This manual describes how to use your NVR locally or on the Web interface. In this manual, the terms IP camera and IPC refer to the same thing: a network camera, which requires a connection to the network. And the IP device mentioned in this manual refers to an IP camera (also known as network camera) or a Digital Video Server (DVS).

Network Video Recorders

User Manual

Preface

This manual describes how to use your NVR locally or on the Web interface. In this manual, the terms IP camera and IPC refer to the same thing: a network camera, which requires a connection to the network. And the IP device mentioned in this manual refers to an IP camera (also known as network camera) or a Digital Video Server (DVS).

Part I Local Operations

An NVR supports two types of operations: local operations and web-based remote operations. With local operations, you connect a monitor and a mouse to the NVR and use the mouse to operate. If your NVR has buttons on the front panel or is delivered with remote control, you may also control your NVR by pressing the front panel buttons or using the remote control. The NVR has an embedded web server and allows web-based operations. To do this, you need a PC that has a network connection to the NVR and is installed with a web browser. You just need to navigate to the NVR's IP address and log in to the Web interface like you login to the system locally. This section describes local operations.

1. Before You Begin

Login Use the default username admin and password 123456 for your first login.

• Right-click anywhere in the window and then choose Menu. The login dialog box is displayed.

• Select the username from the drop-down list, enter your password, and then click Login.

Mouse Operations

• Left Button Click: Select or confirm an item. Select to edit digits, symbols, upper-case or lower-case letters in a field.

• Left Button Double-Click: Enter or exit full-screen mode in live view.

• Left Button Drag: Draw or move a rectangle on the screen, for example, a motion detection area.

• Right Button Click: Show the shortcut menu. Exit zoom. Exit the current window when Cancel or Exit is displayed.

• Wheel Scroll Up or Down: Scroll up or down a list or a window, or zoom in or out on a playback progress bar.

2. Initial Configuration

Preparation

• Make sure that at least one monitor is correctly connected to the VGA or HDMI interface on the rear panel of the NVR.

• Verify that the hard disk(s) are correctly installed. For detailed steps to install a hard disk, please refer to the quick guide shipped with your NVR.

 

Login The login page appears after the NVR starts up.

1. Enter the default admin password 123456, click Login, and click Yes in the pop-up window.

2. Set a strong password, and then click OK. 

3. Set the unlock pattern.

Wizard The wizard can guide you to complete the most basic setup. The following page appears after the NVR starts up:

1. Enable or disable the wizard as needed and then click Next. (or click ). 2. Select your time zone, set date, and time formats, set the system time, and then click Next.

3. Complete network configuration, and then click Next.

4. Select the devices to add in the list, click Add, and then click Yes to complete the configuration.

3. Live View

Live View Status The following icons are used to indicate alarms, recording status, and audio status in a live view window.

Normally, live video is displayed, but other situations are also possible.

1. The IP device is online, and live video is playing.

2. The IP device is online, but the NVR has insufficient capacity to decode streams from the IP device.

3. No permission to view live video from the IP device.

4. The IP device is offline.

5. No IP device is linked to the window.

Window Toolbar

Screen Toolbar

Shortcut Menu A menu as shown below appears when you right-click in a window.

• Menu: Access the main menu.

• Common Menu: Click this button to open the Camera, Network, and Backup pages.

• Corridor: Choose a corridor mode.

• Playback: Play the current day's recording for the camera linked to the current window.

Sequence Operation The sequence operation requires you to configure the screen layout, windows, linked cameras, and the sequence interval. This example describes how to configure the sequence for five cameras based on a 4-window screen layout.

1. Click 4 Windows on the screen toolbar.

2. Click Start Sequence on the screen toolbar.

The sequence starts by displaying four windows on the first screen and then the fifth on the second at the set interval.

Zoom Zoom in on an area of images in a window for details.

1. Click the window and then click  on the window toolbar.

2. In the small window in the lower right corner, click and drag your mouse to specify the area to zoom in on. The image in the main window zooms in.

The following shows an example.

Image Configuration Adjust image settings to get optimal images from a camera.

1. Click the window and then click  on the window toolbar.

2. Select a mode from the drop-down list according to the surveillance scenario, and then adjust contrast, hue, saturation, and brightness as needed. The settings available may vary with the device model.

3. Click OK to save the settings and exit.

Preview Configuration Normally, live view (video) is available after you complete the basic setup by following the wizard.

You can click System > Preview and edit preview settings as needed, including video output, image resolution, default layout, and sequence interval. The video output and the number of windows supported may vary with the NVR model.

Preview Configuration Each preview window (window for short) links to a camera. By default, window 1 links to camera D1, window 2 links to camera D2, and so on. You may want to change the link to display live video from a camera in another specified window. The following example describes how to link window 1 to camera D2 and link window 2 to camera D1.

Step 1: Click window 1 on the right, and then click D2 under Camera on the left. Now D2 appears in window 1, and None appears in window 2. Meanwhile, is cleared for camera D1, meaning D1 is not linked to any window.

Step 2: Click window 2 on the right, and then click D1 under Camera on the left. Now D1 appears in window 2. Click Apply to save the settings.

Advanced Configuration Click the Advanced tab and then select Sub Stream First so the NVR uses the sub-stream to establish live video from multiple cameras simultaneously. This function is disabled by default.

