Recording just on camera motion detection?

I’ new to this. I’ve been trying to figure out how to get the DVR to only record when the camera picks up motion detection. However it seems to record constantly, which is not what I want.

The manual leaves much to be desired in that it is like pulling up to someone in your car and asking where am I, and the person tells you, “you are in a car”. Accurate but not very helpful.

The motion detection section of the manual makes it seem that its geared to an alarm event triggered by a motion detector and not be the camera, but I might not be reading it correctly.

I’m only trying to get it to record when motion is detected by the camera, if this is possible?

I have a G4-HD16E DVR

Thanks in advance!

hi. you have a dauha dvr. you will find the settings you need under schedule.

you will see Regular MD and alarm. if you want just motion set all cameras to MD or parts of the day always record (regular) and night time MD (motion detect)

hi. you have a dauha dvr. you will find the settings you need under schedule.

 

you will see Regular MD and alarm. if you want just motion set all cameras to MD or parts of the day always record (regular) and night time MD (motion detect)

thanks. So the manual record settings like "stop" doesn't override the Motion Detect record settings? If so which Manual setting should I use? Schedule?

thanks

hi. you have a dauha dvr. you will find the settings you need under schedule.

 

you will see Regular MD and alarm. if you want just motion set all cameras to MD or parts of the day always record (regular) and night time MD (motion detect)

Hi,

Its working fine now. thanks for the help! Whoo Hoo!

thanks

Under the setting menu, you can set the area for motion detection and the sensitivity (1-6, 6 being the most sensitive) too. There will be movements that you don't want to set the camera recording so think about what areas to select.

While doing this pay attention to which camera you have selected before making any changes.

My own DVR records on motion detection only and I find it very successful. Lights of cars, trees moving and people passing by can all set the camera recording, but you can tweek each camera over a few weeks. When you are happy with them, don't forget to back up your settings to a USB stick so that if anything happens to your setting, you restore them easily.

Under the setting menu, you can set the area for motion detection and the sensitivity (1-6, 6 being the most sensitive) too. There will be movements that you don't want to set the camera recording so think about what areas to select.

While doing this pay attention to which camera you have selected before making any changes.

 

My own DVR records on motion detection only and I find it very successful. Lights of cars, trees moving and people passing by can all set the camera recording, but you can tweek each camera over a few weeks. When you are happy with them, don't forget to back up your settings to a USB stick so that if anything happens to your setting, you restore them easily.

thanks. I have a few installed this weekend when we get them all installed I'll mask the areas I don't want to record.

One other question, if you have the PSS software (client software on the PC) for this unit, how do you get it to save the camera configuration when you close the application? everytime I open the application I have to map the camera stream to the window. Once the app is closed I it loses its settings.

thanks

 

thanks. I have a few installed this weekend when we get them all installed I'll mask the areas I don't want to record.

 

One other question, if you have the PSS software (client software on the PC) for this unit, how do you get it to save the camera configuration when you close the application? everytime I open the application I have to map the camera stream to the window. Once the app is closed I it loses its settings.

 

thanks

options, save last monitor status

Otherwise use tasks.

thanks. So the manual record settings like "stop" doesn't override the Motion Detect record settings? If so which Manual setting should I use? Schedule?

 

thanks

Stop stops all recording.

Select schedule to start recording by schedule.

 

thanks. I have a few installed this weekend when we get them all installed I'll mask the areas I don't want to record.

 

One other question, if you have the PSS software (client software on the PC) for this unit, how do you get it to save the camera configuration when you close the application? everytime I open the application I have to map the camera stream to the window. Once the app is closed I it loses its settings.

 

thanks

options, save last monitor status

Otherwise use tasks.

Cool. that did it! thank you so much.

My last problem is how to delete past video files? I found where I can schedule deletions (i.e. 1 day old, etc.)

is there a way to mark and delete them rather than just mark anything over X number of days for deletion?

thanks

Backup the camera configuration through PSS? Wow, now you got me, I've never used the PSS for my system as I have a Macintosh. It has only become available recently but I haven't bothered as the DVR is set up adjacent to my computer.

I am sure someone will know the answer to that one.

By the way you select the areas you want to trigger recording (in transparent red) not the areas you don't, and mask is the wrong term as it refers to privacy masking, say when your camera overlooks a neighbour's window, then you would use a privacy mask. Regarding the deleting of specific files, why bother, just let them roll on and be overwritten.

If you are trying to preserve HDD space I wouldn't worry unless you are expecting a LOT of trouble. I am guessing that you have a 500GB or larger HDD? If you are that worried about HDD space, you should have bought a bigger drive. A DVR is not like a home PC where you want to preserve space for files, if some event occurs you will know within a day or two. Provided you have that capacity before overwrite takes place, you should be alright and will know approximately when to search.

You can make regular backups to DVD or external HDD just work out how often you will need them before overwrite takes place.

Backup the camera configuration through PSS? Wow, now you got me, I've never used the PSS for my system as I have a Macintosh. It has only become available recently but I haven't bothered as the DVR is set up adjacent to my computer.

 

I am sure someone will know the answer to that one.

 

By the way you select the areas you want to trigger recording (in transparent red) not the areas you don't, and mask is the wrong term as it refers to privacy masking, say when your camera overlooks a neighbour's window, then you would use a privacy mask. Regarding the deleting of specific files, why bother, just let them roll on and be overwritten.

