PTZ continuous movement
Send a continuous PTZ movement command to an ONVIF camera with configurable pan, tilt, and zoom speeds. The camera moves until the automatic stop timeout fires. Use for manual nudge buttons, directional scan steps, and zoom controls in operator dashboards or automation rules.
Directional control without saving a preset
PTZ sends a continuous movement command on up to three axes simultaneously: pan (left/right), tilt (up/down), and zoom (in/out). Unlike Go to Viewpoint, this action does not recall a saved position â it moves the camera by speed and duration, making it suitable for small corrections, manual scan steps, and zoom controls.
Repeated action calls before the timeout extend the stop time, so this action works naturally as a "hold to move" button â the camera moves while the button is pressed and stops automatically when the button is released and the timeout fires.
Create a movement command
Confirm PTZ support
Start the ONVIF Camera component and verify that it reaches the RUN state and reports PTZ capabilities. If the camera does not support PTZ, this action cannot be used with it.
Create the action
Click + next to PTZ under the Actions sub-menu. The configuration panel opens for the new action instance.
Set axis speeds
Use Speed X for pan, Speed Y for tilt, and Speed Z for zoom. Set only the axes needed for each button â leave unused axes at 0. Positive and negative values move in opposite directions on each axis.
Tune stop timeout
Set Stop timeout to match the intended use. Short timeouts (100â300 ms) work for nudge buttons. Longer timeouts (500â1000 ms) allow the camera to travel further per trigger.
Test and calibrate speed
Start with a low speed (0.1â0.3) and increase as needed. Exact speed behavior varies by camera model and firmware.
Configuration parameters
| Parameter | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
Restart on failure |
Yes | Restart behavior after an error:
|
10 sec |
Title |
Yes | Movement command label used in the UI and action lists. Set a descriptive name such as Pan left, Tilt up, or Zoom in. Clear titles make action buttons and rule chains easier to operate. |
â |
Device |
Yes | The PTZ-capable ONVIF camera to control. The action checks PTZ support before sending the continuous movement command. Select the target ONVIF Camera. | â |
Speed X |
Yes | Pan speed on the horizontal axis. Range: -1 to 1. Positive values pan in one direction, negative values in the opposite. Set to 0 to keep pan stationary. Combine with Speed Y for diagonal movement. |
0 |
Speed Y |
Yes | Tilt speed on the vertical axis. Range: -1 to 1. Positive values tilt in one direction, negative values in the opposite. Set to 0 to keep tilt stationary. |
0 |
Speed Z |
Yes | Zoom speed on the optical axis. Range: -1 to 1. Positive values zoom in, negative values zoom out. Set to 0 to keep zoom stationary. Combine with Speed X and Speed Y for simultaneous pan/tilt/zoom. |
0 |
Stop timeout |
Yes | Auto-stop timeout in milliseconds. The action sends a stop command this many milliseconds after the last trigger call. Keep short for nudge buttons. Increase when the camera should rotate longer per trigger. Range: 50â1000 ms. Repeated trigger calls before this timeout extend the movement window. | 300 |
Recommended profiles
Precise nudge button
One axis at Speed X/Y = 0.1â0.3, Stop timeout = 100â300 ms. Suitable for fine-tuning camera angle from an operator dashboard.
Fast manual step
One axis at Speed X/Y = 0.5â1.0, Stop timeout = 200â500 ms. Use when the camera needs to travel across a wide scene quickly.
Short scan action
Pan axis at 0.3â0.7, optional tilt/zoom axis, Stop timeout = 500â1000 ms. Triggered once to sweep an area and then stop. Combine with a Go to Viewpoint action to return to the start position.
Zoom control
Speed Z = 0.2â0.6, Speed X and Speed Y = 0, Stop timeout = 100â500 ms. Use for dedicated zoom-in and zoom-out buttons with configurable intensity.