4. Channel Configuration

Channel Management This chapter describes how to add and manage IP devices in your NVR. The IP devices mentioned in this manual mainly refer to IP cameras (or network cameras); sometimes they can also be Digital Video Server (DVS). Before you start, make sure the IP devices are connected to your NVR via network.

Adding an IP Device This section provides multiple options to add an IP device. Some options are only applicable to certain NVR models. Choose one as appropriate.

Option 1

1. Click Camera > Camera > Camera. The system automatically searches for IP devices and lists the discovered.

2. (Optional) To search a specified network segment, click Search and then set the address range. 3. Click for the IP device to add. Or, you may also

• Click Add All to add all the discovered IP devices allowed (depending on channels supported by the NVR).

• Click Custom Add. In the window displayed, enter the IP address and complete other settings, and then click Add. You may also click Search and add discovered cameras on the list.

Option 2

This option is not applicable to NVRs with PoE ports or switching ports.

1. Click  in a window.

2. Select the desired IP device and then click Add.

Option 3

This option is only applicable to NVRs with PoE ports or switching ports. Connect an IP camera to a PoE port or a switching port with a network cable. The connected camera will be added to the NVR automatically.

Check status under Camera > Camera > Camera.  means live video from the camera is available. Click  to view live video. If the camera is connected via a network switch, click  under Edit. In the window displayed, set Add Mode to Manual and then complete the settings correctly.

Option 4

Use this option only when the IP device to add supports the standard RTSP and all you can do is live view and playback. IP devices added in this way cannot be configured from the NVR.

1. Click Camera > Camera.

2. Click Custom Add.

3. Click to select a camera in the list, select Custom from the Protocol drop-down list, and then click the Protocol button.

4. In the Protocol window, name the protocol, enter the RTSP port number, select a transmission protocol, input the resource paths, and then click Apply.

 

5. Edit settings in the Add/Modify window as needed, including the IP address, username, and password, and then click Add. Check status in the camera list.

Managing an IP Device Manage IP devices under Camera > Camera > Camera.

• Click  to edit settings including the protocol, IP address, port number, username, and password. The Camera IP field displays the IP address that the current channel links to, and you may change the address so the channel links to another device. The username and password must be consistent with that of the IP camera.

 

• Click  to delete an IP device, or select multiple IP devices and then click Delete. Channels corresponding to PoE ports or switching ports cannot be deleted.

• Click  to change the IP address of an IP camera and the default gateway. A DVS's IP address cannot be edited from the NVR. means this function is not available.

Sort Cameras Sort cameras to display in the desired order.

For example, to switch channel 1 with channel 2, click Sort Camera, and then follow the steps below:

1. Drag channel 1 to channel 2.

2. Right-click, then click Yes in the pop-up window.

3. Click Yes.

Upgrading IP Cameras

Click Check to see if the version of the connected IP camera is up to date. You may upgrade cameras by cloud  or by disk one by one, or select multiple cameras and then click Upgrade by Cloud or By Disk to upgrade cameras in batches.

OSD Configuration On-Screen Display (OSD) are characters displayed with video images on the screen, for example, camera name, date, and time.

1. Click Camera > OSD, or click  on the preview window toolbar.

2. Select the desired camera and then enter a camera name you want to display on the screen.

3. Select date and time formats. Choose to display time and camera name as needed.

4. Set font size and color as needed.

5. Drag the OSD to the desired position in the preview window on the left.

6. (Optional) Click Copy to apply the same settings to other cameras.

7. Click Apply to save the settings.

Image Configuration

1. Click Camera > Image.

2. Select the desired camera and scene.

3. Adjust settings on the tabs as needed to achieve optimal images.

Image enhancement

1. Click the Image Enhancement tab.

2. Adjust the settings as needed. Some important parameters are described in the table below.

Brightness: The greater the value, the brighter the images appear. Saturation: The amount of color in a specified hue.

Contrast: The degree of difference between the lightest (white) and darkest (black) parts of an image. Setting a greater value increases in contrast.

Hue: Purity of colors in an image.

Sharpness: Contrast of boundaries of objects in an image.

Noise Reduction: Reduce noises in images to improve image quality.

Image Rotation: Normal: Displays images without rotation. : Flip Vertical: Displays images flipped vertically. : Flip Horizontal: Displays images flipped horizontally. :180°: Displays images flipped vertically and horizontally. :90° CW and 90° CCW: Display images in corridor format. The camera must be installed correctly (rotated 90° clockwise or counterclockwise).

Exposure 1. Click the Exposure tab.

2. Adjust the settings as needed. Some important parameters are described in the table below.

Exposure Mode: Select the correct exposure mode to achieve the desired exposure effect.

Shutter(s): Shutter is used to controlling the light that comes into the lens. Fast shutter speed is ideal for scenes in a quick motion. Slow shutter speed is ideal for scenes that change slowly.

Gain(dB): Control image signals so that the camera can output standard video signals in different light conditions.

Iris: Adjust iris opening of the lens to control the amount of incoming light.

Slow Shutter: Improves image brightness in low light conditions.

Slowest Shutter: Set the slowest shutter speed for the camera during exposure.

Compensation: Adjust the compensation value as required to achieve the desired image effects.

Day/Night Mode:

Automatic: In this mode, the camera can automatically switch between night mode and day mode according to the ambient lighting condition to output optimum images.