If you are trying to preserve HDD space I wouldn't worry unless you are expecting a LOT of trouble. I am guessing that you have a 500GB or larger HDD? If you are that worried about HDD space, you should have bought a bigger drive. A DVR is not like a home PC where you want to preserve space for files, if some event occurs you will know within a day or two. Provided you have that capacity before overwrite takes place, you should be alright and will know approximately when to search.

You can make regular backups to DVD or external HDD just work out how often you will need them before overwrite takes place.

thanks. no not a backup. I'm not worried about that. I was just wondering how (using the DVR ) to delete specfic files (if possible).

I have a 2 TB drive, so plenty of room, I was just wanting to delete some crap files I created when I was setting it up. I can just set it to delete them because now they are over 24 hours old.

thanks for all the help!

There is motion detection masking, and then there is privacy masking - 2 different things. Motion detection masking has been available on DVRs for at least 10 years.

 

 

thanks. no not a backup. I'm not worried about that. I was just wondering how (using the DVR ) to delete specfic files (if possible).

 

I have a 2 TB drive, so plenty of room, I was just wanting to delete some crap files I created when I was setting it up. I can just set it to delete them because now they are over 24 hours old.

 

thanks for all the help!

Yeah that is plenty.

Those files should be overwritten in a couple of months. Why worry? Do I sense a little pride creeping in here

 

 

thanks. no not a backup. I'm not worried about that. I was just wondering how (using the DVR ) to delete specfic files (if possible).

 

I have a 2 TB drive, so plenty of room, I was just wanting to delete some crap files I created when I was setting it up. I can just set it to delete them because now they are over 24 hours old.

 

thanks for all the help!

 

Yeah that is plenty.

Those files should be overwritten in a couple of months. Why worry? Do I sense a little pride creeping in here

I'm a DBA by profession. Always looking to clean up crap files and disks..

You might want to check for two more settings pertaining to recording to help when searching files, and to save hard drive space- even though you have a 2tb drive. Hopefully your dvr will have these settings- the names of the settings may be different. First is 'recording size'. Record size sets the file size for recorded video files on the system. Instead of recording data as one large file, the system will divide the data into blocks of 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes. I have mine set to 15 minute blocks. This makes the recorded data easier to search.

The next setting is 'post record'. This is a good one for managing file sizes, but also makes it really nice when it comes to a break down of all motion detection files when searching. In my dvr, I have a choice of 30 seconds, 1-2-3-4 or 5 minutes. This is the amount of time the dvr will record after motion is detected. I had mine set initially to 5 minutes thinking that was appropriate. But the file sizes were quite large per detection. I dropped it down to 30 seconds. File sizes MUCH smaller. After all, if motion stays constant it'll keep recording anyway. No reason I can see to record for 5 minutes every time a leaf blows by. I only have a 500gb drive, so I'm diligent to the point of shutting recording off during rain so I don't waste space on rain drops. That, and I only record overnight mostly. Motion detection. I'm on my fifth month and haven't even made a dent on my available space.

Good luck. Tweak all settings well and motion detection recording will not only work, but not overwork.

Dan

You might want to check for two more settings pertaining to recording to help when searching files, and to save hard drive space- even though you have a 2tb drive. Hopefully your dvr will have these settings- the names of the settings may be different. First is 'recording size'. Record size sets the file size for recorded video files on the system. Instead of recording data as one large file, the system will divide the data into blocks of 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes. I have mine set to 15 minute blocks. This makes the recorded data easier to search.

 

The next setting is 'post record'. This is a good one for managing file sizes, but also makes it really nice when it comes to a break down of all motion detection files when searching. In my dvr, I have a choice of 30 seconds, 1-2-3-4 or 5 minutes. This is the amount of time the dvr will record after motion is detected. I had mine set initially to 5 minutes thinking that was appropriate. But the file sizes were quite large per detection. I dropped it down to 30 seconds. File sizes MUCH smaller. After all, if motion stays constant it'll keep recording anyway. No reason I can see to record for 5 minutes every time a leaf blows by. I only have a 500gb drive, so I'm diligent to the point of shutting recording off during rain so I don't waste space on rain drops. That, and I only record overnight mostly. Motion detection. I'm on my fifth month and haven't even made a dent on my available space.

 

Good luck. Tweak all settings well and motion detection recording will not only work, but not overwork.

 

Dan

thanks. My brother brought up a point I never thought of. He said he saw on the news that someone took his DVR in for servicing and they found where one of his kids walked in front of the camera without any cloths on, so they arrested the guy for child porn.

I think the world has gone completely nuts.

anyway, I have only a couple of cameras inside the house (living room, garage, basement). I'll set those to only record when we are on Vacation or away.

Hello, hoping someone can shed some light on this.

I have a similar issue as the original post. I also have a dauha dvr and cannot seem to get the dvr to ONLY record on Motion Detection. I have changed all schedules to work only on motion detect, have disabled any "alarm" settings/schedules (dont have an alarm connected). However, it still records all night and day (in 15 min increments-pack duration on the general settings). I have played with various sensitivity settings on the cameras with no success.

Perhaps I need to have a combination of settings to get this to work but I can seem to crack it.

Any suggestions on settings would be greatly appreciated as I think Ive tried everything I can think of.

thanks for your time

In addition to my previous post Ive attached a jpg of screen shots. May help in pointing out any wrong settings. Im wondering if the Alarm functions (which I disabled) need to be on in order for the Motion Detection to be recorded. Having said that, Motion Detection does record. I just cant seem to disable the "regular" recording happening 24/7.

thanks again