Configuring recording to an archive

Video and audio streams are recorded synchronously. 

You can configure recording to the archive both for one video camera, and for several, using the same parameters.

To configure recording to the archive of one video camera, do the following:

1. Select the created archive.
2. Set the checkbox next to the camera for which you want to configure the archive recording (1).
   
3. Configure the parameters for archive recording:
   1. From the Constant recording list (2), select the archive recording mode.
      1. If No is selected, the video stream will be recorded to the archive only when an operator manually initiates an alarm or an automatic rule is run.
      2. If Always is selected, video will be recorded to the archive non-stop.
      3. If a time schedule is selected (see Configuring schedules), video will be recorded non-stop to the archive during the selected time period. Recording to the archive can also be initiated by the operator or an automatic rule.

   2. In the Depth, days field (3), specify the maximum archive depth of the given camera in days. If the 0 value is set, the archive depth is unlimited. As a result, the archive will only contain recordings within the specified depth. The recordings that are outside the specified archive depth won’t be available for viewing. 

      Attention!

      If you set an unlimited archive depth for one or several cameras, at some point the archive will become full, and FIFO based re-recording will be automatically started—the oldest recordings in the archive will be replaced with the new ones, regardless of the depth setting. In this case, the set archive depth for other cameras may not be maintained and be reduced

      Therefore, if you set an unlimited archive depth for at least one camera, limiting the archive depth for other cameras may be unnecessary.

      When configuring the archive depth for each camera, it is recommended to calculate the storage capacity of an archive (see Disk storage subsystem requirements) to avoid the situations when the archive is stored for fewer days than specified.

      When specifying the archive depth for a particular camera, note that the priority of the total archive depth is higher (see Configuring access restrictions to archive). If the archive depth of a camera is 20 days, and the total archive depth is 10 days, the archive depth of a camera won't exceed 10 days.

      Later, if you change the available archive depth of a camera upwards or to 0, the setting will apply only to new recordings. Earlier recordings outside the initial archive depth don't become available.

   3. In the Prerecord, sec field (4), enter the prerecord time in seconds of a video stream. This value should be in the range [0; 30].

      Attention!

      Prerecord is a period of prerecording that will be added to the beginning of an alarm event recording.

      If a macro starts recording, the prerecord time may be longer, according to the specified settings (see Record to archive).

   4. If it is necessary to use decimation when recording to the archive, select the required value from the Recording frame key only list (5): By keyframes (for all video streams except MJPEG), or 1/0,5/0,25 FPM (frames per minute). Decimation reduces the size of the archive, but the video will be less "smooth".

   5. Select a stream for archive recording (6).

      Note

      This setting is relevant for cameras that support multistreaming.

4. Click the Apply button.

To configure recording to the archive of several cameras, do the following:

1. Set the checkboxes next to the cameras for which you want to configure archive recording. To select all cameras, set the Select all checkbox.
   
2. Configure the settings for the archive recording for a group of cameras (marked with yellow). The specified settings will be applied to all cameras.
3. Perform custom configuration of camera recording settings, if necessary.
4. Click the Apply button.

The camera is now bound to the archive.