Creating video evidence

There are several ways of documenting incidents and events in XProtect Smart Client, for example by exporting recordings and creating single still images from the video stream.

For information about locking video evidence and how to export evidence locks, see Locking video evidence.

Export video, audio, and still images

To share video evidence, you can export video in different formats and any associated audio. You can also export still images and other types of data that - depending on your XProtect VMS system - may be available.

Steps:

  1. On the Playback tab, in the timeline, click the Time selection mode in XProtect Smart Client. button to select the start and end time (see Time navigation controls (overview)) of the sequence you want to export.
  2. For each item you want to include in the export, select the associated check box .
  3. To the right of the timeline, click Export > Export to open the Export window.
  4. To include additional view items, click Add item button to select them.
  5. In the Export name field, you can change the default name.
  6. Specify a path, a media burner, or both, for the destination of the export.
  7. Select one or more of the following export formats:
    • XProtect format - use the XProtect database format if you want to include the XProtect Smart Client – Player along with the export. Other media players will not work
    • Media player format - use a format that most media players can play. This requires that a media player is installed on the computer where the export is to be viewed
    • Still images - export a still image file for each frame for the selected period
  8. If you want the recipient to be able to verify that the exported evidence has not been tampered with, select the following check boxes:
    • XProtect format

    • Include digital signature

      This will enable the Verify Signatures button in the XProtect Smart Client – Player.

  9. Click Start Export to export your evidence.

To mask an area during export, see Mask areas in recordings during export.

Mask areas in recordings during export

When you export video, you can add privacy masks to cover selected areas. When someone watches the video, the areas with privacy masks appear as solid blocks.

The privacy masks that you add here only apply to the current export and for the selected video. The export may already include privacy masks that have been defined by your system administrator for certain cameras. See also Privacy masking (explained).

Steps:

  1. In the Export window, click the Privacy mask button. A window appears.
  2. For each area that you want to mask, click the button, and then drag the pointer over the area that you want to mask.

  3. To unmask a part of a privacy mask, click the button, and then drag the pointer over the area that you want to unmask. Repeat this step for each part to unmask.

    To temporarily hide masks, click and hold the Hide mask button.

  4. Click OK to return to the Export window.

The preview image contains an invisible grid with cells. If the area you select includes any portion of a cell, the system masks the entire cell. The result can be that the system masks slightly more of the image than you intended.

Storyboards (explained)

The storyboard function helps you paste together video sequences from one camera or from multiple cameras into one cohesive flow. You can use the sequence of events, the storyboard, as proof of evidence in internal investigations or the court of law.

You can skip all sequences that are not relevant and avoid wasting time looking through long sequences of video that you do not need. Also, you avoid wasting storage space on stored sequences that do not contain relevant video.

You can also export items directly from the Export window. See also Export video, audio, and still images.

Export storyboards

You can create a storyboard by pasting together video sequences into one cohesive flow and then export it.

Steps:

  1. On the Playback tab, start by opening a view that contains items that you want to add to your storyboard.
  2. In the timeline, click Time selection mode in XProtect Smart Client..
  3. Select the start time and the end time for the storyboard. See Time navigation controls (overview).
  4. For each item in the view that you want to add, select the corresponding check box and click Export > Add to export list.
  5. Repeat step 1-4 until you have added all items that you need for your storyboard.
  6. Click Export > Export to open the Export window. All selected items are displayed in the Item list, ready for export.
  7. In the Export name field, enter a name for the export. The program automatically creates a name with the current date and time. You can change the name.
  8. Specify a path for the destination of the export.
  9. Click the relevant tab to select a format to export to.
  10. Specify the necessary settings for the format that you have chosen. See also Video export settings.XProtect Smart Client estimates the size of the export and displays this information at the bottom of the window.
  11. Click Start Export to export your evidence.

For information about viewing the exported storyboard, see View exported video.

Export locked video evidence

When you export evidence locksClosedA video sequence that is protected, so it cannot be deleted., also the data from devices related to the cameras are included in the export.

Steps:

  1. Click the Playback tab.
  2. To the right of the timeline, click Evidence Lock and select View.
  3. If you want to stay on the Live tab instead of the Playback tab, click the Status button on the application toolbar and select Evidence Lock List.
  4. Select an evidence lock and click Export.
  5. The Export window opens. Define your settings. See also XProtect format settings.

View exported video

The exports you create in XProtect Smart Client are stored in a default folder on your local computer, unless you have specified a different folder. You can view an export immediately after creating it, or later.

Steps:

  1. To view the exported video immediately after creating it:
    1. Create the export. See also Export video, audio, and still images.

      Export window in XProtect Smart Client.

    2. Click the Details button in the upper right corner when the export is complete. A dialog box appears with a link to the output folder.
    3. Click the link to open the output folder.
  2. If you have exported video at a previous point in time:
    1. Go to the folder where you store export files. The default location is C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Milestone\Video Export. You can check the folder location in the Export window. This works only if you always use the same export destination.
    2. Depending on the output format, open the relevant folder and double-click the video file or still image. If the format is XProtect format, double-click the Smart Client – Player file with the .exe extension.

Printing or creating surveillance reports

Depending on your needs, you can either print surveillance reports on the fly based on still images from surveillance cameras, or you can create surveillance reports that you save to your computer.

See also Print alarm reports and Get statistics on alarms.

Print report from single cameras

You can print single still images and related information from live cameras or from recorded video. Notes that you add are also printed.

Steps:

  1. To print a recorded still image, go to the Playback tab.
  2. To print a live still image, go to the Live tab.
  3. Open the view that contains the camera you are interested in.

  4. Hover over the view item. The camera toolbar appears.

    The camera toolbar in XProtect Smart Client.

  5. Click the Printer icon. A window appears.

    The Surveillance Report window in XProtect Smart Client.

  6. Add notes if required.
  7. Click Print. The Windows Print dialog appears.
  8. If necessary, change the print settings and print. Otherwise, just click Print.

You can also print information about alarms if your organization uses the alarm handling features. See also Alarms (explained).

Create reports from search results

Based on search results, you can create a surveillance report that contains information about the events or incidents, for example still images, event time, information about the cameras, and notes. The report is saved as a PDF file.

Steps:

  1. Go to the Search tab and run a search.
  2. For each search result that you want to include in the report, hover over it and select the blue check box .
  3. In the blue action bar, click . A window appears.
  4. Change the default report name into something meaningful. In the report, the name is displayed as the page header.
  5. To change the folder that the report is saved to, in the Report destination section, click and select a different folder.
  6. To add a note, enter text in the Note field.

  7. Click Create. A progress bar informs you when the report is generated.

  8. To open the report, click Details, and then click Open. To open the destination folder, click the link.

    Location of reports in XProtect Smart Client.

To change the layout of the report, open the Settings dialog, click Advanced, and then select a different value in the PDF report format list.

Copy images to clipboard

You can copy single still images from selected cameras. Copied images can then be pasted (as bitmap images) into other applications, such as word processors, e-mail clients, etc. You can only copy a single image from one camera at a time.

  • On the camera toolbar, click the Copy to Clipboard icon to copy an image

    Copy images to clipboard in XProtect Smart Client.