Standalone VGA Grid User Guide
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Configure recording file size and type

By default, recorders and channels record to AVI files. When the recording reaches 30 minutes in length or a file size of 500 MB (whichever occurs first), the system closes the current recording file and opens a new one. This is done seamlessly with no loss in recorded data.

You may find it useful to have recordings divided this way for ease of download, but you may also want to change the recording limits to be larger or smaller to meet your individual situation.

Additionally you can configure the file type (AVI, MP4-Progressive, MP4-Fragmented, MOV-Progressive or MPEG-TS) and the prefix for all recordings (the suffix is the date and time of the recording) and you can exclude a channel or recorder’s recordings from automatic upload.

For MP4 recordings, select MP4 for best compatibility with video players and editors. Select MP4-Fragmented for the same file format as releases 3.15.x.

Note: There is no way to tell the difference between the two types of MP4 files once a recording files is saved. Both use the .mp4 extension.

To change the recording configuration:

  1. Login to the Admin panel as admin. See Connect to the Admin panel.
  1. For a channel recording:
    1. Click the desired channel; the channel menu expands.
    2. Click the Recording link for the channel; the Recording page opens.
  2. For a recorder:
    1. Click the desired recorder link from the Recorders section; the recorder configuration page opens.
  3. Click the change link under Recorder Setup; the recorder setup section expands. (The setup page looks slightly different for Recorders, but the options are the same.)

  1. Select a time limit for the recording from the Time limit drop down.
  2. Select a file size limit from the Size limit drop down.

Tip: If you don’t know what size to select, do some test recordings to get an idea of the file sizes you can expect. If you want to guarantee the recording lasts to a given time limit, select a file size that is far larger than you saw in your tests.

  1. Select a file type from the File type drop down.
  1. If desired, enter a prefix for the recordings. All new recording files for this channel or recorder will be prefixed with the text you enter.

Tip: It’s best to avoid spaces in file names. Use underscores or hyphens to separate words.

  1. If desired, click the check box to exclude this channel or recorder from automatic file uploads. (See File and recording transfer for information on automatic uploads.)
  2. Click Apply; the changes are saved and the recorder setup displays the new configuration.

The table below describes the options available for recording file configuration.

Recording File Configuration Fields

LabelDescription / Options
Time limitSpecifies the length of time the system waits before the recording file is saved and a new one is started (assuming the size limit has not yet been reached). Values range from 5 minutes to six hours.
Size limitSpecifies the maximum file size a recording can reach before it is saved and a new recording is started (assuming the time limit has not yet been reached). Values range from 50 MB to 64 GB.
File type

Specifies the recording file type. Select from AVI, MP4, MP4-Fragmented, MPEG-TS, or MOV. Choose MPEG-TS for UPnP playback.

AVIGenerally used for playback on Windows.
MP4A progressive version of MP4. This MP4 type has the best video player and editor compatibility. (Note that progressive MP4 files are initially recorded as MP4-Fragmented and are converted when the file is closed. If power is lost during conversion, the files are reverted to (and remain in) fragmented MP4 format.)
MP4-FragmentedA newer MP4 format. Fixed 10 second intervals.
MPEG-TSChoose for UPnP playback. Does not support PCM audio encoding.
MOVA progressive version of MOV. Generally used for playback on Mac OS. This type of MOV has the best compatibility with video players and editors. (Note that progressive MP4 files are initially recorded as MP4-Fragmented and are converted when the file is closed. If power is lost during conversion, the files are reverted to (and remain in) fragmented MP4 format.)
Filename prefixSpecifies how the recordings are named. Recording files start with the given prefix followed by the date and time. The channel or recorder name is used if no prefix is given. Allowed characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, _, , #, -, [], ().
Automatic file uploadSelect this if you want this channel or recorder to be part of any scheduled automatic uploads. (See File and recording transfer for information on automatic uploads.)
Share via UPnPSelect this if you want this channel or recorder to be available via UPnP. If global UPnP is not enabled when you select this checkbox, a link appears to let you to fix it. Click the link and click Apply to make the global UPnP change save your recording configuration changes.
Single-touch controlCheck the Single touch control box to allow you to record using one touch control on the touchscreen.

If you've chosen MP4 as your file type, the file is initially saved as MP4 Fragmented, and at the end of the recording is converted to regular MP4 (also know as MP4 Progressive) format. If the system loses power during recording or before the conversion completes, the file is preserved but remains in MP4 fragmented format. Simply run the file through ffmpeg or another transcoder, preserving both audio and video output to convert to progressive format.

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