Pre-buffering and storage of recordings (explained)

Pre-buffering is the ability to record audio and video before the actual triggering event occurs. This is useful when you want to record the audio or video that leads up to an event that triggers recording, for example, opening a door.

Pre-buffering is possible because the system continuously receives audio and video streams from the connected devices and temporarily stores them for the defined pre-buffer period.

• If a recording rule is triggered, the temporary recordings are made permanent for the rule’s configured pre-recording time
• If no recording rule is triggered, the temporary recordings in the pre-buffer are automatically deleted after the defined pre-buffer time

Storage of the temporary pre-buffer recordings

You can choose the storage location of the temporary pre-buffer recordings:

• In the memory; the pre-buffer period is limited to 15 seconds.
• On the disk (in the media database); you can choose all values.

Storage to the memory instead of to disk improves system performance but is only possible for shorter pre-buffer periods.

When recordings are stored in the memory, and you make some of the temporary recordings permanent, the remaining temporary recordings are deleted and cannot be restored. If you need to be able to keep the remaining recordings, store the recordings on the disk.