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Of course every AXIS camera can be controlled through a browser using standard mouse and keyboard control but AXIS do offer an alternative…

The AXIS 295 Suveillance Joystick

The AXIS 295 Surveillance Joystick is a unique way of controlling your AXIS PTZ or Dome network cameras, replacing traditional mouse and keyboard input.

Built from rugged plastic the joystick is fairly large without being overbearing. It has large resting areas for your hands (on either side to support left or right handed users) and it feels very comfortable to use. The stick itself has a steel shaft, seems extremely robust and built to a high standard with a good tactile feel.

The Joystick features analogue control in all directions with the stick, analogue twist control on the handle, allowing you to zoom in and out and 12 programmable switched buttons, 10 on the base unit and two on the handle.

Let’s see what comes in the box:

Included with the joystick is a quick installation guide and a series of 5 paper button templates with plastic overlay. These allow you to note which of the 10 buttons relates to which function (more on that later).

Installation

The installation guide that comes with your joystick is somewhat limited in terms of containing any useful information, informing the user to “connect the USB plug to a USB port on your computer” and little to no additional instruction.

You can view a copy of the installation guide here:

http://www.axis.com/files/manuals/26393r1.pdf

Painless Install

So, worried that there was no CDROM in the box containing proprietary driver software, I plugged the Joystick into a Windows PC running XP Professional SP2.

I found the Joystick was detected quickly and my operating system reported that it was ready for use after a few seconds.

By checking ‘control panel > game controllers’ you can calibrate and test the Joystick. I found it all worked rather well.

Features of the AXIS 295 Surveillance Joystick

The Joystick features full analogue movement in all directions, a twistable handle for zoom control and 12 programmable buttons which you can assign different functions to.

Programmable Buttons

Using the options built into the Axis Media Control plug-in, which you access through your computers control panel, you can assign various different preset functions to each of the 12 joystick buttons.

The range of functions you are allowed to control are shown in the panel layout as below:

The AXIS 295 Joystick caters for a wide range of useful functions but is limited by not allowing you to program your own functions directly.

Compatibility

Due to the functionality of the joystick relying on Axis’s own Axis Media Control Active-X plug-in, the joystick will only work when viewing the camera in Internet Explorer. This means no compatibility with any other browser technology. Considering IE support on the MAC is no longer continued this leaves MAC users with little support.

Compatibility with Recording Software

The joystick functioned well in both Axis Camera Station and Milestone recording software. Some of the button functionality such as moving to presets was absent when used in Milestone but this will be due to the software having its own system for preset positions.

Benefits

The Axis 295 Surveillance Joystick gives the end user a more intuitive control mechanism for their Axis cameras. It’s painless to install and works well straight out of the box. For high-end security installations encompassing many cameras the joystick could significantly increase productivity, for disabled/elderly users or users with limited motor function this device would be invaluable as a way of controlling their cameras.

Conclusion

The joystick is very easy to use and provides a very intuitive way of controlling Axis cameras which is ideal for security installations and beneficial to those with impaired motor function.

However, while the Joystick is designed perfectly for security installations with its appropriate design, flexibility and durable build quality, home users may feel that the cost of the joystick is a little unrealistic. Therefore, for the home market it may be worth noting that any USB supported joystick will work well with Axis cameras although because they are not specifically designed for this purpose some of the functionality may be missing.

In conclusion the Joystick is a welcome addition and provides a very useful alternative to mouse and keyboard control. It is designed beautifully and will add a professional finish to any security installation.

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