Night: The camera outputs high-quality black and white images according to the ambient lighting condition.

Day: The camera outputs high-quality color images according to the ambient lighting condition.

Day/Night Sensitivity: Light threshold for switching between day mode and night mode. A higher sensitivity value means that the camera is more sensitive to the change of light and is, therefore, more easily to switch between day mode and night mode.

Day/Night Switching(s): Set the length of time before the camera switches between day mode and night mode after the switching conditions are met.

WDR: Enable WDR to ensure clear images in high contrast conditions.

WDR Level: After enabling WDR, you can improve image quality by adjusting the WDR level.

White balance

1. Click the White Balance tab.

2. Adjust the settings on this tab. Some important parameters are described in the table below. White Balance: Adjust the red or blue offset of the image:

Auto: The camera adjusts the red or blue offset automatically according to the lighting condition (the color tends to be blue).

Finetune: Allow you to adjust the red or blue offset manually.

Red Offset: Adjust the red offset manually.

Blue Offset: Adjust the blue offset manually.

Advanced settings

1. Click the Advanced tab.

2. Use defog to improve image quality in foggy days.

Privacy Mask Configuration

A privacy mask is an area of solid color covering certain parts of the monitored area. Privacy mask protects specified areas of images from being viewed and recorded. Multiple mask areas are allowed.

1. Click Camera > Privacy Mask.

2. Select the desired camera, select Enable Privacy Mask, click Add Area and then use the mouse to specify areas to mask. Up to four areas are allowed. The areas are differentiated by different colors.

3. (Optional) To clear a mask area, click .

4. Click Apply to save the settings.

5. PTZ Control

PTZ (pan, tilt, and zoom) control is applicable to PTZ cameras only and may vary depending on the functions and protocols supported by the PTZ cameras. Refer to PTZ camera specifications for more details.

 

PTZ Control Window and PTZ Management Window

1. Click  on the window toolbar. The PTZ Control window appears.

2. Click the Set button. The PTZ Management window appears (can also be opened by clicking Camera > PTZ).

 

 

Setting and Calling a Preset A preset position (preset for short), is a saved view used to quickly steer the PTZ camera to a specific position. Preset consists of the following settings: pan and tilt positions, zoom, focus, and iris.

1. Access the PTZ Management window. 2. Add presets.

a. Click the directional buttons to steer the PTZ camera to the desired position.

b. Adjust the zoom, focus, and iris as needed.

c. Select a preset number, not in use, and then click the PTZ button under Save.

d. Repeat the above steps to add all the presets.

3. To call a preset, click  for the corresponding number. The camera rotates to the preset position. Setting a Preset Patrol Set the PTZ camera to patrol by presets (go from one preset to the next in a specified order). You need to set presets first and then select some as key points. Up to four patrol routes (Preset Patrol 1, 2, 3, and 4) are allowed for each PTZ camera, and each patrol route can have up to eight presets (keypoints). After setting presets, follow the steps to set a preset patrol. The following takes preset patrol 1 as an example.

1. In the PTZ Management window, click . A window is displayed as follows.

2. Select a preset from the drop-down list, set the duration (time the camera stays at the preset, unit: second), and then set the rotation speed (1: slowest, 9: fastest). Click OK to save the settings. The preset is added as a key point, as shown in the figure below.

3. Repeat the above steps to add all presets (keypoints), and adjust the sequence of these presets by clicking  or . Modify or delete a preset by clicking  or . Clicking  will delete all the added keypoints.

4. After completing the configuration, click Apply to save the settings. Now key points for preset patrol 1 are complete.

5. Click  right to the drop-down list to start preset patrol 1. To stop, click .

 

Setting a Recorded Patrol This function requires the camera's support. The drop-down list and the buttons on the right are hidden if this function is not supported by the camera. Currently, only one recorded patrol route is allowed. Record a patrol, including the patrol route, the time that the camera stays in a certain direction, rotation speed, zoom, focus, and focus.

1. Click  to start recording. Steer the camera to the desired directions, adjust the zoom, focus, iris as needed during the process.

2. Click  to stop recording. All the patrol actions have been recorded.

3. To start the recorded patrol, click . Click  to stop. Setting Auto Guard Use auto guard so the PTZ camera automatically operates as configured if no operation is performed by any user during a certain time period. Auto guard avoids situations where the camera is left to monitor incorrect scenes by the user's negligence. This function requires the camera's support. The Auto Guard tab is hidden if it is not supported.

1. Click Auto Guard and then select Enable.

2. Select the desired mode from the drop-down list and then complete other settings accordingly. Click Apply to save the settings.

6. Recording

Video recording has different levels of priority, which from high to low is: event recording, manual recording, and scheduled recording.

Encoding Settings Recording The parameters and options displayed may vary with the camera model and version. Some functions may be unavailable if the camera version is too low. In this case, you need to upgrade the camera first.

1. Click Camera > Encoding.

2. Select the camera and then edit settings as needed. Some parameters are described in the table below.

Storage Mode: Main Stream, Sub Stream By default, the mainstream is used for storage.

Capture Mode: Combinations of resolutions and frame rates. 

Stream Type: 

• Normal: mainstream that is intended for scheduled recording.
• Event: mainstream that is intended for recording triggered by events such as alarm inputs or motion detection alarms.
• Sub Stream: low-resolution video that is intended for local or remote real-time monitoring.

