Options for Local Video Recording (event recording with no NVR)?

[UtilityTech]

Hey there I'm trying to setup some cameras for a jobsite that will only last for a few weeks. I purchased some HikVision Network Cameras with no NVR or SIM cards. I was under the impression since they were network cameras you could record files locally (say to a computer that is logged in to the camera via the web portal or even iVMS-4200). While I can do this if I manually trigger a recording, it will not record based off of an event (e.g. motion sensors).

I see a post response by Dan here (https://www.use-ip.co.uk/forum/threads/ivms-4200-software.6923/post-29553) where we says this feature once was supported by iVMS-4200 VS/a storage server software but was discontinued at the beginning of 2021.

Are there any other options I can do to get this up and running? If there is, how do I go about doing that? I opted to skip the SIM card/NVR due to extra costs that I figured weren't needed for such a short project life. Should I be investing in one of those options?

I find it so odd that the cameras can easily record to a file on your computer when you manually press record but for some reason wont record off of events...

 

[Dan]

Hi @UtilityTech

We are not aware of any free solution that will allow for local recording to the PC running the VMS, all VMS products that would offer this feature are costly and the other downside is that the PC running the software has to be running 24/7.

For short-term projects, our recommendation is usually to simply install MicroSD cards in each camera as these cost very little and the larger sizes (128GB/256GB) will give you several days of continuous recording (more if recording by event).

 

[UtilityTech]

Hi @UtilityTech

We are not aware of any free solution that will allow for local recording to the PC running the VMS, all VMS products that would offer this feature are costly and the other downside is that the PC running the software has to be running 24/7.

For short-term projects, our recommendation is usually to simply install MicroSD cards in each camera as these cost very little and the larger sizes (128GB/256GB) will give you several days of continuous recording (more if recording by event).

Thank you for your response. I have been thinking MicroSD would be the best option the more I work on this but may not be the best resolution at this point...

My biggest issue right now is time, not money (any longer). As this is a city project, purchase approval for devices or equipment takes some time and this project was supposed to be up and running before this past weekend. Fortunately for me the camera mounting brackets were held up in shipping and will be arriving today so it couldn't be running even if the camera's were working.

Any software is a little bit different and can be approved a bit faster as there are no vendors/bids/multiple purchase options that need to be submitted.

So for my specific situation it might actually be easier to go a software route if there is one available (even if it costs more than SD cards at this point).

Also I should mention that a 24hr running computer is not a problem. In theory, our video stream will travel over a radio network back to our servers where I would like them to be recorded to a specific HDD for playback if needed (motion detected event and not continous). Problem is I can't get any storage to show up via the camera's HDD management options.

Anymore ideas on what I could try? Thanks!

 

[Dan]

Ok, if it is only for a short term install the best solution will probably Vivotek's VAST2 software which is a paid-for software and does require paid-for licenses for 3rd-party non-Vivotek cameras, but there is a full free trial version available from their website which allows you free access to all the software features for 60 days.

If you think your install will be for longer than that you will need to purchase the base license and 3rd-party camera licenses for each camera which are around £40 each.

 

[UtilityTech]

Great, I will look into this today then. If it doesn't look like it'll work I'll try to swap over to the SD option. Thank you for your help Dan!

Just out of curiosity, do you know what the reason behind being able to manually record locally but not being able to record locally based off a trigger? I'm assuming the camera demands a permanent connection to a storage device in order to have recording access 24/7. But I mean, shouldn't the end user have that option? Like, if I wanted to leave my laptop plugged in and turned on for 24 hours so the camera can record to it, why wouldn't I have that option? If my laptop turns off or goes to sleep then I shouldn't expect to have recordings in the morning.

 

[Dan]

You're welcome @UtilityTech

In answer to your question, there really isn't any technical reason why this local storage feature could not be supported. As you pointed out in your first post this feature was supported by Hikvision's iVMS-4200 software, I don't think we ever got a firm explanation of why they removed this feature but I think part of the reason was non-techy end users enabling this feature on their home PCs/laptops and then coming to Hik support with complaints and technical issues when weeks/months later they had Terabytes of footage blocking up their storage.

Another possible reason why they haven't tried to introduce a new local storage solution is that it is a very rarely requested solution, you are one of only a handful of requests for this feature in the 5+ years that I have been working for use-IP.

 

[BarneyS]

Not sure whether to piggy back on this thread or start again but it was a search on this subject which brought me here, it could bring some relevant info in.

I completely understand that I am flogging obsolete horses here and that I probably fit into the irritating category of interested amateur rather than savvy techi so, I apologise for that in advance.

I am wresting with a number of old cameras which I am setting up on a dedicated PC with iVMS4200 installed but no NVR. My cameras are at a couple of different properties.

With help from this site and a good deal of experimentation I have got live view up and running and working as I want.

Once at that stage I thought to get motion detection up and running (it is a wildlife watching project essentially) but I am back at the bottom of the learning curve!

I have watched this video:

which I thought was what I needed but I am missing something when it comes to adding a storage server.

I have a redundant MyBook Live on the system which I was hoping to use, when I sign in to the camera, it can find the storage and directory and indicates that it is able to format it.

However, when I look in iMVS 4200 under the cameras configuration I am unable to add it as the storage server (clear is the only option)

Thinking that perhaps I needed to add the storage server as a device I have tried this on the device management page but this always throws me a DNS error.

So.... stuck again, any assistance or direction to a suitable help resource would be really appreciated.

Your sticking with me and my less than technical mind is a great help.

Thanks! BarneyS

 

[BarneyS]

To be clear, when I return to the NAS, by whatever means, it indicates that it is not formatted.....

 

[Dan]

Hi @BarneyS

If you read the rest of this thread you will see that I explain that the storage server feature for iVMS-4200 was removed and so it is no longer possible to use iVMS-4200 to record locally, I also explain that your only options will be to use paid-for VMS solutions like VAST2 or potentially you can investigate some other 3rd-party free local storage solutions, but we are not aware of any good free solutions.

 

[BarneyS]

Thanks Dan,

That clarifies things for me and confirms I was looking in the right place!

Best regards,

BarneyS.