allow you to use Viso without taking your hands off the keyboard. Using keyboard shortcuts can also help in the prevention of repetitive strain injury. Keyboard shortcuts are only available if the corresponding menu or window is active. Viso has keyboard shortcuts for:

When you change the Viso terminology, the shortcut keys remain unchanged. For example, if you change ‘Locations’ into ‘Rooms’ the shortcut key to open the Rooms tab is still Alt+ L.

General functionality

Ctrl + L

Login / logout

 

F1

Open Viso Help

 

Alt + F4

Exit Viso

 

Alt + D

Open Dashboard

 

Alt + L

Open Locations tab

L

Alt + S

Open Sessions tab

 

Alt + H

Open Scheduler tab

L

Alt + C

Open Codes tab

L,A

Alt + G

Open Groups window

L

L – available for users with a role that allows the action.

A – only available with Annotation Module.

You can see the shortcut keys by hovering with your mouse over the menu items.

The Sessions tab

Del

Delete sessions

L

F2

Rename session

L

L – available for users with a role that allows the action.

Please note that you need to select a session before you can use the shortcut keys. You can select a session by clicking the downwards or upwards arrow keys on your keyboard.

The Codes tab (Annotation Module)

Del

Delete codes lists

L

L – available for users with a role that allows the action.

Please note that you need to select a codes list before you can use the shortcut key.

Record sessions

Backspace

Exit session

L

Ctrl + Shift + R        

Start / Stop Recording

L

Ctrl + [n]

Enable / disable PTZ in video [n]

L

Ctrl + Shift + [

Save 1st PTZ preset

L

Ctrl + Shift + ]

Save 2nd PTZ preset

L

Ctrl + [

Return to 1st saved PTZ preset

L

Ctrl + ]

Return to 2nd saved PTZ preset

L

Numpad 1

Move camera left-down

L

Numpad 2

Move camera down

L

Numpad 3

Move camera right-down

L

Numpad 4

Move camera left

L

Numpad 6   

Move camera right

L

Numpad 7

Move camera left-up

L

Numpad 8

Move camera up

L

Numpad 9

Move camera right-up

L

Numpad +

Zoom in

L

Numpad -

Zoom out

L

Alt + [n]

Enable Push-to-talk in camera [n]

L

Ctrl + Shift + [n]         

Only show video [n]. Press it again or press Esc to show all previously visible videos.

L

Esc

Show all previously visible videos (after double-clicking a video, or pressing Ctrl + Shift + [n])

L

Ctrl + O

Select codes list

L,A   

Ctrl + R

Add remark

L,A   

Del

Delete marker, remark

L.A   

Ctrl + Q

During annotating, switch between Subjects and Markers tab.

L,A   

Page up

Open next location in carousel control

L,M   

Page down

Open previous location in carousel control

L,M   

Alt + C

Switch to Codes tab

L,A   

Alt + E

Switch to Events tab

L,A   

Alt + P

Switch to Participants tab

L

Shift + [n]

Mute/unmute video [n]

 

Shift + M

mute/unmute all videos at once

 

L – available for users with a role that allows the action.

A – only available with Annotation Module.

M - the Setup account selected multiple-location recording.

Control camera with CH products RS Desktop joystick

Viso supports the CH products RS Desktop joystick for Pan, Tilt, and Zoom control of IP cameras. The joystick and buttons are predefined in the following way:

Joystick

Pan, Tilt, Zoom

 

1

Enable / disable PTZ in video [1]

L

2

Enable / disable PTZ in video [2]

L

3

Enable / disable PTZ in video [3]

L

4

Enable / disable PTZ in video [4]

L

5

Return to Preset 1

L

6

Return to Preset 2

L

L – available for users with a role that allows the action.

Review sessions

Spacebar

Play / pause

 

Ctrl + Backspace

Quick review

 

Backspace

Exit session

 

Alt + B

Exit session

 

Ctrl + Shift + [n]

Only show video [n]. Press it again or press Esc to show all previously visible videos.