Video Compression: Video compression standard, for example, H.264, H.265.The listed options depend on the standards supported by the camera.

Resolution: Image resolution.

Bitrate Type: 

• CBR: Constant Bit Rate (CBR) is used to maintain a specific bit rate by varying the quality of video streams. CBR is preferred when limited bandwidth is available. The disadvantage is that video quality will vary and may decrease significantly with increased motion in the scene.
• VBR: When using Variable Bit Rate(VBR), video quality is kept as constant as possible, at the cost of a varying bit rate, and regardless of whether or not there is motion in the image. VBR is ideal when high quality is a requirement, especially when there is motion in the picture.

Bit Rate(Kbps): Number of bits transferred per second. Select a value or select Custom and then set a value as needed.

Range: Bit rate range. Currently, the range is fixed.

Frame Rate(fps): Number of frames per second.

Image Quality: This parameter is effective only when Bitrate Type is set to VBR. 9 levels are provided.

I Frame Interval: Number of frames between two adjacent I frames.

I Frame Range: Range of I frames. Currently, the range is fixed.

Smoothing: Use the slider to control the sudden increase of bit rate.

Audio Stream: Enable or disable audio stream.

Smart Encoding: The advanced mode achieves higher compression ratios.

3. (Optional) Click Copy to apply some current settings such as bit rate and frame rate to other cameras.

4. Click Apply to save the settings. Draw or Edit a Schedule Make a recording schedule by drawing (pressing and dragging) or by editing (using the Edit button).

1. Click Storage > Recording.

2. Select the camera from the list. Schedule is enabled by default. If it is disabled, select to enable it.

3. Set Pre-Record and Post-Record as needed.

4. (Applicable to some NVR models) To save a redundant copy of recordings, select Enable Redundant Recording and configure a redundant hard disk.

5. Click a color icon on the right under the Edit button and then draw a schedule on the left. You may also click Edit and set schedule details in the Edit Schedule window.

6. Click Apply.

7. (Optional) Click Copy to apply the same settings to other cameras.

Scheduled Recording Scheduled Recording Scheduled recording records video according to the set schedule and it is different from manual recording and alarm-triggered recording. A 24×7 recording schedule is enabled by default and may be edited as needed to record video in specified periods only. Make sure the schedule type is Normal. The set schedule appears in blue, which stands for scheduled recording. Motion Detection Recording When enabled, a motion detection alarm occurs if an object inside the detection area moves to a certain extent.

1. Click Alarm > Motion.

2. Select the camera from the list, and then select the checkbox to enable motion detection.

3. In the preview window on the left side, click and drag your mouse to specify a motion detection area (red grid). Use the sliders to adjust detection sensitivity, target object size, and duration.

4. Configure motion detection recording: click  right to Trigger Actions, click the Recording tab, select the desired camera, and then click OK.

5. (Optional) Configure an arming schedule (time when actions will be triggered): click  right to Arming Schedule and then set time periods as needed.

6. Set a recording schedule under Storage > Recording. Make sure the schedule type is Motion. The set schedule appears in green, which stands for motion detection recording. The following figure shows an example.

Alarm Triggered Recording Set input alarms to trigger recording.

1. Click Alarm > Input/Output > Alarm Input.

2. Set alarm input: click  for the desired camera. In the window displayed, select Enable, select N.O. (normally open) or N.C. (normally closed) trigger mode, and then click OK. 

3. Set alarm triggered recording: click  under Trigger Actions. In the window displayed, click the Recording tab, select the desired camera, and then click OK.

4. Set a schedule under Storage > Recording. Make sure the schedule type is Alarm.The set schedule appears in red, which stands for alarm-triggered recording. The following shows an example.

Manual Recording Record video manually by clicking  on the window toolbar. Alternatively, click Manual > Recording, select the desired camera and then click Start. To stop manual recording, click  on the window toolbar, or select the camera and then click Stop under Manual> Recording. 

 

Holiday Recording Holiday recording allows you to specify certain time periods as holidays for scheduled recording. First, you specify a certain date(s) as holidays and then configure recording schedules on these days

1. Click System > Holiday.

2. Click the Add button in the lower right corner. The Holiday window is displayed. Complete the settings including the holiday name, start, and end dates. By default, a holiday is enabled when added and does not repeat. 3. Click OK. The holiday appears on the list.

4. Click Storage > Recording and then set a recording schedule. Make sure Holiday is selected in the Select Day drop-down list. In the following example, motion detection recording is enabled on the set holiday.

Other Recording Types Other recording types:

Event: Including the types below. Any of these types will trigger event recording.

Motion detection AND alarm triggered (M and A for short): the recording is triggered only when a motion detection alarm AND an input alarm occurs simultaneously.

Motion detection OR alarm triggered (M or A for short): recording is triggered when a motion detection alarm OR an input alarm occurs. When you choose an Event type of recording, make sure you have enabled the corresponding alarm function and configured alarm- triggered recording. The configuration steps are similar.

 

7 Playback

Instant Playback Instant playback plays the video recorded during the last 5 minutes and 30 seconds. If no recording is found, it means there is no recording during this period.

1. Click the desired window, and then click  on the toolbar to start instant playback.

2. You may drag the slider to control the progress. Pause and resume as needed.

 

Playback Toolbar

Playback by Camera and Date Use this method to play recordings found by camera and date.

