Exporting video evidence

If you need to document an incident that has occurred, for example, to give legal evidence, you can export a video sequence from XProtect Smart Client. If you need to prove that the video evidence has not been tampered with, you can export it in the XProtect format. If you use this format, you can "lock" the evidence behind a digital signature that verifies the authenticity of the exported video.

Exporting video, audio, and still images

You export video and associated audio in different formats. Depending on your VMS system, you can also export still images and other types of data that might be available.

Export formats

XProtect Smart Client enables you to export in one or more of the following formats.

Format Description
XProtect format Use the XProtect format to include the XProtect Smart Client – Player along with the export which is the only media player that can play this format. To verify that the exported evidence has not been tampered with, select Export settings > XProtect format > Include digital signature. This setting enables the Verify signatures button in the XProtect Smart Client – Player.
Media player format

Use a format that requires no XProtect knowledge, and that most media players can play. You only need an installed media player to play this format.

Still images Export a still image file for each frame for the time period you have selected.

When you export video sequences with the Export as media player format option, you can export them in two formats:

  • Individual files format that exports a file for each video sequence you have added to the export list.

  • Combined file format that exports a single file that contains all the video sequences you have added to the export list, according to the order you have arranged them. To rearrange any of your added video sequences before you start an export, use the arrows to reorder the files in the export list.

You can reorder your export list using the arrow to the left of each video sequence

Add video sequences to the Export list

You must add video sequences to the Export list before you can create the export. You can add files from several places in XProtect Smart Client:

  1. From the Exports tab, in the Export list, select Add item to add the video sequences.

  2. From the Search tab, for each search result to export, select the blue check box , then select Add to export list in the blue action bar. To select all your search results, select one search result and press Ctrl+A. In the blue action bar that is displayed, select Add to export list Export from search results in XProtect Smart Client..

  3. From the View tab, in Playback mode, you have two options for adding video sequences to the Export list:

    Option 1:

    1. In the timeline, select Set start and end time on timeline to select the start and end time of the sequence to export.

    2. For each item to include in the export, select the associated check box . If you want to export all your search results at the same time, choose the Select all button on the workspace toolbar in the upper-right corner.

    3. Select Export > Export to add the selected video sequences to the Export list. This action automatically takes you to the Exports tab. Alternatively, select Export > Add to export list to add the selected video sequences to the Export list while you remain in playback mode and can add more sequences to the export list.

    Option 2:

    1. In the Evidence lock list, select an existing evidence lock.

    2. Select Add to export list to add the selected evidence lock to the Export list and to stay in playback mode, or select Evidence lock > View > Evidence lock list.

To export several video sequences from the same camera on the Export list, select the sequence and click the split camera icon .

Adjusting export settings

When you have added at least one video sequence to the Exports tab > Export list, you must also select at least one export format. See Export formats. Optionally, you can adjust export settings. See Export settings.

The Export settings window in XProtect Smart Client. The window has tabs for each export format: XProtect format, Media player format, Still images.

Under the Export list, select at least one export format. See Export formats.

For each video sequence on the Export list, you can change the Start time and the End time.

You can add privacy masks to video sequences to cover different video areas. See also Add privacy masks to recordings during export.

For each format, you can change the Export settings. See Export settings.

The duration of the export and the number of cameras affect how long it takes to complete the export.

Create the export

After you added at least one sequence to the Exports tab > Export list and selected at least one export format, you can create the export.

You might not have user permissions to export video data.

The Create export window. Choose a name and export destinaton, and optionally, add comments to the XProtect format of the export.

  1. Select the Create export button. The Create export window opens.
  2. In the Export name field, an export name is automatically created for you. You can change the name.
  3. In the Export destination field, specify a path for the export. The export you create is stored in the folder you choose here.
  4. Select Export to export the evidence.
  5. The export is created and stored in the folder that you specified as the Export destination. See also View exported video.

To stop an export before it's finished, select Cancel, then confirm by clicking Cancel in the displayed window. You can always restore your export list after canceling it, by selecting Restore export list. In the same way, you can restore the export list after failed and successful exports. When you restore an export list, it has the same order as the original export list and you don't need to reorder any video sequences.

If you start an export of a combined file and you delete or rename one of the video sequences in the export list before the files are combined, that specific video sequence will be missing in the final exported file. It is listed as Completed with errors, Failed, or Partly failed in the export result window. You must create a new export.

You are now ready to store and share the video safely. See the GDPR Privacy Guide and the Milestone GDPR e-learning for VMS Operators for more information on handling exported data. To safely email video evidence, see Handling exported data in notifications and email.

Add privacy masks to recordings during export

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

The privacy masks you add here apply to all the video sequences in the current export from the camera you selected in the Export list. If you remove a privacy mask from one video sequence, it is also automatically removed from all other video sequences for that camera. The export may already include privacy masks which your system administrator has already defined for certain cameras. See also Privacy masking (explained).

  1. On the Exports tab > Export list, select the camera you want to add a privacy mask to.
  2. For each area you want to add a privacy mask to, click the button, and drag the pointer over the area.

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

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

  4. Click OK to return to the Exports tab.

The preview image contains an invisible grid with cells. If the area you select includes any portion of a cell, the system adds a privacy mask to the entire cell. The result can be that the system adds a privacy masks to 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.

Export storyboards

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

  1. In playback mode, start by opening a view that contains items that you want to add to your storyboard.
  2. In the timeline, click .
  3. Select the start time and the end time for the storyboard.
  4. For each item in the view that you want to add, select the corresponding check box and click Export > Add to export list.

    Repeat steps 1-4 until you have added all items that you need for your storyboard.

  5. Continue with the export process. See Adjusting export settings and Create the export.

Export locked video evidence

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

  1. Switch to playback mode.
  2. On the workspace toolbar in the upper-right corner, click Evidence lock and select View.

  3. If you want to stay in live mode instead of in playback mode, select Evidence lock on the global toolbar.

    A list of existing evidence locks with devices that you have permission to access appears.

  4. Select an evidence lock and click Add to export list.

  5. Continue with the export process. See Adjusting export settings and Create the export.

View exported video

The exports that you create are stored in the folder that you specified in the Create export window > Export destination field.

  1. To view the exported video immediately after creating it:

    1. In the upper-right corner of XProtect Smart Client, select Export details.

      2. In the Export details window > Export location field, a link shows the location of the output folder.

    2. Click the link to open the output folder and to access the exported files.

      The Export details window. The export location is a hyperlink. When you click the hyperlink, the folder that contains the export files opens.

  2. If you exported video at a previous point in time:
    1. Go to the folder where you store exports. The default location is C:\Users\[username]\Documents\Milestone\Video Export. You can check the folder location in the Create export window > Export destination field. 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.

  1. To print a recorded still image, switch to playback mode.
  2. To print a live still image, switch to live mode.
  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 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.

  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. Optionally, write a note in the Report note field.

  7. Click Create. A progress bar shows that the report is generated.

  8. When the report is generated, select Details from the progress bar.

  9. Select Open to open the report or click the link to open the report's destination folder.

    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 button to copy an image

    Copy images to clipboard in XProtect Smart Client.

You can now paste (CTRL+V) the image into your application of choice.