 

Esc                                 

Show all previously visible videos (after double-clicking a video, or pressing Ctrl + Shift + [n])

 

Ctrl + O

Select codes list

L,A   

Ctrl + R

Add remark

L,A   

Del

Delete marker, remark

L,A  

F2

Edit remark

L,A   

F7

Create Highlight (only in event log)


Ctrl + S

Save changes to the event log

L   

Ctrl + →

Skip to next event

 

Ctrl + ←

Skip to previous event

 

Alt + C

Switch to Codes tab

L,A   

Alt + E

Switch to Events tab

L,A   

Alt + P

Switch to Participants tab

L

Shift + [n]

Mute/unmute video [n]

 

Shift + M

mute/unmute all videos at once

 

L – available for users with a role that allows the action.

A – only available with Annotation Module

The menu

Alt + F

Open menu

 

V

Open Viso Help

 

T

Open Settings window

 

U

Open User Management window

L

Alt + G

Add Groups

L

E

Open Export Audit Log window

L

O

Allows you to select Viso Home Page or Customer Support Center

 

D

Open the Upgrade window

L

A

Open the About Viso window

 

O + P

Open Viso Home page

 

O + C

Open MyNoldus sign-in webpage

 

L – available for users with a role that allows the action.

When you open the menu, the shortcut keys are shown as underscores for each menu item.

The Viso Web App

The Viso Web App

Log in

aim

To start working with the Viso Web App you need to log in with the login name and password that you received from your colleague who manages the Viso set-up.

prerequisites

Your colleague with the Setup account enabled the Viso Web App and services option (this option is turned on by default). If the Viso Web App is not enabled you can still remotely start and stop recording but you cannot remotely view your locations and neither remotely view session playback.

procedure

  1. Connect your device to the Viso network.
  2. Open the web browser and in the address field enter the following: https://<Name or IP address of the computer with Viso Services>:5001. Your colleague who manages the Viso set-up can supply you with these details.
  3. If you get a message that your connection is not private, click Advanced and then Continue.
  4. Log in with your username and password.

    image.png


Notes

The Viso Web App

View locations and start and stop recording

aim

Remotely view locations and start and stop a (single session) recording.

prerequisite

Your user role must allow session recording (Technician, Administrator, Trainer).

procedure

  1. Click the Locations tab to view the list of available locations and their sta­tus.

    image.png

  2. Click a location to open it. You can view one camera image at a time. If the location has more than one camera, you can switch between the other camera images by clicking the appropriate button. If your colleague who manages the Setup account enabled the picture-by-picture view on your system, you can see a combined view of all streams pressing the All button.

    image.png

  3. If your Viso set-up includes Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) cameras you can control them, including zooming in and out. Please note that these features are not intended for following a person as they move about in a room but to set up a predefined location to monitor which thereafter remains fixed.

  4. Click the Record button to start recording.

  5. When done, click the Record button to stop recording.

  6. Give the session a name and save it.

    image.png

Location status

Locations can have the following status:

 

NOTE If you log out while a session is being recorded, recording continues, even if you shut down the computer/mobile device with Viso. Log in again to stop the recording.

NOTE Technicians can add and edit locations in the regular Viso interface. See the Viso Setup Manual for details.

The Viso Web App

Sessions

The Sessions tab contains the list with recorded sessions that you are entitled to review. For Technicians, the Session tab lists all recorded sessions. For Administrators, the sessions owned by users of his/her department. For Trainers, only the sessions that they created themselves, received session ownership of, have been assigned annotator for or received an invitation for are listed. For Trainees, the list only contains the sessions they received session ownership of, have been assigned annotator for or received an invitation for.

Sessions can have the following status:

Click a session to open it for review. You can view the session per camera image. If the session has more than one camera, you can view the other camera images by clicking the appropriate button. If your colleague who manages the Setup account enabled the picture-by-picture view on your system, you can see a combined view of all cameras pressing the All button.

If the session has more than one location, you can open the other locations by clicking the appropriate button.

image.png