1. Right-click the mouse and then choose Playback.

2. Select the desired camera. By clicking Max. Cameras in the upper right corner you will select the maximum number of cameras allowed.

3. Select the desired date on the calendar and then click  to start playback. Double-clicking the date will start playback directly.

 

Playback in Corridor Mode Play recordings in corridor mode in multiple windows.

1. In the playback window, select Corridor from the drop-down list in the upper left corner.

2. Select cameras and then double-click the desired date to start playback.

Playback by Tag Add tags named with keywords such as event name and location to a recording and use tags to quickly locate the part of the video you need during playback.

Adding a Tag

1. Right-click and then click choose Playback.

2. Click  to add a default tag named TAG. To add a custom tag, click  and then set the tag name, for example, tag1.

3. To manage the added tags, click  , and then rename or delete tags as needed.

Playback by Tag

1. In the playback window, select Tag from the drop-down list in the upper left corner.

2. Select cameras, set the time period, enter keywords, and then click Search. Search results, if there are any, are displayed with names of cameras and tags.

3. Click  for the desired tag to start playback. You may use the Start Before and Stop After drop-down lists to set when the tagged video starts and ends.

Playback by Event Specify an event type and search for and play videos recorded for one or more cameras during a specified time period.

1. In the playback window, select Event from the drop-down list in the upper left corner.

2. Select the desired event type, for example, motion.

3. Select the desired camera, set the time period, and then click Search.

4. Click  for the desired recording to start playback.

Playback by Smart Search

This function provides an efficient way to review recordings containing smart search results such as detected motions. In smart playback mode, the system analyzes recordings for smart search results. If such results are detected, the progress bar is highlighted in green, and the video plays at the normal speed, allowing you enough time to catch details; otherwise, the video plays at 16x speed to save time.

1. In the playback window, select Smart from the drop-down list in the upper left corner.

2. Click  for the desired camera to start smart playback.

3. Click . The smart search window is displayed. By default, the full screen is the smart search area. To clear all, click ; to restore the full-screen search area, click .

4. Set smart search rules, including detection area and sensitivity.

5. Click  to start the search. To quit, click . 

Playback by External File Use this function to play recordings stored in an external storage device, for example, a USB drive or a portable USB hard drive.

1. In the playback window, select External File from the drop-down list in the upper left corner.

2. Click Refresh and then wait for the NVR to read the external storage device.

3. Select the desired recording file and then click  to start playback.

File Management File management allows you to manage video clips, tags, and lock or unlock files.

1. Click  for the recording you want to lock in the playback window. Locked files will not be overwritten when storage is used up.

2. Click  and then click the Locked File tab to view the locked file. To unlock a file, click  , and the icon changes to . To back up a file, select the file and then click Backup.

8. Recording Backup

Backup, also known as recording backup, is the process of searching for video stored on a hard disk of the NVR and then saving it to a USB storage device. Make sure the USB storage device has been formatted into FAT32 or NTFS format and is connected to the NVR. The default backup format is .mp4.

Normal Backup

1. Click Backup > Recording. All cameras are selected by default.

2. Set search conditions and then click Search. Search results are displayed.

3. Select the desired recording(s) and then click Backup.

4. Select a partition.

5. Set the destination in the USB storage device and then click Backup.

The recording(s) will be saved to the specified directory.

Video Clip Backup

A recording can be clipped and saved to a USB storage device.

1. Open the playback window.

2. After playback starts, click  and  on the playback toolbar to clip videos.

3. Click  and then click the Video Clip tab to view video clips.

4. Select the desired video clip(s) and then click Backup.

5. Select a destination in the USB storage device and then click Backup. The selected video clips are saved to the specified directory.

9 Alarm

 

Alarm Input and Output Alarm Input 1. Click Alarm > Input/Output > Alarm Input. 2. Click  for the desired camera. In the Alarm Input window, select Enable to enable alarm input. 3. Select the normally open (N.O.) or normally closed (N.C.) trigger mode, and then click OK. 

. Click  under Trigger Actions and then set action(s) to trigger.

5. Click  under Arming Schedule and then set the time when actions will be triggered.

Alarm Output

1. Click Alarm > Input/Output > Alarm Output.

2. Click under Edit for the desired camera, and then set the default status and duration. After you have completed the settings, click OK.

3. Click  under Arming Schedule and then set the time when actions will be triggered.

Motion Detection When enabled, a motion detection alarm occurs if an object inside the detection area moves to a certain extent, and an alarm icon appears in the upper right corner. Motion detection is enabled on the NVR by default. Unless modified, the detection area covers the full screen, and recording is triggered only for the current camera. The settings remain if you disable motion detection and then enable it.

1. Click Alarm > Motion.

2. Select the desired camera and then select Enable to enable motion detection.

3. Use the mouse to draw a detection area, and drag the slider to set detection sensitivity, target object size, and duration. The higher the sensitivity, the more likely a moving object will be detected.

4. Click  right to Trigger Actions and set action(s) to trigger.

5. (Optional) Click right to Arming Schedule and then set the time when actions will be triggered.

6. Click Apply to save the settings.

7. (Optional) Click Copy to apply the same settings to other cameras.

Tampering Detection

A tampering detection alarm occurs when the camera lens is covered.

1. Click Alarm > Tampering.

2. Select the desired camera and then select Enable to enable tampering detection.

3. Click  right to Trigger Actions and set action(s) to trigger.

4. (Optional) Click  right to Arming Schedule and then set the time when actions will be triggered.

5. (Optional) Click Copy to apply the same settings to other cameras.

6. Click Apply to save the settings.

Video Loss A video loss alarm occurs when the NVR loses video signals from a camera. Video loss alarm is enabled by default.

1. Click Alarm > Video Loss. To disable video loss alarm for a channel, click , which then changes to .

2. Click  under Trigger Actions and set action(s) to trigger.

3. Click  under Arming Schedule and then set the time when actions will be triggered.

4. (Optional) Click Copy to apply the same settings to other cameras.

Alert The NVR reports an alert when an event occurs in the system. The following are some alerts and their definitions in the system.

Running Out of Space: Less than 10% of disk space remains. 

Space Used Up: No disk space.

Disk Offline: A disk is not properly connected or is damaged. 

Disk Abnormal: A disk can be detected but cannot be accessed. 

Illegal Access: A failed login attempt for a username that does not exist or a password that is incorrect. 

Network Disconnected: Network connection is lost. 

IP Conflict: Devices on the network use the same IP address. 

Recording Abnormal: Storage resource cannot be found, for example, when all hard disks are removed.

Perform the following steps to configure an alert:

1. Click Alarm > Alert.

2. Select an alert type, select the desired actions, and then select the camera(s) for which you want to enable alarm output.

3. Click Apply to save the settings.

Buzzer

The buzzer can be triggered by alarms to alert the user. Follow the steps to set how long the buzzer will buzz after it is triggered.

1. Click Alarm > Buzzer. 

2. Set the duration as needed. The range is from 1 to 600 seconds.

3. Click Apply to save the settings.

Alarm-Triggered Actions

An alarm can trigger actions, for example, buzzer, recording, and preview. The supported actions may vary with NVR model.

Alarm-Triggered Buzzer The NVR makes a buzzing sound when an alarm occurs.

Alarm-Triggered E-mail The NVR e-mails an alarm message to a specified email address when an alarm occurs.

Alarm-Triggered Pop-up Window A window pops up when an alarm occurs.

Alarm-Triggered Recording The NVR records video from a specified camera when an alarm occurs.

Alarm-Triggered Preset A PTZ camera rotates to a preset position when an alarm occurs.

Alarm-Triggered Preview The NVR plays live video in full screen when an alarm occurs.

Alarm-Triggered Alarm Output The NVR outputs an alarm to trigger actions by a third-party device when an alarm occurs.

Manual Alarm Manual Alarm Output

Follow the steps to trigger or clear an alarm output manually.

1. Click Manual > Alarm > Manual Alarm.

2. To trigger an alarm output manually, select the desired channel, and then click Trigger. To clear an alarm output manually, select the desired channel, and then click Clear.

Manual Buzzer Follow the steps to stop the buzzer manually.

1. Click Manual > Alarm > Buzzer.

2. Select the buzzer (in Started status) and then click Stop. 

10. Network Configuration

Network configuration is required if your NVR operates in a network.

TCP/IP

1. Click System > Network > Basic.

2. Set the network parameters as needed. DHCP is enabled by default. You can choose a working mode if your NVR has two NICs:

Multi-address mode: The two NICs work independently and can be configured separately. Either NIC can be chosen as the default route, and data will be forwarded through this NIC when the NVR connects to the extranet.

Load balance mode: The two NICs are bound to the same IP address and work together to share network traffic.

Net fault-tolerance mode: The two NICs are bound to the same IP address. In cases where one NIC fails, the other takes over service seamlessly from the faulty one to ensure network connectivity.

3. Click Apply to save the settings. PPPoE The NVR allows access through Point-to-Point over Ethernet (PPPoE).

1. Click System > Network > PPPoE.

2. Enable PPPoE by selecting the checkbox.

3. Enter the username and password provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Network information including IP address appears when dial-up succeeds.

4. Click Apply to save the settings.

P2P

The NVR allows access from the cloud website or from the mobile surveillance app. You need to sign up for a cloud account at www.star4live.com first.

1. Click System > Network > P2P.

2. P2P is enabled by default.

3. To add the NVR to cloud at the cloud website: log in to your account at www.star4live.com and then add the NVR by entering the registration code and device name.

4. To add the NVR to the cloud using the app: scan the QR code with the app. You need to download and install the app on your mobile phone first. Contact your dealer for details.

5. Click Apply to save the settings.

DDNS

If your NVR is connected to the Internet through PPPoE, the IP address of the network changes every time it connects to the ISP server without your awareness. This is inconvenient when you remotely access your NVR with an IP address. To avoid this issue, you can register with a DDNS server to obtain a domain name for your NVR and then access your NVR by visiting the domain name instead of an IP address (http://DDNS server address/NVR's domain name) using a web browser.

1. Click System > Network > DDNS.

2. Enable DDNS, select a DDNS type, and then complete other settings.

• If the DDNS type is DynDNS or No-IP, enter the domain name, username, and password. The domain name is the one that you have successfully registered at a domain name registration website (e.g., DynDNS). The username and password are those of the account you have registered at the domain name registration website (e.g., DynDNS).

• If the DDNS type is EZDDNS, enter a valid domain name for your NVR and then click Test to see if the domain name is available.

3. Click Apply to save the settings.

Port

Normally the default port numbers need no modification. This function is mainly used together with the port mapping function.

1. Click System > Network > Port.

2. Configure ports as planned. Each port number must be unique.

3. Click Apply to save the settings.

Port Mapping

Configure the internal and external ports manually.

1. Click System > Network > Port Mapping.

2. Select Manual for Mapping Mode, and then set external ports manually.

3. Click Apply to save the settings.

Email After Email is enabled as a triggered action (in Trigger Actions windows) and configured properly, the NVR sends an email notification to specified email address(es) if an alarm occurs within the time period(s) set in the arming schedule.

The email contains basic alarm information such as alarm type, alarm time, camera ID, and camera name, etc. Before using this function, make sure the NVR has a functional connection to an SMTP server with which you have a valid email account. Depending on the intended recipients, a connection to the Internet may be required. Only certain NVR models support this function.

1. Click System > Network > Email.

2. Configure the related parameters. If server authentication is required, you need to enter the correct username and password. Click the Test to send a test email.

3. Click Apply to save the settings.

Multicast

Multicast can be used to realize live view when the number of connecting Web clients exceeds the limit the NVR can accommodate.

1. Click System > Network > Multicast.

2. Select the checkbox to enable multicast, and then enter the multicast IP and port number.

3. Click Apply to save the settings. 4. Log in to the Web client and set Live View Protocol to Multicast under Setup > Client.

11 Disk Configuration

Disk Management View disk information, including total and free disk space, disk status, disk type, disk usage, and disk property. Admin users can format disks and edit disk property. 1. Click Storage > Hard Disk. 

 

2. To add a disk, click Add. In the dialog box displayed, select disk usage (recording or backup) and disk type (currently NAS only), enter the server address and directory and then click Add. Up to eight NAS disks are allowed.

3. To edit disk property, click , and then modify disk usage (recording or backup) and disk property (Read/Write, Read Only or Redundant) as needed.

4. To format a disk, select the disk and then click Format. A confirmation message appears. Click Yes.

Space Allocation Allocate space to store videos of a specified camera. 1. Click Storage > Allocate Space.

2. Select the desired camera and then set the maximum recording space and maximum image space.

3. Click Apply to save the settings.

4. (Optional) Click Copy to apply the same settings to other cameras.

Advanced Configuration

Set whether to overwrite recordings when storage is full.

1. Click Storage > Advanced. 

2. Choose an option.

3. Click Apply to save the settings. Hard Disk Detection S.M.A.R.T. Test Click Maintain > HDD > S.M.A.R.T. Test to do S.M.A.R.T. test. S.M.A.R.T. (enabled by default) checks the head, platter, motor, and circuit of hard disks to evaluate their health status. The overall evaluation results include Healthy, Failure, and Bad Sectors. It is recommended to replace the disk immediately if the status is Failure.

Bad Sector Detection Bad sector detection checks for bad sectors in hard disks.

1. Click Maintain > HDD > Bad Sector Detect.

2. Select the desired disk and detection type, and then click Detect to start detection. Click Stop if you want to stop.

 

12. System Configuration

Basic Configuration

1. Click System > Basic.

2. Configure the parameters.

3. Click Apply to save the settings.

Time Configuration Time

1. Click System > Time > Time.

2. Select the correct time zone, and then set date and time formats and the system time. The following shows an example.

3. To use the Network Time Protocol (NTP), enable auto update, set the address and port number of the NTP server, and the update interval.

4. Click Apply to save the settings.

DST

1. Click System > Time > DST.

2. Enable DST by selecting the checkbox, and then set the start time, end time, and DST bias correctly. The following shows an example.

3. Click Apply to save the settings. Time Synchronization Use this function to synchronize camera time with the NVR. Time sync is enabled by default, and cameras will synchronize time with the NVR after getting online, and then synchronize once every 30 minutes.

1. Click System > Time > Time Sync.

2. Select Sync Camera Time and then click Apply. 

User Configuration Add, delete users, or edit user permissions. Only admin can perform these operations. 

A user type is a set of permissions in the system. When a user type is assigned to a user, this user has all the permissions specified for the user type.

There are four user types in the system:

Admin: Default super administrator in the system, has full system access. Its initial password is 123456.

Default: Default user reserved in the system, cannot be created or deleted, and only has access to live view. If the default user is denied access, the corresponding channel is locked when no user is logged in and  appears in the window.

Operator: Has basic permissions and access to cameras.

Guest: Only has access to cameras by default.

1. Click System > User. 

 

2. To add a user, click Add, and then set the username, user type, password, and permissions as needed. 3. Set the unlock pattern, then click OK.

4. To edit or delete a user, click  or  as needed. If you change the password for a user, the new password takes effect at the user's next login. Security Configuration IP Control Use this function to enhance security by allowing or forbidding access to the NVR from specified IP addresses.

1. Click System > Security > IP Control.

2. Select Enable IP Control, select Blacklist or Whitelist from the drop-down list, set the start and end IP addresses, and then click Add.

 3. Click Apply to save the settings. ONVIF Authentication Enable ONVIF authentication under System> Security > ONVIF Auth so a username and password will be required for ONVIF-based device access. Select the checkbox and then click Apply. 

ARP Protection ARP protocol is used to associate an IP address to a hardware MAC address. ARP attacks mainly occur on LAN, in which attackers use forged IP and MAC addresses. APR protection prevents this kind of attacks by verifying the gateway's MAC address in all access requests. Note that changing the NIC working mode will disable ARP protection automatically.

1. Click System > Security > ARP Protection.

2. Select the desired NIC and then select Enable ARP Protection. 3. Obtain the gateway's MAC address automatically, or select Custom and input the MAC address. 4. Click Apply to save the settings. Video Watermark Encrypt custom information in videos to prevent unauthorized alteration. 1. Click System > Security.

2. Select the desired camera and then select Enable Watermark.

3. Enter watermark content.

4. Click Apply to save the settings.

Secure Password

Secure password specifies the permission of strong or weak password in different modes: friendly password and enhanced password.

1. Click System > Security. 

2. Once Enable is selected, the option will be hidden, and by default, a friendly password is enabled. You may enable Enhanced Password as needed.

Friendly Password If this option is selected, a strong password must be used except when login from the same network segment or one of the three private network segments (10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, 192.168.0.0/24).

Enhanced Password If this option is selected, a prompt for a strong password will appear when a weak password is detected. Also, only strong passwords are allowed for new users. 3. Click Apply to save the settings.

13. System Maintenance

System Information

Click Maintain > System Info to view the basic NVR information for maintenance purposes.

System Info View the basic information such as the device model, serial number, firmware version, build date, and operation time.

Camera status Click the Camera tab to view camera status (online or offline with possible offline cause) and status of alarm functions such as motion detection, tampering, video loss, and audio detection. Off means disabled, and on means enabled.

Recording status Click the Recording tab to view recording status and stream settings.

Online user Click the Online User tab for information about users who are currently logged in.

Disk status Click the Disk tab to view the hard disk status and disk properties.

Network Information Traffic

Click Maintain > Network Info > Traffic to view network traffic information.

Network Detection Click Maintain > Network Info > Net Detect.

To test network delay and packet loss rate, enter the test address and then click Test. 

To capture and save packets, select the USB storage device, specify the port number and IP address, and then click  right to the desired NIC. The captured packets are saved as a backup file in the root directory of the USB storage device. You may click Open to view the file.

Network Settings

Click Maintain > Network Info > Network to view network settings.

PoE/Network Port Status

Only certain NVR models support this function.

Click System > Network Info to viewport status. In the figure below, the blue port is in use. For PoE models, power information will be displayed.

Network Statistics

Click Maintain > Network Info > Network Statistics. Bandwidth usage statistics are displayed.

Log Query Logs contain information about user-performed operations and device status. By analyzing logs, you can keep track of device operation status and view detailed alarm information.

1. Click Maintain > Log.

2. Set query conditions, including the start and end times, main type, and subtype.

3. Click Query.

4. If  is displayed under Play, you may click  to view the recording that started one minute before the alarm time and ended ten minutes after the alarm time. means these functions are not available.

5. To export logs to an external storage device, click Export, set the export destination and format, and then click Backup. 

Import/Export System

Import/Export

Configurations and diagnosis information can be exported to a storage device and saved as files for backup. A configuration file can also be imported to the NVR to restore configurations. The configuration file of an NVR can be imported to multiple NVRs of the same model if you want them to have the same settings. If the imported configuration file contains camera information, the related camera will be added to all the NVRs. Only admin can perform these operations.

1. Click Maintain > Import/Export.

2. To export device configurations, specify the destination directory and then click Export. A .xml file will be created in the specified directory when the export is completed.

3. To import device configurations, double-click the target folder containing the .xml file, select the file, and then click Import.

Diagnosis Info The device can save diagnosis info for 14 days and will overwrite the oldest when space is full.

1. Click Maintain > History Diagnosis Info.

2. Select a device type:

NVR: For NVR, history diagnosis info is generated at 00:00 every day. To export history diagnosis info, click Export at the bottom. To export current diagnosis info, click Export right to Current Diagnosis Info.

IPC: For IPC, history diagnosis info is generated at 00:05 every day. Select channels and then click Export at the bottom. To export current diagnosis info, click Export right to Current Diagnosis Info. 

System Restoration

Use this function to restore some or all factory default settings. The NVR will restart automatically to complete this operation. Recordings and operation logs will not be deleted.

1. Click Maintain > Restore.

2. Click Default to restore factory default settings except for network and user settings, or click Factory Default to restore all factory default settings.

Automatic Maintenance

Set the NVR to restart as scheduled and delete files (including recordings) as needed. Only admin can perform this operation.

1. Click Maintain > Auto-Function.

2. Set an auto-restart time, and choose a way to delete files automatically.

System Upgrade Upgrade the NVR under Maintain > Upgrade locally (using an upgrade file saved in a USB storage device) or by cloud (through a cloud server). To upgrade by cloud, ensure that the NVR is connected to a fully functional DNS server (configured under System > Network > Basic), and click Check to see whether a newer version is available. The time that a cloud upgrade takes is affected by network connection status.

14. Shutdown

Click Shutdown to log out, restart, or shut down as needed. To shut down the NVR, you may also long-press the power button on the front panel (if available) for around three seconds till an on-screen message appears, and then click Yes. 

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